A Winter Arc that can change with you
During perimenopause, a plan needs room for the week you're having. Choose movement you enjoy, keep a smaller option ready and leave space for rest.
Make your Winter Arc fit life during perimenopause
You can shape a Winter Arc around your own activity level, with room to change the plan as needed. A few walks, space for strength work and regular time to review the week can be a useful place to start.
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. Experiences vary. Sleep problems, changes in mood and aching joints can affect daily life, though some people have few symptoms. The NHS explains the range of symptoms.
Choose a goal you care about. Perhaps you want a regular walk with a friend, a break from your desk or a routine you can return to. Your goal can stay the same while the way you work towards it changes.
The Winter Arc is a seasonal habit challenge, often started in October. It isn't a treatment for symptoms. If symptoms worry you or get in the way of daily life, speak to your GP about support and treatment options.
Choose a Winter Arc goal you can adapt
Start with your recent routine. Think about the walks and other activity you already enjoy. Keep those in the plan before adding anything new.
Try a goal you can act on, such as:
- Put two walking slots in the diary each week.
- Keep a strength session you already enjoy.
- Plan a short break from sitting during the work day.
- Review the next week's plan each Sunday.
Choose one to begin with. If you already have a full exercise routine that suits you, you can keep it. Perimenopause alone doesn't mean you need to swap all your workouts for gentle walks.
The NHS guidance includes regular activity and resistance exercise for bone health. Resistance exercise means using weights, bands or your body weight to work your muscles. Walking can be part of your plan alongside it.
If strength work is new to you, our perimenopause strength guide is a starting point. Get advice on exercises that suit any health conditions or injuries you have.
A flexible Winter Arc week during perimenopause
This is an example for someone starting with short walks. It isn't a set exercise dose. Change the amount, pace and days to fit your current activity and any advice you've been given.
Monday, a familiar walk. Put ten minutes in the diary at a time that often suits you. Pick a route with an easy way home.
Midweek, choose another activity slot. Take a second short walk, or keep a strength session you already do. If you'd like to start strength work, use this slot to find a suitable class or instructor.
Weekend, make room for company. A walk with a friend can be your social plan too. Agree a route and pace you both want, with room to shorten it.
Sunday, review before adding more. Ask which slots worked. If the week felt manageable, you can repeat it. A longer walk is an option, not the next required level.
Leave the other days open for your usual routine, activity you enjoy or rest. A short plan is a starting point. You can build on it over time if that suits you.
The walking Winter Arc guide and tracker can help you keep a record. Use minutes, walks or steps, whichever feels easiest to follow.
Give your Winter Arc a smaller option and a pause
Before a planned walk, check how you feel and what you have time for. Choose the version that fits today.
Your usual plan: take the walk or do the activity you had in mind, if it still feels right.
A smaller option: choose a shorter, familiar route or a few minutes indoors. You can turn back early. There is no minimum you need to reach to keep your place in the challenge.
A pause: rest, move the slot or leave it out. You don't owe the tracker more steps tomorrow.
After a broken night, you might prefer a later slot to an early alarm. If a route feels too much, shorten it next time. Note what happened so you can spot which choices suit you.
A step count can't tell you why you feel unwell. New or worrying symptoms need proper advice. Don't assume every change is part of perimenopause, and don't use a challenge to push through pain or illness.
Keep your Winter Arc useful through December
In October, test the timing. Try the plan for a week. Learn which time of day and which routes you want to repeat.
In November, make a weather swap. Keep a daylight route and an indoor option in mind. Choose warm, comfortable layers you can remove if you need to.
In December, allow for a different week. Work, visits and travel may change your routine. Set fewer slots or pause while you're away. You can carry a useful habit into January without finishing every box.
At each weekly review, write a few short notes:
- Which activity did I enjoy?
- How did I feel during it and later?
- What would I like to keep or change?
You can track symptoms separately if that helps a conversation with your GP. A personal record can help you describe what happened. It can't show that a walk caused or cured a symptom.
For more on specific needs, see our guides to walking, fatigue and motivation during perimenopause.
Let Motion help you see your progress
Motion sets weekly activity goals from your recent activity history. It gives you a place to see your progress and share encouragement with friends.
Your activity also helps a Motmot, your virtual pet, grow. You can start free on iOS or Android with a supported phone or tracker.
The app measures activity. It doesn't assess symptoms or decide when you need rest. Use it as support for the choices you make, alongside any advice from your care team.
Winter Arc during perimenopause FAQs
If you have anything else you want to ask, reach out to us.
Can I do a Winter Arc during perimenopause?
Yes. Choose habits and activity that suit your current health and routine. Keep room to change the plan. If symptoms or a health condition affect exercise, ask your GP or another qualified professional for advice.
Do I need 10,000 steps a day for a perimenopause Winter Arc?
No. This plan has no fixed step requirement. Start with your current activity and choose a manageable way to take part. Planned walks or walking time can be easier to use than a daily step target.
Will a Winter Arc help my perimenopause symptoms?
There is no established Winter Arc programme for treating perimenopause. The challenge can give you a reason to plan activity you enjoy. Speak to your GP about symptoms and treatment options rather than relying on the challenge for relief.
Should I give up harder workouts during perimenopause?
Not just because you're in perimenopause. Your plan should reflect your fitness, health and how you feel. Keep activities that suit you, and seek advice if symptoms, pain or a health condition affect them.
What if I need to rest for several days?
Pause the plan and return when you're ready. You don't need to make up steps or restart the whole season. If tiredness is persistent, new or worrying, discuss it with your GP.
Keep company with your progress
Try Motion for weekly activity goals, a virtual pet and encouragement from friends.
