Why We're Obsessed with Strength Training

When we started Herlixir, we made a mental list of things we wished someone had told us about the menopausal transition. The list was long, but strength training was definitely in the top 3!

However, we also had so much misperception about strength training—we visualized muscular gym rats lifting heavy 50-pound weights, and frankly that didn't appeal to us. But strength training, also called resistance training or muscle-strengthening activity, is any physical exercise where our muscles work against resistance to increase muscle strength, endurance, power, and/or size. The good news is that strength training comes in a wide range of exercises! We really don't have to live in the gym pushing ridiculous heavy weights.

What makes strength training different from cardio? Cardiovascular exercise primarily challenges heart, lungs, and aerobic capacity. Strength training challenges muscle fibers, neuromuscular coordination, connective tissue, and bone (via mechanical loading). It addresses the core biological changes of menopause in ways nothing else can.

What Menopause Does to Our Bodies

When estrogen declines during perimenopause and menopause, three things happen that fundamentally change how our bodies work:

We quickly lose muscle. Muscle mass begins declining slowly after peaking in early adulthood, in our late 20s or early 30s, but the rate accelerates during the menopausal transition. During this window (beginning about 1-2 years before final period and lasting 5-7 years), women may lose 1-2% of muscle mass per year and even more in strength.

Our bones become fragile. During the menopausal transition, women can lose about 2-3% of bone density per year at the spine and 1-2% per year at the hip. This rapid loss usually lasts about 5-7 years. Over the transition, women may lose 10-20% of their bone mass. Hip fractures aren't just painful—they're now life-threatening. One in five women who fracture a hip will die within a year. Another 40% never regain their previous mobility.

Our body composition shifts. Even if weight stays the same, body fat percentage increases. Women gain an average of 0.5-1 pound per year during midlife, with fat mass increasing even when scale weight changes minimally. We can be the same in weight, but our body can be completely different now. These changes affect how we feel, how we move, how our bodies age, and how long we'll stay healthy and independent.d

Why Strength Training Changes Everything

After we understood the science and benefits of strength training (and how accessible it is), we became big advocates. It's one of the most powerful tools we have to push back against negative changes of midlife. We can't stop aging, but we can slow them down dramatically and maintain strength, independence, and vitality well into our later years.

Strength Training Preserves and Builds Muscle. Even in our forties, fifties, and beyond, we can build muscle! Catherine Kuehn, the world champion powerlifter, didn’t begin until 85 years young! 

A systematic review in Sports Medicine found that postmenopausal women doing resistance training gained an average of 1.4 kg (about 3 pounds) of lean muscle mass over 12-24 weeks. Three pounds might not sound impressive until we remember that muscle burns about three times as many calories as fat.

Strength Training Protects Our Bones. Bone is living tissue that responds to physical stress by getting stronger. A study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research followed postmenopausal women doing high-intensity resistance training twice weekly for eight months. The results showed significant improvements in bone density at the spine and hip, the exact sites most vulnerable to fracture. The control group that didn’t do strength training continued losing bone density. What’s also critical in this finding is that intensity mattered. Light weights didn't produce the same effect. Walking, while excellent for many things, doesn't provide enough mechanical stress to build bone. However, walking with a weighted vest (with increasing load over time) does provide needed mechanical stress and benefits.

Strength Training Improves Metabolic Health. Strength training improves glucose use and insulin sensitivity, reducing diabetes risk. Research in Obesity showed resistance training was superior to aerobic exercise at reducing dangerous abdominal fat in postmenopausal women.

Strength Training Prevents Falls and Keeps Us Functional. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in older women. Strength training improves balance, coordination, and functional strength for everyday life. A meta-analysis study found that resistance training reduced fall risk by 40%.

Strength Training Supports Mental Health. Strength training makes women feel more capable, confident, and less anxious. A review in JAMA Psychiatry found resistance training significantly improved depressive symptoms, with effects comparable to antidepressant medication in some studies.

What Strength Training Actually Looks Like

Strength training doesn't require a gym membership or expensive equipment. And it absolutely doesn't mean we're going to look like a bodybuilder. Women don't have the testosterone to build large muscles without extraordinary effort.

Strength training is our major muscle groups working against resistance (our own body weight counts as resistance), two to three times per week, with enough weight that the last few reps feel challenging. Key to remember is that our body needs to be challenged - this is what triggers the body to build more muscle and more bones.

How to Start & Making It Stick

Most women in our community have zero strength training experience. That's completely fine!

With the internet, apps, and fitness gyms all around the world, it’s not hard to get started. Some of us like to workout in a group. Some like to do it in the comfort of our own homes. Some need a personal trainer. It doesn’t matter what we choose. The key is to make whatever we choose stick. The best program is the one we'll actually do. Consistency is crucial. And so is joy. Choose something that makes us feel good and excited about.

• Schedule it. Put it on the calendar. This “Me Time” is well-deserved & needed. We can’t take care of our family if we don’t feel well–don’t feel selfish for doing this. 
• Same time, same days. Consistency builds habits.
• Start small. Twenty minutes is enough. Ten is better than nothing. Habits form from doing it consistently, even if just a little bit each time. Be patient with ourselves. 
• Track it. Use those phone/watch apps. Log weights and reps. Watching ourselves get stronger is super motivating.
• Find community. Even if we choose to workout at home, being part of a virtual community makes it sustainable.

Strength Training Options

Bodyweight exercises: Squats, lunges, push-ups, planks. No equipment needed.

Free weights: Dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells. Allow load to get progressively harder.

Resistance bands: Portable, affordable, versatile. Great for road warriors. 

Machines: Found in gyms. They guide our movements and can be easier initially. Leg press, chest press, lat pulldown.

Make sure to work multiple muscle groups!

What to Expect

• Weeks 1-4: Rapid strength gains as our nervous system adapts. Better sleep, more energy.
• Weeks 6-12: Muscle growth begins. Clothes fit differently. Functional improvements.
• Months 3-6: Visible body composition changes. Stable energy. Increased confidence.
• Months 6-12+: Continued strength and metabolic gains. Bone density improves. The practice becomes part of our identity. Yay to the healthier, stronger, and more confident us!

Important Things to Know

• Load & resistance is paramount. Muscle and bone only adapt when they are challenged with sufficient mechanical tension. Without enough resistance and progressive load increases over time the body has no reason to build strength, preserve muscle, or maintain bone density.
• The scale might not change. Muscle is denser than fat so we might be leaner but our scale might stay the same or even show we’re heavier. It’s more important to focus on how we feel and how our clothes fit instead.
• Soreness is temporary. Initial muscle soreness fades as our body adapts. This is the good sore! Celebrate it. 
• Rest is essential. Muscles grow during recovery. Don't train the same muscle groups on consecutive days.
• Eat enough protein. Menopausal women need roughly 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. That's 80-110 grams for a 150-pound woman.
• Consistency is so key. 2+ days per week is ideal. Make the new habit super easy to attain. Put those dumbbells right in front of our computer as a reminder if needed!

Why We're So Passionate About This

We want women to thrive - both physically and emotionally! Life is more amazing if our body and mind are healthy enough for us to experience all the wonders that life has to offer. 

The science has already unequivocally proven that strength training preserves muscle mass, protects bone density, improves metabolic health, reduces fall risk, and supports mental wellbeing. These benefits compound over decades. The strength we build now determines our quality of life at 70, 80, 90.

We don't have to become athletes. We just have to be consistent at treating our bodies well. 

So push against a resistance. Pick up a load. Do it twice a week. Keep showing up. Our body—and our future self—will thank us.