In Part Two of my conversation with Kylie Anderson, we talk about what it really means to train through perimenopause and midlife when your body no longer responds quite the way it once did.

Kylie shares her experience of fatigue, disrupted sleep, night sweats, mood changes and the challenge of continuing to train while managing work, parenting and everyday life. We discuss why pushing harder is not always the answer, and why adapting training can be far more effective than trying to out-train exhaustion.

We also talk about strength training, recovery, fuelling and the importance of maintaining muscle, bone health and physical function as we get older. Kylie shares how strength work has become a non-negotiable part of her week, while we discuss letting go of comparisons with what we could do 10 or 15 years ago and redefining what progress looks like now.

The conversation also touches on sports nutrition, under-fuelling and RED-S — Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport — as well as some of the diet messages many women grew up with and why simply eating less may not support training, recovery or long-term health.

We also discuss our personal experiences and perspectives on creatine, HRT and the increasing use of GLP-1 medications, including the importance of maintaining adequate nutrition and resistance training when these medications are being used.

Ultimately, though, this episode is about more than training. It is about adapting without giving up, continuing to see yourself as an athlete even when the goalposts move, and making space for the things that bring you joy.

Further reading

• Resistance training, nutrition and maintaining lean mass while using GLP-1 medications
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12683586/

• Creatine supplementation and the research supporting its use
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11723027/

• RED-S and sports nutrition for active women and athletes
https://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/additional-resources/reds/potential-long-term-effects

Please note: This episode includes personal experiences and general discussion about menopause, HRT, nutrition, supplements, exercise and prescription medications. It is not intended as individual medical or nutrition advice.

If anything discussed in this episode raises questions about your own health, medications, menopause symptoms, fuelling or training, please seek advice from a suitably qualified health professional who can consider your individual circumstances.