Strength Training for Midlife Women: Staying Active on Holiday
Updated: Aug 19
Every summer, I find myself sharing the same piece of advice. It’s simple, yet it works wonders.
Get up, stay in your bra and knickers, and do your workout before you've had a chance to talk yourself out of it or head out for the day.
It isn't glamorous, and you certainly won't see it on my Instagram feed, but it’s effective.
Holidays often disrupt our routines, and that’s perfectly fine. They are meant for resting, slowing down, and enjoying life. However, when it comes to fitness, we often tell ourselves we’ll hit the hotel gym later. After breakfast. After the beach. After sightseeing.
Let’s be honest. By then, the cocktail bar is calling far louder than your squats.
As a personal trainer for midlife women, I've learned that consistency has little to do with motivation. It’s about simplicity. It’s about reducing the friction between waking up and getting on the mat.
A quick 20-minute workout before breakfast means you’ve done something positive for yourself before the day truly begins.
Why Bodyweight Workouts Are Perfect for Holidays
One of the biggest misconceptions about holiday workouts is that they need to be intense, involve lots of equipment, or take place in a gym.
They don’t.
Some of the most effective workouts require nothing more than your own bodyweight. If you do want to take a piece of equipment, a resistance band takes up almost no room in your suitcase and offers even more exercise options.
When you’re away, convenience is everything. If it’s not easy, it simply won’t happen. The more obstacles you place between yourself and exercising, the less likely you are to do it.
A simple bodyweight workout removes all those barriers. Five straightforward exercises, repeated three times, will elevate your heart rate, challenge every major muscle group, and leave you feeling energised before the day has even started.
Perhaps even more importantly, this type of movement helps you stay connected to the habit of exercising.
Let’s be realistic. Most of us indulge a little more on holiday, enjoying an extra dessert or a cocktail before dinner. That’s part of the fun. But in midlife, we can’t ignore that carrying excess weight becomes harder to shift than it once was.
This goes beyond how we look in a swimsuit.
The weight that often settles around our middle during perimenopause is known as visceral fat. Unlike the fat that sits just beneath the skin, visceral fat surrounds our internal organs and is linked to insulin resistance, raised blood pressure, higher cholesterol levels, and an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
That’s why keeping your body moving during your holiday isn’t about ‘earning’ your food. It’s about supporting your long-term health while still enjoying your break.
My Top Two Holiday Fitness Tips
1. Do Your Workout Before Breakfast
You've already heard my favourite tip.
Stay in your bra and knickers and get it done before you have a chance to negotiate with yourself.
Whether it’s ten minutes or twenty, you’ve ticked the box before the day takes over. No trying to squeeze it in later, no guilt, and no relying on motivation after a day in the sun.
2. Walk as Much as You Can
Holiday walks don’t have to mean climbing mountains.
Walk to breakfast. Wander through the local town. Explore the coastline. Head out after dinner instead of collapsing in front of Netflix.
A holiday can also be one of the few times you have the space to listen to those podcasts you’ve been meaning to catch up on or simply enjoy a quiet walk by yourself before everyone else gets going.
Those steps soon add up without feeling like exercise.
Combined with a short morning workout, walking is one of the easiest ways to help manage your weight, keep your energy up, and reduce the likelihood of returning home feeling sluggish or heavier than when you left.
My Go-To Holiday Workout
Complete each exercise for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds rest.
Repeat the circuit 3 times.
Bodyweight squats
Reverse lunges
Incline press-ups
Standing crunches
Wall sit
Simple. Effective. No equipment required.
Why Strength Matters Even on Holiday
I’m certainly not suggesting you need to train every day while you’re away.
Holidays are for switching off and enjoying yourself.
But doing absolutely nothing for two weeks can leave you feeling stiff, sluggish, and like you’re starting from scratch when you get home.
Instead, aim for a handful of short strength sessions every other day.
From our mid-thirties onwards, we gradually begin to lose muscle mass if we don’t actively work to maintain it. During perimenopause, that process accelerates as declining oestrogen affects both muscle and bone. It’s one of the reasons strength training for women over 40 becomes so important.
Your muscles are metabolically active tissue. They help support your metabolism, improve insulin sensitivity, protect your bones, give your body that strong, toned appearance, and make everyday tasks—like lifting suitcases or carrying shopping—feel easier.
You’re not trying to build the perfect holiday routine. You’re simply reminding your body to hold on to the muscle you’ve worked so hard to build. A few short sessions while you’re away will make returning to your normal routine feel much easier.
Holidays Can Make Healthy Eating Easier Too
One of the things I actually enjoy about being away is that eating well often feels easier rather than harder.
Breakfast is usually prepared for you, meals are less rushed, and depending on where you’re travelling, you’re often surrounded by fantastic fresh produce.
It’s the perfect opportunity to increase your protein intake with foods such as fish, shellfish, eggs, Greek yoghurt, and grilled meats. You might even find yourself trying ingredients or flavours that you wouldn’t normally cook at home.
Yes, enjoy the ice cream. Order the dessert. Have the glass of wine.
But don’t overlook the opportunity to nourish your body as well.
Getting enough protein while continuing with a little strength training is one of the best ways to support your muscle mass throughout midlife.
It’s Not About Being Perfect
I never want women to feel they have to be ‘good’ on holiday.
Quite the opposite.
Holidays are there to be enjoyed, memories are there to be made, and nobody looks back wishing they’d squeezed in another workout.
But I’ve found that keeping just a little bit of structure gives us far more freedom than abandoning every healthy habit.
Move your body most days.
Walk whenever you can.
Prioritise protein where it feels easy.
Then enjoy everything else that comes with being on holiday.
You’ll come home feeling refreshed, not like you’re having to start all over again.
That’s what sustainable online strength training for women looks like. It fits around your life, rather than asking you to put your life on hold.
Because fitness should support your holiday, not spoil it.
Want a strength training plan that fits around real life, including holidays? Explore my online strength training membership and discover how you can build strength with confidence, wherever you are.
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