3 Things That Are Helping Me On My Journey Through Perimenopause - Debbie Bradley 

18 November 2022

Blogs

Liv Ambassador, Debbie Bradley, speaks openly of her perimenopause journey and gives great insight into what is helping her, in hope that it will help others too.

Let me start by giving a massive shoutout to all the ladies who are battling their hormones right now but still showing up and putting themselves out there training and racing!

I never got into competitive sport until well into my 30s but by my early 40s I was in peak condition. That was before I entered probably the most confusing and frustrating phase of my life - peri menopause and next year I will be 50.

It sounds dramatic, but I never expected my journey to menopause to hit me quite as hard as it has over the past couple of years. I know that everyone’s experience is different but for me the only way to describe it is like somebody else has taken over my body and a fair chunk of my mind.

It’s been really stressful trying to get the right advice and support and I’m still very much on that journey but here’s a few things that have helped me adapt and reframe my training.

 1. Trying new disciplines. Cyclocross and MTB have given me the opportunity to focus on new skills without putting the same pressure on myself to perform. I still enjoy racing but in a much more social environment and surrounded by a bunch of great ladies at https://www.peddlamaniacs.com/

2. Adding more strength work. There is a lot or research out there to highlight how much this will benefit you during your perimenopause / menopause years. I try to do one gym-based session and one home-based session per week and I follow sessions set by a coach through an app called https://www.p3rform.co.uk/

3. Having a coach. I like structure and I like to feel like I’m progressing, so although this year’s goals aren’t about racing they are about getting some consistency back and without accountability I would find too many excuses not to train.

Above all, I think we have to try and be kind to ourselves and remember this is just another phase in our lives. One which I really hope, just like childbirth, we will forget how awful it was quite quickly afterwards.

If you would like to know more about training through menopause then I would recommend checking out the work of Dr Stacy T Sims, PhD https://www.drstacysims.com/nextlevel and her book ‘kicking as, feeling great, and crushing goals through menopause and beyond.

Follow Debbie on Instagram to follow her journey...

Share