Muscle Loss in Menopause: Why You're Losing Strength (and What to Do)

Losing strength after 45? You’re not imagining it.

In this episode of 50 Something with Cam Allen, we’re talking about muscle loss in menopause- why it happens, what it affects (hint: it’s not just your body), and what actually helps.

If you’ve been feeling tired, softer, or like your old workouts just aren’t working anymore… this is your turning point.

We’ll cover:
– Why strength training is different in midlife
– The surprising ways muscle affects your mood, metabolism, and nervous system
– What to do when you feel too exhausted to “start over”
– How 10 minutes a day can change everything

➤ Want my simple, menopause-friendly workout plan?
Grab Menopause Minis...short strength workouts made for women 45+
https://www.camoyler.com/meno-minis

➤ Take the quiz: What's Holding You Back from Working Out?
https://www.camoyler.com/QUIZ

➤ Connect with me on IG
https://instagram.com/@heymomma_cam

Chapters:
00:00 Muscle Loss Post-Menopause Impact
03:40 Muscles Aid Midlife Nervous Stability
08:00 Midlife Self-Care & Empowerment

#menopause #muscleaftermenopause #strengthtrainingover50 #midlifefitness #menopausefitness

Transcript

0:00

If you're in your 40s or 50s and wondering why, your body feels softer and your energy feels lower, and the stuff that used to work just isn't working anymore, this episode is for you. Hey there. Welcome back to the Menopause Method. My name is Cam Allen, and I want to talk about something that no one warned us about. Muscle loss after menopause. Not just because it changes how your clothes fit. It literally changes how you feel in your body. It changes your metabolism, how you burn calories, and it really changes your ability to trust yourself again, starting in your 30s. We women lose 3 to 8% of our muscle mass per decade if we're not strength training. I did not know that. And after menopause, that loss speeds up, especially with the decline of estrogen. Estrogen reaches its lowest level when we are postmenopause. And estrogen is very protective to our bones, our muscles and our brain, and also our ability to handle stress. Here's what most midlife women don't know. Muscle just isn't physical. It's actually like your midlife anchor. It's medicine for your metabolism, how you burn calories, but it's also medicine for your mind, your emotions, and your nervous system. Muscle used to be only how we looked. It was tied to diet, culture and toning and actually shrinking ourselves. But now muscle is also about how we feel. And when we're in menopause, we're in our wisdom era, if you will. And when women come to me, they're not saying, I want abs. That is not what they're saying. What they're really saying is, I want to feel steady again. I want. I want to have energy for my life. I want to carry my groceries in without feeling wrecked and having confidence that I can make it in one trip. That's what strengthens. Now I Remember doing a CrossFit workout one year post menopause. And in the moment, I must say, I felt really strong. The sun was out, it was December. I loved the workout, but let me tell you, I was couch bound for days afterward. My recovery was so slow, I wasn't even moving. And my kids were in town because it was Christmas break and it was like I had no energy. So I pushed myself through. I knew in that moment that my body was completely different. Even if I felt good in the moment, it was a wake up call that this side of menopause is completely different. I didn't need to hustle anymore. I did not need to chase the clock. I did not have to go as fast as I could. What I really needed was a new relationship with strength. So muscle just isn't tissue. It's actually your hormonal ally. When you strength train, you're supporting your metabolism. We know that more muscle burns more calories. But also, did you know it gives you a place to clear your blood sugar? So muscle is a great place to store your blood sugar. So, for example, taking a walk after dinner allows you to use your muscles, and that contraction of your muscles actually clears your blood sugar without using insulin. And that's a good thing. Your insulin response also improves when you have more muscle. We know that strength training also improves our bone density. Go back and listen to the last week's episode, because I talked all about bone density. And literally, muscle is your ability to bounce back. But let's go deeper this part. No one's saying. Muscle is also your emotional regulation. It helps stabilize your nervous system. So you may be wondering, exactly how does muscle help my nervous system feel more steady in midlife? First of all, strength training is a form of controlled stress. You lift something heavy, your body responds, and then it recovers. And over time, this builds what we call stress resilience. Your system learns how to get activated and then come back to calm, which is something a lot of midlife women struggle with. Second, muscle helps regulate your blood sugar and your insulin, which, let me tell you, affects your mood, your mood swings, your belly fat, and even your anxiety levels. Having stable energy is an indication of having stable blood sugar. The more stable the blood sugar, the. The more calm and stable your nervous system is as well. Third, building muscle builds your perception of where your body is in space. I like to say you know how to move your body through time, space, and gravity. And that alone builds like an internal safety net. Your brain literally starts to trust that you are grounded and supported, and you know how to move your body. And then lastly, and this is probably my most favorite lifting, builds internal confidence. It's not just about aesthetics, what you see in the mirror, although that's a nice side effect. It's more of like, I got me. The strength that calms your inner swirl. It helps connect you to your body. Literally. A nice workout, like, nothing can be wrong after a really good workout. After you move your body, it's the physical structure that helps you feel grounded when the world and your hormones are swirling out of control. When you build muscle, you're not just getting stronger. You're becoming the version of you who can carry more without crumbling. Muscle lets you take up space without an apology. So let's debunk the old version. Long workouts is the only way to do it. This doesn't mean long workouts, boot camps and beating yourself up in the gym is what you need at this stage. In fact, most women in midlife do better with short, intentional strength sessions. So they have more energy for life. They get results and they have energy for life. It's like the perfect blend. So what does that look like? Full body moves, compounded movements like squats and deadlifts, stuff like that. Working out two to three days a week, about 30 minutes at a time will give you enough reps for your muscles to grow stronger and bigger. If that feels like too much, then definitely check out the menopause minis. These are 10 minute strength workouts that literally took me out of workout fatigue back in December. These workouts ignited my passion for lifting. Again, you get to focus on form and not fatigue. It's perfect. And also you get a chance to use heavy for you weights, which is really the key. If you get to the end of the set and you're like, I got more energy, the weight's too light. On the next set, go a little bit heavier. The last few reps of each and every set should feel challenging, but you're able to keep your form. That's the magic spot to grow muscles. But hear me, you do not need to crush yourself. All you gotta do is consistently show up for yourself and that's where the magic is. Menopause friendly strength training isn't just real, it's essential. It builds the body that carries you into your 80s or your 90s. And it doesn't steal your energy and sanity. So you get to enjoy your life right now. So I invite you to anchor in this new identity shift. What if 10 minutes a day could actually rebuild your strength and make you feel capable again? Not just strong, but calm, clear and present as well in your body. What if lifting something heavy helped you stopped carrying the emotional heaviness that you've been holding on to for years? In fact, I believe that menopause brings up all those undone issues of our past. And it's our chance to really step into our wisdom years and get those things cleared. And muscle is your midlife power source. It doesn't just shape your body, it shifts your beliefs about what's possible for you right now. So muscle is not about perfection. It's actually about permission. Permission to take care of yourself in a brand new way that maybe you've never done before. You don't have to be younger and you certainly don't have to be ready. You just have to begin right where you are. That's it. If this hits home for you, please check out the Menopause Minis. It is a workout series made for midlife, not exhaustion, and we're not doing that anymore. If today gave you a moment of clarity and something clicked for you, and you feel a little less alone in your midlife mess, be sure to hit subscribe because this is just the beginning. We're going to keep going and having real conversations about our bodies, about our emotions, our strength, what is our purpose, what is burnout and belief and what it actually takes to feel steady in this wild season of midlife. I'll meet you back here next week. Until then, be kind to your body. She's doing a lot.