Deanett Pierce

Menopause & Menstrual Cycle Coach

Hello, my name is Deanett Pierce. My journey into fitness began at the age of 24 when I started exercising after the birth of my oldest daughter. Over the years, my love of exercise turned from just “working out” to “training”. My passion for training led me down a path to learn more about exercise physiology and nutrition. Eventually, it led me to becoming a certified group fitness instructor after turning 40 years old. From there I started training clients one-on-one, and after I turned 50 I started coaching and guiding clients through obstacle course races. During these obstacle course races, the most rewarding moments for me came not from completing races with top finisher times, but from guiding someone through all the challenges and obstacles until they reached the end. It was truly gratifying to help someone through moments in which they didn’t think they could overcome an obstacle but gritted through to the end.

As I entered my mid-50’s, I decided to take a break from obstacle course racing and delved into road running. It was then that I started training for a marathon. It was during this time that I began struggling with injuries, weight gain, loss of cardiovascular endurance, and loss of lean muscle even though I was doing everything my running coaches were telling me. Little did I know that I was experiencing the effects of poor management of my menopausal physiology. It was not that I was experiencing menopause for the first time in my mid-50’s. In fact I had already been experiencing those symptoms, albeit in a mild way, while training and racing in obstacle course events in my 40’s. So why was I now struggling with gaining weight, losing muscle, and feeling sluggish on my training runs? Why was I getting slower and struggling to breathe during runs that should have been easily manageable?

I was so frustrated that I would beat myself up over it. Even though by this point I knew I was in menopause, I still didn’t understand what was happening to my body and why. I had no idea how menopause affects the female body. Nobody had educated me on this phase of my life and what to expect. I felt frustrated, alone, and disappointed in myself. So began my quest for knowledge and understanding. I searched for articles, but could find nothing on menopause and athletes. I asked anyone and everyone but could not get answers. Eventually, I found the answers to my questions, and this revelation was so bright it was blinding. I started implementing the necessary changes in my training and nutrition, and soon enough I began to see the fruits of my labor. My body composition started to change, I was replacing body fat with lean muscle, I began to regain some of my power, and I was getting stronger and reclaiming some of the speed I had lost. It gave me back my enthusiasm within this chapter of my life, and I regained my confidence.

Sharing my passion for fitness and helping others reach their goals was what I was meant to do, and is what drove me into the fitness profession many years ago. Going through menopause, though, has given me the opportunity to enter a new chapter in my life in helping others. I want to help other women conquer the obstacles that face them through the spectrum of womanhood. My goal is to help you understand your physiological challenges as an active woman and help you take control of your body so that you can continue to grow as a healthy and fit woman.