For decades, so many of us were taught to think about exercise in one way: Burn calories. Lose weight. Stay slim.
Strength training was often seen as something reserved for bodybuilders, elite athletes or people who simply loved the gym.
What if the goal wasn’t to become smaller…
What if it was to become stronger?
In this week’s episode of Empowered Perimenopause, we’re continuing our Whole-Body Shift series by exploring one of the most powerful things you can do to support your health during perimenopause and beyond.
Because building strength isn’t really about changing how your body looks.
It’s about changing how your body functions.
It’s about creating a body that feels capable, resilient and well supported through one of the biggest hormonal transitions of your life.
As our hormones begin to change during perimenopause, muscle becomes increasingly important, not simply because it influences body composition, but because it supports almost every other system in the body.
Your metabolism.
Your blood sugar.
Your brain.
Your bones.
Your immune system.
Even your future independence.
The exciting thing is that muscle remains incredibly adaptable throughout life.
It is never too late to become stronger.
Why Strength Matters More Than Ever During Perimenopause
One of the most significant changes that happens during perimenopause is that our hormonal landscape begins to shift.
Oestrogen and progesterone don’t just influence our menstrual cycle.
They also play important roles in supporting our muscles, bones and metabolism.
As these hormones fluctuate and gradually decline, it becomes easier to lose muscle mass, a natural process known as sarcopenia.
This gradual loss actually begins from around our thirties, but it often accelerates during perimenopause and after menopause if we aren’t actively giving our muscles a reason to stay.
That might sound worrying at first.
But I actually find it incredibly hopeful.
Because unlike many aspects of ageing, muscle responds remarkably well to being challenged.
Whether you’re in your forties, fifties, sixties or beyond, your body continues adapting to the signals you give it.
That’s one of the reasons strength training is such a powerful investment in your future health.
Muscle Does So Much More Than Help You Move
When most of us think about muscle, we think about movement.
Walking.
Lifting.
Climbing stairs.
Carrying shopping.
But scientists now understand that muscle is far more than tissue that helps us move.
It’s biologically active.
Every time your muscles contract, they release tiny signalling molecules called myokines, which communicate with other parts of the body.
These messages help regulate inflammation, support immune function and influence the health of multiple organs.
In other words, your muscles are constantly talking to the rest of your body.
That’s one of the reasons strength training benefits so much more than physical strength alone.
Strong Muscles Support a Healthy Metabolism
If you’ve been following this podcast series, you’ll know we’ve recently explored metabolism and blood sugar in much more detail.
One of the reasons muscle features so heavily in those conversations is because it’s one of the body’s biggest users of glucose.
Healthy muscle acts almost like a sponge, soaking glucose out of the bloodstream and using it for energy.
The more healthy muscle we have, the better our body is generally able to regulate blood sugar and maintain good insulin sensitivity.
This supports steadier energy, fewer energy crashes and healthier metabolic function.
Rather than thinking about strength training as a way to “burn calories,” perhaps we can begin thinking about it as a way to build a healthier metabolism.
It’s a very different mindset.
Strength Protects Your Bones, Brain and Future Health
Muscle doesn’t only influence metabolism.
It also plays a vital role in protecting our bones.
Every time we perform resistance-based exercise, our muscles pull on our bones.
That mechanical loading sends an important message to our bones, encouraging them to maintain their strength and density.
As oestrogen declines and the risk of osteoporosis increases, strength training becomes one of the most effective lifestyle habits we have for supporting long-term bone health.
Research also continues to demonstrate fascinating links between muscle and brain health.
Strength training has been associated with improved cognitive function, healthier ageing and better mood.
While building muscle certainly isn’t a cure for brain fog, it’s another wonderful example of how supporting one body system often benefits many others at the same time.
That’s the beauty of the Whole-Body Shift.
Everything is connected.
Strength Is Really About Independence
One of my favourite ways to think about strength has very little to do with today.
Instead, I like to think about the woman I hope to be twenty, thirty or forty years from now.
Will I still be carrying my own shopping?
Walking along the beach?
Travelling?
Playing with future grandchildren?
Getting up from the floor with ease?
Remaining independent in my own home?
These are the things strength quietly protects.
It’s easy to think that lifting weights is about adding years to our life.
But perhaps it’s even more about adding life to our years.
To me, that’s a far more inspiring reason to become stronger.
How to Start Building Strength
The good news is that building strength doesn’t require perfection.
You don’t need to spend hours in the gym.
You don’t need to lift the heaviest weights possible.
You simply need to start where you are.
Some simple ways to begin include:
- Aim for two or three strength training sessions each week.
- Include resistance that feels challenging for you, remember that your heavy is your heavy.
- Prioritise protein with each meal to provide the building blocks your muscles need.
- Support your recovery with good sleep and stress management.
- Stay consistent rather than striving for perfection.
Small, repeated actions are what create lasting change.
The Biggest Takeaway
If there’s one message I’d love you to take away from this episode, it’s this:
Building strength isn’t about becoming someone different.
It’s about supporting the incredible body you already have.
Every strength session…
Every nourishing meal…
Every opportunity you give your muscles to work…
Is an investment in your future health.
Because strength doesn’t just change your muscles.
It changes your resilience.
Your confidence.
Your metabolism.
Your bones.
Your brain.
And ultimately, the way you experience the decades ahead.
Listen to the Episode
In this week’s episode of Empowered Perimenopause, I explore why strength is one of the most powerful tools we have for supporting our health during perimenopause, how muscle influences almost every system in the body, and practical ways to begin building strength in a realistic, sustainable way.
Whether you’re completely new to strength training or looking for fresh motivation to keep going, I hope this episode leaves you feeling inspired to invest in one of the greatest gifts you can give your future self.
🎧 Listen to Episode 98: Why Strength Changes Everything in Perimenopause
Continue the conversation inside Midlife Thrive
If this episode resonated with you and you’re looking for ongoing support, I’d love to welcome you into Midlife Thrive.
Midlife Thrive is my online membership designed to help women understand what’s happening in their bodies during perimenopause and beyond.
Inside, you’ll find evidence-informed education, practical guidance, monthly live Q&A sessions, resources and a supportive community of like-minded women navigating this stage of life together.
You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
You can find all the details by following the link below.
Take The Free Quiz
- Start making sense of your symptoms. My comprehensive free quiz uses 36 targeted questions to help you discover where you may be on your perimenopause journey, and what to do next. Take the free quiz here.
Join the Midlife Thrive Community
- A place to learn, ask questions, feel supported and finally make sense of what’s happening in your body. Learn more and join here.
Explore One To One Support
- Personalised support, tailored to you. Sometimes you simply want someone to look at the bigger picture. Book your initial consultation here.
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Feel free to email me at francesca@francescaliparoti.com or DM me on Instagram if you have any questions.
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