I am going to turn 45 this year and I think I might be at midlife. More and more I feel it.
I can’t say it’s because of the salt and pepper in my hair because that crept up on me several years ago. It isn’t either the wrinkles on my forehead and round my eyes – those came as I was raising my toddler. No, I am referring to physical signs that started last year :
- Vision (1): my left eye now scores 10/10 while the right one remains at 12/10.
- Vision (2): I used to see clearly real close (15 cm) but I now see clearly a little less close (20 cm). I continue to see clear real far.
- Knee: my right knee aches now and then.
- Right leg: I now can barely sit cross-legged and can most definitely no longer sit in the lotus position.
- Periods: I’ve had only 4 inconsistent periods last year and none this year so far. I experience the unpleasant hot flashes almost every evening and at night.
- Weight gain: unfortunately, another aspect of menopausal transition was weight gain. Far from being chubby, I rapidly gained enough weight (8 kilos or 16 pounds) that I had to put away a few of my favourite pants and skirts that were a strict size 36 (FR) or 4 (US), that the inside of my thighs now nearly touch each other, and that I have “love handles” (and no one to handle them but this is all right.)
There were also a few realizations: people no longer call me miss, I have celebrated 21 years of employment, I can no longer learn as well and as fast as before.
What am I doing about it?
It took me a while to put two and two together, for starters, and to work on a plan.
I have a minimal plan of action to close all of my activity rings as much as possible. My smart watch sees that I do, although it took me seven months to implement that plan. Better late than never!
New Coralie exercises and tonight was the fourth day I jogged. I go with my dog who runs about four times more (and most times ends up splashing in the river along which we run). I run and walk for 20 or 30 minutes. Every evening so far I have run more than the previous day. This is encouraging! I’m keen on making steady progress.
That is all.
