Unshrinkable midlife moves - Movement, meaning + midlife magic

Onika Griffith-Elliott

Midlife isn’t the time to shrink - it’s a reset, a reframe, and a relaunch. It’s time to move and to grow. Unshrinkable Midlife moves is for women 40+ who are ready to discover  strength, confidence, purpose and lots more through movement.  This is a space to discover what’s still possible in midlife, despite what we've  been told and believed. Onika Griffith-Elliott dives into the stories of women who are rewriting the midlife script. You’ll hear from women who’ve ignited or reignited their spark through movement and found joy, freedom, adventure and resilience as a result. These aren’t elite athletes. They’re women who decided to move. Expect honest conversations, unexpected breakthroughs,laughter and explore what happens when women stop waiting for the right time and take the first step. You’ll learn how to:  - Get and keep moving, no matter where you’re starting.-  Crush the midlife myths that tell women to slow down and step back.  -  Avoid the pitfalls that hold midlife women back, from fear and fatigue to guilt and self-doubt.-  Embrace movement as an act of confidence, courage, and self-discovery. Because when you move, you don’t just change your body, you change your life and story.  It's time to age boldly and unapologetically.

  1. 5d ago

    Borrowed Bikes to Ironman - Hills, Second Chapters and Refusing to Wait with Donna McConnell

    Send us Fan Mail  Donna McConnell came to cycling late. To triathlon late. To the version of herself that would complete an Ironman, late. And she'll be the first to tell you that none of that was a disadvantage.  She found her tribe in her 50s. Completed an Ironman. Ran the London Marathon. And came back from all of it not just fitter,but fundamentally different. Bolder. Clearer. Less willing to accept the ceiling she'd quietly been living under. At 57 she's still racing, still building, and completely uninterested in the idea that this is the age you start winding down. In this conversation Donna talks about the mental game behind endurance sport, what 500 miles through the Scottish Highlands does to your relationship with fear, and why perimenopause and peak performance aren't the opposites the fitness world would have you believe. In this episode you'll discover: Why visualising enjoying a race, not just finishing it changes everything about how you show upWhat 500 miles through the Scottish Highlands taught her about fear that years of training couldn'tHow completing an Ironman changed what she thought she deserved in sport and in lifeWhy perimenopause and peak athletic performance aren't opposites and why the timing of her Ironman mattered more than she expectedWhat women over 40 are doing in elite endurance sport that nobody's talking about enoughThis is a conversation for anyone who has ever wondered whether they've left it too late, set the ceiling too low, or talked themselves out of something before they even started. Connect with Donna: @the_ironempress Follow us on Instagram: @unshrinkablemidlifemoves  The Grit and Grace Games — 12th September 2026, Crystal Palace National SPorts Centre, London. www.gritandgracegames.com

    39 min

  2. Jun 3

    From Cheering to Competing - Triple Jump, Breaking Records and Backing Yourself at 48 with Emily Murray

    Send us Fan Mail She Thought She'd Peaked at 16. Then She Broke a National Record at 48. Most of us quietly accept that our best athletic years are behind us. Emily accepted it too for about thirty years. Then she didn't. Emily came to triple jump the way nobody comes to triple jump as a 46-year-old with zero experience, a decades-old gymnastics background, and a competitive streak she'd been accidentally unleashing on the wrong areas of her life. Within two years she'd broken the Scottish national record and competed at European Championships. But this conversation goes deeper than athletics. In this episode you'll learn: Why masters athletics might be the best kept secret in midlife fitnessWhy sprinting, not marathons could be the most powerful thing women over 40 can do for their bodiesHow to find a coach who knows the difference between pushing an older athlete and breaking oneWhat really happens when you stop being the supporter of everyone else's ambitions and start pursuing your ownWhy the guilt of going after something for yourself is worth pushing throughWe also get into what it does to a teenage boy when his mum walks out onto a world class stage and competes. And the question that sits underneath all of it, what are we actually capable of, and have we ever really tested it? If you've ever suspected there's a version of yourself you haven't met yet, this episode is for you. Connect with Emily: @pinkhouseliving  Follow us on Instagram: @unshrinkablemidlifemoves  The Grit and Grace Games — 12th September 2026, Crystal Palace, London. www.gritandgracegames.com

    48 min

  3. May 27

    When Movement Changes - Navigating Menopause, Hidden Disability and Movement Differently With Fiona

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when a 52 year old woman with a hidden disability rediscovers roller skating after more than 35 years away from it? In this powerful and intriguing conversation, Fiona shares how roller skating became far more than a hobby. After years of chronic foot issues, surgery and limited movement, skating helped her reconnect with freedom, confidence, community and herself. From skating through South London parks to learning alongside younger skaters, Fiona opens up about navigating movement with an invisible disability, the realities of menopause, fear, identity, ageing and what it means to find the thng that makes you come alive.. This episode explores: Returning to roller skating again in your 50sLiving and moving with a hidden disabilityMenopause, confidence and identity shiftsFinding spaces where you can fully be yourselfHow skating became both escape and empowerment Honest, funny, raw and uplifting, Fiona shares a side of midlife movement that rarely gets talked about, one built around resilience, adaptation, joy, music, community and finding new ways to feel alive again.

    45 min

  4. May 20

    Back On The Mountain - Finding Your Joy On The Slopes With Sarah Gilbertson

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Unshrinkable Midlife Moves, I’m joined by therapeutic ski coach  and instructor, Sarah Gilbertson to explore what it really means to start or return to skiing in midlife. From skiing after 40 and rebuilding confidence on the slopes, to navigating fear, fitness, injury and menopause, Sarah shares how you can become confident and why midlife women deserve to take up space on the slopes. In this episode you'll learn:  why skiing can feel different in midlife  about the role of the nervous system when skiing the stereotypes women face in skiing after 40 and how to tackle it how fitness, balance and strength can transform your skiing experience  the importance finding the right people to ski with Whether you ski, dream of learning, or simply want inspiration to reconnect with movement and challenge yourself again, this episode is filled with insight, and encouragement. This conversation is for you. Find out more about Sarah at www.flourishwell.coach Follow the podcast on Instagram:  @unshrinkablemidlfemoves Find out more about Onika on Instagram: @lifeopenedup

    41 min

  5. May 13

    Movement, Strength and Mounjaro - A Midlife Reset With Charlotte Barton

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when the woman who once completed Ironmans suddenly no longer recognises herself?  In this open, honest and inspiring episode, physiotherapist Charlotte Barton shares her journey of menopause, injury, weight gain and rebuilding her confidence through movement, strength training and Hyrox. From Ironman racing to pelvic health, muscle, longevity and the realities of starting again in your 50s, Charlotte combines expert insight with lived experience in a conversation that will challenge the way you think about ageing. In this episode, you’ll learn: The truth about muscle, menopause and longevitySimple ways to reduce injury risk as we move and ageWhy recovery, mobility and pelvic floor health matter more in midlifeCharlotte’s  experience using Mounjaro as part of her lifestyle changeWhether you’re starting again, rebuilding after a setback, or simply looking for inspiration to move your body differently, this conversation will leave you feeling empowered to rethink what’s possible in midlife.  Visit Charlotte's Website www.thelionclinic.com Follow Charlotte on Instagram at  menopausephysio.triroxmum Follow the podcast on Instagram:  @unshrinkablemidlfemoves Find out more about Onika on Instagram: @lifeopenedup

    49 min

  6. May 6

    Couch To 50 Miles - Falls, Storms and Ultra Running With Lornette Valentine

    Send us Fan Mail "Sometimes I can't even run to the start line, now 50 miles is normal." What happens when a woman who once preferred sitting indoors in the dark becomes someone who runs through storms, mud, and 15-hour races—sometimes barely able to see? In this raw and unexpectedly funny episode, Lornette Valentine shares how a post lockdown moment, a treadmill fall, and a quiet decision to try something new sparked a complete identity shift in midlife. Fast forward just a few years and she’s calling herself an ultra runner after completing 50Ks, 30-milers, and a brutal 50-mile coastal race in the middle of a storm where she went partially blind, was knee deep in mud, nearly slipped off a cliff and still finished. This isn’t about being fearless. It’s about just getting to the next aid station. Inside this episode, we talk about:  The real mindset of endurance,the power of the next aid station Why even ultra runners start races thinking, “how am I going to do this?” The power of music, community, and messing around in the woods with your mates How Lornette went from I don’t even like running to not being able to imagine life without it  Training lessons, doing less, trusting the process, and getting stronger in midlife  The identity shift that impacts everything from family life to confidence to what feels possible Lornette’s story is proof that you don’t need to feel ready, confident, or even capable to begin, because five years ago, this wasn’t her life. And now?  She’s the woman who signs up for races without even knowing the route. If you’ve ever thought, I could never run 50 miles, this episode might just change your mind. Find out more about Lornette at @lornette_valentine Find out more about Lornette's restuarant, Maison @maisonfarnham Follow the podcast on Instagram:  @unshrinkablemidlfemoves Find out more about Onika on Instagram: @lifeopenedup

    40 min

  7. Apr 29

    Sunsets and Skateboards - Overcoming Fear and Finding Joy With Milly Manley

    Send us Fan Mail What if the thing that scares you most is the very thing that brings you back to life? In this episode, Milly Manley shares how, at 40, she stepped into something she never thought was for her, skateboarding and found far more than just a new hobby. From panic and self-doubt, to freedom, joy, and unexpected sisterhood, this is a story about stepping out of your old identity and creating a new one. You’ll hear how an everyday item led to a powerful practice of being present, letting go of expectations, and reconnecting with fun. In this episode, you’ll discover:  Why you don’t have to be good at something to truly enjoy it  How to experience joy alongside fear, not after it disappears  The unexpected power of beginner spaces and female community  Why midlife might be the perfect time to try something ridiculous  How movement can become less about fitness and more about freedom If you’ve ever told yourself that’s not for me, This conversation might just change your mind. Because sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is get on the board while you’re still scared. Find out more about Milly at @MillyManley Follow the podcast on Instagram:  @unshrinkablemidlfemoves Find out more about Onika on Instagram: @lifeopenedup

    37 min

  8. Apr 22

    Flying Through Midlife - Cheerleading, Motorbikes and Starting Again With Debbie Barry

    Send us Fan Mail Debbie didn’t find cheerleading at 16. She found it at 38. And it changed everything. In this episode, Debbie Barry, law firm office manager by day, Masters cheer captain by night, shares how saying “I’ll give it a go” on a girls’ holiday led her to a sisterhood, a stage, and a version of herself she didn’t even know existed. What started as one Wednesday night training session, turned into eight years of stunts, competitions, glittered uniforms, and the kind of friendship that feels like therapy in trainers. But this conversation goes far beyond cheerleading. In this episode you'll learn:  Why midlife isn’t a crisis, and what it really isHow confidence is actually built The unexpected power of female friendship formed later in life What happens when you stop organising everyone else’s life and start asking what you want How one brave “I’ll give it a go” can completely redirect your lifeThis is a story about trust, courage and taking centre stage in your own life.  If you’ve ever felt like you lost yourself in supporting everyone else… If there’s something you’ve quietly wanted to try… If you’re ready to fly instead of stand on the sidelines… This episode will show you why it’s not too late and may in fact be perfect timing. Because sometimes midlife isn’t about starting over. It’s about finally finding your wings to fly. Find out more about Debbie @debbiebaz Find out more about Cheer London Allstarz www.cheerlondonallstarz.com Follow the podcast on Instagram:  @unshrinkablemidlfemoves Find out more about Onika on Instagram: @lifeopenedup

    31 min
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About

Midlife isn’t the time to shrink - it’s a reset, a reframe, and a relaunch. It’s time to move and to grow. Unshrinkable Midlife moves is for women 40+ who are ready to discover  strength, confidence, purpose and lots more through movement.  This is a space to discover what’s still possible in midlife, despite what we've  been told and believed. Onika Griffith-Elliott dives into the stories of women who are rewriting the midlife script. You’ll hear from women who’ve ignited or reignited their spark through movement and found joy, freedom, adventure and resilience as a result. These aren’t elite athletes. They’re women who decided to move. Expect honest conversations, unexpected breakthroughs,laughter and explore what happens when women stop waiting for the right time and take the first step. You’ll learn how to:  - Get and keep moving, no matter where you’re starting.-  Crush the midlife myths that tell women to slow down and step back.  -  Avoid the pitfalls that hold midlife women back, from fear and fatigue to guilt and self-doubt.-  Embrace movement as an act of confidence, courage, and self-discovery. Because when you move, you don’t just change your body, you change your life and story.  It's time to age boldly and unapologetically.

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