The Perimenopause Mistake I Made 15 Years Ago (And What It's Costing Me Now)
I'm going to share something I don't talk about often — a mistake I made 15 years ago that I'm still dealing with now.
And if you're in perimenopause with mild symptoms, or you're not even sure if you're IN perimenopause yet, this one's for you.
Because here's the thing: mild symptoms don't mean you can wait.
They mean your body is starting to shift. And that shift? It's your early warning system.
The choices you make now — or don't make — will show up later when your body needs that foundation most.
So let's talk about it.
The Moment I Realized I'd Missed My Window
Last year, I had this moment.
I was sitting outside in the Texas heat, sweating a little, and I suddenly thought: wait a second... those weren't just hot summers 15 years ago, were they?
Those little sweating episodes I kept brushing off as "it's just Texas" — those were hot flashes.
Mild ones. So mild I didn't even recognize them.
And honestly? At the time, perimenopause wasn't really talked about. This was 15 years ago. I didn't have the language for it. I didn't know what to look for.
So I just... kept going.
I was already eating really well because I was managing my Hashimoto's. My nutrition was dialed in. I felt fine. I had energy. No major complaints.
And because my symptoms were so mild, I didn't think I needed to do anything differently.
I didn't start strength training.
I didn't adjust my nutrition for menopause — I was still eating for Hashimoto's, which helped, but it wasn't the same thing.
I just kept doing what I was doing.
And that? That was the mistake.
What That Mistake Is Costing Me Now
Fast forward to now.
I've been postmenopausal for seven years.
And I'm realizing I'm behind the eight ball when it comes to muscle mass, metabolism, and how my body responds to everything I'm doing now.
Between Hashimoto's and menopause, weight loss has gotten really challenging.
My metabolism is slower. My body composition has shifted. And I'm having to work harder now to rebuild what I could have protected back then.
And here's what I keep thinking: if I had known then what I know now, I would've started building that foundation in perimenopause.
I'm doing now what I should have done then.
And it would've been SO much easier if I'd started earlier.
This Isn't About Fear — It's About Strategy
Let me be really clear about something: I'm not saying this to scare you or to make you feel like you're running out of time.
I'm saying this because I want you to have information I didn't have.
I want you to understand what's happening in your body during perimenopause so you can make informed choices — not out of fear, but out of strategy.
Because the work you do now? It compounds.
The muscle you build now protects you later.
The nutrition habits you establish now keep your metabolism responsive later.
The nervous system regulation you practice now keeps your hormones more stable later.
This isn't about perfection. It's about building a foundation that supports you through the transition and beyond.
What's Actually Happening in Perimenopause (The Science Part)
Let's talk about what's going on in your body during perimenopause and why this matters so much.
Muscle Loss Accelerates
Here's the reality: muscle loss starts at 3 to 8% per decade after age 30.
And it accelerates after 60.
So if you're in your 40s or early 50s and you're NOT strength training, you're not just maintaining where you are — you're losing ground.
And once you hit postmenopause, that loss speeds up.
The muscle you don't build now? You can't easily get it back later.
And muscle isn't just about how you look. It's about your metabolism. It's about your bone density. It's about your insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation.
Muscle is protective. It's metabolic currency.
When you lose muscle:
Your metabolism slows
Your body composition shifts
Blood sugar becomes harder to manage
Weight becomes harder to lose
Everything gets harder.
Not because you're doing anything wrong.
But because the foundation wasn't there when your body needed it most.
Your Metabolism Becomes Less Responsive
During perimenopause, your hormones are shifting. Estrogen and progesterone are fluctuating — sometimes high, sometimes low, sometimes all over the place.
And when your hormones are fluctuating like that, your metabolism becomes less responsive.
This is why eating less and exercising harder often backfires during perimenopause and menopause.
Your body interprets restriction as stress. And when your body is already dealing with the stress of hormonal fluctuations, adding MORE stress just makes everything worse.
Your cortisol stays elevated.
Your blood sugar becomes unstable.
Your metabolism slows down even more.
And you end up exhausted, inflamed, gaining weight, and wondering why nothing works anymore.
The Reframe: Mild Symptoms Are Your Early Warning System
So here's what I want you to hear.
Mild symptoms don't mean you're fine.
They mean your body is starting to shift.
And that shift? It's your early warning system.
It's not a crisis. It's an opportunity.
It's your body saying: Hey. Things are changing. Let's get ahead of this.
And the work you do now — in perimenopause, even if you feel fine — is what protects you later.
Think of It Like Building a House
If you were building a house, you wouldn't skip the foundation and just start with the walls, right?
The foundation is what holds everything up.
And perimenopause is when you're building your foundation for postmenopause.
If you skip this step — if you don't build muscle, if you don't stabilize your blood sugar, if you don't regulate your nervous system — you're going to feel it later.
Your body will still function. You'll still get through your days.
But it'll be harder. And you'll be working against your body instead of with it.
On the other hand, if you DO build that foundation now?
Postmenopause can actually feel really good.
You can have steady energy. You can maintain a healthy weight without extreme effort. You can feel strong and capable in your body.
But it starts now.
What to Do Now: The 3 Non-Negotiables for Perimenopause
If you're in perimenopause — whether you have symptoms or not — here's what you need to start doing:
1. Start Strength Training
You don't need to go crazy. You don't need to spend two hours in the gym every day.
Two to three times a week. 20 to 30 minutes.
Focus on compound movements — squats, deadlifts, presses, rows. Movements that work multiple muscle groups at once.
Build and maintain muscle. That's your metabolic foundation.
And if you've never strength trained before, that's okay. Start where you are. Hire a trainer if you need to. Watch videos. Join a class.
Just start.
Because the muscle you build now is what protects your metabolism, your bone density, and your body composition later.
2. Adjust Your Nutrition for Menopause
Not just for weight loss. For hormones. For metabolism. For steady energy.
Here's what that looks like:
Protein at every meal.
Aim for 25 to 35 grams of protein per meal. This supports muscle maintenance, blood sugar stability, and satiety.
Protein is not optional in menopause. It's essential.
Carbohydrates aren't the enemy.
Your body needs carbs to support your thyroid, your energy, and your hormone production.
Focus on complex carbs — sweet potatoes, squash, root vegetables, rice, oats, fruit.
Pair them with protein and fat to keep your blood sugar stable.
Healthy fats are your friend.
Avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish.
These support hormone synthesis, reduce inflammation, and help you feel satisfied.
Eat regularly.
Don't skip meals. Don't restrict.
Your body needs consistent fuel to know it's safe. When you skip meals or restrict too much, your body thinks there's a famine and holds onto every calorie.
Eat breakfast within an hour of waking. Eat every 3 to 4 hours. Don't let yourself get ravenous.
Stability is what signals safety to your body.
3. Don't Wait Until Symptoms Get Worse
Mild symptoms are still symptoms. They're your body's way of telling you something is shifting.
The earlier you start, the easier this gets.
The foundation you build now is what carries you through postmenopause.
And if you're thinking, "But I feel fine. Do I really need to do this?"
Yes.
Because by the time you DON'T feel fine, you're already behind.
I'm not saying that to scare you. I'm saying that because it's true.
And I'm saying it because I wish someone had said it to me 15 years ago.
What I'm Doing Now (That I Should Have Done Then)
I can't go back and change what I didn't know 15 years ago.
But I can tell you what I'm doing now.
I'm strength training. I'm eating to support my hormones and my metabolism. I'm prioritizing sleep and nervous system regulation.
I'm doing the work I should have started in perimenopause.
And I can tell you: it would've been so much easier if I'd started then.
So if you're in perimenopause, even with mild symptoms, don't wait.
Start building the foundation now.
Your body — and your future self — will thank you.
Ready to Understand What's Really Going On?
If you're listening to this thinking, "Okay, I get it. But I still don't understand WHY nothing's working for me right now. I'm doing everything right and I still feel terrible" —
I'm hosting a free live workshop on February 17th called "It's Not Just Hormones! Why Nothing's Working in Menopause — And the 3 Things You Need Now."
This is the workshop I wish someone had given me 15 years ago.
We're going to talk about:
Why your body hasn't been responding even when you're doing everything right
The hidden stress patterns sabotaging your hormones and metabolism
What regulation actually means — and how to calm your system without uprooting your entire life
Because here's the truth: no matter how clean you eat, how hard you work out, or how many protocols you follow — if your body doesn't feel safe, nothing will work.
And that's the step most women don't even know they're missing.
The bottom line:
Mild perimenopause symptoms are still symptoms.
They're your early warning system.
Don't wait until you're struggling to start building your foundation.
Start now.
