Training Through Hormonal Chaos

How to Lift Strong When Your Body Feels All Over the Place

If you’ve ever felt like your training is on fire one week and falling apart the next, you're not imagining it. For women, especially in your 30s, 40s, and beyond, hormonal fluctuations can affect energy, strength, sleep, mood, and recovery.

But hormonal chaos doesn't mean you can't train effectively. It means you need to train intelligently.

What’s Really Going On?

In perimenopause and menopause, estrogen and progesterone shift wildly (or decline).

This can lead to:

Poor sleep and recovery

Increased stress/cortisol

Less muscle repair

More brain fog, fatigue, and mood swings

And yes, it affects how you feel in the gym.

What Can You Do About It?

1. Lift Weights Consistently

Strength training helps preserve lean muscle and bone density, which naturally decline with age. But it also helps regulate blood sugar, improve sleep, and reduce stress, which helps with hormone balance.

Don’t quit when your energy drops, adapt the intensity, not the habit.

2. Match Training to Your Cycle (or Symptoms)

Feel strong? Push heavier.

Feel inflamed, bloated, or flat? Lower volume, more focus on movement quality.

Bad sleep? Use that day for lighter technique or accessory work.

This is cycle-aware training, honoring your body while still progressing.

3. Prioritize Recovery Like It’s Part of the Program

Hydration, protein, sleep, minerals, and managing stress are just as important as your squat session.

Magnesium, omega-3s, and B vitamins can support hormone health and nervous system recovery.

4. Ditch the “All or Nothing” Mindset

Hormonal shifts are not a flaw, they’re a part of being female. Smart training isn’t about ignoring your body, it’s about working with it.

You don’t need to be perfect.

You just need to stay in the game.

Want Help Navigating This?

In my online coaching, I don’t just program sets and reps, I coach real women through real life. If your body’s been feeling off and you’re ready to train in a way that supports your hormones, your goals, and your life, click the link below or head to ktptcoaching.com to apply.