DaSyd2B FITness & Personal Training

Let’s talk about why strength training becomes SO important during perimenopause. 💪🏼

And no, it’s not just about looking toned or changing the number on the scale. It goes so much deeper than that.

As we move through perimenopause, our hormones begin to fluctuate, and estrogen levels gradually decline. These changes can affect our muscle mass, metabolism, blood sugar regulation, and bone health.

This is why lifting weights isn’t just something we do to look good. It’s something we do to support our bodies for the long haul. ❤️

Here’s why it matters:

💪🏼 1. BUILD & PRESERVE MUSCLE
Strength training stimulates muscle protein synthesis, your body’s process of repairing and building muscle. Maintaining muscle supports strength, mobility, and healthy aging.

🩸 2. IMPROVE INSULIN SENSITIVITY
Your muscles help use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. Strength training helps your body use it more effectively, supporting healthy blood sugar regulation and metabolic health.

🦴 3. SUPPORT STRONGER BONES
Your bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding. Strength training provides a stimulus that supports bone remodeling and helps maintain bone density, which is especially important as declining estrogen can accelerate bone loss.

And here’s the thing: you don’t have to be a bodybuilder, lift the heaviest weights in the gym, or spend hours working out.

You just have to START, learn proper technique, and stay consistent.

We can’t control every change that comes with perimenopause, but we CAN take steps to support our bodies through it.

We’re not just training for how we look today. We’re training for how we want to MOVE, FEEL, and LIVE years from now. 🔥

Stronger now. Healthier later. 💗

— DaSyd 2 B FITness

I hear women say it all the time:

“I don’t want to lift weights because I don’t want to get bulky.”

And I get it. Somewhere along the way, many of us started associating lifting weights with getting bigger, looking masculine, or becoming “too muscular.”

But here’s what I want more women to understand:

Weightlifting isn’t about becoming smaller. It’s about becoming stronger.

Especially as we move through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond, our bodies change. Muscle mass becomes harder to maintain. Bone density can decline. Recovery can change. Body composition can shift in ways that feel completely unfamiliar.

That doesn’t mean our bodies are broken.

It means the way we train may need to evolve.

Strength training can help us build and preserve muscle, support bone health, improve strength and balance, maintain independence, and create a body that is capable of carrying us through every stage of life.

And no — you do NOT need to spend hours in the gym lifting massive weights.

You don’t need to become a powerlifter.

You don’t need to train like a 25-year-old.

You simply need to give your body a reason to stay strong.

So if you’ve been avoiding the weights because you’re afraid of getting “too big,” I hope you’ll reconsider.

The goal isn’t to be the smallest version of yourself.

The goal is to be the strongest, healthiest, most capable version of yourself — for as long as possible. 💪🏼

That’s the kind of aging I’m interested in.

Strong women. Healthy lives. Longer futures.

45 years old. Perimenopause. And honestly? Sometimes it feels like my body changed overnight.

The things I used to do in the gym don’t necessarily work the same way anymore. The same workouts. The same effort. Sometimes even the same nutrition—and suddenly my body responds differently.

And that can be incredibly frustrating… until you understand what’s actually happening.

As estrogen and progesterone fluctuate and eventually decline, and testosterone gradually decreases, our bodies can change in ways that affect SO much more than our menstrual cycles.

Sleep can change.
Recovery can change.
Muscle retention and growth can change.
How we use and store carbohydrates can change.
Body-fat distribution can change.
Stress tolerance can change.

And when chronic stress and elevated cortisol are layered on top of hormonal changes, it can feel like you’re fighting your own body.

But here’s the thing I’ve had to remind myself:

My body isn’t broken. It’s changing.

And the answer isn’t to punish it with more cardio, eat less and less, or work harder because what worked at 30 isn’t working at 45.

The answer is learning what my body needs NOW.

More intentional strength training.
Enough protein.
Adequate recovery.
Better sleep.
Managing stress.
And understanding how hormonal changes can influence the way we train, eat, recover and feel.

This is exactly why I’m so passionate about helping women understand their bodies through perimenopause and beyond.

Because you shouldn’t have to feel like you’ve suddenly lost control of a body you’ve spent decades learning.

You just need a new playbook.

And I’m learning it right alongside you. ❤️

CORE ACTIVATION ≠ BRACING. And knowing the difference matters. 👇🏼

Core activation is about connecting to your core and turning on the muscles that help stabilize your spine and pelvis. Think control, awareness, and creating a foundation for movement.

Bracing is different. It’s creating 360° tension around your trunk to increase stability when you need to produce or resist force.

Think: “Brace and go.”

🏋🏼‍♀️ Activation is useful for:
• Warm-ups
• Learning movement patterns
• Improving core awareness
• Establishing stability and control

🔥 Bracing is especially important for:
• Deadlifts
• Squats
• Heavy presses
• Carries
• Heavier or more demanding movements

And no — you don’t need to walk around braced all day. 😂

A strong core isn’t a constantly tight core. It’s a core that knows when to engage, how much tension to create, and when to relax.

For a heavy deadlift like this? I’m not just “tightening my abs.” I’m creating that 360° brace so my trunk can stay stable while I move the load.

Train your core for what you actually want it to do: stabilize, transfer force, protect your spine, and help you move stronger. 💪🏼

Save this for your next strength session!

Menopause is so much more than hot flashes and periods.

Hormonal changes can affect your muscle mass, strength, recovery, sleep, metabolism, bone health, mood, and so much more.

And no—you’re not “just getting older.” Your body is going through a significant physiological transition, and your approach to fitness may need to change with it.

The good news? You can still get stronger. You can still build muscle. You can still feel good in your body. You just need the right strategy for the stage you’re in. 💪

If you’re in perimenopause, menopause, or beyond and want to better understand what’s happening in your body—and how fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle can support you—I’d love to help.

📩 Send me a message to learn more about menopause coaching with DaSyd 2 B FITness.

TRAINER TIP 💪

If you’re a woman navigating perimenopause, menopause, or the years beyond, strength training shouldn’t be the thing you squeeze in after cardio.

It should be one of the foundations of your fitness routine.

As we age, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important for:

• Strength and independence
• Bone health
• Metabolism and body composition
• Balance and stability
• Everyday movement
• Staying capable as we get older

And no—you don’t need to spend two hours lifting weights.

You need consistent resistance training with a plan that challenges you appropriately.

The goal isn’t just to look strong.

It’s to BE strong.

That’s the kind of fitness I want more women to experience.

Train for the body you want to have 10, 20, even 30 years from now.

— DaSyd 2 B Fitness

MENOPAUSE ISN’T ONE STAGE. And your approach to taking care of yourself shouldn’t be either. 🤍

Perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause are different stages of a major transition—and each can bring changes to your body, your energy, your sleep, your mood, your metabolism, and the way you feel in your own skin.

During perimenopause, hormones can fluctuate significantly. You may notice changes in your cycle, sleep, mood, body composition, recovery, or energy. And sometimes the symptoms seem to come out of nowhere.

Menopause is technically reached after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. From there, postmenopause becomes the long-term stage of life where protecting your health becomes even more important.

It means the old “eat less, exercise more” mentality may not be the whole answer.

🥩 Nourish your body.
Prioritize adequate protein, nutrient-dense foods, fiber, and overall balanced nutrition. Your nutritional needs and goals may need to change as your body changes.

🏋️‍♀️ Strength train.
Muscle matters. Resistance training is an important part of maintaining strength and supporting healthy aging—and it should be a cornerstone of your fitness routine through midlife and beyond.

😴 Prioritize recovery.
Sleep and recovery can become more challenging during the menopause transition. More isn’t always better. Your training needs to challenge you AND give your body time to adapt.

🧠 Support your mental health.
Brain fog, mood changes, sleep disruption, stress, and feeling unlike yourself can all be part of the picture. They deserve attention—not dismissal.

❤️ And most importantly: pay attention to your body.

There isn’t one “menopause plan” that works for every woman. Your symptoms, goals, health history, lifestyle, and stage of menopause all matter.

You don’t need to fight your changing body.

You need to understand it.

Knowledge changes the game.

And that’s exactly why I’m so passionate about helping women get stronger, healthier, and more confident through midlife. 💪🏼