The Science of Exercise for Women 40+: What to Prioritise (And What to Ignore) | Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple and Dr Alyssa Olenick

About this episode

Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple and Dr Alyssa Olenick discuss effective exercise strategies for women over 40, addressing common fitness concerns and misconceptions.

Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple and Dr Alyssa Olenick join me to answer a question I hear constantly from women in midlife: “Why am I putting in so much effort, but not seeing the results?” We break down what matters most for strength, body composition, and long term health, and what is simply noise. You’ll come away with a clear framework for resistance training, a realistic view of cardio, and a calmer approach to progress that does not rely on fear, perfection, or menopause specific gimmicks. What We Cover Why effort and the right stimulus matter more than “working hard” A simple full body lifting template for busy weeks How to know if you are training close enough to failure Why cardio is still important, and how to think about intensity The cortisol and overtraining myths that keep women stuck How protein, consistency, and dieting patterns affect results If you want a plan you can actually stick with, this one will help you focus on the basics that move the needle. Intro (00:00) The Real Reason Your Fitness Progress Has Stalled (02:00) Why Women Should Lift Heavy (10:40) Maximize Your Training ROI ( 21:29) Fitness Fact vs. Fiction (34:17) How Your Body Changes with Age (40:59) The…

People in this episode

Host: Simon Hill

Guests: Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple, Dr Alyssa Olenick

Topics covered

• exercise for women
• midlife fitness
• strength training
• cardio
• body composition
• health myths

Keywords

• exercise
• women over 40
• strength training
• cardio
• fitness progress
• muscle growth
• dieting patterns

More episodes of The Proof with Simon Hill

• Nutrition for satiety and weight loss | Dr Federica Amati · June 9, 2026 · 1h 34m
• The Surgeon Defending Statins, GLP-1s, and Ancel Keys | Dr Terry Simpson · June 1, 2026 · 1h 43m
• Has Optimisation Culture Gone Too Far? | Sarah Ann Macklin · May 28, 2026 · 1h 11m
• What the Headlines Get Wrong About the Future of Meat | Bruce Friedrich · May 26, 2026 · 1h 48m
• Improving cholesterol and blood pressure with diet | A Masterclass · May 18, 2026 · 1h 57m
• The Peptides Quietly Accelerating Aging | Dr Valter Longo · May 11, 2026 · 1h 48m