What do you mean I’m in perimenopause?

I can distinctly remember my mom complaining of hot flashes, being irritable and putting on weight unexpectedly. She used to talk about menopause, but I always thought that was a kind of “condition,” sort of like having diabetes. Menopause is not a topic that is frequently discussed and it sure wasn’t back in the late 90s.

Fast forward 20 years and you can imagine my horror to realize that all women go through menopause. And not only that, there’s a precursor to menopause called perimenopause. WTF?!

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause means “around menopause.” It’s when a woman’s ovaries gradually stop working (ie, your eggs – and fertility – are essentially drying up). This is a natural process that causes physical and emotional symptoms. It doesn’t need treatment per se, but there are a host of treatments like hormones, antidepressants and lifestyle changes that can lessen the symptoms.

Your body is not your own

As a former professional figure competitor (think bodybuilding meets beauty pageant), for the past decade I literally dieted and worked out like it was my job. To prepare to compete, I would lose 20-25 pounds each year to get my bodyfat into the single digits.

Well, wasn’t I surprised when I stopped competing and I wanted to lose a few pounds and my usually bag of tricks (ie, eat less, move more) did not work. Not only that, I was now having hot flashes, I couldn’t sleep and I felt like I had perpetual PMS.

Welcome to perimenopause!

I’m a health and fitness coach, so I know what to eat and how to work out. However, over the past 5 years, I’ve found that really intense workouts completely kick my ass. I took an Orange Theory class and needed two days to recuperate, according to my Fitbit and Oura ring. I find that overall, I definitely need more recovery time between workouts. And the foods I know and love do not love me like they used to. We’re talking about things like broccoli, brussel sprouts, black beans, onions – these healthy foods now give me some wicked belly issues.

Personally, I have been trying to manage my symptoms naturally. I’m not opposed to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but I want to do everything in my power before I go that route. Not being able to lose weight is frustrating, especially when you’re doing what you’re supposed – leading a healthy lifestyle through healthy nutrition, movement and stress management.

What has your experience been with perimenopause or menopause? What are you doing to cope?