Justine’s Journey: Embracing Perimenopause with Strength
We’re excited to share the story of Justine, a valued member of the Kate Ivey Fitness community and the creator of @mybalanceproject. In this honest blog, Justine talks about her experience with perimenopause, the challenges she’s faced, and how she’s adapted her fitness routine to stay strong and balanced.
Her story is one of resilience and transformation, showing how this stage of life can be an opportunity to reclaim health and confidence. We hope Justine’s journey inspires you to embrace change and find your own balance. 🌿💪
Finding 'My Balance' in Perimenopause Through Fitness
For the last year, I have been in complete denial about perimenopause. I thought, “That can’t be me. I’m still active, I feel young.” But reality has a funny way of catching up, and like it or not – here we are.
I’m now coming to terms with the fact that I do need to make some lifestyle changes and to get on board. I’ll be honest: it’s a bit daunting! Yet here I am, diving into this new season of life with the support of Kate and her Thrive Programme.
A New Journey Begins
At 47, I find myself at the beginning of a journey that’s both challenging and empowering. I’m a Mum of one teenage son, and married to my lovely Canadian husband Bill for 23yrs. We live in Taranaki and as well as working full time from home, I also manage my Instagram page ‘My Balance Project’ and cabin ‘The Unwind’ that we rent out year round. I hate to over use the word busy, because I think we are all busy… but life is certainly full, in the best way. Fitness has become a huge part of my life, not just physically but also mentally. Walking and hiking are my go-to activities, helping me reset, reconnect, and work through the stresses that life throws my way.
After having weight loss surgery in 2022, my mobility skyrocketed, and moving became a joy rather than a chore. I embraced every step, every hill, every trail with newfound freedom. One of the proudest (& happiest) moments of my life was hiking 70kms over 3 days with my son, then 12, in the Scottish highlands last year. It was extremely rewarding, and I want more experiences like this.
Shifting My Fitness Approach
But perimenopause has shifted things. After listening to a lot of podcasts - especially the Huberman Lab podcast with Dr. Mary-Claire Haver — I realised I need to approach fitness differently in this stage of life. She talks a lot about the physiological changes that women go through around this time, and it made me reconsider the kind of movements I’m doing.
I kept hearing the term ‘lift heavy’ over and over, but felt completely lost. Weightlifting is something I’ve never done before, and frankly, it scares me. But hearing Dr. Haver & Dr. Stacy Simms’ insights on how strength training can support bone health, metabolism, and overall vitality has inspired me to try. It’s why I decided to join the Thrive programme - to learn how to do the right kind of movements for this new stage in life and learn to work with my body, not against it.
A Week Into the Thrive Program
It’s only been a week since I started and I’m learning new ways to support my body. I think I'm off to a really good start, making sure I didn’t push myself too hard in the first week (using lighter weights) to ensure a good experience and keep me motivated to continue on. I’ve loved the workouts and instructors too.
I’m still a bit apprehensive about lifting weights, but I know that adapting my fitness routine is essential. I’m also keeping up with my walking and hiking because I need that for my mental health, but I’m also pushing myself to step outside my comfort zone with strength work. One thing I have added to my walking routine is a weighted vest, it’s a really easy way to integrate a little extra strength training into what you already do. Win win!
Time Management and Prioritising Fitness
Sometimes adding new things to our lives can feel really overwhelming and time management is hard, but creating time for exercise has been a conscious shift for me. When I know I need to refocus on my fitness, I work on decluttering my commitments for a week or two as much as I can. This allows me time to prioritise my health without constantly feeling stretched. ** I’ve learned to ask myself, “If I say yes to this commitment, what am I saying no to for myself or my family?” That simple question helps me protect my time and energy, ensuring that I can show up fully, both in my workouts and in other parts of my life.
Let’s Connect on This Journey!
To anyone else on this journey: I’d love to connect. Let’s share what’s working, what isn’t, and how we’re adapting to a new way of doing things. This is all part of the process, and we can support each other through it. Doing anything in isolation is so much harder and I like to inject humour into whatever I’m doing to help make it bearable! You can find me on Instagram at mybalanceproject, where I share openly about my journey with perimenopause and women’s health.
Here’s to new beginnings and finding strength, resilience, and balance - both inside and out!
Join Justine's Soulful Serenity Bali Retreat in October 2025! 🌴✨
Justine curates transformative Women’s Wellness Adventures worldwide in partnership with Best in Travel. This Wednesday at 7 PM, she’s launching her highly anticipated Bali Retreat!
Her group trips are designed to offer women a safe, supportive space to explore the world, form meaningful connections with like-minded women, and embrace adventure without judgment—welcoming all shapes, sizes, and ages.
The Soulful Serenity Bali Retreat is set for October 2025. Follow Justine on Instagram to learn more and join her inspiring journey or see more on her website HERE.
Looking for More Information on Menopause and Exercise?
On DediKate, you will find even more menopause info with our DediKate Thrive Programme, Peri-Post Menopause (PPM) Sculpt Workouts + Sprint Interval Training, recipes, tips and tricks, meal plans and ideas, DediKate Eat Great (nutrition chats) and more!
DediKate workouts are short and effective so you can easily fit them into your schedule, at home, or anywhere at any time.
At DediKate we focus on fitness, strength, nutrition, a positive mindset and how we FEEL. It's not about short term weight loss or fad diets, it's about long term success and getting the most out of life!
Join DediKate today and receive a 7-day free trial! 💪
