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Beautiful inside and out!: Michelle Obama, 58, hailed for candidly addressing aging and menopause

Michelle Obama clarified that she no longer cares as much about seeming physically fit and is simply committed to 'keep moving' and to stay 'active'

Michelle Obama, 58, has candidly opened up about her menopausal problems, admitting that she experienced terrible symptoms, "creeping" weight gain that has made it impossible for her to fit into her outfits, and a loss of motivation to keep her renowned toned arms. During an interview for her upcoming book titled 'The Light We Carry', which comes out on November 15, 2022, the former first lady told People the difficult truths of aging and menopause.

The former US president's wife admitted that going through menopause or the time women experience their last period, wasn't always easy. She discussed what got her through difficult moments in her life and the last several years in her new book 'The Light We Carry' and gave useful advice and effective techniques for remaining hopeful and centered in today's turbulent world. 

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Women frequently experience mood swings, difficulty sleeping, hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, decreased metabolism, thinning hair, dry skin, and loss of breast fullness in the months before menopause. And according to Michelle, some of these symptoms were difficult for her to manage. She claimed specifically that she had to become "more mindful" of her diet and exercise routine because her weight is "slowly creeped" up on her.

Michelle explained to People, "I never used to weigh myself. 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. 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. I have to be more mindful. Not obsessive, but more mindful."

The former first lady's goals for exercising have also shifted as a result of going through it. Due to her rigorous workout routine, Michelle once earned the moniker "Drillmaster" among her friends. During her husband Barack Obama's presidency, she gained notoriety for frequently displaying her toned arms. Many articles with titles like "How to achieve Michelle Obama arms" were published as a result of the public's fascination with her toned limbs.

The mother of two clarified that she no longer cares as much about seeming physically fit and "beating everyone" around her and is simply committed to "keep moving" and to "stay physically active."

Michelle said, "Some of it is menopause, some of it is aging. I find that I cannot push myself as hard as I used to. That doesn't work out for me. That when I tear a muscle or pull something and then I'm out. The recovery time is not the same. If I can walk and move, I don't have to run. I don't have to beat everyone. I've had to change the way I see myself in my health space."

She added, "You wind up balancing between staying fit enough and being kind enough on your body to stay in the game. I am still physically active, and my goal now, instead of having "Michelle Obama arms," I just want to keep moving."

The 58-year-old previously discussed using hormone replacement treatment after developing severe hot flashes on her 'The Michelle Obama Podcast'. She stated to People that she now believes speaking up will help stop the spread of "misinformation" about the procedure. She told 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."

"I think my skin still feels healthy,' Michelle said, adding that she still views her menopause experience as a blessing overall. "My hair is still in my head. These are the things that I have to count my blessings for," she said.

Meanwhile, social media users praised the former first lady for boldly sharing light on such a delicate topic. "I love that woman so much! Can't hardly wait to read her new book!" tweeted one user. Another user wrote, "Great she’s taking about such personal topics."

One user wrote, "It’s nice she’s sharing her experience. No doubt it will give some peace of mind to others who are struggling too. To all of them I say, this too shall pass…eventually. I know."

"That's encouraging," wrote one user. A user tweeted, "You are beautiful inside and out! Great example for all." "Michelle Obama Gets Real About Menopause," wrote one user.

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