Niki Woods Best Midlife, Leeds (2026)

30/01/2026

Your job in the gym or when working out at home isn't to look pretty, it's to build muscle. If you're putting on the right amount of work you shouldn't be able to look serene!

Grunty weightlifting face & sweat isn't just for bodybuilders / men!

Grimacing, raised heartrate, sweating, heavy breathing, even the occasional grunt, indicates you're working at the right level as the set progresses

You should feel the discomfort of the muscle working - but understand there's a difference between the 'good' pain of muscle exertion & the 'bad' pain of bad form / something which would cause injury / your joints taking too much of the work

You should be able to feel the increasing tension of the muscles flexing & extending as you perform the exercise

Your last 2-3 reps should feel haaarrrd! If you can do your last few reps with the same speed & technique as your first few, you're taking it too easy

Don't be afraid of pushing yourself so long as you're using good form so you don't get injured

I often ask clients to score their last few reps out of 10. If they're 7 or under you need to raise your weight

Weights are a learning curve & women often miss out on body change & strength gains cos they don't have the right programme, knowledge & structure

If you're struggling to do this alone, I CAN HELP YOU, so get in touch!

28/01/2026

Perimenopause changes the rules when it comes to energy- if we push harder to have more energy it can often crash our levels more

Here’s what actually works for better more consistent energy all day without feeling wired when it comes to bedtime⬇️

1️⃣ I ensure my blood sugar’s stable
Meals are appropriate size, sufficient protein & fibre, & an appropriate amount of complex carbs. This ensures my bloodsugar never spikes or plummets; energy absorbs slowly & remains stable. Snacks are planned, & never solely carb/fat based. You DON’T need a bloodsugar monitor but you DO need to eat balanced meals.

2️⃣ I move in to build energy not drain it
✅️Morning walks, breaks to move during the day, strength training 3/week, +maybe a small amount of planned cardio for CV health
✖️Lots of cardio
Movement should support hormones & health, not ‘burn calories’ or burn us out.

3️⃣ I protect my sleep
✅️low lights at night, managing electronics, cool bedroom, consistent bedtime, pre-bed wind-down routine
Magnesium & stress management help, but proactively managing habits to set myself up for a good night’s sleep is the foundation for sleep success & consistent energy the next day

4️⃣ I eat enough (of the right type)
Under-eating kills energy in peri; fuelling well keeps hormones & energy steady. This doesn’t always mean MORE food/cals (altho many midlife women DO undereat); it means ensuring meals are sufficient size, balanced macros, sufficient fibre & complex carbs + any snacks are planned rather than mindless
The goal’s calm, resilient, all-day energy where you’re both fuelling your body AND using stored fuel

5️⃣ I ensure I’m sufficiently hydrated
Even mild dehydration can cause mental & physical fatigue. Starting the day with a big glass of water & continuing to drink more throughout the day, will do far more for energy levels than caffeine & without disrupting sleep. Tap water isn’t always enough- electrolytes help absorption & prevent fatigue, headaches & brain fog so I ensure at least some of my water each day is from spring water

❓NEED HELP?
GET IN TOUCH NOW for a plan what works & lasts in midlife

27/01/2026

Women in their 40s & 50s often think they need something extreme or complicated to lose weight &/or to keep it off long-term, but that’s not true!

What really works for effective, sustainable fatloss that lasts, stable higher energy levels, & a ‘toned’ body is the right set of simple, repeatable, ‘boring’ habits consistently repeated – and this consistency gives you the ‘space’ to enjoy treats & still stay on track

The ‘tricks’ I use with myself & my clients so we get & maintain a body we’re happy with in our 40s & 50s, AND have fewer symptoms too, are…➡️➡️➡️

1️⃣ Aim for at least 30g of protein per meal + a large portion of veg for fibre, make carbs complex & fats those that are ‘worth it’ + ensure portion sizes are appropriate

2️⃣ Consistently walk 10000 steps/day.
TIP: this's easier broken into chunks thru the day rather than all in one go

3️⃣ Weight train 3/week following a structured progressive plan

4️⃣ Prioritise sleep as this massively impacts hunger, cravings, fullness & mood
TIP: I encourage clients to set a ‘pre-bed wind-down
alarm’ to create the habit of a consistent bedtime

5️⃣ Structure 3 planned meals of sufficient size plus maybe a planned snack rather than undereating & then accidentally overeating on unplanned snacks

6️⃣ Spend some time tracking food & drink to give vital information about what’s actually being eaten, and what calorie & macros things are made up of. BUT the way I structure my nutrition plans the majority of my clients don’t actually need to track calories to lose fat or maintain weightloss

7️⃣ Repeat meals that work
TIP: Breakfast & lunch are often easiest to find one or 2 things that work & to repeat. Find a few more dinner options & rotate through those too. This saves on headspace/mental load & makes food shopping simpler, as well as helping you easily meet your goals!

8️⃣ Cut out/greatly reduce alcohol. It's wasted calories, distupts sleep, & increases

9️⃣ Be more bothered about consistency than perfection! What really counts is keeping showing up & doing your best, & as Atomic Habits says ‘never miss twice’

❓️NEED HELP?
GET IN TOUCH

26/01/2026

Most women gain (or regain) weight by accident - their habits are sabotaging them & they don’t have a framework in place to support success

Sustainable weight management & fatloss that lasts isn’t about trying 'harder' with the things that worked when we were younger that don't work any more, it’s about building habits that work & you can live with long-term

Save this explainer of the 10 things to do if you want to keep weight off long term in perimenopause & beyond, start implementing them & watch things change

And if you need help to pull it all together, my coaching's specifically designed to help women regain control of what's going on with their bodies in midlife - to lose excess fat, gain strength, get fitter, more toned, & FEEL GREAT❤

We cover training, nutrition & mindset to get results that last LONG TERM, all within the context of better understanding & supporting your menopause transition

26/01/2026

Most women gain (or regain) weight by accident - their habits are sabotaging them & they don’t have a framework in place to support success

Sustainable weight management & fatloss that lasts isn’t about trying 'harder' with the things that worked when we were younger that don't work any more, it’s about building habits that work & you can live with long-term

Save this explainer of the 10 things to do if you want to keep weight off long term in perimenopause & beyond, start implementing them & watch things change

And if you need help to pull it all together, my coaching's specifically designed to help women regain control of what's going on with their bodies in midlife - to lose excess fat, gain strength, get fitter, more toned, & FEEL GREAT❤

We cover training, nutrition & mindset to get results that last LONG TERM, all within the context of better understanding & supporting your menopause transition

25/01/2026

Imagine instead of another failed diet or failed fitness kick you had a comprehensive programme covering fitness, nutrition, mindset, habits, movement, lifestyle & perimenopause - which was specifically designed to help women regain control of what's going on with their bodies in midlife - to lose excess fat, gain strength, get fitter, more toned, & FEEL GREAT...

You'd probably be saying the same as this client of mine is here!💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻

If you want body change results that last LONG TERM, all within the context of better understanding & supporting your menopause transition, GET IN TOUCH NOW - drop me a DM or use the calendly link in my bio to schedule a call

24/01/2026

In our 40s & above, lifting weights isn’t about vanity, it protects our future health, vitality & independence AND minimises menopause symptoms!

Research findings are clear:

Muscle mass declines 3-5% every decade after age 30, & the hormonal changes of menopause accelerate this. Strength training is THE most effective way to slow this decline - helping us stay strong & independent for longer, with the added bonus that we also look & feel better & younger

As our estrogen declines our risk of osteoporosis/osteopenia rises, but resistance training maintains or even increases bone density

Plus having more muscle means better insulin sensitivity, reducingrisk of type 2 diabetes & meaning more stable blood sugar and energy levels – which also become more difficult to maintain as we pass through perimenopause

PLUS training reduces our risk of cardiovascular disease, another risk which massively rises as our estrogen drops

PLUS exercise helps our brain: it improves mental health, reduces depression & anxiety, improves sleep, & supports brain health (& in my non-scientific experience with clients also improves confidence)

AND evidence shows regular weight training reduces such as hot flushes by almost half

IMO, lifting weights as an ageing woman is one of THE best self-investments & acts of self-care we can make

❓️NEED HELP?
My coaching's specifically designed to help women regain control of what's going on with their bodies in midlife - to lose excess fat, gain strength, get fitter, more toned, & FEEL GREAT❤

We cover training, nutrition & mindset to get results that last LONG TERM, all within the context of better understanding & supporting your menopause transition

GET IN TOUCH NOW to move forwards - drop me a DM or use the calendly link in my bio to schedule a call

22/01/2026

Feel like you can't stop or that you have no around food?

💡Here's a really good example of how 'little things' can add up to make a big difference, & how setting your environment up for success can have a HUGE impact

🎯Just changing this ONE thing could make several hundred calories difference in a day - that's potentially the difference between fatloss, weightmaintenance & fatgain

➡️➡️➡️Need help?

My coaching's specifically designed to help women regain control of what's going on with their bodies in midlife - to lose excess fat, gain strength, get fitter, more toned, & FEEL GREAT❤

We cover training, nutrition & mindset to get results that last LONG TERM, all within the context of better understanding & supporting your menopause transition

💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻My new year kickstart programme starts in January and we'll cover all this and waaaaay more to get you lasting change
GET IN TOUCH NOW to move forwards - drop me a DM or use the calendly link in my bio to schedule a call

20/01/2026

Forget BMI, how’s your ? (how efficiently your body produces & uses energy)

Poor metabolic health can lead to fatigue, low/unstable energy levels, obesity, poor bloodsugar management, diabetes, depression, brainfog

So it's very relevant to perimenopausehealth as well as general health

In the UK metabolic syndrome (having , high blood pressure & obesity) affects 1 in 3 adults over 50 & raises risk of heart disease, stroke & other chronic diseases

BMI is just about height & weight so a muscular person has the same BMI as an overweight one but they've got very different metabolic health profiles & likely health futures

The 5 markers for 'good' metabolic health are:
🎯Bloodsugar < 140 mg/dL is normal two hours after eating
🎯Blood pressure < 120/80 mmHg
🎯Waist circumference < 80cm/31.5in is low risk for women
🎯Cholesterol level 5 or below
🎯Triglyceride level 1.7 or below

E𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 & they're very relevant to perimenopause too:

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞: aerobic workouts protect your heart health , resistance training (weights) gives physical strength, protects bones & helps you look 'toned'

A healthy diet of mostly minimally processed real whole foods, appropriate calorie intake, sufficient protein, fibre, & water ensures you're a healthy weight, gives nutrients to support optimum health & recovery, & means your bloodsugar levels & energy are stable

Managing stress levels is essential not just for mental health but also cos increased levels of can have a negative effect on metabolic fitness & is especially problematic for perimenopausal women as it encourages bellyfat

Sufficient 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 (quality & quantity) is vital as insufficient sleep affects blood sugar management, raises hunger, disrupts satiety signalling, & also leads to poor metabolic health

❓️So what can you do this week to improve YOUR metabolic health?

📸

20/01/2026

Forget BMI, how’s your ? (how efficiently your body produces & uses energy)

Poor metabolic health can lead to fatigue, low/unstable energy levels, obesity, poor bloodsugar management, diabetes, depression, brainfog

So it's very relevant to perimenopausehealth as well as general health

In the UK metabolic syndrome (having , high blood pressure & obesity) affects 1 in 3 adults over 50 & raises risk of heart disease, stroke & other chronic diseases

BMI is just about height & weight so a muscular person has the same BMI as an overweight one but they've got very different metabolic health profiles & likely health futures

The 5 markers for 'good' metabolic health are:
🎯Bloodsugar < 140 mg/dL is normal two hours after eating
🎯Blood pressure < 120/80 mmHg
🎯Waist circumference < 80cm/31.5in is low risk for women
🎯Cholesterol level 5 or below
🎯Triglyceride level 1.7 or below

E𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 & they're very relevant to perimenopause too:

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞: aerobic workouts protect your heart health , resistance training (weights) gives physical strength, protects bones & helps you look 'toned'

A healthy diet of mostly minimally processed real whole foods, appropriate calorie intake, sufficient protein, fibre, & water ensures you're a healthy weight, gives nutrients to support optimum health & recovery, & means your bloodsugar levels & energy are stable

Managing stress levels is essential not just for mental health but also cos increased levels of cortisol can have a negative effect on metabolic fitness & is especially problematic for perimenopausal women as it encourages bellyfat

Sufficient 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 (quality & quantity) is vital as insufficient sleep affects blood sugar management, raises hunger, disrupts satiety signalling, & also leads to poor metabolic health

❓️So what can you do this week to improve YOUR metabolic health?

📸

19/01/2026

Regular exercise is awesome, with so many benefits for body & mind
⁣
But let's get something clear:
💡There's a difference between exercising for health, longevity & enjoyment, and training with the purpose of changing the shape of your body
🔑If you want to be leaner, shapelier, more toned, to build muscle, then you absolutely need to prioritise regular heavy(ish) strength training 💪🏼
⁣
Yes, the lean, toned body you seek has less fat
💡But it also has more muscle
🔑And the only way to build this muscle is by continuously challenging yourself to get stronger over time

There are proven ways to effectively do this
But it's NOT what you see most 'fitness influencers' doing on social media:
❌random workouts
❌just using bands
❌only 20 mins a week
❌just hiit workouts
⁣
There's a structure to effectively building & maintaining muscle & strength

Nutrition is the foundation of your fatloss, strength training is the foundation of muscle gain

Regular movement is essential to optimum health, & strategic cardio does have a role to play for cardio fitness & some fatloss, but if you want to end up with the 'right kind of curves', you need to prioritise strength training & ensure your nutrition supports your goals

💃🏼Long-lasting change is what my coaching's based on & it WORKS - just take a look at my client reviews!

➡️Drop me a DM to find out how I could support you - imagine how much easier 2026 will feel if you're supported through it ❤

17/01/2026

What progress could you make in just 3 months on the RIGHT plan, with a busy full time job and a family? Even if you felt like you were ALREADY trying so hard with everything and nothing seemed to work?

This is what my client Becky had to say about the difference working with me made

😊She lost weight that had felt impossible to lose
💪🏼Got stronger than ever
💥Got more energy
👙Got more toned

✅Still enjoyed meals with family
✅Still enjoyed eating out
✅Still had a social life
✅Still drunk alcohol

If you want to drop excess fat to get a better, stronger body in midlife & beyond, let's work together to get you a plan, structure, & accountability that works in real life and LASTS LONG TERM - drop me a DM to discuss my how my coaching programme could help you💃🏻

Niki Woods Best Midlife

30/01/2026

28/01/2026

27/01/2026

26/01/2026

26/01/2026

25/01/2026

24/01/2026

22/01/2026

20/01/2026

20/01/2026

19/01/2026

17/01/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

What you can expect from me