Free guide · Complete Performance MN
The Menopause
Must-Haves Guide
Fitness · Fuel · Family
Feel strong, energized, and in control again — without extreme dieting or exhausting workouts.
Coach Jordan Davies · Menopause Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach
10 Years Coaching Women · completeperformancemn.com
“My body isn’t broken — I just need a smarter approach.”
This guide will show you exactly what that approach looks like.
What’s actually happening
Menopause isn’t a disease — it’s a shift.
As estrogen declines, your body changes how it builds muscle, stores fat, maintains bone, and protects your heart. The strategies that worked in your 30s don’t match this new physiology.
Muscle
Menopausal status is the #1 predictor of muscle loss — stronger than age or activity level. Without targeted training, you lose ~0.5 lb of muscle per year.
Bones
Bone loss accelerates from ~1% to 2–3% per year for the 5–7 years after menopause. That’s 10–20% total bone loss without intervention.
Heart
Estrogen’s cardioprotective effects diminish. Cardiovascular disease risk rises sharply. Inflammation markers (CRP, IL-6) increase.
The good news
A 2025 study found no difference in the ability to gain strength or muscle between pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women. Every single participant responded to training — including women 85 and older. You CAN build muscle at any stage. You just need the right approach.
What this guide gives you
- The research-backed training approach that overcomes menopause-specific “anabolic resistance”
- Why your cardio strategy needs to change — and what to do instead
- The nutrition pillars that support muscle, bone, and heart health simultaneously
- How stress, sleep, and family support directly impact your hormones and results
- A sustainable framework you can maintain for years — not just 12 weeks
About your coach
Coach Jordan Davies
A Menopause Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach with 10 years of experience coaching women. Every recommendation in this guide is backed by peer-reviewed research and real-world coaching results.
Section 1
Fitness
Strength training for metabolism + muscle
If you’re spending most of your gym time on the treadmill or in cardio classes, the research is clear: it’s time to shift your focus. Resistance training is now recognized as the first-line intervention for combating menopause-related muscle and bone loss.
Why cardio alone stops working
Muscle is metabolically active.
Less muscle = lower metabolic rate = more fat stored, even at the same calorie intake. Cardio doesn’t build muscle.
Estrogen drove fat-burning.
As estrogen declines, your body becomes less efficient at using fat for fuel during high-intensity cardio. Steady-state low-intensity work becomes MORE effective.
Cortisol is already elevated.
HIIT and intense cardio spike cortisol further. In menopausal women, this can break down the muscle you’re trying to protect.
Bone needs loading, not impact.
Heavy resistance training creates the compressive forces through your spine and hips where fractures actually happen.
The hormone-friendly workout structure
Research shows this weekly split optimizes both muscle preservation and heart health:
Key insight: volume matters more after menopause
Premenopausal women see results with 6–8 sets per muscle per week. Postmenopausal women need 10–16+ sets per muscle per week to overcome anabolic resistance. This program builds to that threshold gradually and safely.
Fitness · training parameters
Your strength training parameters
Intensity
70–85% of your 1-rep max
Optimizes muscle growth and bone density stimulus.
Rep range
8–12 reps (main), 5–8 (compounds)
Near failure drives hypertrophy. Heavier loads maximize bone adaptations.
Weekly volume
10–16 sets per muscle group
Build gradually. This is the threshold for postmenopausal results.
Rest periods
90–120s compounds, 60–90s isolation
Adequate rest allows heavier loading per set.
Tempo
3s eccentric · 1s pause · 2s up
Slow eccentrics increase tension and support tendon health.
Progression
+2.5–5% load every 2–4 weeks
When you hit top reps with good form, add weight.
Your LISS cardio parameters
LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) at 50–65% max HR for 30–60 minutes provides cardiovascular benefits without cortisol spikes or interference with muscle recovery.
Best modalities
Brisk walking, cycling, swimming, rowing, or elliptical. Choose low-impact. If done same day as strength, do LISS after lifting. Separate days are ideal.
Section 2
Fuel
Protein, blood sugar & anti-inflammatory basics
Training is the primary driver of muscle preservation. Nutrition amplifies the results. A 2024 RCT found that a high-protein diet without training had minimal effect — but combined with resistance training, the results were significantly better.
Your daily target
1.2–1.6
grams per kg bodyweight
Distribute 25–40g across 3–4 meals to maximize per-meal anabolic stimulus.
Prioritize leucine-rich sources (chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, soy) to hit the ~2.5–3g threshold for mTOR activation.
Post-workout protein within 2 hours supports recovery.
Blood sugar balance
Declining estrogen reduces insulin sensitivity. Stable blood sugar = stable energy, fewer cravings, and less visceral fat storage.
- Pair carbs with protein and fat at every meal
- Front-load eating earlier in the day
- Fiber-rich foods slow glucose response
- Post-meal walks (even 10 min) improve glucose clearance
- Strength training improves insulin sensitivity for 24–48 hours
Anti-inflammatory basics
Increase these
- · Omega-3s (salmon, sardines, walnuts)
- · Colorful vegetables & berries
- · Turmeric and ginger
- · Extra virgin olive oil
- · Green tea & fermented foods
Limit these
- · Processed & ultra-processed foods
- · Added sugars & refined carbs
- · Excess alcohol
- · Seed oils high in omega-6
- · Excessive caffeine
Bone health
1,200 mg calcium + 800–2,000 IU Vitamin D daily. These work with your heavy loading program to support bone mineral density. Consult your physician for dosing.
Section 3 · Family
Support systems, stress,
sleep & routines.
The best training program won’t work if the rest of your life is fighting against it. Stress, poor sleep, and lack of support aren’t just inconveniences — they directly impair your hormonal environment and sabotage your results.
Stress directly impacts your hormones
Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which is catabolic to muscle tissue. During menopause, cortisol is already elevated. Adding life stress creates a compounding problem:
- LISS cardio activates the vagus nerve and reduces cortisol naturally.
- Even 10 minutes of deep breathing has measurable cortisol-lowering effects.
- Schedule training as non-negotiable “me time” — it’s preventive medicine.
Sleep is where your results happen
Sleep is the primary window for growth hormone release and muscle repair. Menopause frequently disrupts sleep. Addressing this is not optional.
- Target 7–9 hours per night for adequate muscle recovery
- Keep bedroom cool (65–68°F) to minimize night sweats
- Consistent wake time regulates your circadian rhythm
- Limit screens 60 min before bed — blue light suppresses melatonin
- Avoid heavy training within 3 hours of bedtime
- If sleep disruption is severe, consult your physician
Family · support & routines
Building your support system
Exercise adherence — not the perfect program — is the strongest predictor of long-term outcomes. Adherence is dramatically higher with support at home.
Conversation starters with your family
“I’m going through a real physical transition. Strength training 3×/week is the most important thing I can do for my long-term health. I need your help protecting that time.”
“My bones are losing density at 2–3% per year right now. This program is literally rebuilding my skeleton. Can we protect [these days/times]?”
“Stress directly breaks down my muscle tissue. When I’m overwhelmed, could you [specific ask]?”
“Sleep is when my muscles repair. Can we prioritize a consistent bedtime and keep the bedroom cool?”
Creating sustainable routines
Bone remodeling takes 7–9 months. Cardiovascular adaptation takes 3+ months. Sustainable habits beat perfect programs.
- 01
Start with what you can sustain.
Consistency beats perfection.
- 02
Schedule it like a medical appointment.
This IS preventive medicine.
- 03
Find your accountability.
Partner, class, trainer, or community.
- 04
Track the right things.
Strength, measurements, energy — not the scale.
- 05
Plan deload weeks every 3–4 weeks.
This is when adaptation consolidates.
- 06
Celebrate non-scale victories.
First chin-up. Carrying groceries. Playing with grandkids.
Putting it all together
Your week at a glance
Strength
3×/weekLower · Upper · Full Body. 70–85% 1RM, 10–16 sets per muscle per week, controlled tempo. 45–60 min sessions.
LISS cardio
2–3×/weekWalking, cycling, swimming, or rowing at 50–65% max HR for 30–60 min. Zone 2 sweet spot for heart health.
Recovery
Daily7–9 hours sleep, stress management, deload every 3–4 weeks, active recovery on rest days.
Nutrition
Daily1.2–1.6g protein/kg/day. Anti-inflammatory foods. 1,200 mg calcium + Vitamin D. Blood sugar balance.
Available in three editions
Gym Edition (barbell + full equipment) · Bodyweight Edition (zero equipment) · Dumbbell Edition (adjustable DBs at home). Choose the version that fits your life. All three follow the same 12-week, 3-phase, research-backed structure.
Remember this
Strength gains: 4–6 weeks. Visible muscle: 8–12+ weeks. Cardiovascular improvement: ~3 months. Bone density: 6–9+ months. Trust the process. Track the right metrics. You are building a foundation for the next 30+ years.
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MenoStrong program
Every exercise, rep range, cardio protocol, and nutrition target.
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