<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The Stronger Her]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Stronger Her is a community for all things menopause and middle life.]]></description><link>https://www.thestrongerher.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 08:13:18 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.thestrongerher.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[The "COUCH to STRONGER" for Midlife: Why Slow is the New Fast]]></title><description><![CDATA[Why your tendons need a 12-week head start and the science of the "Slow Build." You wake up, catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, and decide: Today is the day.  No more excuses. You dive feet-first into a high-intensity aerobics class, a local boot camp, or that "shred" video you found on YouTube. You push through the first few days, fueled by pure determination. But somewhere between day four and week three, the wheels fall off. You aren’t just tired; you are in pain— everywhere . Your...]]></description><link>https://www.thestrongerher.com/post/the-couch-to-stronger-for-midlife-why-slow-is-the-new-fast</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69d684a94424ffa457c20c69</guid><pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:50:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/afd396_bb1619add8984efd996008fe8fc8e22f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_630,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Beth Bates</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stiff Joint Management For MusculoSKeletal Syndrome of Menopause ]]></title><description><![CDATA[I was sliding into my weekend after a massive week with patients in my Physical Therapy practice. I’d had dozens of great conversations helping women translate what their bodies were trying to tell them. But as a result, I had to do a lot of sitting. What I’ve noticed over the years—and especially in the last few—is that my body craves low-level movement. I am not  happy with prolonged sitting. I get stiff, sore, and my joints start to ache. If I were to translate my own body’s "language"...]]></description><link>https://www.thestrongerher.com/post/stop-stretching-your-stiff-joints-menopause</link><guid isPermaLink="false">699616b9bb1f3734cbe1c30d</guid><pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:48:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_377a86d946744c4a8d92c83667ce7d11~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Beth Bates</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Osteoporosis, Osteopenia and the Frailty Trap of Menopause is Coming for Us—And How I’m Training to Outrun It.]]></title><description><![CDATA[As a 44-year-old athlete and Physical Therapist, I’ve spent 20 years obsessing over how the body moves. I pride myself on being one of the fastest players on the pitch. Then, the "Major Red Light" happened: I stopped getting to the ball first. I hadn’t changed my training. I wasn't "old." But I was losing my edge. I started to freak out. As a PT, I knew that fast-twitch muscle fibers (the ones that give us sprint and agility) naturally decline as we age, but the textbook answer was always:...]]></description><link>https://www.thestrongerher.com/post/why-the-frailty-trap-is-coming-for-us-and-how-i-m-training-to-outrun-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69960659f7c9a5cfe2034437</guid><pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:59:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/afd396_2e41936652ed48cdba54e087e0ec5210~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_935,h_669,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Beth Bates</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Perimenopause Testing Trap: Why Your Labs Might Be Lying to You ]]></title><description><![CDATA["Your labs are normal." For a woman in perimenopause, these four words can be the most frustrating sentence in the English language. You haven't slept in three weeks, you’re experiencing "Sweater Parkour" at the grocery store, and you’ve developed a "high-response" signal to every dirty spoon in the house—yet the paper says you’re "fine." The truth? Many healthcare providers are still using a "Menopause 1.0" mindset to diagnose a "System Upgrade 2.0" transition. In perimenopause, your...]]></description><link>https://www.thestrongerher.com/post/the-perimenopause-testing-trap-why-your-labs-might-be-lying-to-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">698248a8e90da4b7522eda37</guid><pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 19:21:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/afd396_1cc6be53cbc54d99b2ff5aa5a59e0c45~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Beth Bates</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Perimenopause 101: What the Heck is Happening?]]></title><description><![CDATA["Perimenopause… what?! That can’t be me. My mom just went through that! I’m still young!"]]></description><link>https://www.thestrongerher.com/post/perimenopause-101-what-the-heck-is-happening</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69714f5e81cbae04bd63d208</guid><category><![CDATA[Perimenopause (mid 30s-late 40s)]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:26:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d8fd31681426425ea42891b5254eb484.jpg/v1/fit/w_900,h_600,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Beth Bates</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Your "Hormone Factory" is Rebranding: Understanding the Cycle in Perimenopause]]></title><description><![CDATA[In our 20s and 30s, most of us viewed our menstrual cycle as a minor monthly inconvenience. We tracked it (if we did at all) just to know when to carry tampons.

But in perimenopause, the rules change. Understanding the phases of your cycle is no longer a biology elective—it is your roadmap for survival. ]]></description><link>https://www.thestrongerher.com/post/why-your-hormone-factory-is-rebranding-understanding-the-cycle-in-perimenopause</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695ff829f3c0663c7a9282bf</guid><category><![CDATA[Perimenopause (mid 30s-late 40s)]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:36:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/afd396_df3bf9f93e9f49a2835a06caf2316873~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_714,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Beth Bates</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>