The former First Lady of the USA, Michelle Obama, cannot understand that menopause is still a taboo subject. That's why the 58-year-old now speaks openly about her own experiences with it. Accordingly, the change also affects their weight.
They are sometimes stronger and sometimes weaker, but at some point they hit every menstruating woman: the menopause. But although they are part of the normal course of nature, they are still among the taboo subjects that are very reluctantly discussed in public. Michelle Obama wants to change that and create more awareness and education.
The former US First Lady, who is currently promoting her new book The Light We Carry, told People magazine: "There's not much talk about menopause. I'm going through it and I know that all my friends are going through it. And the information is sparse."
During her time in the White House, the 58-year-old advocated healthy eating in schools and an active lifestyle. She also ran a fitness boot camp for her friends, earning her the nickname "Drillmaster." As Obama now reveals, she still trains with them to this day. Questions like "What is a hot flash?" come up. "We have friends around the table who are gynecologists who have real information. We can pull ourselves up on all of that."
In the meantime, women's training has changed. This has to do with both age and menopause. "I find that I can't push myself like I used to. That doesn't work for me. If I tear a muscle or pull something, I'm out. The recovery time isn't the same," Obama says. Instead, she tries to stay fit enough while being kind to her body. Her goal is no longer to have her infamous "Michelle Obama upper arms", but "just to keep moving".
Because of severe hot flashes, she underwent hormone replacement therapy. But menopause also had an effect on her weight: "I never weighed myself before. I don't try to stick to numbers, but when you get into menopause, (the weight) creeps up so slowly that you don't just didn't notice," says the mother of two. Many of the sporting goods that she wore last year no longer fit her. "I need to be more mindful - not obsessive, but more mindful."
