I grew up as an athlete in the cardio-queen era — the time when women were told to eat as little as possible and run their bodies into the ground. Low fat, more cardio, be smaller. That was the message.

After I had my first baby, I gained an unhealthy amount of weight. I didn’t feel strong. I didn’t feel confident. I felt disconnected from my body. That’s when I decided to compete in a bikini competition — not because I cared about a trophy, but because I needed structure and discipline. I needed something that would force me to learn what actually works.

That experience changed everything. I discovered the power of lifting weights, eating enough protein, and fueling my body instead of shrinking it. My body composition changed — yes — but more importantly, my mental health changed. I felt capable again. Strong. Clear-headed. Stable.

And I’ve been coaching women through that same transformation for years now.

Then at 42, I got hit with a curveball.

Sudden hormonal shifts. Cortisol spikes. Weight gain with no changes to my routine. Sleep disruptions. Energy crashes. Perimenopause showed up fast, and it humbled me.

Here’s what frustrated me the most — everyone was talking about perimenopause like it was a trendy buzzword. But I was in it. Navigating the bloodwork, adjusting my training, dialing in recovery, managing stress, figuring out hormone replacement, learning what my body needed now instead of what worked at 35.

There’s a big difference between studying something and living it.

I’m still living it. And that matters.

If you’re going to trust someone to guide you through hormonal shifts, muscle building, stress management, and sustainable fat loss — shouldn’t it be someone actively walking through it too?