Let me guess, you’re in your 40s and things feel different than they used to, right? Perhaps you’re always tired, your jeans no longer fit the same way, or you just don’t feel like yourself anymore. Trust me, I’ve worked with hundreds of women going through exactly what you’re experiencing, and I have some really good news for you.
I’m Will, and I’ve been helping women get stronger for over 10 years. What I’ve learned is that when women reach their 40s, their bodies undergo significant changes. But here’s the thing: Strength training can actually help you feel better than you have in years. And the best part? You can do it all from home with just a few simple pieces of equipment.
The 12Reps app is absolutely perfect for women because it personalises your workout based on you and what you want to train. It’s not just about looking good; it’s about feeling amazing, having energy, sleeping better, and getting your hormones back on track. This smart app creates workouts that actually work with your changing body, not against it.
Today I’m going to show you exactly how to use strength training to feel like yourself again. We’re going to talk about what’s happening with your hormones, why your body feels different, and most importantly, what you can do about it right from your living room.
What's Really Happening to Your Body After 40
Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room, perimenopause. This is the time before menopause when your hormones start going a bit crazy. Your estrogen levels start bouncing up and down like a roller coaster, and it can make you feel pretty awful [1].
During perimenopause, which can start in your late 30s or early 40s, your ovaries slowly start making less estrogen. However, it’s not a smooth process; some months you might have too much, while other months you might have too little. This is why you might feel great one week and terrible the next.
Here’s what these hormonal changes can do to your body: you might gain weight around your middle, lose muscle mass, feel tired all the time, have trouble sleeping, feel moody or anxious, and just generally feel like you’re not yourself anymore. Sound familiar?
However, here’s where it gets really interesting: strength training can actually help balance these hormones naturally. When you lift weights, your body releases growth hormone and other good hormones that help counteract some of the negative effects of declining estrogen.
The 12Reps app is designed to maximise these hormonal benefits by creating workouts that are perfectly timed and structured based on your energy, equipment, and body part you want to train.
Why Your Metabolism Feels Broken (And How to Fix It)
One of the biggest complaints I hear from women over 40 is “I’m eating the same way I always have, but I keep gaining weight!” This isn’t just your imagination – your metabolism really does slow down as you age, especially during perimenopause.
Here’s what’s happening: as your estrogen levels drop, your body starts storing more fat, especially around your belly. Plus, you naturally lose muscle mass as you age, and muscle burns way more calories than fat. So, you’re storing more fat and burning fewer calories, no wonder you feel frustrated!
But strength training is like a magic reset button for your metabolism. When you build muscle, you increase your metabolic rate, which means you burn more calories even when you’re just sitting on the couch. The 12Reps app creates workouts that focus on building lean muscle mass, which is exactly what your metabolism needs to get back on track.
The Hormone-Balancing Power of Strength Training
This is where things get really exciting. Strength training doesn’t just make you stronger; it actually helps balance your hormones in amazing ways. When you lift weights, several things happen that directly benefit your hormonal health.
First, strength training increases your production of growth hormone, which helps maintain muscle mass and bone density. This is super important because both of these naturally decline as estrogen levels drop. The 12Reps app creates workouts that maximise growth hormone release by using the right combination of exercises, sets, and rest periods.
Second, resistance training helps improve insulin sensitivity, a crucial factor in maintaining a healthy weight and stable energy levels. When your insulin works more effectively, your body is less likely to store fat and more likely to utilise food for energy. This is especially important for women over 40 because insulin resistance tends to increase with age.
Third, strength training can actually help reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is your stress hormone, and chronic high levels can make all your other hormone problems worse. Regular strength training helps your body manage stress more effectively, which has a positive impact on all your other hormones.
The 12Reps app understands these connections and creates workouts that are designed to optimise your hormonal response. It’s not just random exercises; it’s a scientifically designed program that works with your body’s natural systems.
Why Home Workouts Are Perfect for Women Over 40
Let me be honest with you, going to the gym can feel pretty intimidating, especially when you’re dealing with hormonal changes that make you feel tired, moody, or just not like yourself. That’s why I love home workouts for women in their 40s.
First, you can work out at any time. If you wake up feeling energetic at 6 AM, great! If you don’t feel good until after dinner, that works too. The 12Reps app lets you do your workouts on your schedule, which is perfect when your energy levels are unpredictable.
Second, you don’t have to worry about what you look like or what other people think. You can wear whatever makes you comfortable, take breaks when you need them, and focus entirely on how you feel. This is crucial for building confidence and fostering a positive relationship with exercise.
Third, home workouts are way more convenient. No driving to the gym, no waiting for equipment, no dealing with crowds. You can literally roll out of bed and start your workout if you’d like. The 12Reps app makes it even easier by providing everything you need, workout plans, video demonstrations, and progress tracking, right on your phone.
The Perfect Equipment for Hormone-Balancing Workouts
For this program, we will use only three types of equipment: dumbbells, kettlebells, and your own body weight. This combination is absolutely perfect for women over 40, as it’s versatile, effective, and doesn’t require much space in your home.
Dumbbells are amazing because you can adjust the weight as you get stronger, and they allow for a full range of motion in every exercise. You can work every muscle in your body with just a set of dumbbells. The 12Reps app will help you choose the right weights and progress safely as you get stronger.
Kettlebells are fantastic for dynamic movements that get your heart pumping while building strength. They’re especially good for working your core and improving your posture, which is super important for women who spend a lot of time sitting at desks. Plus, kettlebell exercises are fun and make you feel like a total badass!
Bodyweight exercises are perfect because they’re always available, they’re functional (meaning they help with real-life movements), and they can be modified to match your current fitness level. The 12Reps app offers a wide range of bodyweight variations, ensuring you’ll never get bored
The Push/Pull/Legs Split: Perfect for Hormonal Health
The workout structure I’m going to share with you is called a push/pull/legs split, and it’s absolutely perfect for women over 40. This approach categorises your exercises into three main types: pushing movements (such as push-ups and overhead presses), pulling movements (like rows and pull-ups), and leg exercises (like squats and lunges).
This split is ideal for hormonal health because it ensures you’re working all your major muscle groups while allowing adequate recovery time. Recovery is super important for women dealing with hormonal changes because their body needs time to adapt and rebuild.
The 12Reps app makes this split even better by adjusting the exercises based on your progress and how you’re feeling. If you’re having a low-energy day, it might suggest easier variations. If you’re feeling strong, it might challenge you with more advanced movements.
Each workout in this split takes approximately 30-45 minutes, which is ideal for busy women who don’t have hours to spare for exercise. The app tracks your time and ensures you’re getting the maximum benefit from every minute you invest.
How Strength Training Fixes Your Sleep (And Why That Matters for Hormones)
One of the most common complaints I hear from women over 40 is poor sleep. You might have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or you might wake up feeling tired even after a full night’s rest. This is often related to hormonal changes, but strength training can also be beneficial.
When you do resistance training, you’re essentially creating positive stress on your body. Your muscles work hard during the workout, and then they need to recover and rebuild afterwards. This process requires deep, restorative sleep, so your body naturally starts sleeping better when you regularly strength train.
Better sleep means better hormone production. Most of your growth hormone is released during deep sleep, and this hormone is crucial for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and a healthy metabolism. The 12 reps can help you monitor your workouts so you’re not overexerting your body.
Additionally, when you sleep better, you have more energy during the day, a more stable mood, and improved stress management. All of these factors have a positive impact on your hormonal health
The Confidence Connection: How Strength Makes You Feel Amazing
Here’s something that might surprise you: one of the biggest benefits of strength training for women over 40 isn’t physical, it’s mental. When you start getting stronger, when you can lift heavier weights or do more push-ups than you could last month, it changes how you see yourself.
Perimenopause and the hormonal changes that come with it can really mess with your confidence. You might feel like your body is betraying you, like you’re not in control anymore. But strength training gives you back that sense of control and capability.
The 12Reps app is fantastic for building confidence because it tracks every improvement you make. It celebrates your wins, shows you how far you’ve come, and helps you set new goals. This positive reinforcement is crucial for women who may be feeling discouraged about their changing bodies.
When you feel strong and capable in the gym (or your living room), that confidence carries over into every other area of your life. You stand taller, you speak up more, you take on challenges you might have avoided before. This mental shift is just as important as the physical changes.
Stress, Cortisol, and Why Strength Training is Your Secret Weapon
Let’s take a moment to discuss stress. If you’re a woman in your 40s, you’re probably dealing with a lot – career pressures, family responsibilities, ageing parents, teenagers, and financial concerns. All of this stress causes your body to produce cortisol, and chronic high cortisol levels can make all your other hormone problems worse.
High cortisol can cause weight gain (especially around your middle), disrupt your sleep, make you feel anxious or depressed, and interfere with your other hormones. It’s like a domino effect – stress affects cortisol, which affects everything else.
However, here’s the amazing thing about strength training: it’s one of the best stress management tools available. When you lift weights, you’re literally working out your stress and frustration. Physical exertion helps your body process and release stress hormones in a healthy manner.
The 12Reps app understands energy level. It can adjust your workouts based on your energy levels, suggesting more intense sessions when you need to burn more caloires or gentler workouts when you’re already feeling overwhelmed
Bone Health: The Hidden Crisis of Perimenopause
Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: bone loss during perimenopause. As your estrogen levels decline, your bones begin to lose density at an alarming rate. This puts you at risk for osteoporosis and fractures later in life.
The good news is that strength training is one of the most effective ways to maintain and even build bone density. When you put stress on your bones through resistance exercise, they respond by becoming stronger and denser. It’s like your bones are saying, “Oh, we need to be stronger to handle this load!”
The exercises in this program are specifically chosen to provide the kind of bone-building stimulus your body needs. Weight-bearing exercises, such as squats, lunges, and overhead presses, are particularly effective for maintaining bone health.
Why 3 Days Per Week is the Sweet Spot
You might wonder why I recommend working out just three times a week instead of every day. For women over 40, especially those dealing with hormonal changes, recovery is just as important as the workouts themselves.
Your body needs time to adapt to the stress of exercise, repair muscle tissue, and balance hormones.
If you work out too frequently, you can actually increase cortisol levels and interfere with the positive hormonal changes you’re trying to create. Three days per week gives you the perfect balance – enough stimulus to trigger positive adaptations, but enough recovery time to let those adaptations happen.
Your Complete 3-Day Home Strength Training Program
Alright, let’s get to the good stuff, your actual workout plan! This program is specifically designed for women over 40 who want to balance their hormones, build strength, and feel amazing. Each workout lasts approximately 30-45 minutes, and you’ll complete them three times a week, with at least one rest day between sessions.
The 12Reps app will help you track every workout and adjust the weights as you get stronger. Start with weights that feel challenging for 10-12 reps, but make sure you can complete all reps with good form. When you can easily do 12 reps, it’s time to increase the weight!
Day 1: Push Day (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Core)
| Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight/Resistance | Rest Period |
| Push-Ups (or Knee Push-Ups) | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 5-15 lbs each | 90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Chest Press (Floor) | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 8-20 lbs each | 90 seconds |
| Pike Push-Ups | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Dumbbell Tricep Extensions | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 5-12 lbs each | 60 seconds |
| Kettlebell Overhead Press | Kettlebell | 4 | 10-12 | 10-25 lbs | 90 seconds |
| Tricep Dips (Chair/Couch) | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Plank Hold | Bodyweight | 4 | 30-60 sec | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Push Day Hormonal Benefits: These exercises target your upper body and core, triggering the release of growth hormone. The pushing movements help build functional strength for daily activities and boost confidence. The 12Reps app will track your progress and guide you through the exercises.
Day 2: Pull Day (Back, Biceps, Rear Delts, Core)
| Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight/Resistance | Rest Period |
| Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 8-20 lbs each | 90 seconds |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 each arm | 10-25 lbs | 90 seconds |
| Reverse Flyes | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 3-8 lbs each | 60 seconds |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curls | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 5-15 lbs each | 60 seconds |
| Kettlebell High Pulls | Kettlebell | 4 | 10-12 | 15-30 lbs | 90 seconds |
| Superman Exercise | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Wall Sits | Bodyweight | 4 | 30-60 sec | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Dead Bug | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 each side | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Pull Day Hormonal Benefits: Pulling exercises enhance posture and strengthen the back, which is essential for confidence and daily function. These movements also help balance the hormonal stress response and improve circulation throughout your upper body.
Day 3: Legs and Core Day (Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes, Core)
| Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight/Resistance | Rest Period |
| Bodyweight Squats | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Dumbbell Goblet Squats | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 15-35 lbs | 90 seconds |
| Lunges (Alternating) | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 each leg | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts | Dumbbells | 4 | 10-12 | 10-25 lbs each | 90 seconds |
| Kettlebell Swings | Kettlebell | 4 | 10-12 | 15-35 lbs | 90 seconds |
| Glute Bridges | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Calf Raises | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
| Mountain Climbers | Bodyweight | 4 | 10-12 each leg | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Legs Day Hormonal Benefits: This is where the magic really happens! Leg exercises work your biggest muscle groups, which triggers the most hormone production. Strong legs and glutes are crucial for metabolism, bone health, and overall functional strength.
How to Progress Week by Week for Maximum Hormonal Benefits
Weeks 1-2: Hormone Reset Phase Focus on learning proper form and establishing your baseline strength. The 12Reps app will help you find the right starting weights and track your initial progress. Don’t worry about lifting heavy yet – just focus on consistency and good form. You may start to notice better sleep and slightly more energy during this phase.
Weeks 3-4: Adaptation Phase Start increasing weights when you can complete all 4 sets of 12 reps easily. The app will suggest when you’re ready to progress. Your body is starting to adapt to the training stimulus, and you should begin feeling more energetic and confident. Some women notice improvements in mood and stress management during this phase.
Weeks 5-8: Strength Building Phase. This is when the hormonal benefits really begin to take effect. You’ll likely notice significant improvements in sleep quality, energy levels, and overall mood. Your metabolism should be improving, and you may start to see changes in your body composition. The 12Reps app will help you continue progressing safely.
Weeks 9-12: Transformation Phase. By now, you should feel like a completely different person. Stronger, more energetic, more confident, and with much better hormonal balance. The app will help you set new goals and continue challenging yourself as your fitness improves
Nutrition Tips for Hormonal Balance
While the 12Reps app focuses on your workouts, nutrition plays a huge role in hormonal health for women over 40. You need adequate protein to support muscle building and hormone production; aim for approximately 0.8-1 gram per pound of body weight.
Don’t skip healthy fats! Your body needs fats to produce hormones, so include sources like avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish in your diet. The app can help you track your nutrition if you want to gain a more detailed understanding of your eating habits.
Timing your meals around your workouts can also help optimise your hormonal response. Having a small snack with a balance of protein and carbs within 2 hours after your workout supports recovery and muscle building.
Recovery and Sleep: The Secret to Hormonal Success
Recovery is absolutely crucial for women over 40, especially when dealing with hormonal changes. This is when your body actually adapts to the training stimulus and produces the hormones that make you feel amazing.
Ensure you’re getting 7-9 hours of high-quality sleep each night. This is when most of your growth hormone is released, and poor sleep can sabotage all your hard work. The 12Reps app can help you track your sleep quality and see how it affects your workout performance.
Stress management is also crucial. High stress levels can interfere with all the positive hormonal changes you’re trying to create. The app can suggest relaxation techniques and help you find the right balance between challenging workouts and adequate recovery.
Your Journey to Hormonal Balance Starts Today
I’ve shared everything I know about how strength training can transform your hormonal health and overall well-being. The science is solid, the program is proven, and the 12Reps app makes it easier than ever to get started and stay consistent.
But here’s the thing, none of this matters if you don’t take action. You can read about the benefits all day long, but you won’t experience them until you actually start moving your body and challenging your muscles.
Download the 12Reps app today and start this program. In just a few weeks, you’ll understand why I’m so passionate about strength training for women over 40. The changes you’ll experience go far beyond what you see in the mirror – they’ll transform how you feel about yourself and how you experience life.
Your stronger, more energetic, hormonally balanced self is waiting. The 12Reps app is ready to guide you there. All you have to do is take the first step.
