Ruth's journey with Move through Menopause

No two experiences of menopause are the same, but, one thing is for sure, sharing experiences can be empowering and valuable to anyone who is perimenopausal or going through menopause!

Despite its importance, there’s still a significant gap in education around menopause - what it is, what the symptoms are, and how to manage them. A study showed that more than 90% of postmenopausal women were never taught about menopause at school, and over 60% only started looking for information about it once their symptoms had already begun.

The lack of information around menopause and how to manage it is something Ruth, one of our Move through Menopause participants, initially struggled with.

“I was really struggling with menopause.” Ruth said, “Living at home with all males makes it a very lonely, dark time when you’re menopausal and you don’t know exactly what’s happening to you and you’re not sure what’s going on with yourself. I was in a very dark place; it was very low and very lonely which seems odd to say when you live with your family.”

Ruth isn’t alone in her experience, a lack of Community is a common theme in People who are experiencing menopause, which is one of the reasons we created Move through Menopause in partnership with Menopause Movement.

Move through Menopause is an expert-led course that we’re rolling out in our centres across the UK. During the 12-week course, we provide a safe environment for participants to use the power of knowledge and movement to help their menopause symptoms.

We’re proud to say that we’ve helped hundreds of People, including Ruth, navigate their menopause journey and stay active with confidence!

When Ruth saw that Wyre Forest Leisure Centre, her local centre, was offering the course, she was over the moon.

“Menopause is something that I’d talked about and discussed with friends and said wouldn’t it be great if there was somewhere we could go to learn about it and be educated.” she said.

Some of the learnings throughout the course include the different types of menopause, hormones and HRT, nutrition, and symptom management. For many, becoming better educated can replace fear with confidence, making their menopause experience feel less overwhelming.

“Each week we talked about different subjects, we did different exercise that related to you and what you were going through at that time and what was beneficial to you.” Ruth said. “From the minute I joined, I felt like I could be open, honest, talk to People and trust everybody. That is a massive thing when you’ve felt isolated for so long.”

Physical activity and mindful movement are a key part of the course. Low mood, sleep troubles, and loss of muscle mass are common menopause symptoms, but they can be managed with regular physical activity.

Activity sessions can include group activities in the gym, group workout classes, and even sports. Not only does it help participants keep active on a regular basis, but it can also unlock a new found confidence or passion.

“For me, I’ve always had a phobia of going to the gym. I hated them because I always felt judged, fat, too old. So, to now go into a gym and be made to feel like I’m doing really well and encouraged and empowered, that’s life-changing.” Ruth shared. “Exercise has been key for me, and for other menopausal women it’s so imperative.”

Could you – or somebody you know – benefit from our Move through Menopause course? With a free membership for the duration of the course offering access to gyms, classes, virtual studio, and swimming pools, staying energised, getting active, and finding out what works for you becomes a little easier!

Enquire here

We’re so proud to work with partners like Menopause Movement to explore and develop more targeted pathways which support our Customers. Within our 90+ centres, our commitment to connect with and support our Communities keeps on growing!

Following the success of the Move through Menopause course in participating centres, we’re pleased to be rolling it out to more of our centres across the UK.

Want to hear more from our Move through Menopause Community? See what they have to say here.

Sources: Nine in ten women were never educated about the menopause (UCL)

If you found this blog helpful, you can view our full list of blogs here.