Perimenopause? You are not alone!

All too often we hear "don't get too bulky” or “just lift a little to tighten and tone”. Well in my experience as both a woman and a fitness professional, the former being my entire life... I think I know a little something about the topic. First of all, I don't care if you go into the gym and outlift the strongest male weightlifter or body builder, you will not bulk that big without the assistance of hormones or HRT.

You see us women are born with this thing called estrogen and unfortunately, we do not have unlimited supply. Our male counterparts have something called testosterone. Testosterone or "T" as it's called is the hormone that creates muscle growth. It's why men can bulk easier than us. It's not to say that us women can't get strong or big but that plays a major role. I'll come back to this in a second so without dwelling on biogenetics, I want to briefly discuss why lifting weights is your best friend babygirl!

As women, we experience many physical and hormonal changes especially as we approach perimenopause and much later full-on menopause. This change, which is completely natural btw can often leave us feeling tired, weak, and unconfident. However, by incorporating weightlifting into your fitness routine, you can combat these challenges head-on and emerge as a stronger, more confident and healthier version of yourself. Did you know that as we age, our metabolism naturally declines, making it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight?

This is where weightlifting comes in! By adding resistance training to your routine, you can increase your muscle mass and rev up your metabolism, resulting in burning more fat, even at rest. So, why not start lifting weights today to not only feel better but also improve your overall health and well-being?

Sadly, the opinions of other know-it-alls have pumped nothing but misinformation out there. From those that body shame strong women to women who are in bigger bodies, it's a damn if we do, damn if we don't. And social media has seemed to have amplified this! You have the medical pros to the fitness bros to the typical troll, in the comment section making women feel like shit just for looking at a barbell. And don't get me started on the bloggers and influencers whose only claim to fame is shame. By shaming an entire group of people while adding all the fancy specs like music and a podcast mic, it's a fucking epidemic. Yeah, I know I had a podcast too but damn if I didn't try to spread peace and self-love in a crowd of pick-me’s and bullies.

Well, what is a bully?

It is complex usually stemming from major abuse (physical and emotional) at an early age that fostered insecurity at an early age. So, to cope with that insecurity and past trauma, they project it onto others. So...in short... ignore them. As we age, our body goes through various changes, which can leave us feeling self-conscious and less confident. This is what bullies exploit. But what's worse are the influencers that use this to make money. Without the concern of the client or wanting to meet them where they at, some folks box them in the fat and not fit box with the assumption you are weak and lazy.

That's why I say pick up that weight. Weightlifting can help us redefine our body image and boost our self-esteem. By lifting weights, we can build muscle definition, improve our overall strength, and feel more confident in our own skin. Plus, the sense of accomplishment we feel after completing a challenging weightlifting session is priceless and can boost our self-confidence in all areas of our lives. Who needs that stress anyway? Did you know that weightlifting has been proven to improve our mood and reduce stress? When we lift weights, our body releases endorphins, which are the neurotransmitters responsible for making us feel good.

Additionally, weightlifting can serve as a form of meditation, helping us to clear our minds and focus on the present moment. So, if you're feeling overwhelmed and stressed, take a break and hit the gym – your mind and body will thank you! Remember that part about hormones I mentioned? Yeah, well as women when we get older, our hormone levels can fluctuate and even decline. The closer we get to that menopause thing, some of us experience an array of various symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances.

However, research has shown that weightlifting can help regulate our hormone levels, specifically estrogen and testosterone, resulting in reduced symptoms and an overall improvement in our well-being. Weightlifting can also help combat bone density issues caused by hormonal decline and health! Lifting weights puts stress on our bones, which increases their density and strength, making them less prone to fractures or breaks.

So, the next time some prick or even Karen tells you that lifting weights is bad or that you'll look like a man... ignore them or best tell them to piss off!!