Asha Labreche: Finding Strength and Confidence in Perimenopause
Nobody told Asha Labreche what was going to happen when she hit perimenopause.
She had always been a good sleeper, but suddenly at 35 she couldn’t fall asleep at night. And that was just the beginning.
Hot flashes started. Her anxiety crept up. She was overwhelmed all the time. Her body was sore with new aches and pains, and she wasn’t recovering as well after training.
“Parenting got a lot harder,” said Labreche, now 44 and a mother of two children.
Searching for Answers
Asha, who is a CrossFit Level 1 coach and personal trainer in Roberts Creek, British Columbia, began researching and was eventually put on HRT (hormone replacement therapy), which helped a lot.
Along the way, she discovered Dr. Stacy Sims and read her book ROAR.
“I started to become really passionate about female training and female health… And I feel like she has been a bit of a mentor to me, even though I have never met her,” Labreche said.
Asha has also been a longtime fan of CrossFit athletes Annie Thorisdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir.
“They were two of my favorite CrossFit athletes to follow,” she said.
So when Annie and Katrin launched Empower,
“It felt like the perfect storm,” Labreche said.
Why Empower Made Sense
At the time, Asha was creating her own workouts, but the idea of following a structured program — one she didn’t have to think about — really appealed to her.
“I had decision fatigue. I make so many decisions for other people about their training, so it made a lot of sense to me to have something more structured to follow,” she said.
She started with the Take Off program and now follows Empower’s Flight program.
“I love the programming. It makes me happy, and there’s something about feeling capable in my body and feeling stronger. Feeling strong is one of my favorite feelings in the entire world. It lifts me up and carries me through my day,” she said.
Feeling Supported from Anywhere
Asha deals with frequent S.I. joint pain, and she’s been impressed with how quickly the Empower team responds to her questions.
“If I have a question, my emails are being answered as quickly as possible, either in email or on the Facebook page. They’re trying really hard to make everyone feel like they matter, and that I think is really difficult to do in an online setting. But when you don’t understand something, they really want you to reach out. I feel special even far away,” she said.
She’s also learned much more about perimenopause through Empower’s education and resources.
“To the person who hasn’t tried this program, they’re giving you so much more than just a program. On your rest days, they’re linking videos to mobility or to podcasts with Dr. Stacy Sims, they’re doing question and answer webinars… And the program is scalable to whatever you need.”
Asha’s Message
Empower has helped Asha realize just how strong and capable she still is.
“You don’t have to dwindle out and expire [just because you’re getting older]. This can be the most empowering time of your life. You’re transitioning into this place where you know yourself better, you’re more confident in who you are, and you are more capable than you think you are. This is the time to grasp that power and see what you’re capable of going forward.”
Asha’s story is proof that getting older isn’t about fading — it’s about stepping into your full power.
At Empower, we believe every woman deserves to feel strong, confident, and unstoppable at every stage of life. Keep showing up, keep lifting, and know this — your best is still ahead of you.
