What It Really Feels Like to Be in Perimenopause

Let’s be real — perimenopause isn’t just about “hot flashes” and “missed periods.” It’s a full-body, full-brain, emotional-and-physical upheaval that makes you question your sanity and identity — daily.

And what’s wild is that most of us weren’t even warned about it.

To think the symptoms we talk about are just the “greatest hits” 🙄

Because let’s not forget the rest of this all-star list…

Perimenopause Symptoms

• Mood swings that feel like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster — without a seatbelt
• Depression or anxiety you can’t explain
• Irritability over the smallest things
• Brain fog that makes you forget where your phone is… while you’re on it
• Poor concentration at work or during conversations
• Insomnia or waking up at 3 a.m. for no reason at all
• Irregular periods — shorter, longer, skipped, you name it
• Heavier or lighter bleeding, sometimes both in the same cycle
• Spotting out of nowhere
• Hot flashes that make you question wearing sweaters ever again
• Night sweats that drench your sheets
• Breast tenderness, even when you’re not due for a period
• Vaginal dryness or discomfort nobody wants to talk about
• Fatigue that no amount of sleep fixes
• Bloating that makes you look five months pregnant
• Hair thinning, hair loss, or dull strands
• Dry skin or sudden breakouts like you’re 16 again
• Joint pain or stiffness
• Migraines or headaches out of the blue
• Heart palpitations that feel like panic
• Cravings for sugar, salt, or just something comforting
• Digestive issues like constipation, gas, or IBS-style bloating
• Urinary urgency or leaks when you laugh too hard
• Decreased bone density (hello, osteoporosis risk)
• Muscle aches for no clear reason
• Temperature sensitivity like you’re suddenly too hot or freezing

And with all this chaos happening — what’s the one thing that seems to stick in your mind 24/7?

The Weight Gain That Just Won’t Budge

You’ve tried:

• Keto
• Intermittent fasting
• Low-carb
• No-carb
• Every diet trend in the book…

And still — the scale doesn’t budge. The jeans don’t fit. The bloating doesn’t go away.

Sound familiar?

Let’s get honest — it’s not just about your diet. It’s the perfect storm of fluctuating hormones + high cortisol + under-eating + over-exercising.

You’re trying to “push through” by hitting the elliptical every day, skipping meals, and cutting calories — but your body isn’t responding. In fact, it’s hanging onto fat like it’s preparing for a famine.

Start With One Thing: Your Food

Before you overhaul everything — your workouts, your supplements, your stress, your sleep — just start with your food.

That doesn’t mean dieting harder. It means:

• Eating enough
• Eating balanced meals (protein, fat, fiber)
• Eating in a way that supports your hormones, not fights them

Once your body feels nourished, it will start trusting you again. Your stress hormones will chill. Your metabolism can re-engage. And yes — your weight may begin to shift too.

You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. You’re not alone.

You’re in perimenopause — and it’s messy, powerful, and transformational.

Start where you are. Give your body the food it’s asking for. And let’s stop pretending that “just diet and exercise” still works the way it used to.

This new chapter? It’s going to require new tools — and more grace than ever before.

➡️ Share this with a friend who needs to know she’s not crazy. She’s just in peri.