I went through early menopause 6 years ago, and if you’re in the thick of perimenopause right now, you might need to hear this. While you can’t rush through this transition, you absolutely CAN build a stronger body to carry you through it. After helping hundreds of women navigate this phase of life, I’ve seen firsthand how strategic strength training can transform perimenopause from a time of struggle to empowerment.
My Personal Experience
Looking back on my early menopause journey, what surprises me most isn’t the symptoms themselves, it’s how long I stayed stuck in each miserable phase without taking meaningful action.
For years, I followed the same exhausting pattern: falling asleep completely drained only to wake up two hours later, mind racing and completely wired. Hot flashes became my regular companion, and anxiety constantly hovered at maximum intensity. The woman I recognised in the mirror seemed to be fading, replaced by someone who felt more and more fragile and disconnected from her body.
It took nearly two years to feel like myself again… to have energy for weekend adventures, to find joy in movement, and to feel good both in the gym and in my clothes. The journey wasn’t quick, and that’s precisely what women need to understand about perimenopause.
The Perimenopause Energy Myth
If you’re searching for “what works in perimenopause” and hoping for a magical 21-day fix, I need to be honest: perimenopause doesn’t work that way, and neither does your body. The women who find the most success aren’t looking for overnight miracles, they’re committed to building sustainable strength that serves them for decades.
What I can promise is this: with consistent, intelligent strength training, you can navigate perimenopause with significantly more energy, greater confidence, and a body that feels increasingly capable rather than increasingly fragile.
Future Proofing Your Body: The Strength Training Roadmap
Through my 1:1 Coaching and Strength Essentials programmes, I’ve developed a clear roadmap that helps women future-proof their bodies in as little as one hour per week. This isn’t about panic-driven, all-or-nothing approaches. It’s about steady, progressive strength building that respects your current reality while giving you energy instead of draining it.
Months 1-2: Building Foundations That Fit Real Life
The journey starts by establishing foundations that work within your actual life – not some fantasy schedule that ignores your commitments and fluctuating energy levels. This phase is about practical strength training that:
- Works around your existing commitments
- Respects your current energy patterns
- Builds confidence in fundamental movements
- Creates sustainable habits that don’t need heroic effort
Take Sarah, for instance. When she started, she couldn’t climb stairs without knee pain. After just two months of foundational strength work through my programme, she hiked the Yorkshire Three Peaks with her daughter – an achievement she had resigned herself to never doing (and she did it without that knee pain too).
Months 3-4: Focused Progression
As your foundation solidifies, we build on it with strategic progressions. During this phase, you’ll:
- Gradually lift heavier weights
- Notice much more daily energy
- Find more mental clarity and headspace
- Begin to trust your body again
Emma’s story shows this perfectly. When she started, she needed naps every day just to function. Now, she’s lifting heavier than she did in her 30s and has enough energy to keep up with her kids all weekend – a massive improvement in her perimenopause energy levels.
Months 5-6 and Beyond: Long Term Strength Building
The final phase focuses on building strength that will serve you not just through perimenopause, but well into your 50s, 60s, and 70s. Because ultimately, this isn’t about looking good for summer, it’s about saying YES to life without worrying if your body can keep up.
This long term approach means:
- Keeping (and building) bone density when oestrogen drops
- Supporting joint health and mobility
- Preserving muscle mass that naturally diminishes with age
- Sustaining energy levels (despite hormonal fluctuations)
- Building resilience against mood changes and anxiety (it’s all about having something just for YOU that GIVES you headspace)
Prioritising Yourself: The Real Challenge of Perimenopause
If I could offer one piece of advice to women in perimenopause, it would be this: start looking after yourself better NOW. Put yourself higher on your priority list, because it won’t feel any easier next month or next year.
The women who succeed in my Strength Essentials programme and 1:1 Coaching aren’t superhuman – they’re simply women who’ve decided their wellbeing deserves attention. They’re already juggling careers, family responsibilities, and caring for others. What sets them apart is their decision to use strength training as a form of self care rather than self punishment.
The Time Will Pass Anyway
Whether you take action or not, the years of perimenopause will pass. The question is: do you want to feel stronger or more fragile on the other side?
With as little as one hour per week of strength training, you can choose the path of increasing capability instead of increasing fragility. You can build a body that serves your life instead of limiting it.
The women who work with me aren’t looking for overnight transformations. They understand that perimenopause is a journey, not a sprint. What they gain is something far more valuable than a quick fix – they develop sustainable strength that improves their quality of life for decades to come.
Is it always easy? No. Is it always worth it? Just ask them.
Ready to start putting yourself higher on your priority list? Let’s talk about how my 1:1 Coaching or Strength Essentials programme can help you build the foundation for feeling strong and energised again, even through perimenopause.
- Download my free “2 Session Strength Kickstart” guide – the perfect starting point if you’re not sure where to begin. Download Now →
- Join my Midlife Strength Newsletter for weekly guidance on simple, effective strength training for perimenopausal women. Subscribe Here →
- Explore personalised support options:
- 1:1 Coaching: Get the same personalised approach that transformed Hannah’s fitness journey, tailored specifically to your needs, schedule, and goals.
- Strength Essentials Programme: Learn the foundations of perimenopausal strength training with a progressive programme – so you don’t have to think about what to do, you just need to show up.