Running At Menopause: Episode 114 with Dr Juliet McGrattan

New Podcast Alert ‼️

Welcome to today’s episode, in conversation with Dr Juliet McGrattan, all about menopause & running

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We chatted about her new book "The Runner's Guide to Menopause," which provides practical advice for runners navigating menopause.

In today’s episode, we discussed some of the key challenges menopausal runners face, including the importance of strength training despite common reluctance, nutrition and fueling strategies, and the impact of menopause on bladder function and pelvic health.

Juliet explained how behavior change and motivation are the main barriers to exercise, and emphasised the need for women to be given permission to adjust programming as needed during menopause. We covered topics like energy management, the controversy around running fasted, and the critical importance of proper sports bra fitting for running efficiency. The conversation highlighted how menopause can present opportunities for women to prioritise self-care and make different lifestyle choices while maintaining their running identity.

We also explored how health benefits become more significant motivators for women around midlife and menopause, particularly regarding muscle preservation and preventing sarcopenia.

We talked about the challenges of energy management during menopausal running, including the risk of relative energy deficiency syndrome (REDs) and bone stress injuries. Juliet noted that many menopausal women find traditional weight management approaches less effective, leading to potential energy deficiency, while I expressed concern about anterior hip or groin pain in menopausal runners potentially indicating bone health issues (if you’re thinking ’hip flexor problem’ make sure it’s not a neck of femur problem - go back and have a listen to the podcast episode I did about this with Benoy Mathew!)

Juliet’s book ‘The Runner’s Guide to Menopause’ is a great resource to support runners through this transition and keep them running before, during and after menopause!

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And if you’d like to take a deeper dive into supporting women going through menopause, I think my online course, Flourish! The Menopausal Toolbox covers all the things you need know (plus access to Hysterectomy: Prehab to Rehab is included for free) All of my online courses are available at CelebrateMuliebrity.com 🥳💝 #celebratemuliebrity