Why You Need to Get Stronger During Perimenopause, Not Just Exercise More

Strength Training During Perimenopause: Why Building Muscle Matters

You don't need to exercise harder during perimenopause. You need to get stronger.

If you've spent years doing cardio, going to classes, walking, running or simply trying to stay active, you might be wondering why your body suddenly feels different.

Perhaps your weight has started to creep up.

Perhaps you're losing muscle or feeling less strong.

Maybe your body doesn't recover from exercise the way it used to.

Or perhaps you're exercising more than ever and still don't feel like you're getting the results you want.

This can be incredibly frustrating.

And it's one of the reasons I want women to think differently about exercise during perimenopause.

This isn't about doing more. It's about doing what your body increasingly needs.

And one of the most powerful things you can do is build and maintain muscle.

Why does muscle matter so much during perimenopause?

Muscle isn't just about looking toned.

It's living tissue that plays an important role in how your body moves, uses glucose, stores energy and maintains strength and function as you age.

As women move through midlife, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important.

Hormonal changes are one part of the picture, but so are ageing, activity levels, nutrition and the amount of resistance training you do.

This is why I don't want you to think about strength training as something you do because you want smaller arms or a firmer bum.

I want you to think about muscle as one of your long-term health assets.

The stronger you are, the more capacity you have for life.

And that's what we're really talking about.

Does strength training boost metabolism during perimenopause?

This is where I want to challenge one of the most common messages you hear online.

You've probably heard:

“Build muscle and you'll massively increase your metabolism.”

It's not quite that simple.

Muscle is metabolically active tissue, so having more lean mass contributes to your resting energy expenditure. But gaining a few kilograms of muscle isn't going to suddenly send your metabolism through the roof.

The bigger benefit is the combination of maintaining muscle, staying active and supporting metabolic health.

And that becomes particularly important during midlife.

If you're losing muscle while remaining at the same body weight, your body composition is changing even if the number on the scales isn't.

You can weigh exactly the same but have:

less muscle + more body fat.

That's one reason I don't want women to judge their progress by the scales alone.

Strength.

Energy.

Fitness.

How your clothes feel.

What you can lift.

How confidently you move.

These are all useful measures too.

Can strength training help with insulin sensitivity?

Yes — and this is one of the most important reasons to care about muscle.

Your skeletal muscles are a major site for glucose disposal. When you contract your muscles during exercise, glucose can be taken up by muscle cells, and regular physical activity can improve insulin sensitivity.

This means your muscles aren't just helping you lift your shopping bags.

They're helping your body manage glucose.

Resistance training is therefore an important part of supporting metabolic health, particularly when combined with aerobic activity, adequate nutrition and regular movement.

And you don't have to become a gym obsessive to benefit.

Squats.

Lunges.

Rows.

Presses.

Deadlifts.

Carrying.

Pushing.

Pulling.

These are all ways of asking your muscles to do something challenging.

The goal is progressive overload — gradually giving your muscles a reason to adapt and become stronger.

What about perimenopause weight gain?

This is where strength training becomes particularly interesting.

If you're frustrated because you're gaining weight despite exercising, your first instinct might be:

“I need to burn more calories.”

So you add another cardio session.

And another.

And perhaps you start eating less.

But more exercise isn't automatically better.

Your body needs adequate recovery, nutrition and resistance training too.

Strength training can help you preserve or build lean muscle while supporting overall physical activity and metabolic health.

That doesn't mean lifting weights automatically causes weight loss.

It doesn't.

Fat loss still depends on overall energy balance.

But if improving your body composition and long-term health is your goal, maintaining muscle should be part of the conversation.

And please don't underestimate the value of simply maintaining muscle.

During midlife, not losing muscle is already a win.

Muscle is important for your bones too

This is one of the biggest reasons I want women to start thinking about strength training as future-proofing rather than simply exercising.

Bone is living tissue.

It responds to the forces placed upon it.

Weight-bearing activity and resistance exercise can provide mechanical loading that supports bone health.

And this matters because bone loss can accelerate around the menopause transition as oestrogen levels decline.

Strength training isn't a guarantee against osteoporosis, and it isn't a replacement for appropriate medical assessment if you're at increased risk.

But it is an important part of a lifestyle that supports healthy bones.

And there's another benefit.

Stronger muscles also help you move with greater stability and physical confidence.

That matters as you get older because falls and fractures become increasingly important health concerns.

You're not just training for how your body looks at 45.

You're training for the body you want to have at 65, 75 and beyond.

Can strength training improve mood?

This is another reason I love strength training for women in midlife.

We often talk about exercise as something we do to burn calories.

But movement can affect far more than body composition.

Regular physical activity is associated with better mental health and can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression for many people.

And strength training can offer something else that is difficult to measure:

the experience of becoming physically capable.

You lift something today that was difficult six weeks ago.

You get stronger.

You carry the suitcase yourself.

You get up from the floor more easily.

You realise that your body is capable of more than you thought.

That can change the way you feel about yourself.

And for a woman who has spent years feeling disconnected from her body, that's powerful.

Strength training and the woman who doesn't feel like herself

This is where strength training connects to something much bigger than physical health.

I've written before about the feeling many women experience during midlife:

“I don't feel like myself anymore.”

Your body changes.

Your roles change.

Your children grow up.

Your priorities change.

Your confidence can change.

And sometimes you can start to feel disconnected from your own body.

Strength training gives you an opportunity to reconnect with your body through what it can do, rather than simply how it looks.

Instead of:

“Do I look better?”

You start asking:

“Am I stronger?”

“Can I lift heavier?”

“Can I move better?”

“What is my body capable of?”

That is a very different relationship with your body.

Read next: Why You Don't Feel Like Yourself During Perimenopause: The Mental Load of Midlife Women

What about longevity?

If I could convince every woman to care about one thing when it comes to exercise, it wouldn't be burning calories.

It would be maintaining physical capacity for as long as possible.

Longevity isn't just about adding years to your life.

It's about maintaining your ability to live those years well.

To travel.

To carry your own luggage.

To climb stairs.

To get off the floor.

To play with your grandchildren.

To garden.

To walk.

To lift.

To live independently.

Muscle strength and physical function are strongly associated with healthy ageing and longevity.

That's why I don't see strength training as something you “should” do because you're getting older.

It's something you can do because you want your future self to have options.

How often should women strength train during perimenopause?

You don't need to spend five days a week in the gym.

For many women, two to three resistance-training sessions per week is a realistic and effective starting point.

And if you're currently doing none?

Start with two.

Your programme should ideally train the major movement patterns and muscle groups, with exercises that challenge you appropriately.

That might include:

• squats or sit-to-stands

• lunges or step-ups

• hip hinges or deadlifts

• rows

• presses

• loaded carries

• core exercises

You don't need fancy equipment.

You can start with your body weight, resistance bands, dumbbells or gym equipment.

What matters most is that the exercise provides enough resistance to challenge your muscles and that, over time, you gradually increase the challenge.

How heavy should you lift?

This is where I want you to move away from the idea that lifting weights means becoming “bulky”.

It doesn't.

And using tiny weights forever because you're afraid of getting too muscular isn't going to give your muscles much reason to adapt.

You want a weight that feels challenging.

As a general guide, by the end of a set you should feel like you have only a few good repetitions left with proper technique.

You don't need to lift the heaviest weight you possibly can.

You do need to give your muscles a reason to get stronger.

And that reason needs to increase over time.

That's progressive overload.

What if I hate the gym?

Then don't go.

Seriously.

Strength training doesn't have to mean a gym membership.

You can train at home.

Use dumbbells.

Use resistance bands.

Use your body weight.

Join a small group.

Work with a personal trainer.

Take a strength class.

There are lots of ways to build strength.

The best programme is the one you will actually do consistently.

Don't forget the other foundations

Here's where I want to bring this back to the bigger picture.

Strength training is incredibly important.

But it isn't magic.

You can't strength-train your way out of chronic sleep deprivation.

You can't out-exercise a diet that isn't meeting your nutritional needs.

And you can't expect your body to recover well when you're constantly running on empty.

Your body needs the foundations working together.

Nutrition

Protein provides the amino acids your body needs to build and maintain muscle.

Read next: What to Eat During Perimenopause

Sleep

Sleep supports recovery, physical performance and overall wellbeing.

And if you're waking at 3am every night, that's worth addressing rather than simply adding another workout.

Read next: Why You're Waking Up at 3am in Perimenopause

Stress

Chronic stress can affect sleep, recovery, appetite and your ability to stay consistent with healthy habits.

Read next: The Mental Load of Midlife Women (And Why Perimenopause Can Make It Harder)

Energy

If you're constantly exhausted, the answer isn't always another workout.

Sometimes your body needs more fuel, better recovery and a different approach to movement.

You don't need to punish your body into submission

I think this is particularly important for women who have spent decades being told that exercise is about burning off what they ate.

You don't need to earn your food.

You don't need to exercise because you ate cake.

You don't need to punish yourself for your body changing.

Movement can be something completely different.

It can be about building.

Building strength.

Building confidence.

Building resilience.

Building capacity.

Building a body that can support the life you want to live.

And that's a much more empowering reason to exercise.

Start where you are

If you haven't done strength training before, don't compare yourself with the woman lifting heavy weights next to you.

Start with where you are.

Two sessions a week.

A few basic movements.

Learn good technique.

Build gradually.

And celebrate getting stronger.

Because this isn't about becoming a different person.

It's about making sure the body you've got can carry you through the next chapter of your life.

Your future self will thank you.

Not sure what your body needs most right now?

Strength training is one piece of the perimenopause puzzle.

But if you're struggling with energy, sleep, nutrition, stress, movement or simply don't feel like yourself, you don't need to try to fix everything at once.

Start by finding out where your biggest opportunity is.

Take the free Perimenopause Snapshot Quiz

Discover which of the five foundations — energy, nutrition, movement, sleep and stress — may need the most support right now.

TAKE THE FREE SNAPSHOT QUIZ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is strength training good for women during perimenopause?

Yes. Strength training can help women maintain or build muscle, support bone health, improve physical function and contribute to metabolic health. It is an important form of exercise during the menopause transition and beyond.

Can strength training help with perimenopause weight gain?

Strength training can help preserve or build muscle and support body composition and metabolic health, but it doesn't automatically cause weight loss. Nutrition, overall activity, sleep, stress and energy balance all contribute to changes in body weight and body composition.

Does lifting weights boost metabolism during perimenopause?

Building muscle can contribute to resting energy expenditure because muscle is metabolically active tissue. However, the increase in metabolism from gaining muscle is often overstated. The bigger benefit is maintaining muscle, improving physical function and supporting metabolic health.

Can strength training improve insulin sensitivity?

Yes. Muscle is a major site of glucose disposal, and both resistance and aerobic exercise can improve insulin sensitivity. Regular strength training can therefore be an important part of supporting healthy blood glucose regulation.

Does strength training help bone density during perimenopause?

Resistance and weight-bearing exercise provide mechanical loading that can support bone health. This is particularly important around and after menopause, when declining oestrogen can contribute to increased bone loss. Women with osteoporosis or a high fracture risk should seek individualised professional advice about appropriate exercise.

Can strength training improve mood during perimenopause?

Regular physical activity is associated with improved mental wellbeing and can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in many people. Strength training may also improve confidence and physical self-efficacy by helping women feel stronger and more capable.

How often should I strength train during perimenopause?

Two to three resistance-training sessions per week is a useful target for many women. If you're new to strength training, start with two sessions and gradually build your strength, technique and training volume.

Do women get bulky from lifting weights?

Most women will not suddenly become bulky from strength training. Building significant muscle mass takes consistent training, adequate nutrition and time. For most women, resistance training is much more likely to improve strength, muscle tone and physical function.

Is it too late to start strength training in midlife?

Absolutely not. Women can build strength and muscle at many ages. Starting in your 40s, 50s or later can be one of the most valuable investments you make in your long-term physical function and independence.

About Louise

Louise is a nutritionist specialising in women’s nutrition and lifestyle during perimenopause and midlife. Through The Lifestyle Library, she helps women understand the changes happening in their bodies and build practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies to feel more energised, rested and confident through this stage of life.

Last updated: August 2026