The midlife wellness space is loud - especially in January.

Supplements, experts, protocols, promises… everyone seems to have an answer. And if you’ve ever felt confused, sceptical or quietly overwhelmed by it all, this episode is for you.

In this honest conversation, I break down what’s real, what’s questionable, and how midlife women can become more discerning without feeling pressured, panicked or foolish.

This episode is about sharpening your BS radar - and learning how to trust your instincts and intuition again (in a non-woo-woo way!).

1. Why midlife women are heavily targeted by wellness marketing
2. The truth about supplements and how little regulation there actually is
3. Why supplements should always be the icing on the cake, not the foundation
4. Common red flags
5. How to assess so-called experts in the midlife wellness space
6. Why certainty and scare tactics should make you pause
7. The importance of nuance, individual differences and staying in your lane
8. How to become the expert on your own body

You don’t need to do everything.

You don’t need to buy everything.

And you don’t need to rush.

When you slow down, tune into your body, and understand what actually matters for you, it becomes much easier to spot what’s helpful - and what’s just clever marketing.

If this episode resonated, come and say hi over on Instagram - my DMs are always open:

👉 Instagram: @carlycorrigall

And if you’d like support becoming more confident, informed and the expert on your unique body, you can explore The Reboot - my online programme for midlife women:

👉 Check out The Reboot here

If you’re feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the New Year noise already, this episode is for you.

January has a habit of turning the volume right up. Reset. Recommit. Smash it. Go again. And for women who like to do things properly, that pressure can tip very quickly into doing far too much, far too soon 🫠

In this episode, we talk about why the real issue in January isn’t motivation, but overcorrection – especially in midlife, when our bodies, nervous systems and recovery needs have changed.

We look at a calmer, smarter way to start the year. One that’s built around stability, consistency and establishing a baseline you can actually hold, even when life is busy and energy is, ahem, variable 🎢.

Carly also shares a personal example of how a very small, repeatable habit ended up being completely game-changing over time, and why starting small isn’t settling – it’s strategy and a highly effective one at that.

1. At the end of the episode, you'll hear about the Mini Reboot – Healthy Habits Challenge. It’s a short, free challenge designed to help you put exactly this thinking into practice, without extremes or overwhelm.
2. If you’re a woman who tends to go all in, and you want this year to be different in a sustainable way, start here.
3. We kick off on Monday 5th January. You can sign up here for free: https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/healthy-habits

1. Carly's follow-at-home in less than 10 minutes a day core workout programmes, PerimenoCore and PerimenoCore Advanced are here: Read all about PerimenoCore

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode!

You can also drop Carly a note anytime on Instagram, @carlycorrigall

Before You Write Yourself Off Until January – Listen to This!

This week’s episode is a little different. Think voice-note, rather than broadcast!

I recorded it knowing that for many midlife women, the run-up to Christmas is a tricky time. You’re still doing the all the things. And then some.

It might also feel like it takes more effort than it used to and this isn't your imagination.

In this mini bonus episode, I talk about why that dip in energy or motivation at this time of year isn’t a personal failing, and why “trying harder” is rarely the answer. We zoom out, add some much-needed context, and look at how to keep yourself ticking over without binning everything until January.

No pep talks.

No pressure.

Just a steadier way to move through the next couple of weeks.

Inside The Reboot, we’ve been having exactly these conversations recently. Not from a coping or commiserating angle, but from a practical one. How do we work with this season rather than fight it? How do capable women adjust without losing momentum?

And if you’re looking for something small, structured and supportive to help you when we get to the new year, my Mini Reboot: Healthy Habits Challenge is designed for exactly that - you can sign up, for free, right here: https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/healthy-habits

As always, take what’s useful, leave the rest, and remember: noticing what’s going on for you is a strength, not a weakness 🌟

If you enjoyed today's episode then don't forget to share it with a friend or leave me that all important 5* review. I always love to hear from you so drop me a note on Instagram @carlycorrigall - I read every one!

This week, we’re time-travelling. Sort of 😉.

I’m looking ahead to 2026 and sharing the midlife fitness trends I know are going to shape how women over 40 train, feel, move and make decisions next year. Not because I’m a trend-chaser (you know me better than that), but because after nearly 11 years in this industry - and a LOT of Google Alerts landing in my inbox every day -  I’ve seen what actually matters, what fizzles out, and what genuinely moves the needle for women in midlife.

From the rise (and fall) of certain programmes, to the real reason AI won’t replace an experienced coach anytime soon, to why connection is quietly becoming the most powerful tool in your fitness journey…this episode is basically me handing you my brain and saying, “here, have a rummage.”

If you want to start 2026 feeling grounded rather than overwhelmed, I’m running a FREE Mini Reboot: Healthy Habits Challenge in January.

Tiny shifts. Real coaching. A gentle but powerful reset.

The link to join is below. Come in, get some momentum going, and feel what it’s like to be supported properly.

👉 Join the free Mini Reboot Healthy Habits Challenge (12 days of small-but-mighty coaching & accountability) - just tap here to sign up.

👉 Follow me on Instagram: @carlycorrigall

👉 Learn more about The Reboot & my online classes by heading to www.clcfitness.co.uk, the doors are open!

If this episode made you nod, wince, laugh or rethink anything, please share it with another midlife woman who deserves to feel incredible in her body next year. And if you feel like leaving a review? I will love you forever ❤️

See you next week - and yes, 2026 is looking bright 🌟

This week, I’m joined by my very first guest - and what a guest she is! 

Sports therapist for over 20 years, certified running coach, university lecturer and all-round queen of movement, Danielle Garfoot joins me to unpack the aches, pains and niggles that seem to creep up just as we hit midlife - and what we can actually do about them.

We go deep into:

• Whether women really are more prone to injuries and niggles in midlife than men
• How pain perception changes in midlife - and how understanding this could be key to moving pain-free
• The difference between a true injury and a “niggle” (and why it matters)
• How your nervous system affects how you feel pain - and how to calm it the f down
• The sneaky role of fear and self-doubt in keeping you stuck and achy
• Why stretching probably isn’t the fix you think it is (even if it feels nice)

If you’ve ever said, “I’m just a bit tight” or “I can’t do that because of my shoulder/knee/hip”, this one’s going to be a total lightbulb moment 💡

This isn’t just about rehab, so even if you’re moving well at the moment, I’d like you to think of this as prehab for midlife. Essential stuff for all of us.

Connect with Danielle

• Find Danielle on Instagram:@dssportstherapy
• Danielle’s website: DS Sports Therapy

If you loved this episode…

⭐️ Please subscribe, share, or leave a quick (5*!) review. It helps more midlife women find this podcast, understand their bodies better (and feel less “tired” - if you listened, then you’ll know!).

📱Come and say hi! Find me on Instagram @carlycorrigall

💖 Want to work with me for free in January? Join The Mini Reboot: Healthy Habits Challenge here.

Just call me the fun sponge (no, not really 😉)

In this episode of the Honestly Carly Podcast, I’m getting into something that’s been coming up again and again with the women I work with - and that I’ve experienced myself:

Why can’t I handle alcohol like I used to?

If you’ve noticed your tolerance has dropped, your hangovers last forever, or that one glass of wine wrecks your sleep, you are not imagining it!

I’m breaking down:

• Why women in perimenopause and menopause struggle more with alcohol
• What’s really going on with those 3-day hangovers (hint: hormones + physiology, it's a heady blend)
• How alcohol impacts hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, and recovery
• The connection between alcohol, sleep, and strength training results
• What it does to your nutrient levels and long-term health (yes, even that “one glass” - sorry!)

As always, there’s no judgment here. Just facts and science to help you become the expert on your body, so you can make informed decisions about what’s right for you.

If this episode gives you a lightbulb moment, please share it with a midlife mate who needs to hear it 💛

Mentioned in this episode:

• Sign up for my free January Healthy Habits Challenge here to get your 2026 goals off to a flying start
• DM me on Instagram @carlycorrigall with your thoughts or questions
• Listen to Ep 8 “How Will I Know (If it's perimenopause)?” for more on symptom spotting.

Further reading:

Topiwala A, Levey DF, Zhou H, et al Alcohol use and risk of dementia in diverse populations: evidence from cohort, case–control and Mendelian randomisation approaches BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine  Published Online First: 23 September 2025. doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2025-113913

Alcohol Ingestion Impairs Maximal Post‑Exercise Rates of Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis — Parr EB, Camera DM, Areta JL, Burke LM, Phillips SM, et al. (2014)

Sommer I, Erkkilä AT, Järvinen R, Mursu J, Sirola J, Jurvelin JS, Kröger H, Tuppurainen M. Alcohol consumption and bone mineral density in elderly women. Public Health Nutr. 2013 Apr;16(4):704-12. doi: 10.1017/S136898001200331X. Epub 2012 Jul 17. PMID: 22800300; PMCID: PMC10271676.

Balance Menopause: Histamine Intolerance

  x

If you’re a woman wondering “Is this... perimenopause?” then this is the episode you need in your ears.

In this week’s episode Carly unpacks the most common (and confusing) question she hears from midlife women:

“How do I actually know if I’m in perimenopause?”

With warmth, honesty and a hefty dose of myth-busting, Carly shares:

• What perimenopause really is (and why you can still be having regular periods and very much be in it)
• Why blood tests for hormones can be misleading
• The subtle signs your body might already be giving you
• How mental health shifts: anxiety, rage, brain fog can be linked to hormonal changes
• Why it’s so hard to tell the difference between stress, burnout, and hormone fluctuations
• How to start tracking your symptoms and get support that actually helps

Just FYI (and we’re all grown ups here, so you know this already), but this isn’t medical advice.  Carly’s not a clinician: but she is an experienced and qualified midlife specialist PT and coach who’s been there, works daily with women going through and has had enough chats to know when something doesn’t feel right.

You are not imagining it. You are not dramatic. You are not alone.

Whether you're just starting to wonder, or you've been feeling “off” for a while and haven't known where to turn, this episode will help you connect the dots and start advocating for yourself. 

Resources mentioned:

💚 The Greene Climacteric Scale – Search it online or use it to support a GP appointment

Want more support?

→ Follow Carly on Instagram and drop her a DM @carlycorrigall

→ Explore The Reboot – Carly’s coaching & support programme for midlife women

Subscribe. Review. Share it with the women in your life who need to hear this!

Because perimenopause might be wild - but we don’t have to go through it confused and unsupported and you absolutely CAN feel fantastic!

You’re not imagining it. If you're a woman over 40, chances are, your belly has changed.

And no - it’s not because you’ve “let yourself go” or need another app telling you to track your macros and count your calories.

In this week’s episode of Honestly, Carly, we delve into what’s really going on with midlife belly fat - and why the usual generic advice around losing weight doesn’t cut it for women in the perimenopause and menopause years.

From fluctuating hormones to insulin resistance, sleep-deprived cortisol chaos to stress-snacking and weekend warrior workouts, Carly breaks down:

• What actually causes belly fat gain in midlife (spoiler: it’s not just wine and biscuits)
• Why HRT isn’t a magic bullet
• Why HIIT could be your secret weapon
• Why what you eat is way more important than calories
• The one shift every midlife woman should start with (and it’s not food)
• Why a six pack is overrates – but strong core confidence isn’t

Whether you’re feeling fluffier, stodgier, or just a bit more meh around the middle, this episode will help you understand your body without shame – and give you tools you can actually use to feel better in it.

📚 Mentioned in this episode:

Carly refers to several studies exploring abdominal fat and exercise in menopausal women. You can find those links here:

Dupuit M, Maillard F, Pereira B, Marquezi ML, Lancha AH Jr, Boisseau N. Effect of high intensity interval training on body composition in women before and after menopause: a meta-analysis. Exp Physiol. 2020 Sep;105(9):1470-1490. doi: 10.1113/EP088654. Epub 2020 Jul 21. PMID: 32613697.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32613697/

Boutcher YN, Boutcher SH, Yoo HY, Meerkin JD. The Effect of Sprint Interval Training on Body Composition of Postmenopausal Women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jul;51(7):1413-1419. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001919. PMID: 31210647.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31210647/

Also - check out the latest ZOE research on diet and menopause:

“Diet may counteract menopause metabolism change, ZOE study shows” - Yella Hewings-Martin, PhD (reviewed by Francesca Giordano, PhD)

https://zoe.com/learn/menopause-metabolism-study?srsltid=AfmBOoplfrzYv45SEToGkcuydnIOFHMWVuwE2XiCSDIbyCjdqhtvLbp-

💥 Want to start working on your core confidence?

Check out Carly’s PerimenoCore programme – 10 minutes a day, made for midlife bodies:

https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/perimenocore-buy

🔥 Ready to get that short sharp burst of HIIT

Read more about Carly's HIIT classes and grab a free mini trial class:

https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women

🌱 Looking for full support, proper coaching, and a real plan that gets you?

The Reboot is where the real magic happens:

https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/the-perimenopause-reboot

💌 Loved the episode? Want Carly to cover something else next? Drop her a message on Instagram @carlycorrigall – she reads every one.

🧡 And don’t forget to subscribe, review, and share this with the women in your life who deserve to feel strong, supported and seen.

Feeling pulled in 12 directions by suggestions to “do Reformer Pilates/lift heavy/run a marathon/walk everywhere”? Same.

We're over-complicating exercise for women over 40s and nobody has the time or energy for it.

In this episode we cut through the noise with an evidence-based, midlife-friendly blueprint:

• the three essentials your week actually needs;
• how to avoid the scattergun trap;
• when to let go of stuff that isn’t serving you (and do it in a way that doesn’t feel like a messy break up); and
• how to match training to your goals, time and energy.

“Variety” sounds lovely until you’re a midlife woman with finite time, energy and a body in hormonal flux. This aim of this episode is to help you build a framework for what to actually put in your week so you feel stronger, fitter and future-proofed: without living at the gym.

Recap - The 3 essentials every midlife plan needs:

1. Core work (little + often): abdominals, breath, pelvic floor.
2. Strength training: learn movement patterns → add load → eventually lift genuinely heavy (when form is rock-solid) to create the right stimulus.
3. Cardio: make it smart and polarised, think short, sharp intervals/HIIT plus truly easy aerobic work; minimise the mid-zone grind that spikes cortisol without much payoff

Plus your bonuses:

• Mobility: weave it into your other workouts so you’re not “bendy for bendy’s sake” (as that's just pointless!).
• Do what makes you happy: if an activity is pure joy/headspace, by all means keep it. Just own the trade-off with your time and goals.

• You can’t do everything. Choose what matters to you and your goals, then build around it.
• Core is non-negotiable in midlife. Small, frequent wins beat heroic once-a-week sessions.
• Lift with intent. Progress to challenging loads for real change in muscle, bone and joints. Not just throwing weights around or doing hundreds of reps "because".
• Polarise cardio. Some very hard; plenty very easy; less “sort-of hard which goes on for ages”
• Keep the classes you love if they feed your soul, but don’t expect them to deliver goals they weren’t designed for.

• Tick all the training boxes with by joining a Fitness Class with Carly: Classes with Carly
• PerimenoCore Programme: PerimenoCore (the exercises I do every day to keep my core strong and healthy).
• Drop me a note on Instagram @carlycorrigall
• For further reading/research on exercise for midlife women, check out the work of Dr Stacy Sims

You know that feeling when everything’s ticking along nicely - workouts going well, meals vaguely balanced, smug morning walk energy - and then life happens?

Half-term. Deadlines. Broken boilers. Teenagers. Parents. The lot.

In this episode, we’re talking about the real reason so many smart, capable midlife women struggle to stick to healthy habits (hint: it’s not lack of willpower or knowledge). It’s the all-or-nothing mindset that creeps in when perfectionism meets everyday chaos. This is where we ditch it.

In this episode we walk through:

💡 The biggest mistakes we make when trying to “be good” in midlife (and why there’s actually no wagon to fall off).

💡 Why perfectionism is quietly sabotaging your progress, even when you’re doing everything right.

💡 What behavioural science says about flexibility (and how “Flexible Fernandos” actually win).

💡 How to build habits that stick by setting a baseline: your small, super-achievable minimum that keeps you moving forward even when life gets messy.

By the end, you’ll stop chasing perfect weeks and start banking tiny, consistent wins that add up to a stronger, calmer, happier you: even when your boiler’s broken and the week’s gone to hell in a handcart.

• How to Change by Dr. Katy Milkman. It's a must-read: https://www.katymilkman.com/
• The Reboot - where we put these principles into practice and make healthy habits actually fit your midlife life. You can join now by heading here: The Reboot
• Carly's daily core programme

• Learn more about The Reboot here: The Reboot
• Drop Carly a DM on Instagram: @carlycorrigall