I Thought PCOS Was Hard… Then Perimenopause Came Along

I Thought PCOS Was Hard… Then Perimenopause Came Along

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I love talking about nutrition, strength training, and healthy habits. But what many people don’t know is that this journey didn’t start because I wanted to lose weight or look a certain way. It started because I was tired of not feeling like myself.

Over 20 years ago, I was diagnosed with what was called PCOS, or what many experts are now referring to as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS). Looking back, it explains so much. The exhaustion that no amount of sleep could fix. The constant cravings, the inflammation, the weight that seemed to stick no matter how hard I tried.
For years, I blamed myself. I thought I needed more discipline, more cardio, less food, more willpower. But my body wasn’t failing me. It was asking for help.
Then I turned 40, and something changed again. The strategies that had worked before stopped working. I was waking up in the middle of the night. My anxiety was higher. The brain fog got worse. My joints hurt more. My body composition started changing even though my habits hadn’t. I remember thinking, “What is happening to me?” The answer was perimenopause.
So… what is PMOS? Despite what the old name suggests, this isn’t just an ovarian problem. PMOS is a condition that affects your hormones, your metabolism, your blood sugar, your inflammation, and honestly, your entire body. Many women experience things like insulin resistance, fatigue, difficulty losing weight, irregular cycles, acne, unwanted hair growth, inflammation, and fertility struggles. That was me.
And if that’s you too, I want you to know you’re not alone. Then perimenopause joins the party… As if PMOS wasn’t enough, perimenopause brings its own hormonal roller coaster. Estrogen starts fluctuating, progesterone starts declining, your body becomes less sensitive to building muscle, your metabolism changes, your sleep changes, your stress tolerance changes.
And suddenly you’re doing everything you used to do, but your body responds completely differently, it’s frustrating. And if no one has explained this to you before, you might start believing you’re just lazy or losing control, you’re not. Your hormones are changing, and your body needs a different kind of support, the biggest lesson I’ve learned. For years I tried to eat less, now I eat better.
I stopped fearing protein and started making it the center of my meals because I finally understood that protein isn’t just about muscles. It’s the building block for hormones, neurotransmitters, skin, hair, bones, and a healthy metabolism. I started lifting weights because I don’t want to spend the second half of my life getting weaker.
I want to be able to play with my kids, travel with my husband, carry groceries, and get up off the floor when I’m 80….I don’t want to be the grandma sitting on the couch with zero energy and barely moving. I started walking more, stressing less which is hard for me, prioritizing sleep (also very hard), taking care of my gut, and choosing real food over perfect food.
Has it been perfect? Not even close.I’m a busy mom of three. I’m a military wife living far from family. Some days dinner is planned, and some days it’s thrown together with whatever is in the fridge. But I’ve learned that consistency beats perfection every single time.

If I could tell my younger self one thing…I would tell her to stop blaming herself.

Your body isn’t broken. It’s communicating. It’s asking for nourishment instead of punishment, it’s asking for muscle instead of endless cardio, it’s asking for real food instead of another restrictive diet. And it’s asking for grace.

If you’re reading this while navigating PMOS and perimenopause, I hope you know there is hope.
You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Start with one protein-rich breakfast. Go for one walk. Lift one set of weights.Drink one more glass of water. Small choices become big transformations.

I’m still learning every day, but if sharing my journey helps another woman feel seen and understood, then every challenge I’ve faced has been worth it. We’re not getting older and weaker. We’re getting wiser, stronger, and finally learning how to work with our bodies instead of against them.