Why NEAT Matters More Than the Gym for Women Over 50

If you’re a woman over 50 who goes to the gym two or three times a week, you’re already doing something brilliant for your health. But if weight loss still feels frustrating — or your body feels tired, achy or stressed — there may be a missing piece.

That missing piece is often NEAT.

NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, which is just a fancy way of saying all the movement you do outside of formal exercise. Walking, standing, housework, gardening, pacing while on the phone, popping upstairs — it all counts.

NEAT for women over 50 is one of the most overlooked (yet powerful) tools for weight loss and healthy ageing.

Going to the gym but sitting all day? This is the problem

This is a pattern I see again and again with many midlife women:

• Gym or fitness class 2–3 times per week

• Long hours sitting at a desk or in the car

• Evenings spent exhausted on the sofa

That one-hour workout is beneficial — but it makes up a very small percentage of your week. The other 23 hours of the day matter far more than most of us realise.

Our bodies were never designed to sit still for long periods, especially during and after menopause.

Why is NEAT for women over 50 so important and what is it?

NEAT includes all the low-level movement you do throughout the day — and it has a unique set of benefits for women in midlife.

1. NEAT burns more calories than you think

While an hour at the gym might burn 300–400 calories, gentle movement spread across the day can quietly burn more, without leaving you exhausted.

As metabolism naturally slows with age, this daily movement becomes increasingly important for weight management.

2. NEAT supports blood sugar and insulin balance

Regular movement helps your muscles use glucose more efficiently, reducing the need for insulin.

This is key for women over 50 who are noticing:

• Easier weight gain

• Energy crashes

• Increased cravings

Better blood sugar control often makes fat loss feel far less like a battle.

3. NEAT is kinder to your hormones

Unlike long or intense workouts, NEAT does not significantly raise cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone.

This matters hugely for menopausal and post-menopausal women who are already juggling:

• Work stress

• Poor sleep

• Family or caring responsibilities

High cortisol encourages the body to hold on to fat — especially around the middle.

4. NEAT supports joints, bones and muscles as we age

Frequent movement keeps joints lubricated, bones gently loaded and muscles active.

This supports:

• Joint comfort

• Bone strength

• Balance and mobility

• Long-term independence

All essential pillars of healthy ageing.

5. NEAT boosts energy instead of draining it

One of the biggest surprises for many women is that moving more often actually increases energy.

In contrast, fewer but harder workouts can sometimes leave women over 50 feeling depleted rather than energised.

Can you exercise too much during menopause?

This is an important — and often misunderstood — topic.

For some women over 50, especially those who are stressed, under-fuelled or not sleeping well, too much high-intensity exercise can be counterproductive.

Signs you may be over-exercising include:

• Weight loss has stalled despite effort

• Constant fatigue

• Poor or broken sleep

• Increased cravings

• Feeling “wired but tired”

In these situations, the body perceives intense training as another stressor. Cortisol rises, recovery suffers and fat loss slows.

Exercise isn’t the problem — the mismatch between stress, recovery and exercise intensity is.

A smarter movement strategy for women over 50

Rather than pushing harder, the goal is to move more often and more gently.

A hormone-friendly approach looks like this:

• Keep strength training (essential for muscle and bone)

• Walk daily where possible, 30 minutes a day is a good goal.

• Break up sitting every 30–60 minutes

• Use stairs, stand during calls, park further away

• Build movement into daily life — not just workouts

  
  

This is where NEAT for women over 50 truly shines.

You'll see I have in bold Keep strength training. It is essential for muscle and bone health as we age. Many clients who start working with me are walking every day and I'm adding in strength training for them. The message here is variety and diversity of movement and that a few heavy sessions during the week can't make up for the rest of your time being sedentary.

The bottom line on NEAT, weight loss and healthy ageing

If you’re a woman over 50 focusing only on gym workouts, you may be overlooking the most powerful movement tool you have.

NEAT supports weight loss, hormone balance, joint health and long-term vitality — without exhausting your body.

Healthy ageing isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about consistency, recovery and moving a little more, every single day.

And often, that’s when the body finally starts to respond.

Download for you

I've prepared a great downloadable factsheet on Daily Movment for you with some practical options for adding in 10 minutes throughout your day and a few good graphics.

Daily Movement Factsheet