The workout that worked at 38 stopped working at 43 — and adding more cardio made it worse. This is not a discipline problem. It is a hormonal exercise physiology problem with a specific solution. Perimenopause requires a completely different training stimulus: progressive resistance training as the foundation, HIIT for visceral fat, and treated recovery as a training variable. A meta-analysis of 38 studies confirms it. The 12-week turning point is real. Here is the evidence-