What to Add to Your Routine This Year for Energy, Strength, and Sanity in Perimenopause

Let me start by telling you something you deserve to hear. If you are in your late 30s, 40s, or early 50s and feeling a mysterious combination of tired, wired, constipated, sweaty, irritable, fatigued, forgetful, bloated, or simply Not Yourself, you are not broken. 

You may simply be in perimenopause. 

And contrary to the wild world of social media, you do not need to survive this season by restricting food or shrinking yourself. You need nourishment, structure, compassion, and a few well placed nutrition upgrades that support your energy and your sanity. 

Perimenopause is not a steep cliff. It is a transition, and transitions require support.

Women often show up in my office convinced something is wrong with them. Their lifts feel heavier than usual. Their recovery feels slower. Their digestion feels off. Their hunger cues change. Their sleep gets weird. Their stress tolerance evaporates.

And the world is quick to suggest dieting as the solution. I am here to offer a different approach. Your body is not asking for restriction. It is asking for steadier fuel.

Let’s walk through a few additions you can make this year that actually support your hormone shifts, your training, and the way you want to feel in your daily life.

Start With Protein Pacing for Steady Energy and Better Recovery

Perimenopause is a time when your body becomes more sensitive to energy dips and protein gaps. You might notice more afternoon crashes or slower gains in the gym. This is not a character flaw. It is physiology. 

Instead of overhauling your diet, try adding protein throughout the day in a steady, predictable rhythm. You can think of it as bookending your carb choices with protein so your energy lasts longer and your muscles have what they need to recover. 

Breakfast might include yogurt, eggs, tofu, cottage cheese, or chicken sausage. 

Lunch might include beans, lentils, tuna, or leftover chicken. 

Snacks can be cheese and crackers, nuts and fruit, or a small protein rich bowl you enjoy. 

Dinner can be salmon, pork tenderloin, chicken breasts or thighs, or plant-based proteins like lentils, seitan, or tofu.

This is not about numbers. Instead, we're focusing on nourishment.

When you give your body steady protein, your strength training feels smoother. Your digestion steadies itself. Your mood tends to level out. And your hunger becomes more predictable instead of chaotic. This is one of the simplest and most powerful additions you can make during perimenopause.

Add Carbs on Purpose Instead of Treating Them Like a Guilty Pleasure

Active women need carbohydrates, especially in perimenopause. Carbs support your thyroid, your cortisol regulation, your energy availability, and your nervous system. 

When my clients begin adding carbs intentionally, their strength sessions feel better, their sleep improves, and their cravings settle down.

Carbs are not the problem. Underfueling is!

Adding carbs on purpose can look like having toast or oatmeal with breakfast, choosing rice or potatoes at lunch, having fruit as a pre workout snack, or enjoying pasta and bread at dinner. Of course, we're pairing these carbs with protein and fiber to ensure we support blood sugar levels.

You are not being indulgent. You are supporting energy levels that tend to fluctuate more during this phase of life.

When you add carbs instead of avoiding them, your body gets the glucose it needs to lift, run, walk, parent, work, and thrive.

Bring Back Basic Fiber for Digestion and Hormone Support

Constipation, bloating, and digestive slow downs are some of the most common concerns in perimenopause. This is because hormone changes influence gut motility, hydration, and how sensitive your digestive tract feels day to day. 

Adding fiber gently throughout your routine can make everything feel more regular and grounded. This does not mean forcing yourself to choke down raw salads or turning meals into a punishment. Simple additions work beautifully.

Add fruit to breakfast, beans to soups or pasta, chia or flax to yogurt, cooked vegetables to meals you already enjoy, or a whole grain option when it sounds good. 

These tiny additions support your bowel regularity, your blood sugars, and even your cholesterol!

Add an Evening Fueling Ritual for Sleep and Stress Support

Sleep changes are one of the most frustrating parts of perimenopause. You may wake up hot, restless, or inexplicably wide awake at 2 am.

One addition that can help [though, not completely fix!] is a simple evening ritual. Think of it as supporting your nervous system before you ask it to power down.

This could be…

• a small snack that pairs carbs with protein, such as fruit and nuts, yogurt and granola, or cheese and crackers

• a warm cereal bowl or herbal tea with a little something to prevent overnight dips in blood sugar

• a wind down routine that signals to your body that danger is not present

• a few minutes of stretching, a quiet shower, dimming the lights, or putting your phone across the room

None of these require perfection. They simply give your body a pattern to follow.

Add More Recovery Than You Think You Need

Your recovery needs change during perimenopause, and ignoring this often leads to burnout, frustration, stalled lifts, or the sense that your body is betraying you. 

Adding intentional recovery is one of the most powerful ways to feel stronger and steadier through hormonal shifts.

This might mean adding…

• a rest day instead of powering through 

• a slow walk on a stressful afternoon instead of another high intensity workout

• hydration on purpose by keeping water where you see it

• electrolytes after a sweaty training session 

When you add recovery, you support your inflammation levels, your sleep quality, your strength progress, and your overall energy.

Add Gentle Structure to Reduce Decision Fatigue

Perimenopause can make your brain feel foggy, scattered, or overwhelmed by simple choices. Gentle structure is a kindness to your future self, not a rigid rule set. 

Try adding… 

• A simple meal rotation for breakfast or lunch 

• A grocery list that never changes 

• A few go-to snacks in your bag or car

• Consistent meal times that prevent long gaps

These small structures support your hormones, your digestion, and your mental load without restricting your freedom.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

Picture this. You are exhausted, your workout performance feels unpredictable, your patience is thin, and you are waking up at 3 am. 

Old you may have tried to reset everything on Monday with a strict plan. Present you knows better. 

So you add…

• breakfast with protein

• carbs before your workout

• fiber gently throughout the day

• a bedtime snack to support sleep

• a cup of herbal tea to make hydration easier

• a rest day instead of pushing through

By the end of the week, you feel steadier. Not perfect. Just steadier. That is the goal.

The Big Picture

Perimenopause is not asking you for restriction. It is asking you for nourishment. When you add supportive habits instead of removing foods, you give your body the stability it craves during this transition. 

Protein pacing, intentional carbs, gentle fiber, a sleep friendly evening ritual, recovery support, and simple structure are all forms of care. 

You do not need to fight your body. You need to support it.

Takeaway

Your energy, strength, and sanity do not come from dieting. They come from fueling consistently, honoring your needs, and adding the habits that help you feel grounded.

Perimenopause is a season. With the right support, it can be a powerful and strength building one.

If you are navigating perimenopause and want support from a nondiet dietitian in New Orleans or virtually, our team can help you build a fueling routine that supports your hormones, energy, and training without restriction.

Reach out to begin your sturdy girl season!