This month’s cover model is WF’s resident fitness writer and trainer: Lucy Miller. Lucy’s exercised hard all her life, but intense activity stopped reaping results. Here’s how she rewrote her fitness rulebook to stay in peak condition and beat the fitness plateau
Lucy Miller is a 43-year-old mum of two, and WF’s very own personal trainer, fitness writer and model. Since joining Women’s Fitness in 2010 (after working on our brother title, Men’s Fitness), she’s tested just about every workout, retreat, trend and squat variation out there. As a former national gymnast, movement has always been in her DNA.
With a home gym and a membership at David Lloyd, Lucy trains six days a week – usually first thing in the morning while her children, Lacie, 12, and Elliott, nine, are still in bed. At weekends, the trio spend most of their days at David Lloyd (davidlloyd.co.uk): Lacie joins Lucy in the gym for cardio and callisthenics, and they’ll also take part in the kid’s Rebels BLAZE and IGN1TE HIIT classes. When not in classes, they’ll swim or play tennis. For Lucy, fitness is something to be shared – especially with the children.
Fitness has also opened doors to some of the most memorable experiences of Lucy’s life, from running the San Francisco Marathon with the Nike team, to hiking up the Pitons in St Lucia. Having a strong, capable body has allowed her to say ‘yes’ to opportunities she’s always dreamed of, and she has no plans to slow down! Here’s how Lucy stays cover-ready all year-round, and the mindset that keeps her moving with purpose to beat the fitness plateau.
Have you always kept fit?
Always. I was a gymnast from the age of seven, training for around 25 hours a week. I travelled the world, became a two-time national champion, and eventually stopped competing to focus on my studies. I took a year or so out, but I missed moving – that was when I started running. My then-husband and I joined a running club, and we travelled to different races, including the Disneyland Marathon in Florida which was a real highlight. From there, I joined a gym to get stronger for running, trained to become a Level 3 PT and nutritionist, and went on from there.
What do you enjoy about exercising?
The challenge, the aesthetics and the feeling of always being the best version of me. Through my work, I get incredible opportunities, so when
I’m asked to run something like the Lisbon Half Marathon, with someone as iconic as Haile Gebrselassie taking part, I love knowing I can turn up and comfortably do the distance.
Exercising gives me energy and a huge amount of inner strength. As a single mum of two, there was something deeply satisfying about being strong enough to carry one child on my back, another on my arm, plus their bags and then some. They’re older now, so I don’t need to do that anymore, but they still joke that I’ll be running marathons when I’m 80.
How has your regime changed since turning 40?
I’ve really calmed it down. I used to be a total cardio queen – racking up miles and training at a high intensity with very little intention. I was constantly pushing myself, but I often felt inflamed, tired and frustrated by the lack of results, despite how much effort I was putting in. I’ve done a U-turn and I’m a lot more chilled; sometimes, less really is more.
What do you do now?
Now, I stick to zone 2 runs or walks most mornings, and I love mixing bodyweight training with weights three-to-four times a week. Once a week, I’ll do a full-body resistance workout and lift heavy, just to remind my muscles they’re there. I love the variety. The zone 2 work helps me recover, and the hybrid sessions keep me functional and strong all over – I love to experiment with new movement patterns.
How do you fit it around motherhood?
For me, not exercising isn’t an option. When I skip my mornings, the kids will actually ask if I’m OK and encourage me to get it done – they know how important it is to me. When they were babies, they’d sit in my home gym with their toys while I trained, or they’d come along in the running pushchair through the woods. These days, they enjoy the classes at David Lloyd, which means we can train as a family. And when they’re at their dad’s every other weekend, I can easily make up for any sessions I might have missed.
How do you stay motivated, accountable and beat fitness plateau?
I don’t let myself lose momentum. If I wake up tired or feel like I need a day off, that’s fine – I’ll either take the day off or just go a little easier. I just make sure I show up. There’s something really motivating about making a promise to yourself and keeping it. Even if the session ends up being slower or needs adapting, I still turn up.
Why did you get a life coach?
Working with Adam (adamtallamy.com), my life coach, has shown me that the possibilities are endless. He’s helped me process big life changes such as my divorce, reframe negative life experiences into positive ones, and reconnect with a deeper sense of life purpose. Having the space to unpack everything with him has made me feel supported, stronger and more confident.
It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re navigating relationships, work and children. Adam helps me break things down, clear the problems that have kept me stuck, and build the mental and emotional strength to move forward with more resilience and confidence.
What are your goals for 2026?
To keep inspiring people and showing them how good they can feel in their own bodies. You choose your own hand and, for me, the hardest thing is not feeling confident in my skin. Believe it or not, I’ve been there. So, my goal is to keep training and looking after both my mind and body, and to inspire my children to do the same. I want to keep enjoying the fitness communities that have brought me incredible friendships and life experiences. And ultimately, I want to stay as active as possible for as long as possible – and feel amazing doing it.
