{"id":618366,"date":"2026-10-02T10:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T10:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/618366\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T10:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T10:46:11","slug":"i-lifted-heavy-weights-for-7-months-at-40-these-are-the-7-strength-rules-every-woman-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/618366\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I lifted heavy weights for 7 months at 40 \u2013 these are the 7 strength rules every woman should know’"},"content":{"rendered":"

When she reached the end of a seven-month heavy-lifting programme, fitness enthusiast and YouTuber Erin Giles<\/a> couldn’t believe how quickly the time had gone.<\/p>\n

‘I literally can’t believe it. I’ve been lifting heavy, doing sprint interval training<\/a> and eating 148g of protein every day for the last six to seven months,’ she said on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Erin had just completed Hailey Happens Fitness and Dr Stacy Sims’ Power Happens Advanced<\/a> programme.<\/p>\n

‘I have been lifting four days a week for the past 12 weeks, and before that I did Power Happens Intermediate, where I was lifting three days a week \u2013 sometimes four,’ she explained, telling viewers she’d share her results, what surprised her and how she’d found the programme overall.<\/p>\n

Before diving into her review, she showed viewers her final workout, completed in her home gym.<\/p>\n

‘I get to choose between a 60- and 30-minute [version]. I always choose the 60-minute,’ she said.<\/p>\n

‘There’s a warm-up with hip thrusts<\/a>. There’s a tri-set of hip thrusts and Swiss ball leg curls. There’s a warm-up again for leg press \u2013 there’s an alternate version because I’m not in a gym \u2013 and then my tri-set finishes with dumbbell skater squats and single-leg hip thrusts.’<\/p>\n

7 things I learnt after 7 months of heavy strength training at 401. Getting stronger takes time<\/p>\n

As Erin discovered, building muscle<\/a> and changing your body doesn’t happen overnight.<\/p>\n

‘I’ve been really surprised at what’s realistic for our age \u2013 40 and over \u2013 once you start strength training…[and] just how long it can take to build muscle,’ she said.<\/p>\n

She also became more realistic about the timescale involved.<\/p>\n

‘I’m at peace with it now compared to…once I ended Power Happens Intermediate,’ she reflected.<\/p>\n

She hopes seeing more real-life examples will help women understand that progress takes time.<\/p>\n

‘I feel like the more we see people trying to [achieve] body recomposition and become stronger…from age 35 up and 40 up, the more we’re going to realise it’s going to take time, and that’s OK.’<\/p>\n

2. You can get stronger without gaining weight<\/p>\n

One of Erin’s biggest surprises was that increasing her protein intake \u2013 ‘I probably went from eating 100g of protein a day to nearly 150’ \u2013 and lifting heavy didn’t change the number on the scales.<\/p>\n

‘I haven’t gained any weight,’ she said, ‘but I’m surprised at how much stronger I’ve become in certain areas. I used to do hip thrusts with just the bar and 25lb [11kg], and today I did 175lb [79kg]. I’ve made a lot of strength gains, which is a huge win.’<\/p>\n

3. You don’t have to love every workout<\/p>\n

Some of her cardio sessions were physically and mentally challenging, but she was glad she persevered.<\/p>\n

For the first two months she completed 15-20 minute sessions two or three times a week. In the final month, that increased to 40-45 minutes. Some sessions were interval-based, while others were low-intensity steady state.<\/p>\n

‘They have kicked my butt,’ she said.<\/p>\n

Cardio had never been her strongest area.<\/p>\n

‘I tend to get bored, especially with cardio. I haven’t been very strong in [this] arena,’ she admitted.<\/p>\n

‘Doing this cardio programme has definitely stretched me. Every time…I’m in my head trying to convince myself to quit early, that I don’t need to do the whole thing or the last interval.<\/p>\n

‘And so it’s been really exhausting and really surprising…that I feel so good afterwards,’ she said.<\/p>\n

\"women's<\/a><\/p>\n

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Get the plan<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Recovery is part of getting stronger<\/p>\n

Deload weeks, rest days<\/a> and lower-intensity training are essential for giving your body time to recover between harder training blocks.<\/p>\n

‘This morning I am starting two weeks of something I’ve never really done before, which is deload weeks \u2013 less intensity, less volume or less weight,’ she said.<\/p>\n

‘Hailey describes it as about 60% of what you would normally lift to give your body some recovery. So you’re not giving it all you’ve got.’<\/p>\n

5. Don’t neglect mobility<\/a><\/p>\n

Erin admitted there was one area she’d neglected.<\/p>\n

‘I’ve absolutely been slacking on mobility. I get into this habit where, once my workout is done, I go upstairs and eat immediately because I’m famished. When in reality, I really need to spend some time stretching,’ she said.<\/p>\n

She realised her previous mobility goals simply weren’t sustainable.<\/p>\n

‘I was trying to do programmes where mobility was like 30 minutes a day, and I’m already doing so much. That’s just not realistic long term…while keeping other things a priority like family and not working out two-and-a-half hours a day,’ she explained.<\/p>\n

‘I\u2019ve started putting together a list of mobility videos on YouTube that are 10-20 minutes, tops.’<\/p>\n

6. Progress is about much more than aesthetics\"7<\/p>\n

Erin Giles\/\/Instagram<\/p>\n

After several months, Erin’s body measurements had changed very little. She’d lost around half an inch from her hips, while her thigh measurements remained the same.<\/p>\n

But she felt she’d gained something much more valuable.<\/p>\n

‘[I’ve lost] half an inch, but I’m stronger,’ she said.<\/p>\n

‘It’s going to take time, and that’s OK. We can still have fun in the process and celebrate the progress, even if it’s half an inch or just one pound.’<\/p>\n

She believes the biggest changes were internal.<\/p>\n

‘I feel that mentally, emotionally and strength-wise, I’ve gained something better. I’ve gained a healthier relationship with working out and becoming stronger.’<\/p>\n

7. She wishes she’d started taking creatine sooner<\/p>\n

‘I would’ve absolutely started taking creatine<\/a> sooner,’ Erin said.<\/p>\n

Initially she was worried about reported side effects, but she experienced none herself.<\/p>\n

‘I was freaked out [about] taking it because so many people were talking about how it caused bloating and water retention, and it hasn’t done that for me at all,’ she said.<\/p>\n

‘I think I finally decided to do it because [exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist] Dr Stacy Sims said<\/a> it’s the most highly studied supplement in the world.’<\/p>\n

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