Cultivating a Positive Menopause Mindset

Philip Pape 0:00

On today's Quick Wits, you are going to hear a full module from the Menopause Fat Loss Formula, which is a course in Wits and Weights Physique University. This module is specific to mindset during menopause. This is a extremely important and profound transition for women and there is a significant psychological component to it and an opportunity to reframe this phase of life when combined with the other things. We teach in the course about physiology as well, and we talk about those in all the other modules, but today we are getting into the mindset module, so enjoy Welcome to the Wits and Weights podcast. I'm your host, philip Pape, and this twice a week podcast is dedicated to helping you achieve physical self-mastery by getting stronger, optimizing your nutrition and upgrading your body composition. We'll uncover science-backed strategies for movement, metabolism, muscle and mindset, with a skeptical eye on the fitness industry, so you can look and feel your absolute best. Let's dive right in. Today we are diving into one of the most powerful tools at your disposal and it's something you always have with you every day of your life, and that is your mind, your mindset, to be specific, how you think about this phase of life, this beautiful, positive, transitional, adventurous phase of menopause. See what I did there. Your health, your capabilities, your strength, your athleticism, your identity All of these are part of your mindset and they can profoundly impact your success. And today we are going to explore how to cultivate this mindset, because it is not a woo type of thing, it is not a nebulous thing. There is positive psychology behind this. It is how the human brain thinks and it's a very powerful tool, the most powerful thing you have, because your mindset shapes your menopause journey. It is the lens through which you view your menopause journey. It can be a time of loss, which many women think of, or it can be a new chapter filled with potential. I want you to think of adopting a positive, growth-oriented mindset Not a negative, fixed mindset, but a positive, growth-oriented mindset. And once you do, you now open yourself up to so many possibilities that you've never thought of. The way that you think of things, the way that you frame things, the way that you state things aloud about yourself, the self-talk, the identity it's all tied into this. Even if there's so much going on underneath the surface in your unconscious mind, the conscious piece can tie into your unconscious and bring it into a new, positive state of growth. So I want you to embrace this time, right now. Whether it's leading into perimenopause, you're in menopause, it doesn't matter. This right now is your opportunity to invest in yourself, to learn to grow. You're already doing that in Wits and Weights Physique University. You join this to become a better version of you, to grow. You're already doing that in Wits and Weights Physique University. You join this to become a better version of you and to grow. That is what we are all about and I love that. I am passionate about that.

Philip Pape 3:11

I think you know that and remember that the thoughts that we nurture, those dictate how we experience everything around us. It's all about how we think of it. It is the one thing that we always have complete control over is our thoughts about how we think of it. It is the one thing that we always have complete control over is our thoughts. Even if I had you you know, if I had your arms bound and you were in a chair and you couldn't move you can still control your thoughts.

Philip Pape 3:33

Now, if you can cultivate a resilient and optimistic mindset and I know not all of you are natural optimists, that's okay. I happen to have an optimism bias, but I've also understood through the study of positive psychology that you can cultivate this mindset. And if you do an optimistic mindset, no, it's not going to set you up for disappointment. The opposite. The evidence shows us that optimistic people because they approach everything with the thought that I can and I will and it can happen and it will happen it happens more often than it does for other people who are pessimistic. And I will and it can happen and it will happen. It happens more often than it does for other people who are pessimistic. That's what we see. So why not be optimistic? That can help you navigate the challenges that come with menopause.

Philip Pape 4:11

Once you have that mindset and then, when you have symptoms like hot flashes or mood swings or even weight gain, you can then choose to focus on what you can control. I don't know if you're into stoicism. If you learn much about the stoic philosophers of ancient Greece, I would encourage you to study them, because they knew what they were talking about when they said you know there are only so many things we can control and that's what we should focus on. Everything else, why even give it another thought? Why give it another thought if you can't do anything about it? But you can focus on your locus of control. You can celebrate small wins, small victories, like consistently training in the gym, consistently making informed, healthier food choices not healthier, but as part of your health surrounding yourself with supportive people who uplift and encourage you ah, our community surrounding yourself. Or seeking out resources that provide information and inspiration, like this course.

Philip Pape 5:09

By actively shaping your mindset, you empower yourself to thrive during this transformative phase of life. I hope I'm psyching you up. I hope this is like a motivational video here, because I really want you to take this mindset, and if you don't have that right now, that's okay, you can get there. You can cultivate that, all right. Here's the thing Menopause can bring about mental barriers. It can create new mental barriers that feel like they are holding you back.

Philip Pape 5:35

Thoughts like it's too late for me to make a change, or I can't lose weight during menopause. These are common thoughts, but they're not at all insurmountable. It's all about the identity of it, how you think, your mindset. We want to challenge these thoughts Every time you say you know, I tried this, or I can't do this, or it's too late for this, or I am this negative thing. I want you to challenge those thoughts and I want you to replace them. This is called reframing. I want you to replace those thoughts with empowering beliefs like I am capable of improving my health at any age. I can get stronger, I can manage my weight, I can be the best looking and feeling version of myself that I've ever been in my entire life, even in menopause. Menopause is a beautiful time of life to find a new version of myself that's always been there and never been expressed, and now I'm going to express it. It's about shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. You can always grow. You were never fixed. Till the day you die. You can get better and better, and even physically, where the challenges become opportunities for growth, not insurmountable obstacles.

Philip Pape 6:46

Now one effective way to overcome these mental barriers is to focus on small, achievable goals, very important here. We are not aiming for a drastic transformation overnight. We want small and realistic targets that you can work toward consistently. Now in this program, there are lots of different things you're tracking, lots of different things you're trying to do. It can seem overwhelming, I get it, but we're trying to do. It can seem overwhelming, I get it, but we want to set targets that we can work toward. And by targets I don't mean outcomes like physique outcomes. I mean things that you do, things that you have control over each day, like going for that walk, like getting into the gym and doing your workout, not necessarily that you lost a pound, but that you chose to incorporate this fun activity that got you 2,000 extra steps. Or you chose to add protein to this meal that didn't have protein before. So if you break down your journey into these manageable steps, that's the way that we build momentum and confidence, and then those wins feed back to the motivation, the self-motivation, that can help shift our mindset in the positive direction, because we see that what we're doing gives us what we want. What we're doing in our control actually produces the progress that we want, and we're enjoying the process along the way.

Philip Pape 8:06

Now, progress is not linear, we know this. So you're going to get setbacks. It's going to sometimes feel like two steps forward, one step back. Two steps forward, one step back. It's okay, let's celebrate the forwards and then, when the backs happen, we assess the situation, be kind to yourself, practice self-compassion and realize that this doesn't define you and it doesn't define your journey, because with the grit, with the perseverance, with the persistence and, most importantly, with this positive outlook, with this optimism, you will. You will not just, not just possibly or can't know. You will overcome the mental barriers that hold you back and you will achieve your goals during menopause. And here in the program we are here to support you doing that, and I've seen it happen to client after client after client. It's going to happen to you as well, and I want you to have that mindset that it is going to happen and you're going to continue growing over time period.

Philip Pape 8:57

And so the last thing I want to mention here is we are not trying to go out of your comfort zone. Now, I know we use that phrase a lot and I get what we mean by it, but the problem with trying to go out of your comfort zone is it's out of your comfort zone and so when you go out of something like that, you tend to snap back in out of it and you give up. But instead, if we think of expanding that comfort zone a little bit, while we still have plenty of things going on inside the existing comfort zone, it doesn't seem so overwhelming. We're just taking these small, manageable changes and we're building it from there and the bubble gets bigger and bigger, and then some of those pieces from deep in our comfort zone, become closer to this expanded comfort zone, and it's more than we've ever done before, but it's not so much more that it's not achievable or something we can stick with. So I want you to celebrate every victory. Do these little things and then see the win. Do more than see the win. Choose this over that. You went for a walk, even when Well, I'm not going to say when you didn't feel like it, but you scheduled in the walk you hadn't been doing it before, and now you did that walk. That's a win. These small victories add up. They reinforce your belief in your ability to make those changes. So I'm kind of repeating myself here, because I think it's important, but I think reframing, celebrating wins, enjoying the process are all key concepts here.

Philip Pape 10:15

Now, another way to expand your comfort zone is try new activities right, new hobbies that align with your goals. Maybe join a dance class. Maybe try a new recipe. Explore a trail you've never hiked at before. Some of the mindfulness things that we've talked about. Go get a mindfulness app on your phone and just try some meditation right. These are ways to expand your comfort zone so that you can also discover things that surprise you, new passions, new strengths that you never knew you had. Right, enjoy this process of personal growth, because that's what it is, and every time that you push that boundary, no matter how small, you're then one step closer to becoming the best version of yourself during this beautiful, transformative phase of life.

Philip Pape 10:57

All right, so, cultivating this mindset, this resilience, this supportive mindset, this optimism, this positivity, this is not just about getting the physique or getting the fat loss. It's creating a life that's filled with joy, that's filled with health, fulfillment during menopause and beyond. That's what we want. Every day, I want you to feel like you are living your best life, and I don't mean that in a pithy way. I mean that in a physiological way, a mental way, a physical way, everything right. So that's what this was about. Hope you got some help out of that video.

Philip Pape 11:31

And next time, on the next video, we are going to explore lifestyle adjustments, so we're going to get a little bit back into some of the physical and practical side of things for your energy, your metabolism, your wellbeing. But until then, I really want you to nurture that positive mindset. I mean, you're already in WWPU, which lets me know that you are thinking of growth and becoming a better version of yourself and I want you to keep doing that. You have the power to shape your journey. All right, I'll see you in.

Philip Pape 12:00

So, again, that was a module from the Menopause Fat Loss Formula course within Wits and Weights Physique University, one of many high value courses available in that program, and if you're interested in learning more, definitely click the link in my show notes. We are still open for enrollment. We've got a ton of students that joined in the first few weeks. It is becoming a thriving community. We've had our first live coaching call, we've had our check-ins and it's just an amazing place to be if you're looking to build your dream physique and do it based on the evidence, effectively, time efficiently, without all the silly deprivation, restriction, chronic cardio restrictive diets and all the other things that others tend to flock to.

Philip Pape 12:45

So if you're looking for that evidence-based approach, again, you can learn more about Wits and Weights Physique University by clicking the link in the show notes or going to witsandweightscom slash physique. That's witsandweightscom slash physique. We'll see you in the next episode, the next Quick Wits, and stay strong. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of wits and weights. If you found value in today's episode and know someone else who's looking to level up their wits or weights. Please take a moment to share this episode with them and make sure to hit the follow button in your podcast platform right now to catch the next episode. Until then, stay strong.