A Fitness Coach’s Journey Through Pain, Menopause, and Rebuilding Strength 
For a long time, my body felt like it was working against me.
Pain, surgery, menopause, medication, and long periods of forced inactivity slowly chipped away at my strength and confidence. And for someone who has been a fitness professional and coach for over 30 years, that was both physically and emotionally challenging.
This past year wasn’t about chasing weight loss.
It was about rebuilding my health, strength, clarity, and trust in my body.
And in doing that, I got my life back.
Weight Loss Was the Outcome — Health Was the Goal
Over the last year, I lost 3 stone.
But the most meaningful changes went far beyond the scales:
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Reduced risk of chronic disease
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Improved mobility and joint stability
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Increased strength and confidence
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Better energy and resilience
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A renewed connection with my body
This transformation didn’t come from extremes or punishment. It came from consistent, intelligent strength training, applied with patience and respect for a midlife body.
Coming Off Medication and Clearing the Fog
For years, I was prescribed amitriptyline and citalopram to help manage chronic pain and its wider effects.
Under medical supervision, I was able to come off both medications — and the difference was profound.
I experienced:
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Reduced brain fog
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Improved mental clarity and focus
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Better sleep quality
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Improved mood and motivation
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A stronger mind-body connection
Movement and strength became part of my recovery, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.
The Surgery That Changed Everything
The most life-altering turning point in my physical health came after fistula surgery (fistulotomy).
The surgery itself was necessary — but the recovery period that followed was physically devastating.
I was laid up for a prolonged time, unable to move or train properly, and during that period my muscles atrophied significantly. That loss of muscle strength and stability became the trigger for many of the physical problems that followed.
As my body weakened:
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My compressed discs became increasingly painful
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Everyday movement felt unstable and unreliable
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I developed severe hip pain and genuinely believed I would need a hip replacement
For someone who had always relied on their body, this was frightening.
Getting the Right Diagnosis Was a Turning Point
Rather than guessing or accepting worst-case assumptions, I chose to get clarity and paid for a private MRI.
The relief was enormous.
The scan showed that the issue wasn’t severe joint damage — it was tendinopathy, not a failing hip. While still painful and challenging, this meant the condition was treatable and reversible.
However, rebuilding from that level of deconditioning was not easy.
Rebuilding After Muscle Atrophy and Pain
Recovering required time, patience, and the right support.
My rehabilitation included:
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Shockwave therapy
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Physiotherapy
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Acupuncture
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And, most importantly, a gradual, structured return to strength training
This wasn’t about pushing through pain or rushing progress.
It was about restoring muscle, joint support, and confidence in movement, layer by layer.
That experience reinforced something I now see again and again in women:
When muscles atrophy, pain often follows — but when strength is rebuilt intelligently, the body can recover remarkably well.
A Body That Has Endured and Adapted
This chapter was not my first physical setback.
Over the years, my body has also endured:
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Being hit by a car 20 years ago
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Multiple shoulder operations
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Long-term management of chronic pain
Each experience required adaptation, resilience, and learning how to work with my body rather than against it.
Menopause Changed How I Train — and How I Coach
Then menopause arrived.
Instead of stepping back, I leaned into education and awareness, becoming one of the early voices helping women understand how menopause affects training, recovery, and strength through my blog MenoAndMe.
Menopause taught me this:
Training in midlife must be hormone-aware, recovery-focused, and sustainable.
What worked in our 20s doesn’t always serve us later — and that’s not failure, it’s biology.
When Everything Stopped
COVID forced me to close my studio.
Combined with health setbacks and inactivity, this period nearly floored me — physically and mentally. My body no longer felt familiar, and my confidence was shaken.
But this became the moment everything changed.
Rebuilding From the Inside Out
With 30 years of coaching experience behind me, I rebuilt myself using the same principles I now teach:
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Intelligent, progressive strength training
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Respect for recovery and joint health
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Hormone-aware programming
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Consistency over perfection
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Training with the body, not against it
Slowly, strength returned.
Clarity returned.
Confidence returned.
Why I Now Coach Women Online
This journey reminded me how many women are struggling silently — especially in midlife.
I now offer online personal training and coaching for women who want:
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Sustainable strength and confidence
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Safe training through menopause
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Support after pain, injury, or inactivity
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Clear guidance instead of guesswork
I don’t coach from theory alone.
I coach from lived experience, education, and empathy.
If This Story Resonates
I didn’t just study this journey — I lived it.
If you’re ready to rebuild your body, your confidence, and your trust in movement, you don’t have to do it alone.
Jane Dowling
Fitness Professional & Online Coach
