BMF might not seem the obvious choice for menopausal women, but it's working for me!

Julia from BMF Worcester, has been enjoying her BMF membership so much that she was inspired to write a blog post for us. Her refreshing honesty is a both amusing and inspiring at once! 

"It's official.

I'm middle-aged.

Knocking on the door of 50.

I'm probably more than half way through my life.

I'm also menopausal, with all the trials that brings.

Yet, during this period, BMF has helped me to re-discover my exercise mojo.

A few years ago, I hatched a plan. I decided to get myself really fit, so that when the menopause came along, I would be in a good position to ride the wave. 

As it turned out, this was easier said than done.

I tried Tae Kwon Do, running and yoga, but had to give them all up for a range of medical reasons. My joints were aching and I was feeling old and tired. In desperation, I decided that if I was going to hurt anyway, I may as well work hard, have fun and blow the consequences. I had seen a friend in Leeds transform his body - and his life - by going to BMF, so I thought I'd give it a go. What was the worst that could happen?

I found our local park, signed up for the free trial and persuaded my husband to go with me. I barely survived that first session… I clearly remember the moment, after doing some exercises on the ground, that the instructor told us to stand up, run round an obstacle and back to him. I tried to follow his instructions, but nothing happened. My muscles just wouldn't obey.

Determined not to lie there all morning, I had to find a way to get up. I rolled over onto my front, got onto my hands and knees and started crawling. Somehow, I got my feet under me. I stumbled forward, staggered round that obstacle and managed to finish the class.

What a high!

I've been going for a couple of months now. I'm getting noticeably stronger and feeling fitter. I've progressed from a blue to a red bib. The instructors push and encourage us, but ultimately, we decide how hard we work. Other members are both supportive and competitive. The banter flows. Every session is different, and I've loved every one of them. It's exhausting, but infeasibly good fun and exhilarating too. My joints aren't aching, and I'm feeling great.

BMF might not seem like the obvious choice for menopausal women, but it's working for me. And I'm not the only member in my age group. If you're struggling to find the right exercise class for you, why not give it a go? You might just find that you love it as much as I do."

Thanks for sharing Julia, you've progressed brilliantly and here's to many more burpees together!