Strength training, nutrition and coaching matched to perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. For women over 40 who notice the old recipe has stopped working and want their body on their side again. Coaching in English or Dutch.
In short
What used to be "move enough and watch what you eat" no longer works. Not because you are doing something wrong, but because something is shifting hormonally.
Fat storage shifts towards the middle. Muscle mass drops without you changing anything. Bone density starts declining, years before a scan would show it.
Sleep becomes broken, recovery takes longer. The cardio that used to make you fit now feels draining. Stress settles in the body faster.
The same food, a different result. Crash diets cost you muscle and lower your resting metabolism further. What once worked now works against you.
This is not "you have to work harder". This is a phase where the rules change. Women who understand the new rules and train accordingly come out of the menopause stronger and steadier than they went in. Women who keep following the old rules, more cardio, less food, the same group classes, get more stuck.
Not every woman is at the same point. The approach shifts with you.
What you notice: your cycle becomes irregular, your sleep is broken, your weight sits differently while you eat the same, and your fuse is shorter.
What we focus on: protecting muscle mass before it gets genuinely harder. Strength training two or three times a week, protein first, and sleep treated as part of the training. This is the phase where every hour you invest pays back the most.
What you notice: hot flushes, night sweats, energy that swings, focus that drops away at times, and a clear change in where weight sits.
What we focus on: recovery-led training. No overtraining, no hours of cardio. Strength training stays the base, but we watch sleep and stress more closely. Nutrition matters even more: enough protein, fewer large sugar spikes, no extreme calorie deficits.
What you notice: menopause symptoms ease off, but bone density and muscle mass are now the point of attention. The risk of falls, fractures and sarcopenia rises without deliberate work.
What we focus on: loading the bones through progressive strength training (squats and deadlifts in a safe variation), balance, and functional strength for daily life. Women who take this seriously are often physically fitter at 65 than they were at 50.
What is at play: every kilo of muscle you lose is harder to win back. Maintaining strength and mobility is no longer a luxury but an insurance policy for staying independent.
What we focus on: training consistently at a level that is safe and repeatable. Not on delivering a peak performance, but on keeping a strong body. Many clients in this phase stay active for years on a maintenance programme.
Personal training through the menopause is not a replacement for a gym and not an alternative to medical care. It stands on its own.
Many of the women who come to me during the menopause share one experience: years of moving faithfully, watching what they ate, and then suddenly nothing works the way it did.
The frustration is double: the body does something unexpected, and the solutions everyone recommends ("eat less, move more") sometimes make it worse.
My job is to give you a different game plan.
Strength training built up the right way. Nutrition that accounts for what is changing hormonally. Recovery as part of the training, not as a luxury. And coaching that helps you keep going in a phase where your body sometimes works against you.
For medical questions I always refer you back to your GP or a menopause clinic. I am a trainer, not a doctor. My role covers everything where training, nutrition and coaching are proven to make the difference.
Sessions take place at SportCity Haarlem Raaks (postcode 2011), with clients from Haarlem, Heemstede, Bloemendaal, Aerdenhout and Overveen.
Four options, for women just starting out and for women who want to go all in. Minimum starting period of 4 months, monthly cancellation after that.
Would you rather train one to one at a specific location? Have a look at the page on training at SportCity Haarlem Raaks. Or see the broader page for women over 40 in Haarlem.
By Remko Opdam, T.O.P. Trainer A (Overload Worldwide) and certified in Mylogenics Activation, Release & Rehab. Last updated: 1 July 2026.
Then start with the free guide Stronger through the menopause: the five steps that do work in this phase. Read it straight away, apply all of it yourself.
Get the free guideFill in the form and I will get back to you within one working day to arrange a free first conversation. We will talk about the phase you are in, your most important goals, and which programme fits best.
From first conversation to measurable result, in fixed steps.
| Programme | Frequency | Price | Results guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 6 sessions in 6 weeks | €499 one-off | No |
| Foundation | 1× per week | €399 per 4 weeks | No |
| Transformation | 2× per week | €699 per 4 weeks | Yes |
| Intensive | 3× per week | €1,249 per 4 weeks | Yes |
The health claims on this page are based on:
