What Menopause Does to Your Legs (and How I Changed Mine at 64)

Summary

Ruth Sheridan describes how her legs changed after she stopped training and gained weight, and how she rebuilt strength and changed their appearance in her 60s. She says menopause and aging can contribute to faster muscle loss, thinner skin, and changes in where fat is stored.

She also explains that cellulite is influenced by connective-tissue structure and can affect women at any weight. Creams and devices may have temporary effects, she says, but they do not address its underlying appearance.

Her main message is to focus on building and preserving muscle, losing fat gradually, and training consistently—rather than chasing quick fixes or comparing your current ability with your past peak.

Strategies and Techniques She Recommends

• Start from your current fitness level. Sheridan restarted with 10-pound dumbbells after years away from training, then increased the weight as she got stronger. She advises against letting a previous level of fitness dictate where you begin now.
• Strength-train regularly. She recommends training legs twice a week, with at least two days between sessions for recovery. She also strength-trains at least three times weekly overall.
• Use progressive overload. Her “double progression” approach:
  1. Choose a weight you can lift for about eight challenging repetitions.
  2. Work toward three sets, gradually adding repetitions over time.
  3. Once you can do three sets of 12, increase the weight and return to about eight repetitions per set.
  4. Avoid doing the two leg sessions on consecutive days.
• Eat enough protein to support muscle. Sheridan aims for about 140 grams a day. For those who currently eat less, she suggests increasing gradually—for example, working toward 30 grams per meal, then adjusting intake toward roughly one gram per pound of body weight.
• Lose fat gradually rather than crash dieting. She recommends a calorie deficit and appropriate macros while eating enough to support training and muscle. She cautions that strict, very low-calorie dieting may also cost muscle.
• Be patient and consistent. Strength and everyday function may improve within weeks, while visible changes can take months. Sheridan says her own leg changes were the result of three years of work.
• Treat sleep and recovery as part of training. She emphasizes giving muscles time to recover and notes that drinking wine before bed can interfere with recovery.
• Keep activity tied to function and quality of life. Sheridan frames strong legs as a way to maintain independence and keep doing activities such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, hiking, traveling, and biking.
• Don’t expect spot reduction. She says exercises targeting one area cannot selectively remove fat there. Building muscle and reducing overall body fat may change how an area looks, but she advises allowing time for stubborn areas such as the legs and lower abdomen.
• Make a decision and begin where you are. Her closing advice is to commit to starting, follow a plan, track sets, reps, and weights, and give the process time.

Presenter and Sources

• Presenter: Ruth Sheridan, Fit Wise Woman with Ruth Sheridan.
• Other sources: No external experts or studies are named in the subtitles.