You Don’t Have to Earn Your Holiday Fun During Menopause

A compassionate reminder for women in perimenopause and menopause:

If you’re navigating the menopause transition, like so many of my incredible clients, here’s a message you may need to hear—especially during the holidays:

You do not have to earn your holiday joy.

You do not need to punish your body for enjoying food. And exercise is not a consequence for eating more than usual.

For women in perimenopause and beyond, the relationship with exercise and food can feel especially loaded. Hormonal changes affect metabolism, inflammation, recovery, and energy levels, making it tempting to believe that one indulgent weekend will “undo” all your hard work.

Not to mention, the lifetime of messaging telling us our bodies have to be a certain way to feel worthy, and that the way to get there is to constantly be moving, cutting calories, and judging our incredible bodies.

It may sound loaded on the surface, but the truth is real: the holidays can feel downright terrifying.

Skipping our workouts, indulging in food we may have written off as "bad" or "dangerous." It is uncharted, and the outcome can feel unknown at best, disastrous at worst.

But sustainable health in midlife is quite the opposite. It doesn’t come from restriction or guilt. It comes from balance.

Balance is one of the most powerful tools we have for long-term health during menopause.

Most weeks of the year, we’re doing things that support strong, healthy aging:

• Strength training to protect muscle and bone density

• Moving our bodies regularly

• Prioritizing protein, fruits, vegetables, and nutrient-dense foods

  
  

And then there are other weeks.

Weeks filled with holidays, travel, family gatherings, injuries, illness, or simply rest. Weeks where workouts are skipped, meals are richer, and routines loosen.

These weeks are not mistakes.

They do not mean you need to “get back on track.”

They do not mean you need to burn off calories.

And they certainly don’t mean your body is failing you (or you are failing it).

During menopause, muscle loss and metabolic changes can feel scary—but muscle and strength are resilient.

They don’t disappear because you ate cookies or took a few days off.

Health is built through consistent habits over time, not perfection.

Today, for example, I ate a cookie with my coffee. Then I had more cookies. I skipped my workout—for the third day in a row—and chose to sit while working instead of standing.

And you know what?

Even if I do this through the weekend, my body will not drastically change. It may feel a little more inflamed or sluggish—but you won’t find me trying to “punish” myself on Monday.

Monday will look like any other non-holiday Monday:

• A full-body strength training session

• Protein prioritized

• Fruits and vegetables back on the plate

• A few walks with my dog

  
  

No overtraining. No restriction. No shame.

This approach—especially for women over 40—is what supports metabolic health, hormone support, and longevity through perimenopause and beyond.

Not to mention, it creates space to live a fuller life.

So here’s your permission slip this holiday season:

Be present.

Make memories.

Enjoy the food.

Rest when you need to.

Hug your people.

Your workouts will still be there when the holidays are over. Your strength isn’t going anywhere. And we can talk all about protein, lifting heavy, and healthy aging on Monday.

Happy Friday—and happy holidays. 💛

If you live in the Twin Cities & need help setting up a consistent workout routine, that actually builds muscle and gets results? Let's set up a quick, no-pressure, 10 Minute Call!