Hi, I’m Chris Feld. Fitness and health have been my passion for over 30 years, across commercial, corporate, and private sectors. Along the way, I’ve worn many hats—Personal Trainer, Yoga/Pilates Instructor, Strength Coach, and Functional Training Specialist—all with the goal of making a real difference in people’s lives.
I’ve danced, volunteered as a firefighter, power-lifted, competed in sports aerobics, and rock-climbed. If it involved running, jumping, climbing, or lifting, I was all in. The more challenging, the better; if it seemed impossible even better!
Becoming a Neuromuscular Therapist was a turning point, as it shifted my thinking about health and fitness. I saw that while fitness and health are often bundled together, they’re not always aligned. Traditional training sometimes forces us through movement patterns that don’t support real-life needs. So, I dedicated the next two decades to Functional Training, along with Yoga and Pilates, to help people develop strength and resilience that truly support everyday life.
My Personal Menopause Journey
Then came my journey through perimenopause and menopause, which added a new dimension to my understanding. I was the one who thought I’d breeze through it, hardly giving menopause a second thought. But when the pandemic hit, my highly active life came to an abrupt halt. With lockdowns, gym closures, and a 3-kilometer radius, my whole lifestyle shifted. And that’s when menopause made itself known: hot flashes, sleepless nights, itchy skin, even aches and pains from simply walking. I also experienced frozen shoulders, plantar fasciitis, and even my teeth shifting position—because apparently, menopause likes to get creative! It was as if my body decided it was time for a complete remodelling project, and no part was off-limits. I had never known these were actually common symptoms! Basically everything was just inflamed from the sudden hormone fluctuation. My physical resilience, something I’d always relied on, was suddenly tested in ways I hadn’t expected—Mother Nature clearly wanted to see if I was paying attention!
The biggest shock was how little I knew about menopause, even after decades in the fitness world. Each new symptom seemed to come with the same response: “Oh, that’s common in menopause.” But of course, only after I’d done a deep dive into PubMed at 3 a.m. like some kind of hormone detective! The real issue wasn’t a complete lack of information—it was that peri/menopause simply wasn’t openly discussed. Without those conversations, it was hard to connect the dots and recognize the symptoms for what they were. So, even though the information existed, I never came across it.
My Mission
This realisation inspired SweatsBeforeSquats. (Well, truthfully, I was mostly enraged that I had to learn all this the hard way—thanks, hormones!)
I’m here to break the silence around menopause—to arm women with the tools and knowledge I wish I’d had. This blog isn’t about a list of symptoms; it’s about empowering ourselves to view menopause as a natural life phase, not an illness. There are positive aspects to this stage, too, and I’m determined to highlight those. We don’t have to settle for “it’s just stress” or “it’s normal with age.” There’s a lot we can do, and yes, it’s okay to laugh along the way!
So here’s to embracing every phase, every laugh, and every hot flash. Welcome to SweatsBeforeSquats!