Have the years been slowly creeping up, but so have the numbers on the scale? As many women reach middle age, it can be a shock to see that their metabolism, which once worked so hard for them, is now beginning to slow down a little. A little pelvic floor exercise can help tremendously.

While it could be tempting to just go along with the eventual weight gain, there are many reasons why fighting back against the battle of the bulge is the right choice! When women gain weight, especially around middle age, the weight goes straight to the belly or abdominal region.

Abdominal fat is unfortunately the worst kind of fat. When menopause occurs, you may find yourself with a couple of extra pounds parked around your abdominal region, and now it’s up to you to exercise those pounds off, one at a time.

Abdominal fat has been linked to a higher cardiovascular risk, diabetes, breast cancer and gallbladder problems. Luckily there are ways to tone your core muscles, strengthen your abdominals, fight off those pesky extra pounds and have some fun to boost!

Although it may be hard for women who have never needed to exercise in the past to begin an exercise program while entering into middle age, it is the right time to add some exercise into their life.  Luckily there are some exciting workout routines that are based on Pilates, which combine Pilates moves with additional pelvic floor exercises.

I developed a program called Sexhercise™ that allows woman of any age, shape or size to work out their abs and pelvic muscles easily. Not only will they tone their core muscles, but they will make sure that their pelvic muscles, which control the functions of the bladder and bowels, and help prevent future incontinence, are strong as well.

Pelvic floor exercises like these can be a great addition to your daily life or any exercise routine. So choose to battle down the excess pounds by changing your lifestyle, adding pelvic floor exercise and Pilates into your life and working on strengthening your core muscles. To get my “Sexhercise™Seven Steps to a Stronger, Sexier You!” go here.

Regular pelvic floor exercise would give many women a new lease on life. Did you know that 1 in 3 women are affected by pelvic floor weakness and imbalance?

For various reasons, the pelvic floor can be overstretched, torn or lax and lose its tone.  Thus, the muscles, tendons and ligaments are weakened, which can lead to decreased strength, flexibility and balance. When this occurs the pelvic floor muscles can no longer properly support a woman’s  organs (bladder, uterus, rectum). Structural imbalances can occur which can lead to abdominal and back pain, incontinence and compromised sexual function.

Weak or Imbalanced pelvic core muscles can lead to:

1. Urinary/stress incontinence
2. Lower back pain/abdominal pain
3. Diminished sexual desire
4. Painful sex
5. Sagging bladder, uterus and rectum that are not supported by STRONG pelvic core muscles

Female incontinence (also known as stress incontinence) is when one leaks urine when there is extra pressure on the bladder such as during a sneeze or a cough, exercise or heavy lifting. Stress incontinence is a common condition that women experience.

The onset of “leakage” may be common, but it’s not normal. This embarrassing problem is often gradual and kept secret. It is the beginning of what could be a downward spiral to loss of bladder control, as well as loss of self respect that many women are not aware.

Pelvic floor exercise is an easy solution to problems associated with pelvic weakness and that many women are not aware. Female incontinence is brought about by an overall weakness in the pelvic floor muscles; the most obvious cause is pregnancy and childbirth, but there are other factors to be taken into account.

Causes of Pelvic Muscle Weakness:

1. Childbirth, C-section, episiotomy
2. Peri-menopause / menopause
3. Aging
4. Inactivity (physical/sexual)
5. Chronic coughing
6. Obesity
7. Diets high in processed foods
8. Smoking

Many women share this secret. There is no need to suffer in silence. Women face this challenge in all walks of life including Health Professionals, Executives, Athletes and Moms. Pelvic muscle weakness can take a heavy toll on a woman’s sex life and even affect the quality of her relationship.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor muscles are the foundation for what is known as the “core” of the body. They provide stability for the pelvis, and they support the lower abdominal organs, such as the bladder, uterus and rectum.

The pelvic floor muscles are like a web of interrelated muscles, tendons and ligaments that form a supportive foundation at the base of the pelvis. One of these muscles, the pubococcygeus, also known as the “PC muscle,” encircles the openings for the urethra, vagina, and rectum. Exercising this muscle is often referred to as Kegels.

When the pelvic floor muscles become weak or damaged, the openings in the pelvic area can become damaged and impaired. If the pelvic floor muscles are weak, and don’t work together with other muscles of the abdomen and back, the body can become unbalanced, leading to abdominal and back pain, as well as patterns of compensation throughout the body.

As you can see, pelvic floor exercise is important to maintain the health of the whole body and to avoid such uncomfortable conditions as female incontinence. Regular and specific pelvic floor exercises contribute to overall feminine health and fitness.