Perimenopause and Menopause Should Be Your Why — Not Your Excuse
Perimenopause and menopause get a bad rap.
They’re often framed as the time when everything goes downhill:
your metabolism “breaks”, your energy disappears, your body changes without permission, and fat gain becomes “inevitable”.
So it’s no surprise that many women quietly give up —
What’s the point? My hormones are against me anyway.
But here’s the reframe that matters:
Perimenopause and menopause aren’t a reason to stop caring for your nutrition and movement.
They’re the strongest reason to start caring for them properly.
Your Body Isn’t Broken — It’s Asking for Different Support
During perimenopause and menopause, hormones like oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate and eventually decline. This affects:
Muscle mass and bone density
Insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control
Fat distribution (hello, midsection)
Mood, sleep, stress tolerance and recovery
None of this means your body is failing.
It means your body is changing — and needs more intentional support, not less.
Letting nutrition and movement “slide” during this phase doesn’t protect you. It actually amplifies the symptoms many women are trying to escape.
When Nutrition Drops Off, Symptoms Get Louder
Under-eating, skipping meals, cutting carbs, or constantly “starting again Monday” might feel easier in the short term — but hormonally, it backfires.
Poor nutrition during this stage can worsen:
Fatigue and brain fog
Mood swings and anxiety
Poor sleep and night waking
Blood sugar crashes (and cravings)
Muscle loss and metabolic slowdown
This isn’t about dieting harder.
It’s about fueling smarter.
Adequate protein, regular meals, sufficient carbohydrates, healthy fats and micronutrients become more important now — not optional.
Movement Is Medicine — But Only When It’s the Right Dose
Many women swing between two extremes:
Pushing harder with punishing workouts to “fight” weight gain
Or doing very little because energy feels low and motivation is gone
Neither works long term.
In perimenopause and menopause, movement should:
Preserve and build muscle
Support bone density
Improve insulin sensitivity
Regulate stress and cortisol
Enhance mood and confidence
This is where strength training, daily movement, and recovery matter more than endless cardio or all-or-nothing routines.
You don’t need to train like you’re 25.
But you do need to move like your future health depends on it — because it does.
This Phase Isn’t the Beginning of the End — It’s a Turning Point
Menopause is not a slow surrender of your health, strength, or self-respect.
It’s a pivot point.
The habits you build now influence:
How strong you are in your 60s and 70s
Your fracture and injury risk
Your metabolic health and independence
Your confidence in your body
Your quality of life
Doing “nothing” doesn’t keep things stable — it accelerates decline.
Compassion Over Excuses
Let’s be clear:
This isn’t about blame, discipline, or perfection.
Perimenopause and menopause can feel hard. Some days are harder than others. Adjustments are necessary. Rest matters.
But compassion doesn’t mean neglect.
It means saying:
“My body is changing — so I’m going to support it better, not abandon it.”
Reframing the Narrative
Instead of:
“What’s the point? This is just menopause.”
Try:
“This is menopause — so what I do now matters more than ever.”
Instead of pulling away from nutrition and movement, this is the time to:
Eat consistently and enough
Strength train with purpose
Walk daily
Prioritise sleep and stress management
Drop extremes and focus on sustainability
The Bottom Line
Perimenopause and menopause aren’t your excuse to let your health go.
They’re your why:
Why you fuel your body
Why you lift weights
Why you protect your energy
Why you invest in yourself
Not to chase a smaller body —
but to build a stronger, healthier, more capable one for the decades ahead.
How I Can Help…
If you’re in perimenopause or menopause and feel like your body has changed overnight — your energy is unpredictable, fat loss feels harder, and the old rules no longer work — you don’t need more willpower or stricter plans.
You need nutrition and movement that work with your hormones, not against them.
Through my coaching, I help women:
Eat enough to support energy, mood and metabolism
Build strength and protect muscle and bone
Improve blood sugar control and reduce cravings
Train in a way that supports recovery, not burnout
Create habits that actually fit busy, real lives
No extreme dieting.
No punishment workouts.
No guilt for enjoying food, rest, holidays or wine.
Just practical, sustainable strategies so you can feel strong, confident and in control of your health — now and into the years ahead.
👉 Learn more or get in touch at hforhealth.com.au
or find me on Instagram @hfor.health