How I Lost the Menopause Weight

After struggling for 3 years, I found the light

A year ago, I was making peace with my post-menopause body. I didn’t want to, but my sanity demanded it.

I was about ten pounds heavier than I wanted to be, which doesn’t sound catastrophic, but the emotional pain I felt when trying to squeeze into my favorite jeans was practically unbearable. And let’s not talk about the shame I felt when I caught a glimpse of my thighs jiggling in the summer sun—I have heart palpitations thinking about it.

So, I did the only thing that felt sane: I worked on acceptance. I told myself, "It’s just a body. Who cares?" After some time, I started to believe it. I was getting more and more comfortable with the idea that this was my new shape. 

But here’s the thing: It wasn’t just about the menopause weight gain. I felt off. Not depressed but definitely dimmed. 

Maybe it was exhaustion from spending the last three years fighting tooth and nail (or instead, stair master and myfitnesspal), desperate to get back to who I was in size and self.

Someone who felt familiar. Comfortable and vibrant. 

I had been doing all the things that used to work: lifting heavy weights, hitting my 10K steps, eating mindfully. But my body had clearly stopped reading the memos, and it began to feel impossible. 

And just when I started buying larger sizes, the universe sent me a message.

On a hike,, I fell down a hill that I had traversed dozens of times before and shattered my ankle so severely it took 13 firefighters to carry me out (do you think it was the menopause weight?).

After Eight weeks on the couch, three months in physical therapy, and one very dramatic surgery later, I got the green light to hit the gym. And let me tell you, I was practically vibrating with the need to feel like myself again.

Turns out my five-month-time-out was precisely what I needed because you can only watch so much Netflix. 

I spent hours each day thinking about ways to improve my life—everything from new artwork to the perfect cashmere sweater to feeling strong and healthy again.  

And so began my quest to get my pre-accident body back—funny how that became the new bar, isn’t it?

But big surprise: my old methods still didn’t work. I don’t know why I thought they would. 

So, I started looking for something new, and that’s when I found Hailey Babcock, an online trainer for women over 40.

I don’t think I’ve ever clicked buy so fast in my life. I want to say it was divine intervention. Or maybe intuition. But honestly? It was probably the sight of her shoulders. (Seriously. Check her out. And she’s 47!)

Hailey gave me a roadmap that actually worked for my 55-year-old body. I started with one of her strength programs and loved it so much that I did it twice. For the first time in years, I was seeing results. So, naturally, I signed up for another course—this one focused on body recomposition (think: fat loss, but smarter).

Within four weeks, I started seeing MAJOR changes. Not just in how I looked but in how I felt. I wasn’t just “back.” I was better. Stronger. Dare I say...cooler?

Kidding! I can promise you I have never felt cool (except for one time in 3rd grade when it was my turn to play the tambourine in music class, and I made the most incredible decision possible and stood up front of the whole class and wildly banged that tambourine on my hip like I was Stevie freaking Nicks. Pure magic.)

Going back to the current uncool me, I’d argue that I’m in better shape now than I was at 30. 

But it’s not just about the body. For the first time in years, I feel free. Free from shame, free from trying to claw my way back to a smaller pant size. Free to see what’s next instead of mourning what’s behind.

And here’s the real magic: I know I can do it again. I’m squarely post-menopause, and I lost over eight pounds and nearly 6% body fat. (And while the number on the scale doesn’t matter—it’s not a great marker of health—body fat percentage is. Seeing that drop was like a giant exhale.)

I did it. Finally. It took seven months. but I’m SO proud of myself.

You probably have questions. I promise I’ll break it all down in another post—what I did, what I ate, what worked. But for now, you can catch the highlights on Instagram under Weight Loss.

Here’s what I want you to know: change is possible. It’s not easy, and it’s definitely not instant. But it’s worth it. Do. Not. Settle. Your future self needs you to push for more.

It doesn’t have to be about weight loss. It could be building your friendship circle or learning to speak Portuguese. You probably already know what you want to do.

So here’s my challenge: start small. Name what you want and take one step closer every week for 6 weeks. See how it goes. Do you want to keep going or maybe choose another goal?

Speaking of goals, if you’re a paid subscriber, you’ve got access to my goal-setting course on The Other Side of Motherhood. It’s roughly 30 minutes, and I promise it’s not complicated or overwhelming. It was made for busy moms and is practical AND flexible. 

Talk to me in the comments and tell me what you’re curious about, or just tell me where you’re stuck. We’re all in this together.

Thank you for being here. I truly appreciate it 🥰

P.S. I’m not affiliated with Hailey Happens Fitness, but I’m a fan for life. It was the first over 40 female-focused exercise plan I’ve done, and it was more than a workout routine. Like I said, I share more later.