How I look this good at 64: My weight soared after the menopause and I was left with a flabby middle and weak body. This is the no-jab routine that transformed my health – anyone can do it

Hilary Clegg, 64, never imagined she would be lifting heavier weights than people decades younger than her. Like many women entering their 60s, she had spent years trying different types of exercise, from running to fitness classes, and always trying to stay healthy.

But after a serious leg injury ended her running habit and menopause changed her body in ways she didn’t recognize, she found herself searching for something different.

Three and a half years later, she’s not only managed to shed the extra pounds and tone up, but she’s also solved perhaps the trickiest challenge of all: finding a sustainable diet and fitness regime that lasts well beyond the initial burst of excitement and that she can maintain over the long term.

Here, Hilary tells us how she manages to stay motivated and live a healthy (but realistic) lifestyle in her sixties.

Don’t abandon exercise that no longer works

Despite her busy career running her own events company, Hilary has always made time for exercise in her life (she currently helps out part-time with her husband’s consulting business). But he says the results of his fitness efforts have been ‘variable’ at best.

A few years ago Hilary broke her leg. ‘That really put the kibosh on running, which was the main thing I was doing, so I was looking for something else,’ he says. He tried classes and other forms of exercise but never felt like he was making significant progress.

Chatting to friends in London, Hilary discovered they had signed up for a conversion programme. Roar Fitnessand they were excited about the results. ‘They really changed physically and were very enthusiastic,’ he recalls.

Around the same time, Hilary learned that a gym was about to open in Dubai, where she lived, and this happened by chance. Enrolled in January 2023.

One of her biggest motivators was the way her body changed post-menopause.

‘I’ve always been the same weight since my children were born,’ he says. ‘Then menopause came and the tone was gone, especially around my middle area. ‘It was a part of my body that I had always been proud of and suddenly it seemed like there was nothing I could do.’

His experience is far from unusual. Research shows that women can lose significant amounts of muscle mass as they age, while hormonal changes during menopause can increase fat storage and make weight management more difficult.

But despite this, many women continue to rely primarily on cardio exercises, often unaware of the powerful role strength training can play.

For Hilary, discovering resistance training proved transformative. The fitness component of the Roar Fitness program included a personalized plan focused on strength training. He was also kept accountable under the expert guidance of a personal trainer. Typical sessions included sets of deadlifts, chest presses, split squats, shoulder presses, and sled pushes (or pulls).

‘If it’s just me, I can always find another excuse,’ he admits. ‘What worked was having a schedule designed for me and knowing that someone was waiting for me to arrive.’

This sense of responsibility is often cited as one of the biggest reasons why people continue to exercise. But beyond consistency, strength training offered something many people strive to experience later in life: measurable progress. Rather than focusing on calories burned or miles run, Hilary’s success has become about increasing weights, mastering movements, and building skills.

‘Running is one of those things where you naturally slow down as you get older,’ says Hilary. ‘I found that I could continue to progress with strength training. I’ve realized that getting older doesn’t have to hold you back.’

In fact, he is now stronger than many of the young men training around him. ‘Age doesn’t matter when it comes to strength training,’ he says.

Hilary was happy to continue strength training well beyond the first 12 weeks she signed up for, given how much she enjoyed it; in fact, three and a half years later he still weights trains three times a week and finds it more effective (and fun) for staying in shape than sweaty HIIT or cardio sessions.

This type of exercise is especially recommended for middle-aged and older adults because after age 30 we gradually begin to lose muscle mass, a process that accelerates as the years pass.

In women, menopause can accelerate this decline. Decreased muscle strength affects everything from mobility and balance to metabolic health and independence.

For Hilary, concerns about bone health were particularly important. Her mother suffered from severe osteoporosis later in life, and this experience made her aware of the importance of maintaining her own health.

‘I didn’t really understand how important strength training was for bones until I started learning more about it,’ she says. ‘Watching what happened to my mother made me want to do everything I could to avoid going down the same path.’

Experts are increasingly emphasizing that resistance training is one of the most effective ways to stimulate bone growth and reduce the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.

Having a diet revision (without starving)

Hilary says she was already eating healthy before she started training. What he didn’t expect was such an emphasis on protein intake.

‘The amount of protein was probably the biggest adjustment,’ he says. ‘I think a lot of women [who embark on the fitness plan] ‘You find it difficult at first because you’re not used to eating so much.’

The diet generally includes about 30 grams of protein per meal (like a four-egg omelet, grilled tuna steak, or pancakes made with protein powder) and is low in carbohydrates and sugar. Alcohol is not allowed.

At first, dietary changes felt challenging. Hilary has always had a sweet tooth and says she loved (and still enjoys) a glass of wine. However, over time, she found a balance where she could occasionally indulge, adhering to the basic principles of nutrition she had learned, and managed not to lose significant weight.

Three times a week, Hilary steps away from family responsibilities, work commitments and daily pressures to focus solely on her health and fitness

He describes his current approach as flexible and sustainable, unlike restrictive diets that end once the goal weight is reached. Holidays still involve indulgence, and social events still include wine.

The difference is that she now understands how to get back into healthier routines without guilt or panic; After a few weeks of getting on the high protein train it was back to normal.

Not obsessing over the scale

One of the most important lessons Hilary learned was that progress isn’t always reflected in body weight.

In the first weeks of training, Libra often refused to cooperate. ‘I could feel things changing before I saw them,’ he says. ‘My clothes were fitting differently and I felt tighter and stronger, but the scales weren’t always moving.’

Many women have been equating success with weight loss for decades, so focusing on different goals can require a significant mental adjustment. Strength training generally results in an increase in muscle mass while decreasing body fat. The result can be a stronger, leaner physique with little change in overall weight.

Hilary remembers noticing that her clothes were getting baggier long before the numbers on the scale reflected her efforts. ‘I don’t wear jeans much in Dubai because it’s so hot, but I wear them to go back,’ he says. ‘And it was pretty nice to wear my jeans to the plane every few weeks and see a very visible difference.’

Enjoying fitness

Perhaps the most surprising benefit of strength training has little to do with appearance.

Hilary, like many people, thinks the gym has become a place for mental rejuvenation. Three times a week, she steps away from family responsibilities, work commitments and daily pressures to focus solely on her health.

‘It’s very calming, very good for your mental health,’ he says. ‘You’re away from the phone calls and all the hustle and bustle of normal life; You’re just focusing on yourself.’

Walking is another cornerstone of the Roar Fitness plan, which includes daily step targets, and it’s something Hilary is happy to continue for the sake of her happiness as well as her health.

‘I’ve always loved walking and if I don’t do it every day I really miss it. “When I go on holiday, I always wake up early and go for a walk before my family does anything,” he says.

Many women in their 60s have spent decades working and caring for dependents; Therefore, exercise may become one of the few areas where their well-being is a priority.

Overall, Hilary has managed to find a routine that keeps her fit, motivated, and most importantly, happy. ‘I changed my whole way of thinking,’ he says. ‘It feels great to be this strong.’