Michelle Obama may be a superwoman, but her experience with menopause weight gain is all too relatable. The former First Lady, 58, opened up about gettings older, wiser, and more comfortable in her body in an interview with People magazine, ahead of her new book The Light We Carry, on sale Nov. 15. While she said her experience has been “blessed,” the political figure admitted that the “slow creep” of extra menopause pounds is no joke.
“I never used to weigh myself,” she explained to the magazine. “I’m not trying to stick to numbers, but when you’re in menopause, you have this slow creep that you just don’t realize.”
Dressing for comfort was one reason why Michelle wasn’t quick to notice a shift. “We’re all in menopause with stretchy [waist] bands and our athleisure wear on, and you look up and you can’t fit the outfits you had last year,” she noted. “I have to be more mindful, not obsessive, but more mindful.”
Nowadays, Michelle’s health goals are more about wellness than looking good. “I am still physically active, and my goal now, instead of having ‘Michelle Obama arms,’ I just want to keep moving,” the wife of President Barack Obama smiled.
Michelle was happy to shed some light on her own menopause experience, telling People, “There’s a lot we don’t know. There is not a lot of conversation about menopause. I’m going through it, and I know all of my friends are going through it. And the information is sparse.”
The mother-of-two said she’s found support in her peers, especially when it comes to staying active. “I find that when we get together and we’re moving and we’re laughing, then we spend a little time talking about what we’re going through. ‘What’s a hot flash?’ We have girlfriends around the table who are OBGYNs, who have real information. All of that keeps us lifted up.”
While she tends to be the leader of the pack, Michelle said she’s not always the boss during the ladies workout sessions. “I’m not always leading the workout, but the workout still happens. All of my friends are healthier because we do it better when we’re doing it together.”
