How to Train & Recover During Perimenopause & Menopause

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How to Train & Recover During Perimenopause & Menopause

This phase of life isn’t about pushing harder.
It’s about training smarter, recovering intentionally, and building a routine your body can actually adapt to.

Your hormones are changing — but your ability to get stronger, feel better, and improve health is still very much available.

Why Training Needs to Look Different Now

As estrogen and progesterone fluctuate and decline, the body becomes more sensitive to:

  • Excessive volume

  • Chronic cardio

  • Poor recovery

  • Under-fueling paired with over-training

Research shows that excessive endurance training without adequate recovery can elevate cortisol, contributing to poor sleep, increased fat storage, and fatigue. In contrast, resistance training improves insulin sensitivity, preserves muscle, and supports bone density.

This is not the season for punishment workouts.
It’s the season for intentional strength.

The Role of Resistance Training (Non-Negotiable)

Resistance training is the cornerstone of training during perimenopause and menopause — and this is exactly why LJW workouts are built the way they are.

Benefits include:

  • Preservation of lean muscle mass

  • Support for resting metabolic rate

  • Improved insulin sensitivity

  • Maintenance of bone density

  • Joint stability and injury prevention

Research supports 2–3 days per week of resistance training to improve body composition and metabolic markers in midlife women, and progressive loading has been shown to slow or even reverse menopause-related bone loss.

But at Lexi J Wellness, we don’t stop at the research minimums.
We’re not just training for short-term results — we’re training for longevity, resilience, and life.

That’s why LJW programming intentionally includes:

  • 4 days of resistance training to build and preserve muscle long term

  • Strategic HIIT to support cardiovascular health without burnout

  • Core and abdominal work to improve balance, posture, and injury prevention

This balanced approach supports the whole body — strength, heart health, stability, and long-term function — so you’re not just training for today, but for the decades ahead.

This is not optional care.
This is protective, life-long care.

Why LJW Workouts Work So Well in This Phase 

LJW workouts were designed for real bodies, real lives, and long-term sustainability — exactly what this phase requires.

  • 28-minute sessions to support consistency without overwhelming recovery

  • Resistance-focused training to protect muscle and metabolism

  • Progressive, modifiable structure that adapts to fluctuating energy and symptoms

  • Nervous-system-friendly intensity that supports mood and sleep

LJW workouts don’t try to break your body — they help build it back up.

How Often Should You Train?

Most women in this phase do best with:

  • 2–4 days of resistance training per week

  • Daily low-intensity movement (walking, mobility)

  • Planned recovery days

More is not better.
Consistency + recovery beats intensity every time.

Daily Low-Intensity Movement (Walking & Mobility)

Daily movement matters — not for burning calories, but for metabolic health, insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular protection, and recovery, especially during perimenopause and menopause.

What the research shows:

  • 6,000–8,000 steps per day are associated with significant reductions in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease risk

  • Health benefits tend to plateau around 8,000–10,000 steps, meaning more isn’t necessarily better

  • Even 2,500–4,000 steps per day provide meaningful health benefits compared to very low activity

  • Walking improves insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles independent of structured exercise

Walking also supports parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activation, helping lower cortisol — a key factor in midlife fat storage, sleep disruption, and recovery challenges.

The LJW approach:
Steps aren’t punishment — they’re support.

We encourage:

  • Daily walking or gentle movement, even on non-lifting days

  • Flexible step ranges based on energy, stress, and recovery

  • Mobility work to support joints, posture, and long-term function

This isn’t about chasing numbers.
It’s about staying metabolically active, hormonally supported, and consistent for life.

Recovery Is Training Too 

Recovery is not optional in this phase — it’s foundational.

Prioritize:

  • Sleep quality and consistency

  • Adequate protein and total calorie intake

  • Hydration

  • Stress management

  • Mobility and rest days

Chronic under-recovery is associated with fatigue, mood changes, and stalled progress. These are signals, not failures.

The Big Picture

Perimenopause and menopause are not the end of strength — they are the beginning of a different kind of strength.

One built on:

  • Muscle over punishment

  • Fuel over restriction

  • Strategy over extremes

  • Support over silence

You don’t need to train harder.
You need a plan that respects your body now.

Coach Megan’s Note 

If training feels harder, recovery feels slower, or your body isn’t responding the way it used to — you’re not broken.

You’re evolving.

This is exactly why the LJW approach exists: to help you train for life, not just a season. Strong bones. Strong muscles. Strong heart. Strong future. It doesn't matter when you start, it matters that you START!

If you don’t have guidance right now, you don’t have to navigate this alone.
We’re here to support you through this phase and beyond.

— Coach Megan 

Supportive Evidence & Resources

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