No Time, No Gym?
The Minimum-Effective Midlife Workout
If workouts keep falling off your to-do list, remember, it’s not just you! Between busy days and shifting hormones, it’s easy to feel you need an hour and a gym to make progress. You don’t. In midlife, two short strength sessions a week plus light, frequent movement are enough to protect muscle, steady energy and lift your mood, no fancy kit required.
Here’s the why - as oestrogen declines, you naturally lose muscle and bone, two pillars of a healthy menopause metabolism. Muscle is metabolically active tissue meaning, it keeps it and you maintain a higher resting burn, better blood-sugar control and stronger bones for the long haul. Add in everyday movement, what’s called NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): standing up, steps, pottering, short walks and you improve insulin sensitivity and energy even on days you don’t “work out”.
Now the part you can act on….thinking about your beginner strength routine is a simple 20–25 minute circuit you repeat two to three times. Think big, confidence-building moves: a squat and a hip hinge (your deadlift pattern) for lower body; incline press-ups and band rows for upper body push/pull; an overhead press with light dumbbells; and a steady plank for 20-40 seconds. Choose a load that feels challenging in the final two to three reps without pain, and keep each rep controlled. Two sessions a week like this will do more for your shape, posture and metabolism than random bursts of cardio. And remember, nutrition after you exercise is sooo important, so make sure you feed your muscles after your workout. Even if you don’t have time, grab a snack, like boiled eggs (I’m not mad!) or a protein bar like Eat Natural, it’s definitely better to have this rather than skip eating. Protein bars can have a role to play in your diet if you’re too busy to eat after you exercise, or you’re choosing to skip eating. The key is to pick one with good quality ingredients.
Are you ready for a challenge? Set yourself up with quick wins this week. Put two 25-minute strength sessions in your diary and treat them like appointments with yourself. After lunch, head out for a 10-minute walk every day. Set an hourly move reminder on your phone so NEAT happens on autopilot. That’s it. This home workout for menopause life stage is deliberately simple so you actually do it and see results.
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Ciao for now! Ex