Honestly, Carly

What If You're Not Getting Old At All?

Are you actually getting old... or have you simply stopped asking your body to do interesting things? In this week's episode, I'm challenging one of the most common assumptions women make in midlife: that feeling stiff, creaky, slow or less capable is simply an inevitable part of getting older. But what if we've been misreading the signs? Drawing on client conversations, real-life examples (including an unexpected wrestling match with a washing machine!) and years of coaching women through midlife, I'm exploring the difference between aging and deconditioning, and why that distinction matters more than you might think. You'll discover: 💪 Why fitness and physical capability aren't the same thing 💪 The hidden movement skills modern life is quietly removing 💪 Why balance, power, reaction speed and coordination matter just as much as strength 💪 How losing physical capability affects confidence and identity 💪 The surprising reason many active women still feel "old" in their bodies 💪 Simple ways to start rebuilding athleticism in midlife Most importantly, I'm making the case that your most capable years may not be behind you at all. Here's to bounding up those stairs in our 80s. LINKS & RESOURCES 👉 Download my free Training Tweak Guide: https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/tweak-guide-signup [https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/tweak-guide-signup] 👉 Learn more about Train with Carly: https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women [https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women] 👉 Follow Carly on Instagram: @carlycorrigall [https://www.instagram.com/carlycorrigall/] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with a friend who needs to hear that getting older and becoming less capable are not necessarily the same thing!

BITESIZE | The DOMS Episode - Should You Be Sore After Every Workout?

This week’s Honestly, Carly is a bite-size episode tackling one of the most common fitness questions I get asked: Should you actually be sore after every workout… and does soreness mean your training is working? We’re talking DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), what’s really happening inside the muscles after exercise, why some workouts leave you walking downstairs sideways… and why being completely wrecked after training is not the gold standard women have been led to believe it is. Inside this episode: * What DOMS actually is (and why it’s not “lactic acid build-up”) * Why new workouts hit harder * The science behind eccentric loading * The “repeated bout effect” and why consistency matters * Whether soreness means your workout was effective * Signs your recovery needs attention * How sleep, nutrition and stress affect muscle soreness * Whether you should train again when you’re still sore * What genuinely helps reduce DOMS (and what doesn’t) If you’ve ever judged a workout by how broken it left you afterwards, this episode is for you. Because intelligent training in midlife isn’t about punishment. It’s about adaptation, recovery and building a body that feels stronger, fitter and more resilient over time. Want intelligently programmed workouts designed specifically for women in midlife? You can find all the details about Train With Carly here: https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women [https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women] Oh and don't forget - you can get in touch with me over on Instagram, @carlycorrigall [https://www.instagram.com/carlycorrigall/]

I Used to Be the Fit One: On Letting Go, Starting Again, and What's Actually Still Possible

This week on the podcast, I’m sharing something a bit more personal. Because for a long time, I was “the fit one”. Running was my identity. Exercise felt easy. Handled. Certain. And then my 40s arrived with a very pointed memo: injuries, exhaustion, body changes, niggles, self-doubt… and a growing feeling that the things that had always worked for me suddenly weren’t working anymore. In this episode, I’m talking honestly about what it felt like to let go of that old identity, why starting again in midlife can feel deeply uncomfortable (especially when you’re used to being good at things), and why I now believe this chapter doesn’t have to be about decline at all. We chat about: * Why so many women feel like their bodies have “stopped responding” in midlife * The emotional side of body changes, fitness and identity * The tension many women feel between caring about their appearance and wanting to be a “good feminist” * Why midlife isn’t a full stop… it’s a transition * What I learned from rebuilding my own training approach from scratch * Strength, health span and the alarming decline in healthy life expectancy in the UK based on recent stats * The testing I recently had done with Clinic 51 and why clarity matters more than perfection * Why I believe some women become stronger, fitter and healthier in their 50s and 60s than they were decades earlier * How to stop shrinking your expectations of yourself and your body If you’ve ever felt like you used to be the fit one… this one’s for you. You can find me on Instagram at @carlycorrigall [https://www.instagram.com/carlycorrigall/], and if this episode resonated, I’d love to hear from you. Links: Train with Carly: CLC Fitness – Train with Carly [https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women] The Reboot: CLC Fitness – The Reboot [https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/the-perimenopause-reboot] Clinic51: Prevent 51 Programme [https://www.clinic51.co.uk/prevent51-prevention-health-screening-longevity] https://www.health.org.uk/reports-and-analysis/analysis/healthy-life-expectancy-trends-in-the-uk-a-watershed-moment [https://www.health.org.uk/reports-and-analysis/analysis/healthy-life-expectancy-trends-in-the-uk-a-watershed-moment]

You Won't Get Bulky... But You Might Get Left Behind: Why We Must Shift the Conversation around Muscle in Midlife

This week’s episode is a bit of a rant… but a necessary one. Because despite everything we know about strength training, I’m still hearing the same thing from many women in their 40s and 50s: “I just don’t want to get bulky” So today, we’re unpacking where that belief actually comes from, why it’s so hard to shake (even when you know better)… and what it might be quietly costing you. We’re talking body image, cultural conditioning, and the reality of what happens when you avoid building muscle in midlife. And yes… there’s some very interesting new research in the mix too 👀 LINKS & RESOURCES: * American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand (2026) Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews [https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2026/04000/american_college_of_sports_medicine_position.21.aspx] * Sandercock, G.R.H., Moran, J. & Cohen, D.D. (2022). Who is meeting the strengthening physical activity guidelines by definition: A cross-sectional study of 253,423 English adults. [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0267277]PLOS ONE [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0267277], 17(5), e0267277. [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0267277] * Camille Marcantei, Lore Metz, Ines Ramos, Bruno Pereira, Frederic Dutheil, Sarah De Saint Vincent, Martine Duclos, Laurie Isacco: Energy metabolism in resting and postprandial states might not be influenced by menopausal stage in women, Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 2026 [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0939475326000992] 👉 Feeling inspired? Here's how to take this forward... * It's time to train properly in midlife. Join my Train with Carly membership. All the guesswork taken away and me in your corner: Train with Carly [https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women] * Don't forget to share this episode with the women in your life that need to hear it. This is so important ❤️ * I always love to chat and hear what you think of the podcast so come and drop into my DMs on Instagram, @carlycorrigall [https://www.instagram.com/carlycorrigall/]

Why Knowledge Isn’t Always Power in Midlife Fitness

You already know what to do. So why isn’t anything changing? If you’re a midlife woman who’s read the articles, saved the workouts, listened to the podcasts (including this one 👀)… but still feels stuck when it comes to your fitness, strength or body composition - this episode is for you. Because here’s the truth (and this might sound odd coming from the host of a podcast who wants to educate and inform): More knowledge isn’t the answer. In this episode, I’m diving into the gap between knowing and doing - and why so many smart, capable women stay stuck in the “I know I need to…” loop without ever seeing real results. We’ll talk about: * Why information feels productive (but often keeps you stuck) * The difference between an information problem and an execution problem * How inconsistency and “scattergun” training are holding you back * Why midlife fitness results take longer than you think (and what to expect instead) * The mindset shift that finally gets things moving If you’ve ever thought, “I know what I should be doing… I’m just not doing it” - this one might feel a little close to home. Good. That’s where change starts. 🚀 READY TO STOP CIRCLING AND START SEEING RESULTS? If you’re done overthinking and want a clear, structured approach to your training… 👉 Come and train with me inside Train with Carly You’ll get: * Structured strength + HIIT classes designed specifically for midlife women * Intelligent intensity (no more living in the mid-zone) * A rolling programme of classes which are designed especially for midlife bodies, so you can stop second-guessing and just get on with it Start here: Train with Carly [https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women] You can try a class for £7 and feel the difference for yourself. 📣 ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? * Share it with a friend who’s stuck in the “I know I should…” loop * Leave a review (it genuinely helps more women find the show 🙏) * Come and chat to me on Instagram: @carlycorrigall [https://www.instagram.com/carlycorrigall/]