Why Lifting Weights Alone Isn't Making You Lose Fat in Perimenopause (And What Actually Works)

Why Lifting Weights Alone Isn't Making You Lose Fat in Perimenopause (And What Actually Works)

July 2, 2026 · 11 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the separation of resistance training and fat loss goals, particularly for menopausal women, emphasizing the importance of protein intake and training strategies.

In this Bitesize episode, we revisit a key conversation on why resistance training and fat loss need to be treated as two separate goals — and why blending them usually backfires. This short-form cut pulls together the core science on training for muscle/strength versus training for calorie burn, why "lifting to near failure" matters more than the weight on the bar, and a practical progression toward an unassisted pull-up. It also revisits the protein research: why menopausal women are commonly deficient, and how simply increasing protein intake can drive meaningful fat loss and lean mass gains — no calorie-cutting required. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why lifting heavy, moderate, or light doesn't matter for muscle growth — but matters enormously for building strength How to structure your resistance training if your goal is to build or maintain muscle versus increase strength Why treating your lifting sessions as a "calorie-burning workout" can undermine both your strength and muscle-building results A practical progression (band-assisted reps, then eccentric lowering) for working toward an unassisted pull-up Why menopausal-aged women are commonly deficient in protein, and what happens…

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Host: Angela Foster

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