Lift More, Cry Less: The Menopause Workout Manifesto

Let’s get one thing out of the way: I am not here to shame your morning walk.Or your Sunday Zumba.Or your treadmill stroll while watching Netflix and pretending it's “active recovery.”

Movement is always good. It’s necessary for heart health, joint health, mental health, and sometimes for keeping us from strangling the people we love most.

But if you’re trying to lose weight, ditch the menopause apron, rebuild strength, or stop feeling like you’ve been swapped into someone else’s slower, squishier body - you need more than steps and sweat.

As promised in Does My New Pooch Make Me Look Fat?, we’re digging into the fitness science to see what really works and what should be left behind with our Jane Fonda leg warmers.

The Midlife Body Is… Different. Really Different.

This isn’t about willpower, commitment, or spending your life in the gym. It’s about biology.Post-menopause, your body becomes incredibly efficient at breaking down muscle and holding onto fat- especially around the middle.

Why? Hormones, mostly. Estrogen dips = metabolism slows = muscle loss accelerates = your body composition shifts, often without a single change in what or how you eat.  Not fun.  Not fair!

So what worked in your 30s – does not work now.

Strength Training is the New Cardio

If you’re only going to do one thing for your midlife body, make it resistance training.You can use dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells, machines….or even your body weight.  It just matters that you challenge your muscles consistently.

Because:

• Muscle burns more calories at rest

• Muscle keeps your metabolism from tanking

• Muscle supports bones, joints, and stability (i.e., helps you not fall and break a hip)

• Muscle = power, posture, energy, and pants that maybe zip again

  
  

I hope by now you know you won’t get bulky – that idea went out when we realized the female American Gladiators were on steroids.  BUT – you do need to lift heavy to achieve the health benefits you are looking for.  Ditch the pink 2 lb dumbbells – you can use them as door stops.

How heavy?  For whatever you are doing….if you can do 10 easy then it’s too light.  If you can’t do 4 then it might be too heavy for this work out.  Between 5 and 8 reps is the sweet spot.

How often? 2-3x per week. Full body or split into upper/lower.  

If you don’t know where to start, I’ll get into it in an upcoming blog - but for now, know this: you can’t skip it.

SIT Happens – or at least it should!

SIT = Sprint Interval Training. Think of it as HIIT’s annoying yet more efficient cousin.

It’s short bursts of high effort (10–30 seconds), followed by longer recovery (90 seconds to a few minutes). Repeat for 10–20 minutes max. 

It’s terrible. I hate it.  But it’s QUICK!

And it’s extremely effective—especially for:

• Fat loss

• Insulin sensitivity

• Cardiovascular health

• Rebuilding fitness when you don’t have an hour to spare

  
  

Do you have to do bootcamps? No. You can do a few short sprints on a bike, rower, elliptical or even a fast walk uphill. The goal is to push to that “I hate this” place… and then recover. Rinse and repeat. Then be done.

Pro-tip…this is NOT the time to start running if you haven’t done so in the last 10 years or ever.  Give your knees a break!

So Is Steady-State Cardio a Waste of Time?

No. But also yes.

Let me explain.

Walking, jogging, dancing - all still have value. They improve mood, circulation, and general health. They’re great for recovery days. And if you love them? Do them.

But if you're doing 45 minutes on the treadmill every day hoping it’ll budge the scale or shrink your muffin top…you might be wondering why it’s not working very well.

Steady-state cardio burns fewer calories than we think, does little for muscle preservation, and doesn’t address the metabolic nosedive we’re fighting in menopause. It’s not bad - it’s just not the tool you need if fat loss and strength are your goals.

Cardio isn’t canceled. It’s just not the main focus anymore.

What Your Midlife Workout Week Could Look Like

• 2–3 days strength training (upper/lower splits or full body)

• 1–2 SIT sessions (10–20 min each)

• Walking or light cardio as desired (recovery, mental health, movement)

• Stretching/mobility because let’s be honest, everything’s a little tighter these days

  
  

It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress that respects your reality: limited time, shifting energy, and a body that deserves more than punishment.

The Mindset Shift That Matters

Here’s what no one tells you:It’s okay to mourn that your body doesn’t respond the way it used to.

But staying stuck in “what used to work” is like trying to play a Spotify playlist on a cassette tape. It’s not your fault - it’s just not the format anymore.

We don’t have to like the rules. But we can learn to play the game better.

Share Your Experience

Have you started strength training after 40? Tried SIT? Still clinging to cardio like it’s your firstborn?

I want to know what’s working, what’s not, and what made you cry-laugh in a sports bra.Drop a comment or message me - because the only thing better than getting stronger is doing it with people who get it.

You’re not broken. You’re just in midlife. Let’s lift something heavy and show the world what resilient really looks like. See you at the gym!