WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY BODY?-All about Perimenopause

For the past few months in WELL CORNER, I have been discussing different aspects of the changes our bodies go through during perimenopause. I thought it would be nice to have all of this information in one place, so HERE YOU GO!

So… Your Body Has Officially Started Doing New Things (Pt.1 of 4)

Hey Gorgeous, Let’s just say it out loud: something feels different. Maybe your sleep is a mess, your moods swing like a pendulum, or you’re suddenly waking up sweating through your pajamas at 3am wondering what on earth is happening. Welcome to perimenopause. It’s not a disease. It’s not the end. It’s actually the beginning of a really powerful chapter!  Over the next 4 months I’ll be dropping into your inbox with real talk, practical tips, and the kind of information that makes you go “Oh THANK GOD, it’s not just me.” Let’s dive in. WHAT EVEN IS PERIMENOPAUSE? Perimenopause is the transition phase before menopause, and it can start in your late 30’s or early 40s (yes, really!). It’s the time when your ovaries begin to gradually produce less estrogen, and your hormones start doing their own creative thing. Menopause itself is just one day: 12 consecutive months without a period. Everything leading up to it? That’s perimenopause — and it can last anywhere from 2 to 10 years!! The Big 5 Early Signs: • Irregular periods (shorter, longer, heavier, lighter — fun!) •Sleep disturbances: falling asleep fine but waking at 3am •Hot flashes or night sweats •Brain fog (this is the one that worried me, I thought I had early onset dementia!) •Mood changes — irritability, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed  All of this sound familiar? You’re not imagining it. You’re just in the club now. THIS MONTH’S TIP: TRACK YOUR CYCLE (EVEN WHEN IT’S WEIRD) One of the best things you can do right now is start tracking your cycle — even if it’s irregular. Apps like Clue or Flo are great for this. Write down your symptoms, mood, sleep quality, and energy levels. Why? Because patterns emerge. And when they do, you’ll have actual data to bring to your doctor, which means better conversations and better care. Knowledge is power, boo.   NOURISH: THE PERIMENOPAUSE PLATE As estrogen shifts, your nutritional needs shift too. Here’s a simple starting point: Eat more of these: •Cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) these support estrogen metabolism • Fatty fish (salmon, sardines-not for me, but maybe you like them!) omega-3s help with mood and inflammation •Flaxseeds: plant-based phytoestrogens, great on yogurt or in smoothies •Legumes: protein + fiber, keeps you full and blood sugar steady  Your body is changing because you are growing, maturing and moving into a different stage of your life physically, but I believe it is the PERFECT moment to make changes in our lives INTERNALLY as well. Leaving behind old thought patterns that left us crippled emotionally and moving into that part of our lives where we don’t just SURVIVE, we THRIVE!   Join me on a WELL ESCAPE where we do just that! A few dreamy days in Mexico combining movement, connection, and deep self-discovery. My seminar Made Magnificent: The Unveiling of You will guide you through a transformational process of peeling back the layers and stepping into who you truly are at this stage of life. If your soul has been whispering “it’s time,” this might be for you. Head to www.lorettabates.com/wellescapes for more details, or simply respond to this email with any questions you may have!  FROM ME TO YOU I want you to know that this community is your soft place to land. Perimenopause can feel lonely — especially when people around you act like it’s no big deal. But it IS a big deal, and your experience matters. You’re not “just getting older.” You’re evolving. And there’s a huge difference. 🌸

So… Your Body Has Officially Started Doing New Things (Pt.2 of 4)

Hey Gorgeous, I see you. It’s 3:00am and DING-you’re awake-for no apparent reason at all even though you are absolutely exhausted. And now, your brain is running through things you should have said to your best friend in 2009 and there’s no hope of getting back to sleep. Sleep disruption is one of the most complained-about symptoms of perimenopause, and let’s be honest, it is because it makes everything else harder! Mood, weight, brain fog, energy, the ability to say no to those cravings… it all connects back to sleep. So this month, we’re giving it the attention it deserves!  WHY PERIMENOPAUSE WRECKS YOUR SLEEP As estrogen and progesterone decline, your body’s ability to regulate temperature and sleep cycles gets disrupted. Progesterone, in particular, has a natural sedative effect, so less of it means lighter, more fragmented sleep. Add in night sweats (hello, estrogen fluctuations!) and an uptick in cortisol sensitivity, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a 3am wake-up call. Not fun, but very common. The Sleep Thieves of Perimenopause: – Night sweats pulling you out of deep sleep-Increased anxiety making your brain “busy” at night -Lower progesterone = less natural calm before bed -Circadian rhythm shifts (your body clock adjusting)   WELL CORNER TIP OF THE MONTH: BUILD A HORMONE-FRIENDLY BEDTIME RITUAL You can’t control your hormones, but you can control your environment. Try this wind-down routine: Your 60-Minute Wind-Down: 8:30pm: Turn off overhead lights, switch to lamps. Dim = melatonin cue. 8:45pm: Herbal tea (chamomile, valerian, or passionflower). Skip the wine, it may seem like it helps to relax you, but ultimately it fragments sleep.9:00pm: Light stretching or a bath. 9:15pm: If you can place your phone in another room or on do-not-disturb. Seriously. This helps at night with the doom scrolling and in the morning so it is not the first thing you reach for.  9:30pm: Read something gentle, journal, or listen to a sleepy podcast. 10:00pm: Bedroom cool (65–67°F is the sweet spot), dark, and quiet. Consistency is the magic ingredient. Your body loves routine…especially now.  MOVE IT: WHY EXERCISE IS YOUR SLEEP BFF Here’s something I preach to my  Well Collective community: movement is key. Regular cardio-even 30 minutes of movement, like Zumba -has been shown to improve sleep quality and reduce night sweats! So let’s get moving together!But there is a catch! Try to finish any moderate-to-intense exercise at least 3 hours before bed. Morning and afternoon sessions are golden. Your nighttime self will be SO grateful.

PARTING TIPS TO HELP WITH YOUR SLEEP NOURISH: EAT FOR BETTER SLEEP Sleep-supporting foods to add to your day: Cherries area a natural source of melatonin A small handful of almonds gives magnesium that helps muscles relax Turkey, eggs, or pumpkin seeds offer tryptophan = serotonin precursor Bananas gives potassium + magnesium combo for muscle relaxation  After 2pm try to limit: caffeine (it has a 6 hour half life, which means that 6 hours later, half of the caffeine is still in your system), alcohol, heavy meals, and excessive sugar.  LITTLE LOVE NOTEIf you had a bad night (or a bad week) — please be gentle with yourself. Sleep deprivation makes everything feel harder and bigger and worse. You’re not broken. Your body is going through something real.Rest is resistance. Taking care of your sleep is an act of loving yourself!

WHY ARE YOU SO EMOTIONAL! Moods, and the Hormone-Emotion Balance (Pt.3 of 4)

Hey Gorgeous, One minute you’re totally fine. The next you’re balling your eyes out at a paper towel commercial. Then you’re inexplicably furious at the dishwasher. Sound familiar? Perimenopause and emotional volatility are very real!  Iit has nothing to do with you being “too sensitive” or “dramatic.” Your brain is literally responding to hormonal shifts in real time. This month, we’re unpacking the mood piece because your mental and emotional health matters just as much as the physical stuff.   YOUR BRAIN ON FLUCTUATING HORMONES Estrogen doesn’t just affect your reproductive system — it plays a massive role in your brain chemistry’ as well. It helps to regulate serotonin (your feel-good neurotransmitter), dopamine (motivation and pleasure), and norepinephrine (alertness and mood). When estrogen fluctuates erratically in perimenopause, so does your emotional baseline. That’s why anxiety, irritability, sadness, and even depressive episodes can show up even when you have maybe never dealt with them before. It can just feel like something is OFF. Common emotional shifts in perimenopause: -Irritability or a much shorter fuse than usual: EVERYTHING gets on my NERVES! -New or worsening anxiety that often shows up at night -Unexpected sadness or feelings of loss, when you have no apparent reason for it! -Feeling disconnected from yourself or your life, like you are just going throughthe motions -Loss of motivation or desire to do the things you used to love to do! If any of these resonate with you,  you’re not going crazy. You’re going THROUGH something. There’s a big difference.  THIS MONTH’S TIP: THE STOP TECHNIQUE When a big emotion hits out of nowhere, try this quick grounding practice:S.T.O.P. S: Stop what you’re doing T: Take a breath (slow inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6) O: Observe: what am I feeling? Where in my body? P: Proceed with awareness (instead of reaction) I t sounds simple because it is, but simple things work because we can ACTUALLY do them! This tiny pause between trigger and reaction can change everything.  MOVE IT: DANCE YOUR FEELINGS OUT Ya’ll know I’m a bit biased here (okay, very biased), but I genuinely believe that dancing is one of the best mood regulators out there! When you move to music you love, your brain releases dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins (DOSE) there are all the things perimenopause is messing with! Even 20 minutes of Zumba or Fitness Bellydance can shift your emotional state. Your body stores emotion and movement helps release it. This is science AND soul. Join the WELL COLLECTIVE and get access to a library of online classes that you can take On-Demand, whenever you’d like, even if you wake up at 3am and can’t sleep!  ✨  WELL ESCAPE MEXICO-SIGNATURE EDITION ✨ September 10-13, I’m hosting the WELL ESCAPE MEXICO retreat! A few dreamy days in our own private beachfront Hacienda  combining movement, connection, and deep self-discovery. My seminar Made Magnificent: The Unveiling of You will guide you through a transformational process of peeling back the layers and stepping into who you truly are at this stage of life. If your soul has been whispering “it’s time,” this might be for you. NOURISH: EAT TO SUPPORT YOUR MOOD Add these mood-supporting foods: 🫐  Blueberries offer antioxidants that support brain health 🥬  Dark leafy greens give folate which supports serotonin production 🍫  Dark chocolate (70%+) Offer magnesium + a little joy for some (not me-iykyk) 🐟  Salmon or mackerel give omega-3s which are proven mood stabilizers 🥚  Eggs give choline which support brain function and memory  And reducing: ultra-processed foods, refined sugar, and alcohol — all of which contribute to mood instability and inflammation.  REAL TALK If your emotional shifts are significantly impacting your daily life, please talk to a healthcare provider. There is no medal for pushing through alone. Therapy, hormone support, lifestyle changes, community: these are all valid tools in your toolkit. You don’t have to manage this by yourself. That’s kind of why I built all of this.

Your Body Is Not Betraying You — It’s Asking for a New Kind of Love (Pt. 4 of 4)

Hey beautiful,

We’ve talked sleep. We’ve talked moods. We’ve talked hormones. This month, I want to get a little deeper into how perimenopause affects your relationship with your body itself.

Here’s what I notice a lot: women in their 40s start fighting their bodies. The weight changes, the energy dips, the shape shifts, and the inner critic gets LOUD. And I want to gently and lovingly remind you of some things today.

THE BODY COMPOSITION SHIFT (IT’S REAL, & IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT)

As estrogen declines, your body naturally redistributes fat — particularly toward the abdomen. Your metabolism also slows slightly, and muscle mass can decrease if not actively maintained.

This is biology. Not failure. Not laziness. Biology.

The goal isn’t to fight your body back to 32. The goal is to understand what it needs NOW and give it that. This is one of the most liberating reframes of perimenopause when you let it happen.

What’s actually happening and why:

•Estrogen helps regulate fat distribution — less estrogen, more belly fat

•Muscle mass naturally decreases after 40 (sarcopenia) — resistance training helps

•Metabolic rate drops slightly — not dramatically, but enough to notice

•Sodium and fluid retention increase — hello bloating!

THIS MONTH’S TIP: SHIFT FROM WEIGHT LOSS TO BODY BUILDING

Instead of asking “how do I lose weight,” try asking “how do I build a strong, resilient body?” The focus shifts from subtraction to addition and your mindset follows.

Practically, this means adding 2x per week of strength training (bodyweight counts!), prioritizing protein (if you want to learn more about this, be sure to check out my nutrition course available in the ZIN ACADEMY), and moving in ways that feel GOOD rather than punishing. Dance counts. Walking counts. Zumba absolutely counts.

 MOVE IT: WHY STRENGTH + DANCE IS THE DREAM TEAM

You know how I feel about Zumba and Fitness Bellydance, but it’s because I’ve seen what they do for women in this season of life. They build strength, yes. But they also rebuild your relationship with your body. When you’re moving joyfully and having fun, you stop seeing your body as something to fix. You start seeing it as something to celebrate!

That shift? It’s everything.

This month’s movement challenge:

Week 1: Add one strength session (squats, lunges, pushups — 20 mins is enough!)

Week 2: Try one new dance class or movement style you’ve never done

Week 3: Take a walk outside daily — even 15 minutes in the sun

Week 4: Reflect — how does your body FEEL? Not how does it look. How does it FEEL.

NOURISH: PROTEIN IS QUEEN

If there’s one nutritional non-negotiable in perimenopause, it’s protein. It maintains muscle, stabilizes blood sugar, keeps you full, and supports mood. Most women are under-eating it.

High-protein additions for your day:

🥚  2-3 eggs at breakfast: easy, complete protein

🫘  Greek yogurt or cottage cheese as a snack

🍗  Palm-sized portion of chicken, fish, or legumes at each main meal

🌿  Hemp seeds or edamame added to salads and grain bowls

YOU ARE NOT PAST YOUR PRIME!

One of the themes I return to again and again, in the WELL CORNER, in the Well Collective, and especially on WELL ESCAPES is this:

“You are not declining. You are distilling. Everything unnecessary is falling away, and what remains is the truest, most powerful version of you.”

That’s what Made Magnificent is about. That’s what this community is about. That’s what YOU are about.

Thank you for being here, for reading, for showing up for yourself every single month. It matters more than you know.