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Eating Right and Physical Activity

Home > Understanding Menopause > Eating Right and Physical Activity

You can feel better by having a healthy lifestyle — don't smoke, eat a variety of foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Include grains, especially whole grains and a variety of dark green leafy vegetables, deeply colored fruit, and dry beans and peas in your eating plan. Also, maintain a healthy weight and be physically active for at least 30 minutes a day.

Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.

• To lower the risk of chronic disease, get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.

• To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain, get about 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week, while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.

• To keep weight loss off, get at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with their doctor before participating in this level of activity.

Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

Additional Resources on Nutrition and Exercise:

Publications

1.   Staying Active and Eating Healthy - This special section of our web site provides information on staying active and eating healthy. It also contains information about healthy dieting, healthy recipes, and vitamins and supplements.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/FitnessNutrition/

2.     Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging - This 80-page illustrated booklet provides healthy older people with scientifically accurate recommendations about exercise. In addition to providing sample exercises, the booklet explains the benefits of the exercises, how to stay motivated, and how to track your progress.

   http://www.niapublications.org/exercisebook/ExerciseGuideComplete.pdf

3.   Growing Older, Eating Better - This publication contains information on nutrition and the aging population. Other topics include single life, special diets, physical problems, money matters, food programs, other assistance, and physical activity.

   http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/296_old.html

4.   Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Better Health and You: Tips for Adults - This booklet gives information on weight gain and obesity in adults. It also includes information on eating healthy, getting active, and losing weight.

   http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/better_health.htm

5.   Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Young at Heart: Tips for Older Adults - This booklet contains tips for older adults on eating healthy, getting active and losing weight.

   http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/young_heart.htm

6.   My Bright Future: Physical Activity and Healthy Eating for Adult Women - This booklet will help you learn more about the importance of physical activity and healthy eating in your daily life. It will also help you talk with your health care provider about these topics and set healthy goals. Included are personalized tip sheets that can help you meet your nutritional goals.

   http://www.hrsa.gov/WomensHealth/mybrightfutureadult/menu.html

7. Exercise in Post-Menopausal Women (Copyright © AOA) - Post-menopausal women can face a variety of health issues, and exercise is a key part of staying healthy. This fact sheet describes good exercises for post-menopausal women and some other preventative measures they can take to insure proper health.

   http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=you_exerfs

8. Fit Facts: Exercise and Menopause (Copyright © ACE) - This publication briefly explains what menopause is and how it affects your body. It provides information on how exercise can help you feel better and stay healthy during and after menopause.

   http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=91

9. Menopause and Diabetes: A Twin Challenge (Copyright © Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - This publication explains the complications that diabetic women can face when entering menopause, as perimenopause symptoms can appear similar to high blood pressure and other diabetes complications.

   http://mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes/DA00038

10. Menopause: Staying Healthy Through Good Nutrition (Copyright © The Cleveland Clinic) - This publication gives some basic dietary guidelines for eating during menopause. It also discusses foods and dietary supplements you can take to reduce your symptoms and what foods to avoid.

    http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3000/3042.asp?index=10105

11. Standing Strong Against Osteoporosis (Copyright © Alliance for Aging Research) - The materials provided in this kit are important tools in helping you maintain your bones and stand strong against osteoporosis. The kit includes an interactive treatment tool, patient brochure, and videos about osteoporosis.

    http://www.agingresearch.org/section/standing_strong

Organizations

1.   Food and Nutrition Information Center, NAL, USDA
2.   National Institute on Aging, NIH, HHS
3.   Nutrition.Gov
4.   Weight Control Information Network, NIDDK, NIH, HHS
5. Alliance for Aging Research
6. American Dietetic Association

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated May 29, 2008.