Strong Through the Shift

Why Strength Training Matters in Menopause

You don’t need a gym to get strong — strength training can happen right at home, with what you already have.

As we move through menopause, our bodies undergo profound hormonal changes — and one of the most significant is the natural decline in oestrogen. While we often talk about how this affects mood or bone health, one lesser-known impact is its effect on muscle mass.

Oestrogen plays a key role in maintaining muscle tissue. As levels drop, we begin to lose the hormonal stimulation that helps preserve lean muscle. This leads to a gradual loss of muscle mass and strength, a condition known as sarcopenia, which can start as early as our 40s and accelerate with menopause.

A lower muscle-to-fat ratio has several consequences:

• A slower metabolism, making it easier to gain weight and harder to maintain a healthy body composition

• Impaired glucose tolerance, increasing the risk for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

• Reduced strength and mobility, which can affect our ability to perform everyday tasks and maintain independence as we age

The Case for Lifting Heavy

Research consistently shows that resistance training — especially lifting heavy weights — is one of the most effective ways to combat these changes.

A few standout studies:

• A 2019 review in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism confirmed that resistance training significantly improves muscle mass and strength in postmenopausal women.

• A 2021 study in Menopause journal highlighted that lifting weights twice per week reduced fat mass and improved glucose metabolism in women over 50.

• The Women’s Health Initiative also showed long-term benefits of strength training for maintaining bone density and reducing fall risk.

But What If You Don’t Have Time to Go to the Gym?

While going to a gym and doing progressive overload training is ideal, life doesn’t always allow for perfect routines.

Between work, family, and fatigue, getting to the gym three times a week can feel impossible.

But here’s the good news: strength doesn't only come from structured workouts — it comes from daily habits.

Here are some ways to sneak strength into your day:

• Carry your shopping bags to the car instead of using a trolley

• Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth (great for balance + leg strength)

• Perform wall push-ups while waiting for the kettle to boil

• Use a resistance band while watching TV or brushing your hair

• Practice getting up and down from the floor without using your hands

• Do heel raises while washing the dishes (great for calf strength and ankle stability)

• Keep a small kettlebell or dumbbell near your desk and do a few lifts during breaks

• Lunge down the hallway instead of walking (even just a few at a time counts!)

• Carry a laundry basket overhead instead of at your waist (engages shoulders and core)

  
  

These may seem small, but small things done consistently create real change.

Strength is a Lifestyle — Not a Time Slot

The key is to think less about overhauling your life and more about embedding strength into your everyday rhythm. Every time you engage your muscles with intention, you’re doing something powerful for your metabolism, your energy, and your long-term health.

You don’t have to become a bodybuilder. But you do deserve to feel strong, capable, and in charge of your own body.

So lift the groceries. Climb the hill. Get up without help.

Do it often.

Do it consistently.

And remember — you’re building more than muscle.

You’re building strength for life.