Exercise in Menopause: Why My Body Now Plays by Ridiculous Rules

Once upon a time, exercise meant endorphins, cute leggings, and maybe a smoothie afterward. These days? Ten minutes into a workout and I’m debating whether to nap, cry, or draft my obituary. If exercise in menopause feels like your body switched to a whole new set of rules without warning you, you’re not imagining it.

Hormones shift, muscle mass declines, and recovery slows — suddenly your body acts like a stubborn toddler who doesn’t want to play. But here’s the good news: you can still move, get stronger, and feel good. You just need to play by the NEW rules (with humor, of course).

1. Recovery Takes Longer (and That’s Okay)

Remember when you could push through a tough workout and bounce back the next day? Those days packed up and moved to another zip code. Estrogen’s decline affects recovery, so soreness lingers longer.

💡 Translation: Schedule rest days and honor naps as part of your training plan. Recovery is not weakness — it’s strategy.

2. Cardio Feels Like a Furnace

Hot flashes plus exercise? It’s like working out in a sauna you never signed up for. The sweat is real, and it’s not glamorous.

💡 Translation: Shorter bursts of cardio, cooler environments, and gear that helps. My secret weapon? SWAL — the little handheld fan that a friend gifted me. (Yes, it has a name. Yes, we’re on a first-name basis.) Add a cooling towel and suddenly cardio feels almost survivable.

3. Strength Training Matters More

Muscle mass declines faster in midlife, which makes strength training essential. But this doesn’t mean you need to bench press your neighbor’s car.

💡 Translation: Tools like resistance bands, light dumbbells, or even a weighted hula hoop (yes, really!) help keep your muscles active.

True story: I was so excited to try my weighted hula hoop — ready to chase the hula hoop glory of my 10-year-old self! After figuring out how many sections it would take to fit around my “new and improved” midsection (translation: fatter gut), I secured it with hopeful anticipation. What followed was nearly 40 minutes of flailing arms, cracking joints, and laughing so hard I almost peed myself. If anyone had secretly filmed me, they could’ve retired on the prize money from America’s Funniest Home Videos. Spoiler: the hoop eventually spun, but the workout was mostly in the laughter.

4. Flexibility Is the New Six-Pack

Forget chasing washboard abs. The real flex is being able to bend down and tie your shoes without groaning. And let’s be honest — the groaning and random noises are real. I’ll never forget the first time I caught myself; I was horrified that I sounded like a 90-year-old man… then laughed, because well, life happens.

💡 Translation: Simple stretching and small add-ons like ankle weights during leg lifts keep your joints moving and muscles engaged. I love mine because the material is soft and comfortable, with little pouches where I can add or remove one-pound inserts. Totally different from the torture devices of years gone by — you know, the ones with metal buckles and stiff leather that cut into your skin with every move.

👉 Did you know? A lot of balance issues in midlife actually come from weak quadriceps (front thigh muscles). Strengthening your quads with ankle weight exercises isn’t just about toning — it helps with stability, too.

5. Fun Counts as Fitness

Exercise doesn’t have to look like a gym membership or a bootcamp instructor yelling in your face. Sometimes it’s just life — and life counts.

For me, that might be cleaning the chicken coop (yes, I’m a proud chicken tender 🐔), or making the trek out to collect fresh eggs a few times a day so the hens don’t eat them — or so I don’t end up with surprise baby chicks. Fun fact: chickens are actually carnivorous. Which means if I ever pass out out there, those girls aren’t waiting on a medic — I’m the buffet. Now that’s motivation to keep moving... morbid, but true!

And then there’s my favorite: privately Jazzercising in the kitchen while belting out “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” like I was headlining my own 1987 concert. My family already knows I’ve lost it (I come by it naturally), so why not make it a show?

💡 Translation: Fun really does count as fitness. Walking the dog, dancing in your kitchen, chasing chickens — it all adds up. Consistency matters more than perfection. If it moves your body and makes you smile (or at least doesn’t make you curse), it’s a win.

Taming the Flame

Menopause workouts don’t have to feel like battles. Practical tools can make all the difference:

• Resistance bands → strength without bulk.

• Weighted hula hoop → cardio + core with a side of fun.

• Cooling towels or a portable fan → essential heat relief.

• Ankle weights → small but mighty strength boost.

The right tools mean fewer meltdowns (in every sense).

Your body may play by ridiculous rules now, but that doesn’t mean you’re benched. Exercise in menopause is about adapting — not competing with your younger self. Some days you’ll lift, some days you’ll stretch, and some days you’ll laugh yourself silly trying to hula hoop. It all counts.

Because staying active in midlife isn’t about keeping up — it’s about choosing movement over stillness, laughter over pressure, and grace over guilt. And trust me, shedding that mental weight is the best workout you’ll ever do.

The Cool Down❄️