Optimal Workout Routine for Women?

There’s no shortage of advice from influencers telling you what you should and shouldn't be doing for your health… Lift weights. Run. Do Pilates. Train according to your menstrual cycle. Walk 10,000 steps. Don't do too much cardio. Actually, do more cardio. Do a Hyrox Do Crossfit Don’t do those!! Just workout at home!!! It’s a minefield out there and can be extremely conflicting and confusing. ‘Shouldn't we just follow the science?!’ Well, yes. But also, no. Hear me out… What does the ScIeNcE say?

There are some things we can be confident about. I’m not going to dive into every type of training as we’ll be here all day but the hype around strength and resistance training is worthy, so I'll stick with that for the sake of our time...

We know women can make significant gains in strength and muscle at any age, including both before and after menopause (it really is never too late!).

Resistance training gives your muscles and bones a reason to stay strong, helping maintain muscle mass, strength and physical function as we age. This becomes particularly important during menopause, when declining oestrogen can contribute to changes in body composition, muscle and bone health, with bone loss accelerating around this time. (Nobody wants to end up like Aunt Ethel who breaks six bones every time she stumbles!)

There are metabolic benefits too. Maintaining and building muscle supports energy expenditure, while resistance training can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation (particularly relevant as we navigate menopause and hormonal conditions such as PCOS).

So yes, lifting weights might just be one of the smartest things you can do for your future self, that’s for sure. That doesnt mean you should go and jump straight into 5 training sessions a week! Take these two women:

Woman A. Forces herself to strength train 4-5 x 1 hour sessions a week because her favourite Instagram influencer says this is “optimal”.

She doesn't really enjoy it. She hates having to get up early, finds the after-work gym crowd intimidating and would much rather be outside.

She lasts two weeks, scraps it, starts again a few weeks later… and the cycle continues.

Woman B. Strength trains twice a week at home with minimal equipment, doing 20 minute sessions. She focuses on the fundamentals and lifts heavy when she feels good.

She goes to a dance class every week. Gets outside for walks most days. Runs around with her kids at the park.

She's been doing it for years.

Why do you think Woman B manages to maintain a healthier body composition and can stick to that routine long term?

Because she enjoys it.

It's fun. It's manageable. It's realistic. And, more importantly, it fits into her life.

But don't confuse “enjoyable” with “easy”...

This isn't an excuse to avoid anything remotely challenging!

Sometimes the things that are good for us aren't necessarily the easiest. Building strength requires effort. Improving cardiovascular fitness requires getting your heart rate up. And if you have a specific goal, you may need to train specifically for it.

The point is that you can build those things into a routine that you actually enjoy.

Maybe you love lifting weights but hate running. Great. Lift weights and walk or find another form of cardio you enjoy.

Maybe you love running but hate the gym. Keep running, and find simple ways to add some resistance training into your warm up to reduce risk of injury. 

Maybe you love group classes. Brilliant. Use them.

Maybe you only have 20 minutes. That's okay too - stick to the fundamentals.

We don't need to choose between science and enjoyment.

Use the science to understand what your body benefits from, then find the version of it that fits your life.

Because ultimately, the benefits of exercise aren't just about what happens during one perfect workout.

They're about what you do consistently, week after week, year after year.

Maybe the goal isn't to find the perfect training programme.

Maybe it's to find the one you can happily keep doing.

It’s not sexy and it won’t go viral on Instagram.

But it works. If you need help figuring out what works for you, I’d be more than happy to help. Coach Shez