Menopause Isn’t a Setback – It’s Your Strength Era

For a very long time menopause has been framed as an ending – a time when women in midlife were expected to slow down, shrink their ambitions and accept a gradual decline in vitality? But that couldn’t be further from the truth in my opinion: menopause isn’t the closing chapter. It’s a new phase – your strength era!

Yes, hormonal changes can bring challenges – fluctuating energy, debilitating anxiety and mood swings, sleep disruption and shifts in body composition. But they can also bring an incredible opportunity to reconnect with your body, take ownership of your health and build the strength (physical and mental) that will carry you through the decades ahead. This is certainly your strength era so it’s time to train like it.

Reframing menopause

For many of the people I have spoken to on this subject, menopause gives a new perspective on what really matters.

In this stage, your focus can shift from “managing” to maximising – your health, your energy, your confidence, your independence.

With the right training, you can:

• Not just preserve but build muscle mass (your best defence against aging).
  
• Protect and improve bone density to keep you active and fracture-free.
  
• Boost your mood and mental clarity through exercise-driven endorphins.
  
• Regulate energy levels so you feel more than capable, not depleted.
  

The changes you can influence

While declining oestrogen and progesterone are natural, lifestyle choices – especially exercise – can significantly impact how you experience menopause.

Here’s what I know that strength-training can do for you:

• Supports metabolism by maintaining lean muscle, which burns calories even at rest.
  
• Improves insulin sensitivity, helping to manage midlife weight changes.
  
• Stabilises mood by increasing serotonin and dopamine.
  
• Reduces inflammation through improved circulation and mobility.
  

Training in your strength era: The three pillars

1. Strength Training (3-4 times per week)

This is a non-negotiable for muscle retention and growth, bone health and metabolic support.

Why: Oestrogen plays a role in maintaining muscle and bone strength. As it declines, the only way to counteract loss is through progressive overload – challenging your muscles enough that they adapt and grow stronger.

How:

• Prioritise compound lifts: squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows and shoulder presses.
  
• Use dumbbell weights, resistance bands or bodyweight—aim for 8–12 reps where the last 2 feel definitely challenging but doable.
  
• Progress slowly by increasing resistance or reps over time.
  

2. Mobility & Flexibility (daily or as active recovery)

Hormonal changes can increase stiffness in joints and connective tissues.

Why: Maintaining mobility keeps your movements fluid, improves balance and reduces the risk of injury.

How:

• Incorporate dynamic stretches before workouts (arm circles, leg swings).
  
• Use static stretches or gentle yoga afterward to ease muscle tension.
  
• Add hip, spine and shoulder mobility for functional movement.
  

3. Cardio for Heart & Hormones (2–3 times per week)

Cardiovascular fitness supports hormone balance, mood and energy.

Why: It improves circulation, delivers oxygen to muscles and keeps your heart healthy – this is vital as oestrogen’s protective effect on heart health decreases.

How:

• Opt for low-impact, steady-state cardio (walking, cycling, swimming) to avoid excessive cortisol spikes. For me it is a 5k once a week and a hiit class to tick my cardio box alongside daily dog walks.
  
• Occasionally add short, moderate-intensity intervals for variety and challenge – power walk up that hill!
  

Supportive training tips for energy, mood and muscle

• Listen to your body’s cues – fatigue may mean you need a lighter session, not a full rest.
  
• Fuel with protein at each meal to support muscle repair (aim for 1.2 per kg bodyweight).
  
• Prioritise recovery – sleep is when your muscles rebuild and hormones stabilise.
  
• Lift heavy enough to challenge yourself but not so heavy you sacrifice form.
  
• Celebrate small wins – more reps, better form or simply showing up consistently.
  

I am all for changing the mindset around midlife. Menopause is not a setback. It’s time to drop outdated narrative, start training for function and focus on building a body that is going to see you through the next few decades.

This is the time to:

• Train for strength, not just appearance.
  
• Move for energy, not exhaustion.
  
• See your workouts as investments in your future self.
  

Your 50s, 60s, and beyond can be your most powerful years – not in spite of menopause, but because of it. So pick up those weights, move with intention and step into your strength era – because you’re just getting started.

As always, any questions please do get in touch. 

Caroline x