Ladies, Why Your Training (and Diet) Isn’t Working—and What to Do About It

By Sarah L Heringer

There’s a moment when it hits you. Maybe it’s in the dressing room, maybe it’s after a workout that left you wrecked instead of energized, or maybe it’s just in the way your body feels—slower, heavier, like you’re pushing through mud.

You’ve done everything you were told.
Eat less. Move more. Try harder.

And yet, here you are. Stuck. Burnt out. Wondering if this is just “aging” or if you’re missing something no one ever taught you.

You’re not broken. You’ve just been running someone else’s program.

For decades, training and nutrition have been designed around one thing: male physiology. The research, the recommendations, the “best practices” were built for a 24-hour hormonal cycle, not the 28-day (or longer) cycle that drives women’s energy, metabolism, and recovery.

And if you’re in perimenopause or menopause? That cycle isn’t just shifting—it’s restructuring entirely. But instead of adjusting the way we train, eat, and recover, most women just double down on what worked in their 20s… until it doesn’t.

Here’s What You Need to Know

You don’t need another diet.
You don’t need another challenge.
You don’t need to “push through” another plateau.

What you need is a smarter approach—one that actually works with the way your body operates right now.

Here’s where to start:

1. Stop training longer. Train smarter.
It’s not that high-intensity training is bad—it’s that most people are doing it wrong. Long-duration cardio classes?

Back-to-back HIIT? That’s working against you. The key isn’t more, it’s effective dosing, just like a prescription.

Short, targeted intervals (with real recovery in between), heavy strength work, and lower-intensity movement when needed—that’s how you build strength, metabolic health, and longevity without burning out your system.

If your workouts leave you exhausted instead of energized, it’s time to shift the strategy.

2. Eat for muscle, not just weight loss.
Your metabolism is built on muscle and nutrient availability. If you’re under-fueled, you’re breaking down instead of building up. Every meal should center around 30+ grams of protein, quality fats, and fiber—not just slashing calories and hoping for the best.

3. Work with your nervous system, not against it.

Stress isn’t just in your head—it’s in your body. Your nervous system doesn’t know the difference between a tough workout, under-eating, or a deadline at work. It registers all of it as a threat.

When your body perceives constant stress, it shifts into survival mode—holding onto weight, slowing metabolism, and burning out your energy. More effort won’t fix this.

Instead of forcing progress, start working with your physiology:

• Fuel first so your body isn’t running on empty.

• Train smarter so stress from exercise is a stimulus, not a burden.

• Regulate your nervous system with recovery, sleep, and movement that supports—not drains—you.

When you stop fighting your body, it starts working for you.

This is what we cover inside The Cycle Method—our 4-week training seminar designed for women who are ready to stop guessing and start training in a way that actually works.

The Cycle Method: Train Smarter, Recover Better, Feel Stronger

🗓️ March 19 - April 9 | Wednesdays 6:00-7:15 PM
📍 Findlay Movement
💡 First session is FREE—see if it’s right for you.

Participants who register for the full seminar will also receive access to the recorded videos. I’ll be recording all sessions, including the in-person ones!

🔹 Weeks 1 & 4 in person, Weeks 2 & 3 remote
🔹 For all ages & training levels
🔹 Members get a discounted rate, but non-members are welcome.

What You’ll Walk Away With

This isn’t just theory—you’ll leave The Cycle Method with a complete map of how to train, eat, and recover across your entire lifespan.

• Mapping Your Full Cycle – Understand the shifts in energy, metabolism, and recovery throughout your cycle. If you’re in perimenopause or postmenopause, you’ll learn how to adjust without a cycle.

• Training and Nutrition Across Every Phase – Learn exactly how to adjust your workouts and fueling strategies based on hormonal fluctuations—whether you’re pre-, peri-, or post-menopausal.

• Customizing Your Workouts to Your Body – You’ll know how to adjust your training intensity, volume, and recovery—so you’re not just following a program, you’re making it work for you.

• Seeing It in Action – Findlay Movement’s programming already integrates these principles. You’ll learn how to read the workouts with an understanding of where you’re at and how to modify them for maximum results.

• Making Smarter Choices on Training Days – Should you push harder, lift heavier, or back off? You’ll have the framework to make that call based on real data from your own body.

• Somatic Stress Relief and Recovery – Learn how to reset your nervous system so stress doesn’t derail your progress. Training isn’t just about what happens in the gym, it’s about what your body can recover from.

You’ll leave The Cycle Method knowing how to train smarter, eat better, recover fully, and make real progress—without burning out.

The first session is free. Come experience it.

Or, send this to a woman in your life who needs it.

Because when women train smarter, everything changes.