As the founder of a skincare brand, Saira Khan has long taken an interest in health and wellbeing. Recently, the former Loose Women panellist and Dancing on Ice contestant shared how her approach to fitness has evolved over the years.
‘As I’ve moved into midlife, my focus has naturally shifted from cardio to strength. It’s less about burning calories now, and more about building something that lasts,’ the 55-year-old wrote alongside a clip of her latest gym session.
The shift is a practical one.
‘As you hit the menopause, there are lots of things you have to watch, like the thickening of the waist, weak bones, hormonal changes, depression and anxiety. A lot of it is to do with your diet and physical activity,’ she told Closer.
For Khan, the goal is no longer aesthetics but maintaining strength, mobility and independence for decades to come.
‘I’m thinking about my bones, my mobility, my range of movement. I’m really training for my 60s and beyond. How do I want to feel in my body later on? Strong? Capable? Able to move freely? That’s what matters to me now,’ she wrote.
She emphasised that she’s not trying to turn back the clock.
‘I’m not trying to reverse ageing; I just want to support my body in doing what it’s designed to do, for as long as possible.’
That means making training a non-negotiable part of her week.
‘I exercise five times a week at my local gym. I do a lot of weight training to keep my bones strong. I drink 2 litres of water a day and I wear SPF daily,’ she told Closer.
Combined with weight-loss medication, the approach has helped Khan drop two dress sizes in recent months.
‘I go by how I feel and how my clothes fit. I don’t weigh myself – I have a phobia of the scales,’ she told the Daily Mail.
‘I’ve absolutely seen such a massive difference. I’ve not been a size 8 since I was 50 and I feel confident.’
Saira Khan’s 9 go-to full-body strength exercises
Do 3 x 12 reps of each exercise
1. Biceps curl
Start with a dumbbell in each hand with straight arms, palms facing forward. Keeping a slight bend in your knees, engage your glutes and core.Bend your arms, lifting the weights to chest height in a slow, controlled movement.Keep your shoulders relaxed and down, and your head, neck and spine neutralLower your weights back down to your thighs by straightening your arms.2. Hammer curl
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, with your back upright and your dumbbells by your sides in a neutral grip, with palms facing each other.With your arms fully extended, curl your arms towards your chest until your thumbs and one head of each dumbbell are near your shoulders. Keep your upper arms still and perpendicular to the floor. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. Pause briefly, then slowly lower your arms down. 3. Cable tricep pushdown
Attach a rope handle to the high pulley of a cable station. Keeping your elbows tucked in at your sides and your knees slightly bent, grab the handle and tense your core.Bring your hands down until your arms are fully extended but not locked out. Only your forearms should move. Try to keep your back as straight as possible as you push down.Return to the starting position. 4. Triceps kickback
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.Hinge slightly at your hips, brace your core and squeeze your glutes. Keep your gaze on the floor a few feet in front of you.Row the dumbbells up until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides.Extend your elbows to straighten your arms and drive the dumbbells behind you, moving only from the elbow joint.At the top of the movement, pause briefly and squeeze your triceps.Bend your elbows to return to the starting position, keeping your upper arms lifted throughout.5. Stability ball lateral raise
Sit on a stability ball with a dumbbell in each hand.Keep your shoulders relaxed and a slight bend in your knees.Lift the dumbbells out to your sides to shoulder height with a gentle bend in each elbow.Ensure your back is neutral, your tailbone is tucked and your shoulders are away from your ears. Gradually lower the dumbbells to the starting position.6. Upright row
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the dumbbells with straight arms in front of your legs. Your palms should face your body.Engage your abs. Keep your chest up and eyes forward.Lift the dumbbells up to mid-chest height or just below your chin. Keep your dumbbells close to your body by raising your elbows up and out to the sides.Pause at the top, then lower with control to the beginning.
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a weighted plate in both hands.Hinge at your hips, pushing your hips back as if you’re shutting a drawer. Keep your back flat and chest up. Hold the plate with arms extended in front of your chest. Pull the plate toward your lower ribcage in a controlled manner by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Keep your elbows close to your body.Slowly lower the plate back to the starting position maintaining a flat back and neutral neck (look at the ground in front of you). Exhale as you row the plate up, and inhale as you lower it. 8. Box-assisted pistol squat
Stand facing away from a box or bench that is around knee height. Your feet should be hip-width apart and your arms extended. Lift your non-working leg straight forward. Keep your weight on the heel of your working leg but keep your foot flat and stable. Engage your core and keep your chest up. Slowly sit back onto the box, lowering for 2-3 seconds and keeping your non-working leg off the ground. Tap the box gently with your glutes.Pressing through your working heel, straighten your hip and knee and stand with control. 9. Captain’s chair leg raise
Set yourself up in a captain’s chair with your forearms resting on the arm pads and your back against the support. Let your legs hang straight down.Engage your core and lift your straight legs upward until they are hip height or higher.Pause briefly, then lower your legs back down under control to the starting position.
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
