About Me
I started at 45. No sporting background. No personal trainer. No clue.
Hi, I’m Nadya Cherrie — creator of Fit Is Fun.
I equip women, and the brave men who sneak in 😄, over 40/50+ with the knowledge and tools to understand nutrition, design their own workouts, and stay strong, healthy and confident - and actually like what they see in the mirror.
Even after dinner.
But I didn’t start as a “fitness person”. Far from it.
I joined a gym at 42 after a local discount leaflet caught my eye. Very glamorous. Very strategic. Very “there’s a deal, shall we try?” 😄
For three years, I went to the gym without really knowing what I was doing.
A bit of treadmill.
A bit of random machines.
A bit of “surely something must be happening because I am physically inside a gym building.”
Except not much was happening.
Because going to the gym and understanding how to train are two very different things.
The moment I realised effort wasn’t enough
At 45, I had one of those ridiculous but useful life moments.
I was trying to squeeze into a pair of tight jeans after gaining a few winter kilos. There was hopping. There was wiggling. There was what my husband called the “Getting Into My Pants Dance.”
Annoying? Yes. Accurate? Also yes.
That moment made me realise something important:
I wasn’t lazy.
I wasn’t broken.
I wasn’t too old.
I simply didn’t understand how fitness worked.
So I stopped guessing and started learning.
What changed
I began studying nutrition, strength training, body composition, healthy ageing, progressive overload, recovery, supplements, mindset and behaviour.
Slowly, the chaos started making sense.
- I learned how to build my own workouts.
- I learned how to adjust my nutrition.
- I learned why strength training matters so much after 40.
- I learned that muscle is not just about looking better — it is metabolic armour.
- I learned that food is not something to fear.
- I learned that consistency becomes much easier when you understand what you are doing.
Within a few months, my body changed.
But the bigger transformation was not just physical.
The real transformation was this:
I stopped depending on random advice.
I became capable of making my own decisions.
And that is what I now want for you.
What I do now
Through Fit Is Fun, I help adults over 40 and 50 make nutrition and strength training finally make sense.
Not through fear. Not through “no excuses”. Not through punishing workouts, fad diets or pretending everyone has unlimited time, energy and enthusiasm.
I teach practical principles you can actually use in real life.
My goal is not to make you dependent on me. My goal is to help you understand enough that you can eventually look after your own fitness with confidence.
Nutrition becomes something you adjust — not something you fear.
Training becomes something you design — not something you blindly copy.
And yes, you are still allowed chocolate.
Obviously.
Who this is for
Fit Is Fun is for you if you are over 40 or 50 and you’ve ever thought:
- “I know I should do something, but I don’t know where to start.”
- “Fitness advice is so confusing.”
- “I don’t want another diet.”
- “I don’t want to feel silly in the gym.”
- “I want to get stronger and leaner, but I need someone to explain it properly.”
- “I want to understand what works for my body now.”
This is especially for beginners, returners, confused former dieters, women navigating midlife body changes, and anyone who wants to feel strong, capable and confident without turning fitness into a second full-time job - with results that might even make the mirror do a double take.
This is not for people looking for extreme transformations, punishment workouts, six-week panic plans or “summer body” nonsense.
I’m also a mum of two, so I understand how easily years can disappear while you are working, raising children, running a household and putting everyone else’s needs somewhere near the top of the list.
That is one reason I don’t teach fantasy fitness routines designed for people with unlimited time, endless energy and perfectly organised cupboards.
I do clarity, strength, humour and practical progress.
My qualifications
I believe lived experience matters. But so does proper study.
Formal qualifications
- Fitness Diploma — Personal Trainer / Fitness Instructor, awarded March 2022
- TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Nutrition and Health, awarded January 2025
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, which probably explains why I like systems, logic and working out how complicated things actually work
Informal qualifications
- I started from scratch in my 40s.
- I built my own nutrition and training system.
- I transformed my body without a personal trainer.
- I became strong in my 50s.
- I deadlifted 100 kg in my 50s.
- I still eat chocolate.
- I survived the “Getting Into My Pants Dance.”
- I continue to test everything in real life, including holidays, desserts and normal human behaviour.
Because fitness advice that only works in perfect conditions is not very useful.
My philosophy
Fitness doesn’t have to be confusing.
Most people don’t need more noise. They need someone to explain the basics properly.
They need to understand:
- how food affects energy, hunger and body composition
- why protein matters
- why strength training is so important after 40
- how progressive overload works
- how to build a simple workout
- how to adjust nutrition without panic
- how to stay consistent without relying on constant motivation
I believe education is more powerful than another rigid plan.
When you understand the principles, you can adapt. When you can adapt, you stop starting over.
That is the real freedom.
The Fit & Glow Method
My approach is called the Fit & Glow Method.
It combines science, structure and psychology to help adults over 40 build strength, confidence and independence.
The method is built around four stages:
1. Translate
I take confusing fitness and nutrition information and turn it into plain English. No unnecessary jargon. No fear. No pretending everyone already knows what a macro is.
2. Understand
You learn why things work: why strength training matters, why protein helps, why food order can affect cravings, why muscle changes everything, and why random workouts rarely create reliable progress.
3. Apply
You start using the principles in real life. You build workouts. You adjust food. You track progress. You learn what your body responds to. Not perfectly. Practically.
4. Independence
This is the goal. You become less dependent on diets, trends, influencers and random internet advice. You know what you are doing. You can make better decisions for yourself. That is what I call becoming independently healthy.
What you’ll find here
On this website you’ll find:
- free starter resources
- simple nutrition guides
- beginner-friendly workout support
- my book, From Sofa to Your Best Shape at 40/50+
- my course, Fit Over 40/50+ From the Beginning
- the Full Body Routine Tracker
- videos, articles and practical explanations
- access to my private Facebook community
Everything is designed to help you stop guessing and start understanding.
Start here
If you’re new here, the best place to start is with the free resources.
They’ll help you understand the basics of eating and training after 40 without drowning you in information.
👉 Get the free starter resources — click hereConnect with me
You can also find me here:
Final word
I don’t believe ageing gracefully has to mean becoming boring.
I don’t believe fitness after 40 should feel intimidating.
And I definitely don’t believe Bulgarian split squats are compulsory.
I believe you can get stronger, healthier and more confident at any age - if someone explains the process clearly enough.
That is what Fit Is Fun is here to do.
Mission possible.
HQ out 💪