🌸 Understanding Menopause

Before we dive into the journal, workouts, nutrition, and lifestyle changes, it’s important that we all start on the same page. There’s a lot of misinformation, myths, and fear around menopause. Here’s the truth, plain and simple.

🔎 What is Menopause?

Menopause is the natural stage in a woman’s life when her periods stop permanently. It’s confirmed when you’ve gone 12 months without a menstrual cycle.

The average age in the UK is 51, but it can happen earlier or later.

⏳ The Three Stages

• Perimenopause
  • The transition phase before menopause.
  • Hormone levels fluctuate (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone).
  • Common symptoms: hot flushes, irregular periods, sleep issues, mood swings, brain fog, changes in body composition.
• Menopause
  • Officially starts 12 months after your final period.
  • Symptoms can continue, but the body begins adjusting to its new hormonal baseline.
• Postmenopause
  • The years after menopause.
  • Some symptoms may ease, but health considerations around bone density, heart health, muscle mass, and metabolism become even more important.

⚡ Common Symptoms (But Not “Inevitable”)

• Hot flushes & night sweats
• Sleep disruption
• Mood swings, anxiety, low mood
• Brain fog, memory lapses
• Weight gain (especially around the middle)
• Reduced muscle tone & strength
• Joint aches & pains
• Libido changes
• Fatigue

👉 Every woman’s experience is unique — some have many symptoms, some have very few. There is no “one size fits all.”

💪 Why This Matters

Understanding what’s happening in your body removes the fear and confusion. It also makes it clear why the things we’ll cover in this course — resistance training, protein-rich nutrition, supplements, sleep, and stress management — are absolute game-changers.

• Menopause is not the end. It’s a biological transition — and with the right knowledge and tools, you can come out of it stronger, healthier, and more confident than ever.