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7 Nutrition & Exercise Tips That Actually Work for Perimenopause

Rachel Larson · September 10, 2025 ·

If you’re between 40 and 70, chances are you’ve noticed your body changing in ways you didn’t expect—or maybe didn’t sign up for. Perimenopause and menopause can bring more than hot flashes. Think: restless nights, brain fog, mood swings, stubborn weight gain, and energy that just doesn’t feel the same.

Here’s the good news: while these changes are normal, they don’t have to define you. Experts like Dr. Stacy Sims (Next Level) and Dr. Mary Claire Haver (The New Menopause) remind us that this stage of life is a powerful opportunity to reset how we move, eat, and care for ourselves. With a few key strategies, you can feel more vibrant, resilient, and strong than ever.

7 Nutrition & Exercise Tips to Help You Thrive

1. Make Protein Your Friend

As estrogen declines, your body naturally loses muscle at a faster rate—a process called sarcopenia. The best way to fight back is to prioritize protein. Aim for 25–30 grams at each meal, and try to spread it evenly throughout your day. Think eggs for breakfast, salmon or chicken at lunch, and beans, lentils, or tofu at dinner. This not only supports muscle but also helps regulate appetite, energy, and even blood sugar. Pairing protein with strength training makes the benefits even greater.

2. Lift Heavy (For You)

Strength training is the most powerful tool you have in midlife. It protects bone density, improves posture, keeps joints healthy, and even boosts metabolism. You don’t have to lift like a bodybuilder—just challenge your muscles with resistance 2–3 times a week. That might mean squats with dumbbells, push-ups, resistance band rows, or Pilates reformer sessions. The key is progressive overload: adding weight, reps, or resistance over time so your body continues to adapt and grow stronger.

3. Mix Up Your Cardio

Cardio is still important, but the way you do it matters. Long, steady sessions can sometimes leave you feeling drained, especially when hormones are shifting. Instead, try mixing moderate-intensity activities (like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming) with short bursts of higher intensity (like hill sprints or intervals). Research shows this combination supports heart health, preserves brain function, and helps manage weight—without overstressing your system. And the best part? You don’t need long sessions—20–30 minutes is often plenty.

4. Keep Blood Sugar Steady

Shifting hormones can make your body more sensitive to blood sugar swings, which show up as fatigue, irritability, and even more intense hot flashes. Build meals around protein and fiber, then add healthy fats like avocado, nuts, or olive oil. Limit refined carbs and added sugars, but don’t cut out carbs altogether—your body needs them for energy and recovery. Instead, choose complex carbs like quinoa, oats, sweet potatoes, or berries that digest slowly and keep you steady. Even small shifts, like pairing fruit with nuts, can make a big difference.

5. Love Your Gut (and Fiber)

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that influence everything from mood to hormone balance. Fiber feeds the good bacteria while also supporting digestion and heart health. Women in midlife should aim for 25–30 grams of fiber daily. The best sources of fiber come from fruits, vegetables and whole grains including leafy greens, beans, chia seeds, apples, brussel spouts, sweet potatoes and raspberries. A diverse, fiber-rich diet also helps regulate estrogen metabolism, which can smooth out symptoms like bloating and mood swings. Probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut can give your gut an extra boost, too.

6. Protect Your Sleep

Sleep is often one of the first things to get disrupted in perimenopause, thanks to night sweats, racing thoughts, or shifting hormones. But quality sleep is crucial for hormone regulation, memory, and recovery. Create a calming wind-down routine—stretch, meditate, or read before bed. Keep your room cool and dark, avoid alcohol close to bedtime, and if possible, get outside in natural light during the morning. Strength training and cardio also support deeper sleep, but keep intense workouts earlier in the day. If sleep continues to be elusive, consider magnesium supplementation or gentle nighttime yoga.

7. Hydrate & Replenish

Estrogen plays a role in fluid balance, so hydration needs to shift during this stage of life. Aim for regular water intake throughout the day, and consider adding electrolytes if you sweat heavily or exercise often. Minerals like magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D are especially important now—magnesium supports sleep and mood, calcium and vitamin D protect bones, and together they all help keep muscles and nerves functioning properly. Food sources are great (leafy greens, nuts, dairy, fortified foods), but supplements can help fill the gaps if needed. Even small steps, like starting your day with water and a pinch of sea salt, can make a difference.

This is a New Beginning, Not the End

It’s easy to feel like midlife means slowing down, but that’s far from the truth. With the right tools, this season can be a time of strength, clarity, and self-discovery.

That’s why we’re so excited to invite you to our upcoming Women’s Wellness Workshop: Navigating Perimenopause, hosted by Awake Pelvic Health and Flostate Fitness.

Saturday, September 27th
9:30 – 11:30 am
700 Commerce Drive #130, Woodbury, MN 55125
$79 per person or $120 for two tickets
Click here to purchase workshop tickets

What to Expect:

LEARN: Dr. Hannah Strom will bring clarity on perimenopause—covering hormones, pelvic floor, bone health, sleep, mood, and lifestyle tips. Dietitian Rachel will share how nutrition can support your hormones, gut, energy, and long-term health.
MOVE: A 60-minute yoga practice with Alice, blending pelvic floor-friendly movement, breathwork, and strength, followed by journaling and reflection.
CONNECT: Time to share snacks and conversation with women who get it—leaving you refreshed, understood, and empowered.

Space is limited to 12 participants, so reserve your spot today! If tickets are sold out, email us at info@theflostate.com to join the waitlist.

5 Morning Habits to Boost Energy Naturally After 40

Rachel Larson · May 18, 2025 ·

Feeling groggy in the morning even after a full night’s sleep? You’re not alone. Hormonal changes, stress, and even small lifestyle habits can affect your energy levels—especially after 40.

Here are 5 science-backed morning habits that help you start your day feeling refreshed, not run down.

1. Hydrate Before You Caffeinate

Drinking a full glass of water as soon as you wake up helps rehydrate your brain and body. Add a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt for added minerals and a metabolism kickstart.

2. Move Your Body (Even for Just 5 Minutes)

Simple stretching or a light walk gets blood flowing and signals your body to “wake up.” Bonus: it improves mood and focus.Try this 10 minute mobility routine to get your day started.

3. Get Natural Light First Thing In the Morning

Morning sunlight regulates your internal clock and boosts serotonin. Try stepping outside for 10 minutes or opening all your blinds while you make breakfast.

4. Eat Protein Within 1–2 Hours of Waking

A protein-rich breakfast helps regulate blood sugar, support hormone balance, and reduce afternoon energy crashes. Try a protein shake, hard boiled eggs or plain greek yogurt with berries to start the day.

5. Set an Intention (Not Just a To-Do List)

Instead of jumping into tasks, take 60 seconds to ask yourself: How do I want to feel today? Aligning your actions with that emotion brings clarity and calm. Take a moment to prepare for the day ahead and start out with the right mindset.

Takeaway:
Sometimes it is the little things that add up to something great. Which of these tips will you incorporate into your routine this week? Pick at least one and do it every day for one week. Next week, add one more.

UnWINEd 2.0: A Night of Stillness, Connection, and Energy

Rachel Larson · May 18, 2025 ·

If you’ve ever wished for a moment to just pause — to breathe, to reset, to feel completely held in the present — this evening was that, and more. UnWINEd 2.0 brought together yoga, Reiki, sound bath, and community in the most grounding way. Here’s what it felt like to be in the room…

Recap of the UnWINEd Evening

We started with Flostate Yoga Restore Flow.

As I guided the class through Restore, a steady rhythm began to take shape — breath by breath, pose by pose. There was already a sense of connection building in the room. As we moved, we started to feel those tight places — in our necks, shoulders, hips, knees — begin to soften. The stress of the day faded into the background. We began to release. To unwind.

Even as I was teaching, even as I was giving energy to guide others, I could feel myself receiving. The energy in the room was powerful. We were in sync — and we were ready for Reiki meditation.

Reiki Meditation was calm, centering, and gentle.

When I passed the experience to Elle and sat down to join in, something shifted. Her voice was quiet and grounding — it made the space feel safe. I felt such relief to be cared for in that moment. I wasn’t leading. I wasn’t planning. I didn’t have to anticipate anyone’s needs. I could simply be. I could listen. I could rest.

There was a stillness calling me — not one I had to create, but one that was already there, waiting.

Then, the crystal singing bowls began to fill the room.

As Elle continued the Reiki, April started the sound bath. At first, it was subtle. A soft hum. And then I felt it — not just in my ears, but in my body. The bowls weren’t just playing sound. They were transmitting energy.

The vibrations reached through the air like invisible threads, pulling me deeper into presence. I literally felt my body lean toward them. It wasn’t effort. It wasn’t focus. It was surrender.

My body, my breath, my thoughts — everything settled. I wasn’t trying to be mindful. I simply was. Rooted. Calm. Completely here.

I’ve read about how vibration impacts our nervous systems — how we absorb the hum of a city or the hush of a forest without even realizing it. We are always receiving energy, whether we mean to or not. But here, in this room, surrounded by yogis, friends, and open-hearted people, we got to receive energy that was healing. Intentional. For us.

When the sound bath ended 15 minutes later, it felt like it had just begun. No one jumped up or rushed to speak. We just sat in it — still, grounded, connected. We weren’t in a hurry to return to the noise. We stayed with the peace. And we didn’t want it to end.

Eventually, someone whispered, “I need more of this.” Heads nodded. Eyes glowed. We all felt it — that deep reset. That longing to hold onto this feeling.

Then came the food, the wine, and the conversation.

No one rushed out. We lingered. We chatted about everything and nothing. Laughter came easily. Phones came out only to exchange numbers. Hugs were shared without hesitation. There was warmth in the room — real, human, heart-centered warmth.

At one point, I noticed how hot my hands felt — as if energy was pulsing through my palms. People have told me I have “magic hands,” that I help release tension and pain. That night, I felt it more than ever. Like the experience recharged me. Reconnected me to what I’m here to do.

Forty-five minutes after the event “ended,” there was still a group of us standing in the parking lot, still not quite ready to leave.

I want more of this. We all do.

We’re so grateful to our partners at Mindful Body and Skin for helping bring this experience to life. UnWINEd 2.0 wasn’t just an event — it was the ultimate relaxation experience. A deep exhale. A reminder of what it feels like to come home to your body, your breath, and each other.

And we can’t wait to do it again.

Want to be part of the next one?

We’re already dreaming up the next UnWINEd experience — and trust us, you won’t want to miss it. If your body and soul are craving more evenings like this, make sure you’re on our text list for early access and updates. Just reply JOIN to 1-833-216-3161 and we’ll keep you in the loop.