Weight Loss for Menopause: Why What You Do Outside the Gym Matters

The Key to Weight Loss for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Burnout.

The movement we lost without realizing it is coming back to haunt us.

Here’s something we don’t talk about enough when it comes to weight loss during menopause our bodies aren’t the only things that have changed. Our lives have changed, too.

Our kids are older. Even our dogs may be older! The people around us have become more self-sufficient, and we’re simply not needed in the same physical way we once were.

Think about how much movement used to happen without you ever calling it exercise.

You were chasing after kids, carrying laundry up and down the stairs, running forgotten lunches to school, walking the dog, grocery shopping, cleaning up after everyone, hauling bags into the house, and constantly getting in and out of the car.

You weren’t thinking, Look at all this NEAT I’m getting today.

You were just living your life.

And you were moving a lot.

Then Life Changes

The kids don’t need rides everywhere. They carry their own stuff. Maybe the dog isn’t up for those long walks anymore. The grocery’s end up at the front door with a few clicks. There aren’t as many toys to pick up, lunches to pack, or errands that absolutely have to happen right this second.

And suddenly, you have something you haven’t had in years: Time to sit.

So what do we do with that time?

We read. We crochet. We watch TV. We scroll. We sit at our desks. We spend time in the car. Maybe we finally get to enjoy a cup of coffee without someone yelling for us from another room.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying those things.

In fact, after years of doing everything for everyone, slowing down can feel pretty darn good.

But here’s the question:

Have you ever considered how much everyday movement disappeared from your life without you even realizing it?

Menopause, Burnout, and a Different Kind of Tired

This is also a stage of life when many women are dealing with menopause and burnout at the same time.

For years, you may have been running on adrenaline, responsibilities, deadlines, kids’ schedules, work, caregiving, and a never-ending list of things that needed to get done.

Then menopause arrives, your energy may feel different, and the last thing you want to hear is that you need to push yourself through another punishing workout.

The good news? More exercise isn’t necessarily the only answer.

You may still be eating similarly to the way you always have. You may even be exercising several days a week. But the amount you naturally move throughout the rest of your day may look completely different than it did 10 or 20 years ago.

That matters.

World Health Organization updated the guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior in 2020 and for the first time recommended limiting sedentary time and replacing sedentary behaviors with any physical activity to increase health benefits.

We all need more NEAT.

The Role of NEAT in Weight Loss During Perimenopause and Menopause

NEAT stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. In simple terms, it’s the energy you use doing all the movement that isn’t formal exercise.

Walking around the house. Taking the stairs. Doing laundry. Gardening. Grocery shopping. Cleaning. Standing. Running errands. Walking the dog. Getting up and down throughout the day.

All those little bits of movement add up.

That’s why NEAT can be an overlooked piece of weight loss during menopause.

When we think about weight loss, we tend to focus on food and workouts. We ask ourselves whether we need to eat less, exercise harder, or squeeze another workout into an already busy week.

But sometimes it’s worth looking at something much simpler:

How much am I moving when I’m not exercising?

You Don’t Need to Turn Your Life Into Another Workout

Especially if you’re already experiencing menopause burnout, the answer probably isn’t to make your life more exhausting.

Formal exercise is great and we need it but we also need to sit less. Look for opportunities to put movement back into your day.

Do 20 seated calf raises every hour. Take phone call pacing around your office. Walk to talk to a colleague rather than send them a email. Park on a different floor of the parking garage. Carry the groceries in one bag at a time. Put on music and clean the kitchen. Get outside with the dog, even if the walk is shorter and slower these days. Stand up regularly when you’re working or watching TV.

None of these things needs to feel like exercise.

That’s the point.

You’re simply replacing some of the movement that quietly disappeared as your life changed.

Because weight loss during menopause isn’t always about doing more intense workouts or pushing yourself harder.

Sometimes it’s about recognizing that your daily life has changed and your movement changed right along with it.

So before deciding that your body is suddenly working against you, take an honest look at your day.

How much do you move now compared with 10 or 20 or 30 years ago?

Not sure, track it. Every time you stand jot a note on a paper or in your phone how long you were standing. You might be surprised by the answer.

And if you’re already dealing with burnout during menopause, that realization can actually be freeing.

You may not need another workout.

You may just need to put a little more movement back into the life you’re already living. Need ideas on what to do to add more NEAT into your life click here or for even more click here or of course you can contact us