What Barbados Traffic Can Teach You About Your Body in Perimenopause
We hosted family this week, which meant I stepped back into one of my other roles:
Island tour guide. 😄
And every time we have visitors, I’m reminded why we live here.
The beaches.
The beauty.
The pace of life.
The warm air that somehow fixes everything.
And also…
The traffic.
Let me give you a little inside look at island life.
Over the past 50 years, the number of cars in Barbados has grown from about 40,000 to 180,000… on an island that’s only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide.
So yes—you can imagine how that’s going.
Now, on paper, this is a good thing.
More cars = a stronger economy
More access
More opportunity
But in reality?
It creates congestion.
Frustration.
Bottlenecks everywhere.
Because the system didn’t adapt to handle the growth.
And sitting in traffic this week (again), I had one of those “well, there it is” moments…
Because this is exactly what I see happening in women’s bodies in their 40s.
When More Isn’t Better
Heading toward menopause is not a problem.
In many cultures, it’s actually a powerful transition:
The end of the childbearing years
The end of the monthly hormonal rollercoaster
A phase where you get to feel more grounded and clear
Honestly? Sounds pretty great.
But the transition getting there?
That’s where things can feel messy.
During perimenopause, hormones become more unpredictable as your body shifts.
And what I see most women do in response is this:
When their body stops responding…
they do more.
More cardio
More workouts
More intensity
It feels logical.
But in many cases?
It makes things worse.
What Your Body Actually Needs
Because during hormonal transition, your body often needs:
More intentional strength training
Better recovery
Less random volume and intensity
Not just more effort.
It’s the same problem Barbados is having.
More cars without a better system doesn’t create efficiency.
It creates traffic.
More workouts without the right strategy?
That creates:
Fatigue
Frustration
A body that feels like it’s no longer responding
The Real Shift
This is where most workout plans fall apart.
They’re not designed for the body you have now.
They’re based on what used to work.
You don’t need to push harder.
You need a plan that actually fits your body in this phase.
If This Feels Familiar…
If your workouts feel like they’ve stalled…
If your body feels like it’s fighting you…
You’re not doing it wrong.
You just haven’t been given the right strategy yet.
And if Barbados wants help solving the traffic situation…
I’ve got a few thoughts. 😉
We introduced our guests to jumping, swinging, sliding and swimming at The Boatyard while they were here. I always forget how many fun things there are to do on this island.
