Former elite athlete Noeleen Bridle reveals how movement became her lifeline after a difficult past, and why simple strength, wholefood habits, and mindset shifts are transforming midlife for women seeking vitality and freedom.
Midlife no longer needs to signal slowing down, and this Berea-based fitness and nutrition coach is proving just how energising these years can be. At 65, Noeleen is as strong and sculpted as she was in her competitive sporting days, and her message is refreshingly clear: “There’s no such thing as anti-ageing, but you can slow the process and live productively with a few key lifestyle adjustments.”
For many women in their fifties and sixties, the changes in mood, energy, hormones and body shape can feel overwhelming. What Noeleen offers is not simply a fitness plan, but direction, clarity and a psychological reset shaped entirely by lived experience.
Noeleen grew up in competitive sport long before she understood its purpose. Over the decades she swam, ran, paddled and performed gymnastics at elite levels, from representing South Africa at Gymastrada in Berlin to completing the Comrades Marathon and winning the Mixed Doubles Dusi Canoe Marathon. Yet the deeper story is one of finding refuge in movement during a turbulent childhood and later, a difficult marriage.
“Exercise was where I could lose myself, my mind calmed, my body responded and I could just be,” she says.
Her turning point arrived around the age of fifty, when she began to understand her patterns and her past. That self-awareness became the foundation of the work she now does, particularly with midlife women who are navigating emotional, hormonal and physical upheaval. She teaches wholefood nutrition, strength training, mindset and emotional reconnection, because, as she puts it, “Mind and body work as one, and you can’t heal the physical without addressing the emotional.”
Clients often report improved confidence, changes in body shape, better mental health and a renewed sense of control. Midlife, she believes, can be liberating. “You’ve learnt, experienced, struggled and grown. You finally have insight and that gives you your voice.”
Her advice for women heading into Summer feeling self-conscious is simple: Get outdoors, walk in nature, and prioritise strength. “Strengthen your muscles, they are your future freedom. Eat wholefoods that fuel your mind and body. See exercise as a gift to the woman you will be in ten or twenty years’ time.”
Summer, she says, is the ideal season to reconnect with yourself through small, consistent habits. A daily twenty-minute walk can lift your mood, while light weight training, which she calls ‘the most powerful force for anyone over fifty,’ rebuilds lost strength. Cutting back on alcohol and processed food sharpens both body and mind, and a colourful salad each day supports healthy ageing. Above all, Noeleen encourages movement even when motivation dips. “Look at the elderly, their posture and their movement. That will be you, or not. What you do today determines it.”
Her philosophy is grounded, compassionate and shaped by resilience. “It takes the right state of mind to improve your body, and you need clear directions,” she says. Her mantra for 2026 captures her approach: “Nothing will ever get me down.” It is the same quiet promise that carried her through her most difficult seasons and now lights the way for the women she supports.
Details: You can reach Noeleen on email at noeleen@strengthandmind.co.za, WhatsApp 083 546 2044,
or follow her on Facebook @noeleen.bridle or Instagram @etleanwithnoeleen.
12-day summer reset challenge
Inspired by Noeleen’s philosophy, this short and powerful midlife-friendly reboot is a simple, realistic challenge you can begin today – or any day you choose.
Repeat this 12-day cycle twice for a full month.
DAY 1 – Morning lemon water to hydrate and boost digestion.
DAY 2 – 40 squats (or 15 chair squats) to wake your lower body up.
DAY 3 – Plant-based lunch. Make sure it’s colourful, fresh, and fibre-rich.
DAY 4 – Drink only one coffee today. Switch the rest to water or herbal tea.
DAY 5 – 10-minute stretch flow. This opens hips, spine, chest, and shoulders.
DAY 6 – A simple baked potato dinner with salsa or steamed veg.
DAY 7 – 20 push-ups (wall or knee options). This is upper-body strength made simple.
DAY 8 – One-minute wall sit. It burns in the best way.
DAY 9 – 50 chair dips. This strengthens arms and shoulders.
DAY 10 – A 30-minute walk. Nature and movement equal clarity.
DAY 11 – Two-minute plank (or 30 sec knee plank). This is core activation for posture and stability.
DAY 12 – Wellness reset and gratitude. Write down three things you’re grateful for, prep a few healthy meals, and take a gentle walk.
After 50 – Five foods to avoid and embrace
Here is Noeleen’s list of foods to avoid and embrace:
Avoid – Baked goods, fried foods, takeaways, processed foods, alcohol
Embrace – Fresh fruit, vegetables (the more colours, the better), legumes (beans, lentils), mushrooms, tofu or cooked soya beans
WIN
We’re giving away a one-month personal training programme with Noeleen at the Saxony Ilala Centre in Umhlanga, as well as five recipe booklets packed with her favourite wholefood meals. To enter, simply like and follow @getitdbn (Insta) and @GetItDurban (Facebook), tag 3 friends on our social posts, fill in the form below and you’ll be in the draw. Winners will be contacted directly.
A one-month personal training programme with Noeleen Bridle/ one of five wholefood recipe booklets
Important Notice: By entering this competition you accept that your details will be added to our database.
