Lindsay Rentz is a certified health coach and yoga teacher who has spent more has spent more than two decades as a health and fitness advocate. In recent years, Lindsay has focused her coaching practice on women struggling with menopause, unwanted weight gain, and low energy-putting clients in control of the hormonal roller coaster with the new knowledge and practical solutions. Lindsay lives in Annapolis, MD with her husband. They are new empty nesters, adjusting with the help of their attention-loving Schnoodle, Yogi!
All in lifestyle
My love-relationship with jeans started in high school….however, this year was unlike the others. None of my jeans fit. The "not now" piles doubled in size, and I was left with a pair of boys' jeans. My mind was spinning and racing. What the heck has happened in six months? How have I gained 10 lbs? What have I been eating/doing differently? WHAT IS HAPPENING? (It turns out that by not doing anything different, I gained the weight!)
Intermittent fasting reduces the number of calories in a 24 hour period setting time window for eating. This can be beneficial during menopause because many women gain unwanted weight due to hormone changes, aging, poor sleep, and other factors.
Eating healthy while traveling is possible; but it does take a little planning and effort. The key is to pack your own snacks whenever possible to avoid the mess of a gas station or airport newsstand, where there are nothing but empty calories and bad choices.
The physical changes are inevitable, and although they may not always be welcome, it’s our response to them that will change how we approach the next 50 years living in our bodies.
But aging does put things into perspective. It’s impossible not to tie our self-esteem into our bodies completely, but we can start to realize that keeping our bodies healthy and strong is what is essential. Our midlife can bring us some freedom and allow us to feel grateful for what it can do, rather than what it looks like.
A friend asked me recently, “How is your heart?” and truthfully I paused. As a health coach working with menopausal women, I place so much emphasis on our physical health, but maybe I should check in more with my clients about what’s going on inside. The pandemic has prevented time and connections with loved ones, and so it's is no surprise that our hearts may be suffering right now. Our emotional state is reflective of our physical well-being, and studies have proven that our lack of time with loved ones could literally impact our blood pressure. Researchers measured people's blood pressures during different social interactions and discovered an actual drop in blood pressure after visits we love. In a “normal" time, I would advise clients to spend time with others to keep their hearts strong, but nothing is uncomplicated during this pandemic and being together is plain challenging.
