Why a Discovery Call Is Your Best First Step: What to Expect at Evolve Personal Training
If you’re a busy woman over 40 navigating perimenopause, the idea of starting a strength routine can feel messy - time is limited, advice is loud, and perfection feels both impossible and exhausting.
While many gyms out there might just throw you right into a group class, we like to start with a simple process we call the Discovery Call. Short and focused on your goals/needs, we use the Discovery Call to (1) find out more about you and whether our program is a good fit for you and (2) to educate you on the most important components of a good program for busy women over 40.
Below I’ll walk you through what the qualification call looks like, why it’s useful for women pursuing strength training for menopause, how the in-person assessment works, and what your first 30 days might look like once you’re onboarded.
Why Starting Small Works Better Than Starting Perfect
Perimenopause is a season of real change. Hormones, sleep, energy, and stress often fluctuate. Trying to jump into a “perfect” routine - a 90-minute gym plan or an extreme diet - is a fast track to overwhelm. Instead, we use a practical principle: progress > perfection.
Small, consistent actions compound. Often times, starting with just 2-3 40-min workouts per week is enough to build muscle, improves metabolism, and support hormones more reliably than sporadic, “perfect” attempts. The discovery call’s job is to find the minimum effective dose - the smallest meaningful action you can commit to - and to confirm we’re a good match to help you do that in person.
What a Discovery Call Actually Is (and Isn’t)
A discovery call at Evolve Personal Training is not a sales pitch. Think of it as step one in our process - a short, focused chat to determine if this is even what you need and what the next steps might look like. If the call makes sense for both of us, we schedule an in-person assessment where the real coaching and baseline testing happen.
Length: 15–20 minutes.
Format: Phone or Zoom for convenience, or a quick in-person meet if you prefer.
Purpose: Understand your goals, lifestyle constraints, whether or not we can help and, if so, to schedule your in-person assessment.
Not a sales pitch: We’ll ask targeted questions and answer any questions about the program that you have but we will never try to sell you anything over the phone!
Who Should Book a Discovery Call
This call is for you if you:
Are a woman over 40 who wants to build muscle and boost your metabolism.
Feel time-crunched and overwhelmed by conflicting fitness advice.
Have tried diets or workouts before but couldn’t stick with them.
Want a local, in-person program built for your life (Carmel / Fishers / Indianapolis).
What We Ask You During the Call
Our questions are focused and practical - no judgment, only information.
What are your top 2–3 goals over the next 3 months?
What does a typical day look like (work, family, sleep)?
Any injuries, medications, or medical concerns?
What workouts have you tried before? What helped, what didn’t?
How much time can you realistically commit per week for in-person training?
These answers help us decide whether Evolve is the right fit and allow us to prepare for your in-person assessment.
How We Personalize Strength Training for Menopause
Strength training for menopause is not one-size-fits-all. Women in perimenopause often benefit from approaches that respect energy variation, emphasize muscle retention, and pair nutrition with recovery. Because your program is delivered in person, we can safely progress you and adjust technique, load, and exercise selection on the spot.
Nutrition Basics We Consider
We always start with protein. For many women over 40, prioritizing a protein-focused meal at breakfast, lunch, and dinner helps preserve muscle and manage appetite. Simple, realistic swaps — Greek yogurt for cereal, an extra egg at breakfast, or a chicken salad for lunch — reduce decision fatigue and deliver consistent results.
Workout Structure We Recommend
We favor simple, repeatable structure that fits busy lives:
2-3 strength sessions/week - 40 minutes, focused on compound moves (squats, deadlifts, presses, rows) to get the most bang for your buck.
1-2 days of light cardio - brisk walking, cycling, or mobility work for 20–30 minutes.
Daily movement - stand up regularly, take short walks, add mobility breaks.
All program details and progression are mapped out during the in-person assessment and follow-up sessions - not during the discovery call.
A Typical Discovery Call Flow (Step-by-Step)
Here’s exactly how the call goes so you know what to expect:
Greeting & purpose (1–2 minutes): Quick intro and confirm your main goal for the call.
Snapshot (5–8 minutes): Intake — activity, sleep, nutrition, injuries.
Barriers & priorities (3–5 minutes): What’s stopping you and what matters most (time? energy? health?).
Next step scheduling (3–5 minutes): If we’re a good fit, we schedule your in-person assessment. If not, we’ll suggest next best steps.
Wrap-up (1–2 minutes): Confirm appointment time and pre-assessment checklist.
Pre-call Checklist
To make the most of your qualification call, have these ready:
A quick outline of your weekly schedule (work hours, family commitments).
Any recent injuries, surgeries, or pertinent medical notes.
Your preferred days/times for an in-person assessment, held on-site at our 4705 E 96th st 46240 location.
What the In-Person Assessment Looks Like
The in-person assessment is where we actually do the coaching work:
Movement screening (squats, hinges, pushes, pulls) to assess mobility and technique.
Baseline strength tests and simple performance markers.
A guided session that sketches a safe, realistic starter program tailored to your goals and schedule.
Discussion of pricing, scheduling, and ongoing in-person coaching options.
Because the program is always delivered in person, we can correct technique, manage load safely, and progress you in a way virtual-only programs cannot.
Real Results: A Short Client Story
A client I’ll call “Dana,” 48 and juggling two kids and a demanding job, reached out feeling stuck after years of yo-yo diets. On our 20-minute discovery call she said, “I don’t have 60 minutes.” We confirmed fit and scheduled her in-person assessment. In that first face-to-face visit we did a quick movement screen, set two 20-minute strength sessions per week, and agreed on one nutrition swap for breakfast. Three months later she reported more energy, better sleep, and jeans that fit differently. No drama — just a simple, consistent plan implemented in person.
That’s the power of this two-step approach: a short qualification call followed by hands-on assessment and coaching.
What Happens After the Call: The First 30 Days
If you decide to move forward after your discovery call, here’s the typical onboarding path:
In-person assessment (week 1): Movement screen, baseline markers, and your personalized 4-week starter program.
Implementation (weeks 2–4): On-site sessions with weekly in-person coaching and practical adjustments.
Review & progression (end of month 1): We assess progress, tweak loads/reps, and build the next phase of training.
Weekly Accountability & Adjustments
Accountability is direct and pragmatic: in-person coaching sessions plus brief check-ins. We adjust plans to your week, celebrate small wins, and troubleshoot obstacles without shame.
Final Encouragement: Progress Over Perfection
Starting a fitness journey during perimenopause shouldn’t be a test of willpower — it should be a strategy that fits your life. Our two-step approach (a short discovery call to confirm fit, followed by an in-person assessment and coaching plan) gives you clarity, a realistic starter plan, and hands-on support tailored to women over 40. Book a qualification call, show up for your in-person assessment, and give yourself permission to build slowly and consistently.
To your success,
Coach Mahony
Evolve Personal Training — Serving women in Carmel, Fishers, and Indianapolis
