Caroline Idiens is pulling her blonde hair back into a rough ponytail as she tells me that the key to making a difference to your body shape and fitness levels from your fifties onwards is simple: consistency and a set of dumbbells. If you are a time-crunched woman over 40 who wants to stay in shape, Idiens may already be on your radar. Aged 52 and a mother of two teenagers, she has carved out a reputation as the workout queen for midlifers with her online Caroline’s Circuits classes streamed live from her living room.

In just five years, she has amassed more than two million followers on Instagram and more than 6,000 subscribers who pay £35 monthly to do her no-frills strength-training programmes on