‘At 47, I lost 10kg after swapping the gym for home workouts – these 4 habits made it possible’

Personal trainer Cheryl Coulombe transformed her fitness routine at age 47 by moving away from the gym and focusing on a structured home-based plan. This shift allowed her to lose 10kg by applying specific, measurable habits rather than relying on equipment access. Her approach shows that consistency and intentional effort often outperform traditional gym memberships for sustainable results.

Strength training forms the foundation of her progress. Coulombe emphasizes that sets must be challenging, requiring the athlete to push until the final few repetitions are difficult to complete. If a set feels comfortable, it fails to signal the necessary physiological growth. Tracking these movements is also critical. By logging weights and reps, she ensures she can beat her previous performance in every session through progressive overload.

Daily movement outside of structured exercise plays a secondary but vital role. Accumulating 10,000 steps through everyday activities keeps the body active without causing the recovery fatigue associated with high-intensity cardio. This low-impact movement supports metabolic health and fat loss while keeping the stress on the body manageable.

Nutrition provides the final piece of this approach. Coulombe suggests calculating total daily energy expenditure to determine an appropriate calorie deficit. Prioritizing protein at every meal supports muscle maintenance while the body burns fat. This methodical approach removes the guesswork from weight loss and ensures the physical work translates into visible body composition changes.