For many women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, fitness during menopause can feel like an uphill battle. Hormonal changes start to interfere with what used to work—suddenly, the weight just won’t shift, and areas like your stomach, hips, and arms don’t seem to tone up, no matter what you do.
It’s frustrating, but incorporating weight training for menopause can be a game changer.
This powerful tool can help you burn fat, build muscle, and regain your confidence, even as menopause throws hormonal curveballs your way.
In this post, we’ll explain why weight training for menopause is so effective, how to get started, and why pairing it with the right diet is key to getting the results you want.
Can Lifting Weights Help With Menopause?
One of the biggest challenges during menopause is the decline in oestrogen. This hormone isn’t just responsible for regulating your reproductive system—it also helps maintain muscle mass and keeps your metabolism ticking over.
As oestrogen levels drop, your muscle mass can decline, slowing down your metabolism and making it harder to lose weight.
This is where weight training comes in. Unlike cardio, which burns calories in the moment, weight training builds muscle, which increases your resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories your body burns at rest). More muscle means a faster metabolism, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off.
Weight training also tones and sculpts your body, helping you feel confident in your favourite clothes again.
Key Benefits of Weight Training For Menopause
- Boosts Metabolism: By building muscle, you’ll increase the number of calories your body burns even when you’re not working out. This is crucial for weight loss, especially when metabolism naturally slows during menopause.
- Builds Muscle Mass: Oestrogen decline leads to muscle loss, but weight training can reverse this. Building muscle helps to maintain strength, balance, and a toned, firm physique.
- Improves Bone Health: Menopause increases the risk of osteoporosis, but weight training strengthens your bones, helping to prevent fractures and bone loss.
- Enhances Mood and Reduces Stress: Regular weight training releases endorphins, the “feel-good” hormones that can help reduce anxiety and improve your mood during a time when menopause can cause emotional ups and downs.
- Tones and Tightens the Body: If you’ve been covering up because of “problem areas,” weight training can help you tone and tighten your body, giving you a leaner, more sculpted look.
Our Fit Over 40 Program is designed specifically for women in menopause, incorporating weight training to boost metabolism, build muscle, and tone your body.
With just 3-4 workouts a week, you’ll see real results—dropping 1-2 dress sizes while regaining your strength and confidence.
How to Start Weight Training During Menopause
If the idea of weight training sounds intimidating, don’t worry! You don’t need to become a bodybuilder or spend hours in the gym. In fact, many women achieve incredible results from home with just a few key pieces of equipment.
Can I Weight Train At Home?
If the gym doesn’t sound appealing to you, don’t worry. You can weight train in the comfort of your own home. You don’t need much space to get started—just enough for a yoga mat (roughly the size of you lying down) and enough room to stretch your arms out to the sides.
Many of our clients do their workouts in their living rooms, bedrooms, or even their garages.
The Best Equipment For Weight Training For Menopause
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Weights
Bodyweight exercises can be great, but when it comes to building and maintaining muscle during menopause, you’ll need some resistance. For most women, bodyweight alone isn’t enough to challenge the lower body, and very light weights won’t make much difference either.
Kettlebells or Dumbbells
Start with 3 kettlebells or dumbbells in different weights. We recommend:
- 4kg (10 lbs)
- 8kg (15 lbs)
- 12kg (25 lbs)
The lighter weights are for upper-body exercises, while the heavier ones are for lower-body movements like squats and lunges. Most women find that weights like 3kg dumbbells are far too light to trigger real change, especially in the lower body.
How to Use Weights Effectively
To get the best results, follow these guidelines for sets and reps:
- Reps and Sets: Aim for 3-5 sets of 5-15 quality reps for each exercise. For lower reps, you’ll want to lift heavier weights. Research shows that even 30 reps can be effective, but these need to be high-quality, controlled repetitions, which can take a lot of time and concentration. For most women, especially during menopause, the sweet spot tends to be fewer reps with heavier weights. This is because, with lower oestrogen levels, you need to stimulate your muscles more intensely to see the same results you might have achieved with lighter weights and higher reps in the past.
- Rest Between Sets: Take enough rest between sets to allow your muscles to recover and be ready for the next round. For smaller muscle groups (like biceps or shoulders), 30-45 seconds of rest should be enough. For larger muscle groups (like legs or back), rest for 45-90 seconds to ensure you can lift heavy again in the next set.
While weight training is essential, it’s important to know what exercise to avoid to prevent injury and get the most out of your workouts.
What Is The Best Diet For Weight Training For Menopause?
Weight training alone can deliver fantastic results, but when combined with the right diet, the results are even better. Diet and strength training work hand-in-hand to help you lose fat, build muscle, and tone up, especially during menopause when your body’s needs are changing.
Increase Your Protein Intake
As you build muscle with weight training, your body needs more protein to repair and grow that muscle. Protein is especially important during menopause because, with lower oestrogen levels, it becomes harder to maintain muscle mass.
If you’re not eating enough protein, your body may struggle to build muscle, and you could lose the progress you’ve made in your workouts.
Aim to include a high-protein source in every meal. Think lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, or legumes. Not only will this support muscle growth, but protein also helps keep you fuller for longer, reducing cravings and helping with weight loss.
Don’t Fear Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are important for supporting hormone balance, particularly during menopause. While you may have heard that fat is bad for weight loss, the right kinds of fat—such as those found in olive oil, avocado, nuts, and oily fish—are essential for keeping your body healthy and your metabolism functioning well.
Make Better Carb Choices
Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of energy, and you’ll need them to fuel your workouts. The key is choosing the right kinds of carbs: think whole grains, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and plenty of vegetables.
These types of carbs are packed with nutrients and release energy slowly, keeping you feeling full and energised throughout the day.
Stay Hydrated
Proper hydration is often overlooked, but it plays a huge role in supporting muscle function and overall energy levels. Drinking enough water helps transport nutrients to your muscles and supports recovery after a tough weight training session. Aim for at least 2 litres a day—more if you’re exercising.
How Often Should You Weight Train?
You don’t need to train every day to see results. In fact, most women in our Fit Over 40 program achieve dramatic weight loss and muscle tone with just 3-4 workouts per week.
Here’s why:
- Recovery Time: The body doesn’t change during the workout—it changes in the days after. This is when your muscles repair and grow, and when your metabolism gets that post-workout boost. It typically takes around 48 hours for your body to fully recover from a strength training session, so working out every day isn’t necessary (or even recommended) for most women.
- Optimal Schedule: Start with 3 workouts a week, leaving a day’s rest in between. As you get stronger and more experienced, you can increase this to 4 workouts a week. When you’re ready, you can split your workouts into upper body and lower body days to focus more intensely on each muscle group while allowing for adequate recovery.
Ready to Start Seeing Results?
Weight training is a powerful tool for women in menopause who want to lose weight, tone up, and feel more confident in their bodies.
If you’re ready to start your weight training journey but need some guidance, we’ve got you covered. Here’s how you can take the next step:
- Download our free guide to learn more about how to lose weight and tone up during menopause: Download here
- Sign up for our free training on weight loss and fitness for women over 40: Sign up here
- Subscribe to our email newsletter to get tips and advice straight to your inbox: Subscribe here
- Learn more about our Fit Over 40 Program and how it can help you drop 1-2 dress sizes in 12 weeks: Learn more here
You’ve got this, and we’re here to help you every step of the way! Whether you’re brand new to weight training or you’ve tried before without seeing the results you want, now is the time to take control and start feeling amazing in your body again.