"Women Are Not Small Men": How I'm Revolutionising My Fitness at 58
The breakfast I've avoided for decades might be the key to reclaiming my energy (and why everything we know about women's fitness after 50 is wrong)
I’m Nahid, “the nervous system whisperer” an Author and somatic movement educator. I’ve been teaching for twenty years and help clients move out of burnout, anxiety, stress and trauma-related. The Soothe Programme now comes with a payment plan, if you want to find out more sign up to a FREE webinar “Breakthrough Burnout” click here to register.
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Hello, how are you doing this week? I had a lovely few days off for the mister's birthday and went to see a few fabulous exhibitions. Grayson Perry at the Wallace Gallery was just creatively brilliant and bonkers. I love that he is so revered and yet so subversive.
I've made a radical change to my daily routine this week, and I had to share why. For most of my life, I've fasted until midday. I don't like breakfast, it always felt too early to eat, and I've always trained on an empty stomach. It's been my way for decades.
But I'm turning 58 in May, and lately, I've been exhausted. Bone-tired when I wake up. Depleted during exercise. Yes, emotionally I'm feeling drained too, I make no excuse for being full of grief at the violence we're witnessing in the world. My sleep has suffered, and I've had to adjust my routine to ensure I can show up fully for my clients.
Then I discovered something that changed everything.
The Research That Flipped My Fitness Philosophy
I dove into several brilliant podcasts featuring Dr. Stacy Sims, PhD in exercise nutrition and science, who specialises in how women should approach fitness during menopause and hormonal changes. Her research reveals something shocking: most fitness data we follow is based on male physiology.
Her mantra? "Women are not small men."
This simple statement hit me like a revelation. What works for men doesn't necessarily work for women, especially those of us in our fifties and beyond.
The Science Behind My New Morning Ritual
Here's what I learned about why my lifelong fasting habit might actually be working against me now:
30 minutes after waking, our bodies experience a natural spike in cortisol (the stress hormone)
Without breakfast, this stress response stays elevated, causing our bodies to:
Draw energy from bone and muscle tissue
Stubbornly hold onto fat reserves
Keep cortisol levels unnecessarily high all day
Women over 50 face unique challenges due to declining estrogen, which significantly affects metabolism, muscle mass, and recovery. These hormonal shifts require specific training adaptations, not just following conventional approaches designed for men or younger women.
My New Daily Rituals (And Why They Work)
I'm now tracking my energy levels with these changes:
Breakfast within 30 minutes of waking – Even just a few spoonfuls of sheep’s full-fat yogurt helps regulate blood sugar and cortisol
Time-restricted eating between 8am-6pm – This preserves the metabolic benefits of intermittent fasting while working with female physiology
10 minutes of rebounding every morning – Jumping on my mini trampoline to music is both a mood booster and builds bone density
Heavy resistance training – I've upgraded to 10kg dumbbells, use my 12kg kettlebell, and maximise resistance on my reformer. I practise an interval training which is more a mindful HIIT.
30-second all-out sprints (with 2-minute recovery) – I hate sprints but do them on my mini trampoline three times per session
Continued somatic movement and 20-minute daily breathwork and a daily walk.
What I'm avoiding: early morning coffee (waiting until around 11am for my one cup of mushroom coffee) and interval training when sleep-deprived or stressed.
The Science-Backed Benefits for Women Over 50
Dr. Sims recommends these specific approaches for women our age:
Prioritise strength training (2-3 times weekly) to combat muscle loss and maintain bone density
Reduce endurance-focused cardio which can increase cortisol and become counterproductive
Focus on protein intake (30-40g per meal) to support muscle maintenance
Allow longer recovery times between intense workouts
Prioritise sleep quality for hormone regulation and recovery
Women over 50 have unique metabolic flexibility, we have more oxidative fat-burning fibers than men. But without proper fuelling, our bodies will defensively store fat rather than burn it.
I'll report back after a month of these changes! If you're curious to learn more, check out Dr. Stacy Sims on the Huberman Lab Podcast or Dr. Mel Robbins' show.
Has anyone else discovered fitness approaches specifically designed for women in midlife and beyond? I'd love to hear what's working for you!
The next Prioritise Your Attention: 8-Week Somatic Course
I’ve designed an 8-week somatic movement course to work with your brain to reclaim attention and develop the mind-body connection necessary for deep focus.
Each week builds upon the last, creating a comprehensive approach to embodied presence.
Live Sessions: Tuesdays, 7:00-8:15 PM, June 10th 2025 for 8 weeks
Format: Online (recordings available within 24 hours)
Price: £250
The next Soothe Day Retreat in London is on Saturday 17th May - come and feel what ease feels like in your body. You’ll learn principles of soothing your system each time but also fresh perspectives for brain and body movement based on research, what clients are going through, and what is happening in the world. Book into the day retreats throughout the year to counter your busy life. Nab your spot here.
The Soothe Weekend Retreat on 10th - 12th October at The Quaives, a lovely retreat space in Kent, 51 minutes from St Pancras. I’ve already sold the cottages and the rooms in the main house. Rooms still available:
Dorm: 3 beds in the scandi-style dorm @ £650 pp
3 minutes drive up the road staying at The Tor Spa
3 x ensuite rooms 5 minutes car drive away @ £1150 pp
A lesson for paid subscribers to create space and length in the spine is below the paywall - it’s slightly longer, hope you enjoy it. Don’t forget we are meeting on Sunday 13th at 5 pm GMT for our monthly live, can’t wait to see you!
Stay human,
Nahid x
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