Elizabeth Davies: Why women should stop exercising to get smaller

For decades, women have been sold the idea that exercise is about shrinking themselves — flattening stomachs, toning arms, and chasing the elusive “beach body.” But personal trainer and author Elizabeth Davies thinks it’s time for a rethink.In this episode, Elizabeth joins Emilie Lavinia to unpack why strength training matters so much as we age, how women can protect their muscles and bones in midlife, and why fitness culture still often repackages body shame as empowerment. We discuss menopause, gym confidence, cardio as punishment, the problem with arbitrary strength standards, and why one workout a week really can be enough.Elizabeth is the founder of This Woman Lifts and author of Training For Your Old Lady Body, a practical guide to building strength, resilience and confidence for the long game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.