Honestly, Carly

Carly Corrigall

If you're a woman over 40 and your old workouts have stopped working, your jeans feel tighter, and your brain can’t decide if it’s burnt out or buzzing - you’re in the right place. This is midlife, just not how they sold it to you. Honestly, Carly is where fitness, hormone health, and real life collide. Hosted by Carly Corrigall, midlife PT (and former lawyer), each week we get honest about what it actually takes to feel strong, confident and capable over 40, without overtraining, overcomplicating, or outsourcing your self-worth to scales and step counts. Expect science-backed strategies you can use today, the pep talk you didn't know you needed, and more than the occasional “oh my god, SAME.” This is the podcast to help you train smarter, feel better, and make this your strongest chapter yet. Educational content only; not a substitute for medical advice.

  1. 5 days ago

    46: When Did Midlife Fitness Become a Full-Time Project?

    Protein. Strength training. Steps. Cardio. Sleep. Fibre. Creatine. Bone health. Mobility. Stress. Recovery… Excuse me, but when exactly do we get to clock off? 😵‍💫 In this episode of Honestly, Carly, I’m asking why looking after ourselves can suddenly feel like a full-time bloody project in midlife – particularly when most of us are already doing plenty of the “right” things. Because perhaps the problem isn’t that staying fit and healthy suddenly requires us to do 47 different things. Perhaps it’s that when our bodies and results start to feel less predictable, we respond by trying to control more and more variables. We’ll talk about why the relationship between what you do and how you feel can become a little fuzzier in midlife; the endless cycle of tweaking training, food, supplements and routines; why one rubbish week doesn’t necessarily mean something needs fixing; and the question I’d rather you ask instead of “What else should I be doing?” Because your health and fitness should give you more capacity for your life – not become another enormous project to manage. PLUS: The Reboot is getting a September shake-up 👀 If you want feeling absolutely incredible in midlife to feel less like a full-time job, The Reboot is the place where I show you how. For the first time this year, I’m running a live September cohort of The Reboot, with a group of women all starting together. Want to be the first to hear when it goes live? Drop me the word SEPTEMBER in a DM on Instagram and I’ll make sure you’re first in the know. 👉 Find me on Instagram: @carlycorrigall 👉 Find out more about The Reboot: The Reboot

  2. 27 Aug

    45: My Exact Workout Week as a 45-Year-Old PT

    Apparently, people want to snoop on my Strava to see how I train. So I thought I'd save you the detective work... 👀 In this episode, I'm laying out exactly what my training looks like right now at 45, with access to all the latest knowledge as well as over a decade of experience as a PT. But there's a rather important caveat. Because while looking at what somebody else does can give you ideas, blindly reverse-engineering their training plan is rarely the answer. Your body, history, goals, injuries, lifestyle and stage of life all matter. And doing someone else's workouts won't magically give you someone else's body. We talk about: the three main elements I build my training aroundhow much I actually do each weekwhy repetition beats throwing loads of random workouts at your bodythe extra 10 minutes I do every day, and why you might not need towhat's conspicuously absent from my routine (hello, stretching, yoga and Pilates...)why your training needs to change when your goal changesand the simple training audit I'd encourage every woman to do as we head into autumn. The big takeaway? Every workout in your week should have a job. You don't need to do everything. You need to know what your body needs, what you're trying to achieve, and build your training around that. Also mentioned: 🎧 Ep10 Stretching Is Not The Answer (and other things you didn't know about midlife aches and pains) with Danielle Garfoot - listen here on Apple and here on Spotify 💪 Want to try Train with Carly? Your first PAYG class is £7! Tap here for more: Train with Me ✨ Want my help creating your own bespoke exercise prescription? That's exactly what we do inside The Reboot - find out more here: The Reboot ⭐️ Abs of steel in 10mins a day? Check out PerimenoCore Come and find me on Instagram @Carly Corrigall

  3. 20 Aug

    44: Summer Got You Feeling Puffy, Unfit and Out of Routine? Start Here

    Do you feel like you’ve got a LOT of work to do on your body this September? Maybe you feel puffier and more bloated than usual. Your clothes are fitting differently, your fitness seems to have disappeared and your normal routines have gone completely out of the window. Before you launch yourself into a September detox, diet or punishing workout plan, I want you to hear this: you’re probably not as far behind as you think. After a summer of heatwaves, holidays, disrupted sleep, different food, a few more treats and drinks, and perhaps a lot less movement and training than usual, it’s hardly surprising if you don’t feel quite like yourself. In this episode, I’m looking at what might actually be going on and, more importantly, what I’d do about it. We talk about: Why hot weather can leave you feeling puffier and more bloatedThe summer “treats and tastes” that can add up without us really noticingWhy you might feel less fit after a more sporadic few weeks of trainingWhy there is no wagon to fall off or climb back ontoThe importance of sleep and getting your usual anchors backA quick note on HRT, heat and transdermal preparationsWhy September should be an opportunity to recalibrate, not punish yourselfThe simple approach I’ll be taking myself over the next few weeks Because before you start trying to change your body, it might be worth asking a different question: What do I need to put back into my life to feel like me again? Give yourself a little time, get your normal rhythms back and then decide whether anything else actually needs to change. 🎧 Mentioned in this episode: Listen to my episode with sleep specialist Laura Murphy for much more on improving your sleep - it's Episode 42: Sleeping Badly in Midlife? Let’s Fix That (with Laura Murphy of The Sleep Shift) 💪 Want help getting your exercise routine back? Come and join me inside Train With Carly for 30-minute strength and HIIT workouts you can fit around real life, 52 weeks of the year. ✨ Want support with the bigger picture? If it’s not just your workouts and you’d like help with your training, food, sleep, stress, habits and feeling good in your body again, The Reboot is where we work on all of this together. 💌 Want to chat about your next step? Drop me a DM on Instagram - I'm @carlycorrigall And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend who’s currently looking at September and thinking, “Right. I need to sort myself out.”

  4. 13 Aug

    43: BITESIZE | Do You Really Need to Worry About Cortisol?

    Cortisol has become the latest wellness villain. Apparently it’s responsible for your belly fat, poor sleep, brain fog, cravings… and heaven forbid you do a hard workout and send it “skyrocketing”. But cortisol isn’t something we need to fear, flatten or detox. It’s a vital hormone that helps us wake up, mobilise energy, respond to challenge and, crucially, adapt to exercise. In this Bitesize episode, I’m cutting through the cortisol noise and looking at what’s actually going on when we train. I explain why exercise should create a short-term stress response, why that stress is part of how we become fitter and stronger, and why the real issue is when we pile training stress on top of poor sleep, under-fuelling and an already overflowing life-stress bucket. I’m also sharing the mistake I made during my own half-marathon training, and why the lesson wasn’t “running wrecked my cortisol”, but something much more useful. Links from this episode: Come and train with me - super-effective, 30 minute workouts designed to work with Intelligent Intensity: Train with CarlyWhen you want more than just workouts: The Reboot is for you. Check it out here: The RebootCome and tell me what you thought of this week’s episode over on Instagram - I’m @carlycorrigall

  5. 6 Aug

    42: Sleeping Badly in Midlife? Let's Fix That - With Laura Murphy of The Sleep Shift

    Do you wake at 3am with your brain running through tomorrow's to-do list? Fall asleep on the sofa but lie wide awake the moment your head hits the pillow? Or feel like poor sleep is just something women in midlife have to put up with? In this week's episode, I'm joined by sleep specialist occupational therapist Laura Murphy, founder of The Sleep Shift, to separate sleep fact from fiction. We dive into what actually happens to our sleep during perimenopause, why one bad night can spiral into weeks of disrupted sleep, and why trying harder to sleep is often exactly the wrong approach. We also tackle some of the biggest sleep myths doing the rounds on social media, from blue light glasses and melatonin to magnesium, sleep trackers and that evening glass of wine. If you've ever felt like your body has forgotten how to sleep, this episode will leave you feeling informed, reassured and, most importantly, hopeful. In this episode we discuss:✨ Why women are more prone to sleep problems, especially in midlife ✨ What hormones really do (and don't do) to your sleep ✨ Why you can fall asleep on the sofa but not in bed ✨ The surprising science behind your sleep drive ✨ Why 3am worries always feel so overwhelming ✨ Morning light, circadian rhythms and building better sleep ✨ The truth about melatonin supplements ✨ Blue light glasses: useful or marketing hype? ✨ Are sleep trackers helping or making things worse? ✨ Caffeine, alcohol and magnesium: what the evidence actually says ✨ What CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I) is and why it's considered the gold standard treatment ✨ Why better sleep isn't about perfection, but understanding your own body About Laura Laura is a sleep specialist OT and founder of The Sleep Shift. She offers personalised therapy to busy, sleep deprived adults, particularly women in midlife, focusing on rebuilding a healthier, more sustainable relationship with their sleep. After over a decade working in NHS mental health services, and her own experience of difficulties sleeping, Laura recognised that good-quality sleep really is the foundation for health and wellbeing. That's when it became the focus of her work. Her approach is grounded in evidence-based methods including CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I), while remaining personalised and in touch with real life. She's passionate about challenging the idea that women in midlife simply have to accept disrupted sleep as their bodies and lives change. Instead she helps them understand what's really impacting their sleep, beyond the hormone fluctuations and night sweats, identify their own unique needs and make the simple, realistic shifts to improve their sleep, helping them feel like themselves again. Find Laura: Instagram: @the_sleep_shift Website: https://thesleepshift.co.uk

  6. 30 Jul

    41: Can ChatGPT Replace Your Personal Trainer? (I Wasn't Expecting This...)

    This week, I decided to put AI to the test... I opened a private browser, pretended to be a fairly typical woman in her mid-40s, and asked ChatGPT to write me a training programme. I'll be honest... I expected it to be awful. It wasn't. In fact, some of the advice was surprisingly sensible. Which raises an interesting question: if AI can write you a decent training plan, do you still need a coach like me? In this episode, I'm sharing exactly what ChatGPT got right, where it fell short, and why I don't think coaching is actually about writing programmes in the first place. We chat about: • The advice ChatGPT absolutely nailed • Why good coaching starts with the question after the question • The patterns AI simply can't spot • Where a generic plan falls down • The difference between information and coaching • Where I think AI can be useful for helping you with your training If you've ever wondered whether AI can help with your health and fitness, this one's for you. I'd also love to hear from you! Have you used ChatGPT (or another AI tool) to ask a health or fitness question? What did you ask, and was the answer any good? Come and tell me over on Instagram: 📱 @carlycorrigall If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could follow the podcast, leave a review and share it with a friend who'd enjoy it too. It really helps more women discover the show.

  7. 23 Jul

    40: The Midlife Fitness Industry Doesn't Want You To Know This...

    If you've ever found yourself signing up for another six-week shred, reset, cleanse or challenge... this episode is for you. Because here's the question I want you to ask yourself: If it worked so well last time... why do you need to do it again? In this episode I'm lifting the lid on the business model behind many of the fitness industry's most popular programmes and explaining why so many intelligent, motivated women end up trapped in the exhausting cycle of being "on plan" and "off plan." This isn't about blaming the coaches who create these programmes. It's about understanding why short-term transformations rarely create long-term change, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Inside this episode we cover: Why six-week programmes are so appealingThe conversation I overheard in a coffee queue that inspired this episodeWhy the problem probably isn't your motivation or disciplineWhat actually works for midlife women who want lasting resultsHow to stop feeling like you're forever "starting again" If you're ready to stop chasing the next reset and start building something that actually lasts, this one's for you. Find out more about The Reboot here: www.clcfitness.co.uk As always, I'd love to hear what you think. Come and say hello over on Instagram: @carlycorrigall

  8. 2 Jul

    39: Training with Intelligent Intensity: What Being Late for a Nail Appointment Taught Me About My Training

    If I followed you around for a week, what would I notice about your workouts? 👀 One of the things I see most often is workouts all being done at the same intensity - not easy, but not hard - and often too many of them. This is costing you in midlife: both in terms of your results and your energy. In this episode: You'll discover the concepts of intelligent intensity and the minimum effective dose - these are game changers for midlife fitness.I'm going to teach you the swear word test I use every week in my Train with Carly membership to check you're working hard enough.I'll show you how to structure your training calendar to make sure you're striking the right balance.I'll also share with you my recent wake up call after I was (almost!) late for a nail appointment (sounds random? Promise it'll make sense!). FREE TRAINING TWEAK GUIDEWant to learn how to put this into practice? Download my free Training Tweak Guide Get the Tweak Guide DROP ME A MESSAGE ON INSTAGRAMInstagram: @carlycorrigall If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you'd subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs to hear it. Oh and as I mentioned at the end of the episode - the podcast is now taking a short break whilst I'm on my summer hols! I'll be back on 23rd July with a brand new episode. See you soon! x

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About

If you're a woman over 40 and your old workouts have stopped working, your jeans feel tighter, and your brain can’t decide if it’s burnt out or buzzing - you’re in the right place. This is midlife, just not how they sold it to you. Honestly, Carly is where fitness, hormone health, and real life collide. Hosted by Carly Corrigall, midlife PT (and former lawyer), each week we get honest about what it actually takes to feel strong, confident and capable over 40, without overtraining, overcomplicating, or outsourcing your self-worth to scales and step counts. Expect science-backed strategies you can use today, the pep talk you didn't know you needed, and more than the occasional “oh my god, SAME.” This is the podcast to help you train smarter, feel better, and make this your strongest chapter yet. Educational content only; not a substitute for medical advice.

Information

  • Creator
    Carly Corrigall
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Carly Corrigall
  • Show Website
    Honestly, Carly