Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Derose

Hi Pamela , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I became interested in working with midlife women because of my own journey. I have been studying health, nutrition and fitness for over 25 years and well into my late 40’s I thought I was in the best shape I could be in. Until the age of 50, I felt and looked great; I ate healthfully, exercised regularly, had thick shiny hair and great skin, and was energetic. I was working a full-time job, raising my daughter as a single mother, volunteering for the PTA, and maintaining a robust social life. My periods were regular, other than the usual PMS symptoms like cramps and bloating. I had absolutely no health complaints.
Then, I turned 50 and things changed overnight. Literally. Overnight. I started to struggle with brain fog and low energy. I started tossing and turning for hours at night. I would wake in the middle of the night drenched in sweat! After eight or more hours in bed, I didn’t feel like I was getting quality sleep and was exhausted. My moods would swing from outrage that there were no ripe avocados at Whole Foods, to crying over my favorite jeans not fitting. I started to notice wrinkles and dullness in my skin – and along with that – ACNE – are you kidding me? My breasts grew two cup sizes, and I started having autoimmune gut issues.
Finallly I ended up in the ER with chest palpatations. Because heart problems run in my family, they immediately admitted me. I was in the hospital for days while they did EKGS, heart scans, tons of bloodwork and finally, an angiogram. The diagnosis? I had the heart of an athlete. So what was going on?
Finally a female cardiologist came in and spoke to me and suggested what I was experiencing was perimenopause – it’s basically the pause before the PAUSE. I had no idea this was a thing, and like any good student, I dug in and did my research. But I wondered – with all I knew and how I was suffering – what do other women do??

In May of 2022, I met with a good friend, Julie, who had also been in the health and wellness world for many years, told her my story and of my idea to create something to support women in midlife. She told me had been having the same thought! Together, we started Midlife Upgrade with the intention of creating a coaching program to help midlife women. We also co-authored a book – Midlife Upgrade, A Girlfriend’s Guide to Finding Your Power in the Pause, which will be released in October 2024, with our program also launching this fall.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

It hasn’t been a smooth road. Getting my health on track was like throwing darts at a wall. I have learned everyone is so unique – there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to midlife, it’s all about advocating for yourself and finding the right practitioner who will be patient in helping you find what works for YOU. Today, I am on a hormone program that works well for ME. I sleep great, I have muscle tone again, I have lost weight and no more rage! It’s been worth the journey because I feel like I have so empathy for what midlife women are going through and now I also have nuggets of wisdom to offer.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

Midlife Upgrade was created to give women the support and tools they need to feel their best as they age. With everything that is going on in the world, my business partner Julie and I see the need for women to feel like they can step up. Our world needs women that have their brains and bodies TURNED ON. When a women feels her best, she can give so much more.

Fun fact – there is only 1 menopause doctor for every 27,000 women in the United States. So, what we do is empower women and give them the tools they need to get the care they deserve.

Our Finding Your Power in the Pause program is designed not only for coaching and support, but will also host a community. We interviewed hundreds of women before starting our business and the number one thing they were all looking for was community. I think at this stage of life, women are looking to connect and be supported by other like-minded women.
The thing we love about working in this sector of the health world is the collaboration. We are lucky to have connected with some of the best menopause doctors in the country. We support them and in turn, they support us.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?

When I see a client have a breakthrough, that is success. When I see a woman get her spark back, that is success. Everytime a client tells me how their life is better, that is success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.midlifeupgrade.com
• Instagram: @wearemidlifeupgrade
• Facebook: @midlifeupgrade