“Menopause changed my body. Strength training changed my life.”

When Menopause Hit, Nothing Felt Normal — and the Doctor Said I Was “Too Young”

When I first started experiencing the shifts of perimenopause — the fatigue, the irritability, the joint aches, the sense that something was changing inside me — I did what I was supposed to do: I went to my doctor. I wanted guidance. I wanted reassurance. I wanted someone to take my concerns seriously. Instead, I was told I was too young to be going through menopause and that what I was feeling “didn’t quite fit.” It was bewildering. The symptoms were real, but the support wasn’t.

Leaving that appointment, I realized I wasn’t going to get the answers I needed from the traditional route. If I wanted to feel better, I would have to take ownership of my health. I didn’t want to “wait it out.” I wanted to feel strong, capable, and like myself again.

What finally pushed me to take action wasn’t a medical recommendation — it was my daughter. She had been training at Qi Movements and experiencing incredible results. I watched her grow stronger, more confident, more resilient, and something in me softened. If Qi Movements could help her move and feel better, maybe it could help me too. Her success became the spark of hope I didn’t know I needed.

Finding a Place That Actually Understood My Body

When I walked into Qi Movements for the first time, I felt relief before I ever picked up a weight. The space felt calm and intentional — not like a chaotic gym or a place where I’d be expected to keep up with anyone else. Working with Dylan deepened that sense immediately. He didn’t rush me. He didn’t overwhelm me. He didn’t assume anything about what my body “should” be able to do. Instead, he focused on rebuilding my foundation: breath, stability, alignment, and safe, intelligent strength.

Session by session, my body began responding.
I started waking up with more energy.
I wasn’t as reactive or impatient at home.
I felt grounded, steadier, more capable.

As I often tell people now:
“I come home from Qi Movements with tons of energy. I’m more patient with my teenage daughters. I just feel amazing — inside and out.”

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn’t fighting my body — we were working together again.

Relearning Strength — and Rebuilding Confidence

For years, I’d been warned not to lift too heavy, not to hinge, not to strain myself. Those messages made strength feel dangerous, especially during menopause. But at Qi Movements, I learned how to move correctly, not cautiously. Dylan taught me how to hinge safely, brace properly, and build strength the right way. The day I deadlifted confidently — with form that felt grounded and safe — something shifted inside me.

I realized I wasn’t fragile. I wasn’t declining. I wasn’t “too old” to be strong.
I had simply never been taught how to train intelligently.

That moment marked the beginning of a completely new relationship with my body.

The Everyday Changes Were the Most Life-Giving

What surprised me most wasn’t just getting stronger in the gym — it was how strength showed up in the smallest parts of my life. I started moving differently without even thinking about it.

“I carry groceries differently now,” I often say.
“I hinge to pick things up instead of hurting my back. I squat to lift boxes. And even decorating the Christmas tree — I caught myself doing a roll get-up without thinking.”

Suddenly, my body felt useful. Capable. Reliable.
My clothes felt better because I felt better.
And perhaps the most freeing part:
I don’t stress about the scale anymore. How could I, when I can feel the difference in my strength, my posture, my movement, and my daily confidence?

Strength training didn’t just change my body — it changed how I live inside my body.

Three Days a Week — The Best Decision I Ever Made

If there was one decision that truly transformed everything, it was committing to strength training three times a week. Not casually. Not when I “had time.” Not when motivation happened to strike. This became a non-negotiable appointment with my own well-being.

Once I made that commitment, everything improved — my sleep, my mood, my joint health, my metabolism, my patience, my energy, my confidence. This rhythm didn’t just make me strong in the gym. It made me strong in my life.

I often find myself telling other women:

“Get out there and lift weights. Walking is great, but nothing does for your body what weightlifting can do. You feel so strong.”

And I mean it.
Strength training three times a week has been one of the best gifts I’ve ever given myself.

Why Having a Professional Coach Matters

I want every woman to understand this clearly:
having a professional coach is not optional — it’s essential.

If you try to figure out strength training on your own, you risk injury, frustration, or simply giving up. But with proper coaching, everything changes. The movements feel safer. The progress is clearer. The results are faster. And injuries fade instead of accumulating.

As I often explain:

“My frozen shoulder is gone. My knee pain is gone. And I feel great.”

A coach doesn’t just tell you what to do.
A coach protects your longevity and unlocks your potential.

Mary’s Message to All Women

If you’re in perimenopause or simply feeling your body shift in ways you don’t understand, I want you to hear this from someone who has lived it:

You are not in decline — your body is asking for strength.
You are not fragile — you are undertrained.
You do not need to slow down — you need the right coach and the right kind of resistance.

Strength training three days a week didn’t just change my fitness; it changed my mind, my mood, my relationships, my confidence, and the entire way I experience my life.

I didn’t become who I used to be.
I became someone stronger than I have ever been.

Move well. Live well.™
— Mary Ellen, proudly part of Qi Movements

Client Spotlight: Mary Ellen