Perimenopause: If I Knew Then What I Know Now!

If I’m being honest, I feel like I never got to say goodbye to my old body. One day, I was in control—fit, energetic, predictable cycles—and the next, it felt like my body had completely changed. No warning label. No heads-up. Just a slow, sneaky transition into something unfamiliar.

This is perimenopause.
And it’s wild how fast things can shift.

No one prepared me for how quickly your body can feel different. It’s more than just missing a period or two. It’s waking up one day and realizing your skin feels different. Your belly looks softer—even if nothing has changed in how you eat or move. Your joints ache for reasons that make no sense. And suddenly, you’re not quite sure what’s going on anymore.

Everyone talks about hot flashes. And yes, I’ve had them. They come, they go. I went six months without any, and then—boom—they returned. But they’re manageable for me. What wasn’t manageable at first was the emotional impact of feeling like I had lost the body I’d known my whole life.

No one told me about the joint pain. Or that recovery from workouts I have always done would be much tougher.  No one said that the way I trained, fueled, and rested would all need to evolve.

And then there’s the menstrual roulette.
That’s what I’ve come to call it.

First, you miss a month. Then it’s back. Then you go three months without one. You think, is this it? And then it returns. Then six months without it… and it’s back again. And each time it comes back, that 12-month clock resets. You are not considered to be in menopause until you’ve gone a full year without a period. The waiting game is confusing and frustrating—and totally normal. And basically you can never wear white pants again because you never know when that next period might hit!

I’ve had nights of tossing and turning. Sleeplessness is a very real part of perimenopause. Some nights I just lie there, eyes wide open. But I’ve found breathwork to be a game changer. Most of all, I’ve stopped freaking out about it. I don’t panic anymore when sleep doesn’t come. I breathe. I stay calm. And somehow, that helps.

People talk about brain fog. I haven’t experienced that—at least not yet. But I do wonder if some of what people describe is connected to our overstimulated minds from all the scrolling, multitasking, and constant digital input. Maybe it’s not just hormones. Maybe it’s everything.

What I’ve come to realize is that all of this—the physical changes, the emotional swings, the unpredictability—is part of the process. It’s not just happening to me. It’s not weird or wrong. It’s normal.

And while I may not have gotten to say goodbye to my old body, I’m starting to greet the new one with more compassion. I’m learning to accept her. I’m learning what she needs. I’m learning that strength and softness can coexist.

So, if you’re in it too—confused, uncomfortable, and craving answers—know this: You’re not alone. You’re not broken. And you don’t have to resist the change. You can move with it, breathe through it, and even find power in it.

Let’s talk about it. Let’s normalize it. Let’s support each other through it.
Because if I knew then what I know now…
I wouldn’t have been so scared of what was happening to my body—and maybe I could have welcomed the new one with more kindness from day one.

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If you're finding it challenging to manage your weight during this stage of life, I offer several nutrition and fitness programs specifically designed to support the changes your body is going through. Feel free to reach out at [email protected]—I'd be happy to help you determine which program might be the best fit for your needs.