How to Choose the Best Workout for Perimenopause

If you’ve hit your 40s and suddenly feel like your body has changed the rules of the game without telling you, you aren’t alone. Maybe the 5-mile runs that used to keep you lean are now just making you tired, or those "light and easy" aerobics classes aren't moving the needle on your energy levels anymore.

Welcome to perimenopause. It’s a transition that can feel like a bit of a rollercoaster, but here at Westley Round, we believe in one thing above all else: everyone is an athlete. Whether you’re a teenager training for the state championships or a parent navigating hormonal shifts, the principles of strength, resilience, and smart training still apply.

Choosing the best workout for perimenopause isn’t about doing "less": it’s about doing things differently. Let’s dive into how you can train smarter, feel stronger, and keep up with those young athletes in your house.

What’s Actually Happening?

Before we talk about squats and sprints, we have to talk about hormones. During perimenopause, your levels of estrogen and progesterone start to fluctuate and eventually decline.

This isn't just about hot flashes. These hormones play a huge role in how your body builds muscle, uses insulin, and maintains bone density. When estrogen drops, your body becomes less efficient at building muscle (sarcopenia) and more prone to storing "visceral fat" (the kind around your midsection).

The old school advice of "eat less, run more" often backfires during this stage because it can spike cortisol (your stress hormone), which tells your body to hang onto fat for dear life. To win this game, we need to change our strategy.

1. The Power of Resistance: Lift Heavy Things

If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: Strength training is your new best friend.

Research, including famous studies highlighted by experts like Dr. Stacy Sims, shows that women in perimenopause need a "stimulus" to maintain muscle. Since your hormones aren't doing the heavy lifting for you anymore, your workouts have to.

Why it works:

• Metabolism Boost: Muscle is metabolically active. The more you have, the more calories you burn at rest.

• Bone Density: Heavy lifting puts healthy stress on your bones, which signals them to get stronger: crucial for preventing osteoporosis later.

• Insulin Sensitivity: Strength training helps your body process sugar better, which helps combat that "perimenopause belly."

The Westley Round Approach: Focus on compound movements. These are exercises that use more than one joint at a time. Think squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and rows. Aim for 2 to 4 sessions a week. And don’t be afraid of the "heavy" rack! Lifting weights that challenge you for 5-8 reps is often more effective for hormonal health than doing 20 reps with tiny pink dumbbells.

2. Sprint, Don’t Jog: The HIIT Advantage

We know, we know. You’ve been told that long, slow cardio is the way to heart health. And while the CDC still recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, perimenopause is the perfect time to introduce HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).

A meta-analysis of 38 different studies actually found that HIIT was significantly more effective at reducing fat in perimenopausal women than traditional steady-state cardio.

How to do it:

You don't need to spend an hour on a treadmill. In fact, shorter is better.

• Work: 30 seconds of "all-out" effort (sprinting, hill climbing, hard cycling).

• Rest: 1-2 minutes of very easy movement to let your heart rate come down.

• Repeat: Do this for 15-20 minutes, twice a week.

This "burst" training helps improve your cardiovascular health without the chronic cortisol spike that comes from 90-minute jogs.

3. Don’t Forget the "Quiet" Work

While we’re big fans of intensity, you can’t redline your engine 24/7. Perimenopause often comes with increased anxiety and disrupted sleep. This is where mobility and recovery work come in.

Yoga, Pilates, and basic stretching aren't just "extras": they are essential for keeping your joints lubricated and your nervous system calm.

• Yoga: Great for balance and reducing the stress hormone cortisol.

• Pilates: Fantastic for core strength and pelvic floor health, which can sometimes become an issue during this phase of life.

Think of these sessions as the "maintenance" your body needs to keep performing at a high level.

4. The "Athlete" Connection: Training as a Family

At Westley Round, our mission is to create young athletes. But here’s a secret: kids do what they see, not just what they’re told.

When you prioritize your strength and health during perimenopause, you aren't just taking care of yourself: you're modeling a lifelong athletic mindset for your children. There is nothing cooler than a mom who can deadlift her bodyweight or head out for a sprint session alongside her teenager.

Working out together can be a bridge. While your goals might be different (they’re building for a season, you’re building for longevity), the shared effort creates a bond. Plus, it’s a lot harder to skip a workout when your "teammate" is waiting for you in the living room.

5. Fueling the Shift: Nutrition for Perimenopause

As a health coach, I can't talk about workouts without mentioning what’s on your plate. You cannot out-train a poor diet, especially not now.

The Protein Rule

During perimenopause, your body needs more protein to maintain the same amount of muscle. Aim for a high-quality protein source at every meal. Think salmon, lean chicken, eggs, or Greek yogurt. A general goal is roughly 25-30 grams of protein per meal.

Timing Matters

Try to eat some protein and a bit of carbohydrate within 30-60 minutes after your workout. This "anabolic window" is even more important now because it tells your body to stop breaking down muscle and start repairing it.

Putting It All Together: Your Weekly Plan

So, how do you actually choose? The "best" workout is the one you actually enjoy and will stick to, but here is a sample "Gold Standard" week for a perimenopausal woman:

• Monday: Strength Training (Lower Body - Squats/Lunges) + 10 min mobility.

• Tuesday: 20 min HIIT (Sprints or Cycling intervals) + 15 min walk.

• Wednesday: Yoga or Pilates (Focus on recovery).

• Thursday: Strength Training (Upper Body - Push-ups/Rows) + 15 min walk.

• Friday: Active Recovery (A long walk with the kids or a light hike).

• Saturday: Full Body Strength or a fun sport (Tennis, swimming).

• Sunday: Rest and Meal Prep.

Final Thoughts

Perimenopause isn't a "decline": it's a pivot. It’s a chance to stop exercising for aesthetics and start training for power, health, and longevity.

By focusing on heavy resistance, short bursts of intensity, and intentional recovery, you’re doing more than just managing symptoms. You’re building a foundation that will carry you through the next several decades with energy and strength.

Ready to start training like the athlete you are? Whether you're looking to improve your own health or want to get your kids started on their own athletic journey, we’re here to help.

Keep moving, stay strong, and remember: the best version of you is still ahead.

Take the First Step

The journey back to feeling like "you" starts with understanding exactly which hormones are out of sync.

Are you struggling more with cortisol, or is oestrogen the main culprit?

Click here to take the Hormone Imbalance Quiz and get a clear picture of what’s happening in your body right now.

It’s time to stop the guesswork and start the root-cause solution that actually works.

Disclaimer: Always consult with your doctor or a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise or nutrition program, especially during hormonal transitions.