They’re relatable, they’re fit, they’re fabulous, and they’re over 35. I think that the 6 accounts I’m about to share with you all get the balance about right. Some accounts were at the other end and were a little too personal, grainy gym selfies interspersed with family photos. Some accounts I found a little too polished, they were often Americans and had a product or course to push, and they pushed it hard. I actually hunted long and hard for some really inspirational people to follow on Instagram. Whether your goal is to look super shredded, or excel at your sport sometimes we all need a little inspiration that we can really identify with.

I know that there are women over 35 out there doing the thing. A lot of “big” fitness Instagram stars are in their 20s, they look amazing, they take beautiful photos, they have shiny hair and an amazing gym wardrobe, but as I approach 40 I can sometimes find them more of an irritation than an inspiration. I follow some great Fitness Influencers and I love to see their posts, but some days it feels increasingly hard to relate to their world. (I’m not sure those days ever existed, but you get my point). Long gone are the days when I could stay up drinking into the small hours and then consider leaping out of bed to run a 10k. Making time for rest and recovery is also more important and making sure I eat and fuel myself well. Maintaining my flexibility with Yoga and Pilates is something I’m making more of a priority. I have muscle aches and creaks and it’s important to make sure I warm up and stretch properly. There’s no denying that staying active as you get older is a different ball game (or roller skating game) than it is when you are in your 20s.

In fact 45% of Women don’t meet the minimum activity guidelines for good health, and 1 in 4 Women apparently do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. If girls are dropping out of sport at age 14, you can pretty much guarantee that by age 40 the number of Women involved in physical activity is on the low side. I was 33 when I started running, I didn’t discover Roller Derby till I was 35, and now, approaching 40, I’m noticing that I’m a lot older than other people who do what I do. I’m finding it vaguely worrying, and I wasn’t sure why.

Older fitness models