How Kathryn Meckle is Training for Her Future with Empower
As a mental health therapist, Kathryn Meckle appreciates anything that is backed by real science.
So when the 47-year-old found a podcast featuring Dr. Stacy Sims talking about menopause, she was excited.
“I’m already perimenopausal, it sounded like it was right up my alley,” Meckle said, laughing.
Kathryn, a 20-year competitive cyclist, hopped on her trainer for an hour-and-a-half ride and turned on the podcast.
“I watched the podcast over a couple of training sessions on the bike and I thought, ‘This is amazing. She knows exactly what she is talking about, and it’s real science and research,’” Meckle said.
Why Strength Training Mattered
Meckle kept following Dr. Sims and soon discovered Empower.
Although she loved the endurance training she got from cycling, she knew she needed a more well-rounded program — one that included strength training (especially for her upper body), sprint intervals, and plyometrics.
Strength work was especially important for Kathryn because she had a right hip replacement three years ago due to osteoarthritis, and she knows she’ll eventually need one on her left side too.
“I wanted to stay as strong as I can and build muscle tone so recovery from my left hip replacement goes as smoothly, or even better, than my right,” she said.
She took a closer look at Empower and realized it was exactly what she had been looking for:
“I didn’t want to start a training program based on anecdotal information,” she said. “And I wanted a program that was specifically geared toward women my age.”
She also liked that the workouts were written for her so she could just follow the plan without having to figure it out on her own.
“I just wanted to open an app and follow the instructions,” Meckle said.
Four Months In
Kathryn has been following Empower’s Flight program four days a week since March. Within three months she had already noticed big changes, including more muscle tone and development in her arms.
“My thighs are looking bigger, which is awesome,” Meckle said.
The strength and interval training has even helped her cycling.
Three months into Empower, she went out for a 32-mile bike ride with her husband and 19-year-old son. She was a little nervous because she hadn’t been riding since starting Empower.
“I wasn’t sure how my aerobic capacity would be, but I did way better than I thought I would. So the sprint and high-intensity intervals and the weightlifting has translated over to cycling,” she said.
Even more importantly, the program has boosted her mental health — and she actually enjoys it.
Finding Community
Kathryn also values the Empower Facebook group.
“It’s an uplifting group, and I can ask questions and talk to other women. They’re vulnerable and real,” she said.
Kathryn’s Message
To other women who are in, or approaching perimenopause, Kathryn says staying informed and choosing a program you trust are two of the biggest keys to success.
“There are a lot of changes we’re going through and it feels like your hormones are hijacking your body,” said Meckle, who is taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) after experiencing depressive symptoms.
She believes that educating yourself and staying fit can make this stage of life much easier.
In her case, she credits both Dr. Sims and Empower.
“I am planning for my 70s, 80s and 90s. I plan to be alive that long. And I don’t want my last decades to be terrible. So there is this quality of life that I want to achieve,” Meckle said.
“It works and it’s scientifically backed. It’s helping my body to look the way I want it to, it’s helping my body function the way I want it to, and it helps my mental health. I feel good about myself,” she said.
She added:
“It’s specifically designed for women our age, so we can have the life we want to live in our 80s and 90s.”
Kathryn’s story is a reminder that when you train with science on your side, you’re not just working out for today — you’re building the life you want decades from now.
