How Best to Train Through Perimenopause (Hint: Start Before You Get There)
Train for the woman you’re becoming, not just the body you might have been.
If there’s one thing I wish more women understood about perimenopause, it’s this:
You do not wake up one day suddenly “in perimenopause.” For many women, the changes begin quietly years before they realize what’s happening.
The recovery that feels a little slower, body composition changes, increased fatigue, disrupted sleep, more anxiety, muscle weakness; and, the feeling that the workouts and nutrition strategies that used to “work” suddenly don’t anymore. And unfortunately, many women don’t start thinking about supporting their bodies until they’re already deep in this struggle.
But the women who tend to move through perimenopause best? They often built supportive habits before things got hard. Not perfectly. Just consistently. That’s the real goal.
Not punishment.
Not shrinking ourselves.
Not trying to “fight aging.”
The goal is building a body and nervous system that can better handle the hormonal shifts ahead.
First, Let’s Clear Something Up
Perimenopause is not the beginning of the end. Despite what social media may tell you, you are not doomed to:
gain weight no matter what you do
lose all your muscle
become frail
stop doing hard things
never feel like yourself again
Women’s bodies are incredibly adaptable. But adaptation requires support. And this is where training matters.
The Biggest Mistake I See Women Make
A lot of women spend their 20s and 30s under-fuelling, chronically stressed, overdoing cardio, and avoiding strength training because they’re focused almost entirely on shrinking their bodies. Then perimenopause hits and suddenly:
recovery gets slower
muscle mass declines faster
sleep quality changes
stress tolerance decreases
metabolism becomes less forgiving
And the strategies that once “worked” start backfiring.
More cardio no longer fixes the problem.
Eating less no longer fixes the problem.
Pushing harder no longer fixes the problem.
In fact, for many women, it just digs the hole deeper.
Muscle Is One of the Best Investments You Can Make
One of the most protective things women can do before and during perimenopause is build and maintain muscle mass. Not because we need to look a certain way.
Because muscle matters for health.
Muscle supports:
metabolic health
insulin sensitivity
bone density
balance and injury prevention
strength and independence as we age
overall resilience
Research consistently shows that resistance training improves physical function, body composition, and quality of life in midlife women. And yet so many women are still afraid of lifting weights. Honestly? Most women are dramatically underestimating how strong they’re capable of becoming.
You Don’t Need “Soft” Training. You Need Smart Training.
I honestly think there’s been an overcorrection online lately. On one side, you have the “go harder and lift as heavy as you can no matter what” crowd.
On the other, you have messaging that suggests women in perimenopause should avoid intensity altogether and basically only walk and do yoga forever.
The truth is (as usual) somewhere in the middle.
Women still benefit tremendously from:
strength training
cardiovascular exercise
mobility work
power and impact training
movement variety
But recovery becomes increasingly important. Your body may tolerate less chaos than it did at 25. But that doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means physiology changes as we age.
Hormonal fluctuations can affect recovery, sleep, connective tissue, energy availability, and stress response. Some evidence suggests women may also experience greater sensitivity to chronic stress during this transition.
So instead of constantly asking:
“How can I burn more calories?”
A better question becomes:
“How can I support my body while still challenging it?”
That shift changes everything.
So What Does Good Training During Perimenopause Actually Look Like?
Usually, it looks pretty unsexy.
Consistency over intensity.
Progressive strength training.
Enough recovery.
Walking.
Eating enough protein.
Managing stress better.
Sleeping more.
Moving regularly.
It’s less about destroying yourself in workouts and more about building capacity.
Personally, I think women benefit from training that helps them feel:
capable
strong
energetic
resilient
mobile
confident
Not just smaller or more “toned” (oh how I have grown to loathe that word!).
And for many women, this phase actually becomes incredibly empowering. I’ve seen women in their 40s, 50s even 70s(!) become stronger than they’ve ever been before once they stop chasing punishment and start training with purpose.
Start Before You Feel Ready
One of the hardest parts about perimenopause is that many women wait until symptoms are severe before taking their health seriously.
But you do not need to wait for burnout to start supporting your nervous system.
You do not need to wait for osteopenia to start lifting weights.
You do not need to wait for sarcopenia to prioritize protein.
You do not need to wait until you feel disconnected from yourself to begin rebuilding strength.
The best time to support your future self is now.
Not from fear.
From respect.
Your body is not betraying you. It’s asking for a different kind of support than it needed before.
And honestly? That can become a really powerful turning point.
If you’re navigating perimenopause and trying to figure out how to train in a way that supports your body instead of fighting against it, this is exactly the work I love helping women with.