Sacred Womb: Sovereign Woman

Why Strength Training Matters In Perimenopause, with Charlotte Hewlett


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Ready to feel strong, steady, and unapologetically capable through perimenopause and menopause? We sit down with Charlotte, a Chiang Mai–based fitness and nutrition coach who specialises in midlife women, to unpack what actually changes as hormones shift and how to train smarter without turning your life upside down. No gimmicks, no “train by your phase” templates — just practical strategies that meet you where you are.

We dig into why strength training becomes non-negotiable as oestrogen declines, and how load helps protect muscle and bone health when sarcopenia and osteopenia start to creep in. Charlotte breaks down simple ways to pick the right weight using RIR and RPE, how to keep the training stimulus while swapping movements you hate, and why enjoyment is the secret to consistency. You’ll hear real talk on the hip thrust nemesis, unexpected confidence boosts, and the quiet “grit” that keeps you coming back, even when the music is loud and the excuses pile up.

Recovery takes centre stage. We reframe days off as recovery days, explore what active rest can look like, and explain why sleep, protein intake, and stress management drive progress more than one brutal workout ever will. Expect clear protein targets for midlife, pragmatic guidance on adapting training around fluctuating cycles without rigid rules, and a blueprint for getting started with a coach, a community, or a well-built program. By the end, you’ll have a grounded plan to build a resilient frame, better moods, and the kind of everyday strength that makes life feel easier.

If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a confidence nudge, and leave a quick review — your feedback helps more women lift well through midlife.

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Melanie is an experienced Soul & Shadow Worker, Womb Medicine Woman, podcast host, writer and trainer.

For over 20 years, she has supported individuals and healing professionals to restore connection with the body, repair attachment and separation wounds, and embody primordial wisdom rooted in the womb, heart and soul.

Melanie's approach blends somatic womb healing, shadow integration, shamanic healing and soul-level repatterning - offering a deep and lasting pathway back to the true self.

She hosts The Sacred Womb Podcast, leads The Womb Medicine Woman Training and is currently writing her first book: The Sacred Womb - a handbook for coming home to our true nature, along with Poems For Peri-Menopause.

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Sacred Womb: Sovereign WomanBy Melanie Swan

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