A fitness coach from Broadstairs is “on a mission” to support women going through menopause.
Sarah Rodriguez, 47, has been a personal trainer for some 20 years and says over the past two years she has been working with increasing numbers of women who were struggling with this stage in their life.
The mum-of-two said: “A couple of years ago, I realised a gap in my work as a personal trainer and health and fitness coach. I was starting to work increasingly more with women in midlife who were struggling with the challenges of menopause – the changes occurring to their bodies, their skin, their energy levels, their weight, their mental health to name just a few things.
“However, at the time I was pretty clueless about this life stage, as many of my clients were. I didn’t have an in-depth understanding about what was going on, how to manage the changes occurring and the knowledge to realise that the training plans I would typically put together for a woman, wouldn’t work for someone going through peri/menopause.
“As a result, I decided I needed to expand my knowledge in order to continue working with these amazing women and be in a better position to support and guide them.
“I qualified as a Menopause Practitioner for Lifestyle Solutions last year with the vision of helping educate and support women through this life stage. So many women are struggling unnecessarily and quietly through menopause, unaware of all the effects this life stage is having on their bodies – mentally, physically and emotionally.
“It really is time we all understood what menopause is and how we can thrive through it and not simply survive.”
Sarah has now organised a number of well-being events and is also available for workplace education sessions.
Menopause Cafes (Free event – open to everyone)
Whitstable – Thirty Nine Whitstable, Saturday 23rd March, 10.30am to 12.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/menopause-cafe-whitstable-tickets-843476379557
Broadstairs – The Botany Bay Hotel – Sunday 7th April, 9.30am to 11.00am
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/menopause-cafe-broadstairs-tickets-843472598247
Menopause Wellbeing Morning
Quex Barn, Quex Park, Sunday 24th March, 10am to 1pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/menopause-wellness-morning-tickets-846871705067
Understand the changes happening to your body during peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause, and learn some lifestyle solutions to help manage these symptoms.
Menopause Wellbeing Day Retreat
Chapel House Estate, Sunday 12th May, 8am to 6pm
From understanding menopause to thriving – a one day retreat to help you discover simple but effective lifestyle solutions to help support you.
Menopause in the Workplace
In-person and on-line Menopause education workshops with local businesses and larger corporate firms.
Email [email protected] or call Sarah on 0782 771 1077
What is menopause?
Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. It usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can happen earlier.
Menopause can happen naturally, or for reasons such as surgery to remove the ovaries (oophorectomy) or the uterus (hysterectomy), cancer treatments like chemotherapy, or a genetic reason. Sometimes the reason is unknown.
Perimenopause is when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped. Perimenopause ends and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months.
Menopause and perimenopause can cause symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes and irregular periods. These symptoms can start years before your periods stop and carry on afterwards.
Find tips on things you can do to manage symptoms at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/things-you-can-do/
Source NHS
