If you’re over 35, you’ve probably started to notice some subtle shifts in your mood, energy, and body composition. Your hormones - estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and even testosterone- all play a major role in how you feel in your body and how it responds to food and exercise. You might be feeling like everything that used to work in the past for you is no longer working.
Did you know that strength training is one of the most powerful tools you have to support hormone balance? It’s true! And in this post, I’m going to dive into why lifting weights matters more than ever as we age and how doing so can help you to feel stronger, healthier, more energized, and more confident in your body…despite the hormonal shifts and changes.
Why Hormones Matter After 35
As you probably already know, your hormones are the chemical messengers in your body that regulate everything from your metabolism to your sleep. Around your mid-thirties and beyond, your hormone levels begin to fluctuate, and with these fluctuations come some of these common scenarios:
- Declining estrogen and progesterone levels (perimenopause and menopause)
- Shifts in testosterone levels, which play a role in muscle maintenance
- Increased cortisol levels due to stress, which can impact fat storage and energy
These shifts in your hormones can lead to fatigue, stubborn weight gain (particularly around your midsection), difficulty building or maintaining muscle mass, and changes in your mood and sleep.
So What’s The Link Between Strength Training and Hormones?
Strength training is truly a secret weapon for aging women, especially when going up against changing hormones. Here’s how:
It Boosts Metabolism and Increases Muscle Mass
Muscle is a metabolically active tissue, which means it burns calories even when you’re at rest. Strength training helps you preserve and build lean muscle mass, which supports metabolism and stabilizes energy levels. Increased muscle mass also helps to balance insulin sensitivity, which plays a role in your body composition.
It Supports Healthy Estrogen and Progesterone Balance
Strength training does not replace hormones, but it positively influences how your body responds to estrogen and progesterone. Women who strength train regularly often experience fewer midlife energy dips and better body composition because their muscle and fat distribution is maintained.
It Helps Regulate Cortisol (Your Stress Hormone)
Regular strength training can help your body handle stress more effectively, lowering chronic cortisol levels over time. This is important because elevated cortisol contributes to fatigue, weight gain, and difficulty with sleeping.
It Enhances Testosterone and Growth Hormone
Weight resistance training stimulates your body’s natural production of hormones like testosterone and growth hormone, both of which are critical for building muscle, burning fat, and maintaining healthy bone density.
How to Strength Train for Hormone Support
If you’re looking to start reaping the benefits of strength training from a hormonal standpoint, here are some recommendations for making the most of your weight training journey:
- Start with 3-4 sessions per week
- Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, and lunges, engaging multiple muscle groups at once to maximize hormone response.
- Apply progressive overload, or the practice of gradually increasing your weight, reps, sets, or intensity over time to keep challenging your muscles.
- Don’t forget about recovery; your rest days and sleep are just as important as your workouts for balancing your hormones and feeling your best.
The Bottom Line
Yes, strength training will help you improve your body composition and feel more confident in your jeans, but the real reason to do it extends far beyond the physical benefits. It’s one of the most effective ways to support your hormone balance as you age. Lifting weights consistently, prioritizing compound movements, and fueling your body properly can help to reduce midlife energy dips, maintain your lean muscle mass, and feel more in control of your body and your hormones.
Ready to experience the benefits for yourself? The Simply Strong App is designed to help women 35+ use strength training to feel their best. With science-backed workouts, macro-friendly recipes, and a supportive community, you can harness the power of resistance training to support hormones, boost energy, and age strongly.
