"My Hormones Are Having Too Much Say" | An Honest Convo About Peri-Menopause

My podcast co-host and fellow fitness guru Katie Bulmer-Cooke shared her personal story on The Voice of Fitness Reason this week and dropped something pretty real on us.

She's been referred to the menopause clinic at age 40, and she was kind enough to let me share it with you, because honestly? It's the kind of conversation more of us need to hear.

"They're just having too much say in how I feel"

That's how Katie described it. Not dramatic. Not over the top. Just honest.

Two good weeks a month.

Then two weeks of feeling flat, anxious, short-fused, and just... not herself.

And the kicker? Katie does everything right. Trains consistently. Eats well. Prioritises sleep and recovery. If you asked 20 people in her life who takes the best care of themselves, she reckons all 20 would say her name.

That's what makes it feel so unfair.

So what is she actually doing about it?

Full credit where it's due as she is NOT ignoring it, she definitely isn't Google herself into a spiral. She's been to see her GP and came out with a plan.

One of her clients (who is further along the same journey) had also told her about a symptom questionnaire from Newson Health. It's a detailed, honest checklist covering everything from mood, anxiety, sleep, and energy, to hair, skin, digestive changes, and cycle changes.Eight pages. Rate yourself 1–4 on each symptom. Katie said some of the answers were hard to write down. Seeing "feeling hopeless — 3 out of 4" in black and white on paper? That's confronting. But also clarifying.

"There were some questions I couldn't answer because I couldn't cope with seeing that response written down."

If you want to print it off yourself, head to newsonhealth.co.uk and search for the symptom questionnaire.

The GP visit

Katie went armed with her questionnaire and had a brilliant experience with her nurse practitioner. Half an hour. Proper conversation. Blood tests. Referral to the menopause clinic.

She knows not everyone gets that, and if you've had a bad experience, that's genuinely rubbish. But she wanted to share that it can go well, especially if you go in prepared with your symptoms written down and ready to talk.

What exercise has meant through all of this

Here's the bit that really got me. Even through the flat weeks. The anxious weeks. The weeks where Katie lost interest in almost everything, exercise never left.

"I'm using exercise very much for my head as much as my body now."

That's the shift. In your 20s, you might train to look good on holiday. In your 30s, maybe to build a strong foundation. In your 40s and beyond? It might be the thing that keeps you you on the weeks when everything else feels off.

That's not a small thing. That's huge.

The honest takeaway

Hormones don't care how clean your diet is or how many steps you hit. At some point, this phase of life is coming, and no amount of kale is going to stop it (phew!). 😅

Here's what DOES matter:

• Doing the basics means you'll feel better than if you weren't. It's not a cure, but it's a massive buffer.

• Talking about it helps. Whether that's your GP, a mate, a podcast, or a forum, you don't have to sit in silence with stuff you don't understand.

• Getting proactive beats hoping it sorts itself. Katie's words: "I'm an action person. I had to do something."

What's coming next on the pod

Katie's going to update us after her menopause clinic appointment, and we're hoping to bring on one of her clients, a doctor who specialises in female health and menopause, to answer your questions properly.

Got something you'd like us to ask her?

Drop it in the comments or send us a message.

Nothing is too much detail. We're past that I promise. 💬

Listen to the full episode here 👇 Voice of Fitness Reason — Spotify

Frank Sinclair is a personal trainer based in Surrey and co-host of the Voice of Fitness Reason podcast. For more on training, mindset, and feeling your best, follow @FitwithFrank on Instagram / Facebook / YouTube.

Hope it helps!

FRANK

your Personal Trainer / Hormone Investigator