I Asked My Fittest Over-40 Friends How They Stay Healthful and Strong

I wouldn't be in the shape I am without them

How to Build a Life is a newsletter for people bang in the thick of life’s mess and mayhem, who are still trying to find the magic. It’s written by me, Laura Jane Williams, author of 12 (!) books. I’m almost 40, a solo parent by choice, decorate my house like a tart’s boudoir, and lift very heavy weights. Those four things are my entire personality.

My latest rom-com is Enemies to Lovers, and I am the author of teen series Taylor Blake is a Legend too.

This newsletter hasn’t been going very long, but I’ve already referenced my gym friends several times. This is typical of me in real life.

An example: over the last bank holiday, my brother insisted on starting to make plans for a ski trip before he loses the will to live (I have been telling him I’ll go skiing with him for years now, because we haven’t been since we were teenagers. But money! It costs so much money!!).

I am beginning to relent, so said, FINE. SKIING! LET’S START LOOKING AT IT. I’LL ASK THE GYM GIRLS WHERE IS BEST.

My brother laughed and said, do you do anything without the gym girls giving sign-off?

I said, what do you mean?

He said, it’s all, the gym girls will know where some good outdoor swimming is, the gym girls will know whether turkey or chicken sausages are better, the gym girls say it’s not worth bothering with that pub that’s opened in the next village because the food is crap.

I said, Well I see them every day and we talk non-stop for an hour! We cover a lot of ground! They know stuff!!

Case in point: apparently Obergurgl is a great ski resort, unless you suffer with the altitude, and then I should just go anywhere in Austria because the food on piste is better than in France. How else would I have learned that, brother?

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My brother’s comments got me to thinking, though: since I mention the gym and the gym girls often enough here, maybe I could share their wisdom on health and well-being, in the same way they share it on our Whatsapp. In terms of How to Build a Life, the gym girlies are a key resource.

I told them if they contributed something I’d get in the Veuve Cliquot on the next night out. Those drunkards will do anything for champers - or, in the case of non-drinker Cheryl, homemade chocolate cake - so here we go.

I’ve included their ages, care-giving responsibilities and employment, as obviously a child-free digital nomad will have different constraints on their resources than a full-time employed single mother of six, say. Context is everything.

So. Without further ado. This is everything my fittest (and mostly) over-40 friends have to say about health and wellbeing. Read to the end for my top tip too!