Bobbie, I’m in perimenopause. Should I start lifting heavy?” “Heavy” is relative. I don’t care whether the dumbbell says 15, 40 or 100 pounds. I care whether the resistance is challenging for you, whether you can perform it safely, and whether we’re progressively asking your body to adapt. Because picking up a pink three-pound dumbbell 50 times simply because you’re in menopause isn’t a physiological requirement. “If you’re brand new, we’re not testing your one-rep max tomorrow.” “If you’ve trained for 20 years, I’m also not making you start over because you turned 45.” “Meet the woman where she is. Then build.”

“Your joints hurt in perimenopause. Now what?” We’ve talked about the aches. Now I want to talk about what I think women’s-health content gets wrong: Naming a problem isn’t helping you solve it. If your joints suddenly hurt, recovery feels different or you don’t feel as strong as you used to, “it’s menopause” isn’t an action plan. 1. BUILD CAPACITY. Resistance training has substantial evidence supporting strength and function in postmenopausal women. Don’t abandon loading merely because you’re getting older. Progress it appropriately. 2. KEEP YOUR ENGINE. Walking is excellent, but cardiovascular fitness deserves deliberate attention too. Aerobic work, intervals when appropriate and simply accumulating more physical activity all have roles. 3. INVESTIGATE PAIN. Menopause can coexist with osteoarthritis, autoimmune disease, tendon pathology, injury, vitamin/mineral deficiencies and other conditions. Menopause should expand the differential—not become the diagnosis for everything. Finish: The goal isn’t to train like you’re 25. The goal isn’t to train like you’re fragile either. The goal is to figure out what your body can do today and progressively expand that capacity.