If you’re a woman in perimenopause or menopause who’s noticed stubborn weight gain, a slowing metabolism, or frustrating changes in energy, sleep, and body composition—this episode is your wake-up call.

In Muscle, Metabolism & Midlife: The Untold Truth About Strength Training, we break down the real science behind why muscle is so much more than “toning” or aesthetics—it’s your body’s most powerful tool for hormonal balance, metabolic health, and long-term vitality.

Hosted by Shana Leigh, certified strength trainer, women’s health specialist, and menopause specialist, this episode dives deep into how building and preserving muscle during your 40s, 50s, and beyond can protect your metabolism, reduce menopause symptoms, and help you feel stronger than ever—physically, mentally, and hormonally.

We’ll cover:

• Why women in midlife lose muscle faster (and what estrogen has to do with it)

• How strength training influences metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and fat-burning potential

• The critical link between muscle and hormone regulation—including cortisol, testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin

• The overlooked benefits of muscle for bone density, joint health, and injury prevention during perimenopause and menopause

• How to train smarter, not harder to maximize results without overtraining or burning out

This is not another “lift weights to get toned” conversation. It’s a science-backed, midlife-specific strategy session for women who want to optimize health, manage weight, and keep energy levels high despite the hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause. You’ll learn exactly why the traditional diet-and-cardio approach can stall your progress—and why strategic resistance training is the missing link for so many women over 40.

Whether your goals include fat loss, muscle definition, symptom reduction, or simply maintaining your health span, you’ll walk away knowing how to approach strength training with purpose and confidence.

Shana breaks down the myths that keep women stuck, explains the physiological shifts happening in midlife, and offers actionable tips you can start today to build muscle and support your metabolism for years to come.

If you’ve been told your changing body is “just aging” or that your metabolism is doomed after menopause—this episode will empower you with the truth, the science, and the steps to take control of your strength, health, and future.

For more info on the membership, check out:

www.theenergizedlifestyle.com/membership

Your pelvic floor is more than just “muscles down there.” It’s the foundation for core stability, bladder and bowel control, sexual function, and even posture.

But during perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes—especially declining estrogen—can weaken these muscles and connective tissues, leading to symptoms many women either ignore or think are “just part of aging.”

The truth? Pelvic floor dysfunction is common, but it’s not inevitable—and it’s absolutely treatable.

In this episode, we dive deep into pelvic floor health for women in midlife, breaking down the science in an approachable, down-to-earth way so you can understand what’s happening in your body and how to fix it. You’ll learn:

• The real causes of pelvic floor issues during perimenopause and menopause—from hormonal shifts to muscle imbalances, chronic stress, pregnancy history, and lifestyle habits.

• Common symptoms you might not recognize as pelvic floor–related, including urinary leakage, urgency, prolapse, painful intercourse, lower-back pain, hip discomfort, and even core instability.

• Proven solutions—from targeted strength training and breath work to posture correction, physical therapy, and everyday habit adjustments—to restore function, improve confidence, and protect long-term health.

We’ll also talk about the connection between strength training, hormone health, and pelvic floor function, so you can see how your workouts can support recovery and prevention.

You’ll walk away with practical tips to integrate into your daily life—whether you’re lifting weights, going for a walk, or just sitting at your desk.

If you’re a woman in perimenopause or menopause who wants to stay strong, energized, and free from pelvic discomfort, this episode is your essential guide.

Whether you’ve experienced symptoms for years or are starting to notice changes now, you’ll learn how to take charge of your pelvic health instead of letting it limit your lifestyle.

Your pelvic floor doesn’t have to weaken with age—you can retrain and strengthen it at any stage.

This conversation will empower you with the knowledge and tools to protect one of the most important, yet overlooked, areas of women’s health.

For more info on The Energized Lifestyle Membership visit:

https://www.theenergizedlifestyle.com/membership

If you’re a woman in your 40s, perimenopause, or menopause, creatine might just be the most important supplement you’re not taking yet.

In this episode of The Energized Lifestyle Podcast, we dive deep into the science-backed reasons why creatine for women over 40 is a game-changer for strength, energy, bone health, and hormonal balance.

Creatine is often marketed to young male athletes, but research now shows it offers unique benefits for midlife women—especially during the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause.

We break down how daily creatine supplementation can:

• Support muscle preservation and metabolism when estrogen declines

• Improve bone density and reduce risk of age-related muscle loss

• Enhance cognitive function and memory

• Boost training performance and workout recovery

• Support mood stability and overall vitality during midlife

We also discuss exactly how much creatine women should take, the safest and most effective form (creatine monohydrate), and how to incorporate it into your daily wellness routine—whether or not you’re an athlete.

Plus, we highlight a recent systematic review looking specifically at creatine supplementation in active females, including women in perimenopause and menopause.

You can read the study here:
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020238

If you want to feel stronger, support your hormones, and protect your health in this stage of life, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to start.

Here are more links I promised:

TEL Membership Info

https://www.theenergizedlifestyle.com/membership

Momentous Creatine & Supplements

(use my discount code: SHANA)

https://crrnt.app/MOME/K_j4kxDx

If you’re constantly exhausted but can’t seem to slow down—wired at night, foggy in the morning, and stuck in an endless loop of fatigue—this episode is for you.

In Tired but Wired: How to Reset Your Nervous System in Menopause, we unpack one of the most overlooked reasons women in perimenopause and menopause feel so off: nervous system dysregulation.

This isn’t just about stress. It’s about how your body responds to stress—on a cellular and hormonal level.

Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why you feel “on edge” even when nothing is wrong

• How a dysregulated nervous system interferes with sleep, hormone balance, and fat loss

• What it means to live in chronic fight-or-flight (and how to finally shift out of it)

• Practical, science-backed strategies to help your body feel safe again so it can heal, rest, and reset

You’ll walk away understanding the real connection between cortisol, estrogen, and your energy patterns—and why pushing harder isn’t the answer in this phase of life.

We’ll also explore why traditional approaches to menopause often miss the mark, and what it really takes to recalibrate your system so you can sleep deeper, feel more grounded, and finally start to restore your vitality.

This episode is essential listening for high-performing women who are ready to embrace a new approach to health—one that honors the wisdom of the nervous system and helps you regulate from the inside out.

Whether you're in the thick of perimenopause or navigating postmenopause, this conversation will give you the tools and insight to stop the burnout cycle and build true resilience.

Nutrition during menopause is not a one-size-fits-all formula—and if you’re still eating the way you did in your 30s, you might be unintentionally working against your hormones.

In this episode, we dive into the science of menopause nutrition and what your body actually needs in this next chapter.

Whether you're in perimenopause or fully menopausal, your metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and muscle mass are changing—and your nutrition strategy needs to evolve with it.

You’ll learn:

• The top nutritional shifts women over 40 need to make to support hormone health and body composition

• How protein timing and muscle preservation play a vital role in metabolism and fat loss

• Why blood sugar balance is key to reducing belly fat, hot flashes, and energy crashes

• The truth about carbs in menopause—when to eat them and why you still need them

• The connection between micronutrients, estrogen metabolism, and detoxification

• How to nourish your nervous system, reduce inflammation, and fuel your workouts

• What most diet plans get wrong about women’s health in midlife

This episode is designed to help you stop guessing and start fueling your body with confidence. Nutrition is not just about calories—it’s about communication with your hormones.

Whether your goal is hormone balance, sustainable weight loss, or more daily energy, this episode gives you the foundational tools to create a menopause-supportive nutrition plan that works with your body.

In this empowering episode of The Energized Lifestyle Podcast, we dive deep into the often-overlooked connection between muscle health and hormone balance—specifically during the perimenopause and menopause transition.

Did you know that your muscles do more than just support movement and strength?

They’re actually powerful endocrine organs that play a crucial role in hormone production, metabolism regulation, and even blood sugar stability. This conversation is essential for women navigating their 40s and 50s who feel like their bodies are changing despite eating clean and exercising.

Inside this episode, we break down:

• The surprising ways skeletal muscle supports hormone balance

• Why building and maintaining lean muscle mass is critical in midlife hormone health

• How estrogen decline impacts muscle tissue, metabolism, and fat distribution

• The difference between how your body responds to strength training in perimenopause vs. menopause

• Why muscle is key to insulin sensitivity, thyroid health, and inflammation reduction

• The truth about cardio vs. resistance training in this stage of life

This is not just a fitness episode—it’s a hormone education episode that connects the dots between your muscle system and endocrine system, giving you science-backed tools to protect your energy, mood, metabolism, and longevity.

Whether you're in early perimenopause, deep in menopause, or postmenopausal, understanding the muscle-hormone connection will help you reclaim your strength, confidence, and body composition without burnout or confusion.

Tune in if you're ready to:

• Break through weight loss plateaus

• Reduce hormonal symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, and belly fat

• Feel strong, stable, and more in control of your health

• Learn how to train smarter, not harder, for hormonal success

This episode is perfect for high-performing women, midlife professionals, wellness seekers, and anyone wanting to age with strength, clarity, and hormone harmony.

If you’ve been wondering why your workouts aren’t working anymore or why your energy tanks despite clean eating, this is the missing piece. Don’t skip this one.

To learn more about The Energized Lifestyle Membership, visit:

⁠www.theenergizedlifestyle.com⁠

In this episode of The Energized Lifestyle Podcast, we’re diving into the incredible, wide-reaching power of estrogen—a hormone often misunderstood and underestimated in both conventional medicine and mainstream health conversations.

This episode is a must-listen for any woman navigating perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause who wants to better understand her body, reclaim her health, and feel truly empowered.

Estrogen isn’t just about periods, pregnancy, or reproduction. It’s a master hormone with systemic effects on nearly every area of the female body—impacting brain function, metabolism, heart health, bone density, muscle mass, mood regulation, skin elasticity, vaginal health, and more. When estrogen levels begin to fluctuate or decline, the symptoms can show up in ways that seem disconnected—like anxiety, brain fog, joint pain, or fatigue—yet they’re all tied back to this one essential hormone.

Inside this conversation, we explore:

• What estrogen really does in the body

• How estrogen interacts with the brain, muscles, heart, bones, and nervous system

• Why women in perimenopause and menopause often feel “off” even when their labs look “normal”

• The lesser-known signs of estrogen decline

• The long-term risks of low estrogen—and what you can do now to support your body naturally

Whether you’re starting to experience early perimenopausal shifts or deep in the menopause transition, this episode helps you connect the dots between your symptoms and your hormonal health. You’ll walk away with a more informed, empowered understanding of estrogen’s role and how to support your body through every hormonal season with confidence and clarity.

This episode is part of our mission to demystify hormones and help women feel strong, vibrant, and in control of their health again.

🎧 Tune in now to discover the true power of estrogen—and why understanding it is a non-negotiable for every woman over 35.

Learn more about The Energized Lifestyle Membership!

www.theenergizedlifestyle.com

If you're in your 40+ and wondering what on earth is going on with your hormones and body, this episode is for you.

Today we’re peeling back the layers on the lesser-known, often-misunderstood symptoms of estrogen decline—and how they show up during perimenopause and menopause.

You might be experiencing things like joint pain, electric shock sensations, crawling skin, gum issues, burning tongue, sudden food sensitivities, or changes in body odor—and no one’s talking about it.

These “weird” symptoms are real, and they’re rooted in hormonal shifts, particularly the drop in estrogen that begins during perimenopause and continues through post-menopause.

In this episode, we explore:

• ​The role of estrogen in your brain, skin, joints, digestion, and nervous system
• ​Why these lesser-known symptoms are so common but rarely addressed in traditional care
• ​How perimenopause symptoms can start 8-10 years before your final period
• ​What your body is really trying to tell you with these strange signals
• ​How to start rebalancing hormones naturally with food, movement, and nervous system care

This is a must-listen for high-achieving women who feel like they’re doing “everything right” but still feel off. If you’ve ever been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told “it’s just stress” or “you’re getting older,” this episode will help you connect the dots and finally feel seen.

We’re not here to normalize feeling like a stranger in your body—we’re here to educate, empower, and guide you toward sustainable hormone support during perimenopause and menopause.

Whether you're just entering your 40s and sensing subtle changes, or you're well into menopause and still struggling with unexplained symptoms, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on inside your body—and how to begin restoring balance.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Grab your free copy of the Estrogen Reset Guide—a simple hormone support PDF to help you navigate symptoms and feel like yourself again. [click here]

WANT TO GO DEEPER? Learn more about The Energized Lifestyle Membership—the #1 science-backed fitness, nutrition, and hormone support program created specifically for women in perimenopause and menopause. [click here]

WHY BUILD MUSCLE DURING MENOPAUSE?

If you’ve hit your 40s or 50s and feel like your body is changing overnight—slower metabolism, stubborn weight gain, or muscle that seems to vanish no matter how clean you eat—you’re not imagining it.

In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into one of the most powerful (and overlooked) solutions for thriving through menopause: building muscle.

Muscle isn’t just about strength or aesthetics—it’s one of your greatest hormonal allies. During menopause, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone naturally decline, and this hormonal shift directly impacts muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, metabolic rate, and even brain health.

That’s why lifting weights isn’t optional—it’s essential.

We’ll explore how resistance training can help you:

• Reset your metabolism

• Stabilize blood sugar and cortisol

• Improve bone density and joint integrity

• Enhance confidence, energy, and mental clarity

Whether you’re already lifting or just getting started, this episode will reframe the way you think about your body, your hormones, and your health strategy in midlife.

I’ll share the science behind muscle as a metabolic organ, why women lose up to 8% of their muscle each decade after 40, and how to prevent that loss from affecting your vitality and longevity.

This conversation is your invitation to reclaim your strength—not just physically, but hormonally, emotionally, and mentally. Because muscle isn’t just for your body—it’s for your future.

Learn more about The Hormone Revolution at:

www.theenergizedlifestyle.com

PART 3: How Obesogens Affect the Brain

• Target the Hypothalamus:

  • Disrupt hunger and fullness signals → overeating and cravings

• Early Exposure:

  • Alters brain development in utero → “higher fat set point” for life

• Brain Inflammation:

  • Impairs decision-making, motivation, impulse control

  • Raises risk for emotional eating, anxiety, depression

PART 4: Where Obesogens Hide & How to Avoid Them

Top 10 Sources & Swaps:

1. Plastic Food Containers → Use glass/stainless steel

2. Canned Foods → Choose BPA-free or fresh/frozen

3. Nonstick Cookware → Swap for ceramic/stainless/cast iron

4. Fragranced Products → Choose fragrance-free or phthalate-free

5. Personal Care Products → Use clean/EWG-verified options

6. Household Cleaners → Opt for non-toxic alternatives (vinegar, baking soda)

7. Drinking Water → Install a high-quality filter

8. Receipts → Minimize handling thermal paper

9. Flame-Retardant Furniture → Choose natural materials