Every year, like clockwork, fitness brands roll out the same tired messaging. In May, it’s all about “strong moms.” By October, they’re pushing menopause content which almost always directed at women over the age of 50. The problem? These messages leave out an entire group of women who don’t fit neatly into either category.
If you’ve gone through a hysterectomy at a younger age, or if you’re not a mom by choice or circumstance, this kind of marketing can feel isolating. It’s not just about representation. It’s about the way fitness brands assume every woman follows the same timeline: grow up, have kids, hit menopause in your 50s, and adjust your fitness goals accordingly.
How Age-Based Marketing Misses the Mark
Menopause marketing is finally getting more attention in the fitness world, which is long overdue. But the way it’s being framed still falls into outdated tropes.
Most of it assumes menopause equals aging, slowing down, and needing “fixes” for weight gain, fatigue, and a body that’s suddenly working against you. The target audience is almost always women over 50, leaving out those who experience menopause early due to surgery, cancer treatments, or medical conditions.
Instead of assuming all women are entering this phase of life at the same time, fitness brands and coaches need to acknowledge that menopause is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Some women hit menopause in their 30s or 40s. Some never had kids and don’t relate to the “empty nester” narrative. Others are thriving in this phase and don’t need to be told their body is a problem to solve.
Mom-Focused Fitness Marketing Isn’t Any Better
On the other side of the spectrum, we have fitness marketing that centers motherhood. “Strong as a mother.” “Train like a mom.” “For busy moms who want to get fit.”
These messages might seem empowering on the surface, but they alienate women who don’t have kids, especially those who wanted them but couldn’t. Fitness professionals don’t always realize how exclusive this language can feel. Motherhood is not the default for all women, and strength doesn’t have to be tied to raising kids.
A woman who had a hysterectomy at 35 doesn’t need a program “designed for moms.” She needs a program designed for her, based on her body, her hormones, and her training goals...not her reproductive history.
What Fitness Brands Need to Do Instead
The fitness industry keeps dividing women into categories that don’t reflect real life. The assumption is that if you’re a mom, you train one way. If you’re menopausal, you train another. If you don’t fit either label, you’re left with messaging that doesn’t speak to you at all.
Here’s what needs to change:
- Stop assuming all women go through the same life stages at the same time.
- Drop the “fix it” language around menopause. Some women feel great. Others need support. Either way, framing it as a decline isn’t helping.
- Recognize that not all women are moms, and that shouldn’t define their strength or their fitness goals.
- Focus on performance, adaptation, and longevity—things that apply to all women, no matter their age or background.
Fitness marketing doesn’t have to be about fitting women into neat little boxes. Strength, endurance, and resilience look different for everyone. It’s time for the industry to catch up.