Pelvic Power Day

December 1, 2025/in Longevity, Menopause/Post Menopause, Pelvic Floor Health/by Susan Booth

Pelvic Power Day – 19th February, Melbourne, Derbyshire

Let’s talk about the bit no one likes to mention – your pelvic floor. Those hidden muscles that keep you strong, supported and in control throughout your Power Years and beyond. On 19th February, join us in Melbourne, Derbyshire for Pelvic Power Day – a full day dedicated to helping midlife women reconnect with their core, confidence and vitality.

Here’s the reality: around 1 in 3 women in the UK experience bladder leakage, and shockingly, up to 50% of women in care homes are incontinent. It’s one of the biggest reasons women lose independence later in life – but it doesn’t have to be that way.

The good news? All is not lost. The pelvic floor responds brilliantly to the right kind of movement. With simple, consistent exercises (no gadgets required!) you can regain strength, control and trust in your body again.

Pelvic Power Day will mix education, gentle movement, laughter and practical tools you can take home. It’s time to stop whispering about pelvic health and start celebrating it – because your Power Years are just beginning!

Book your spot – your future self will thank you.

About Susan Booth
Sue is the founder of Alive Pilates Method, where she helps midlife and post-menopausal women feel stronger, more confident and full of life. A fitness coach and menopause well-being specialist based in Derby, Sue runs local Pilates mat and Reformer classes, online strength sessions, and well-being days designed to support women through their Power Years. Passionate about helping women stay independent, vibrant and healthy for decades to come, Sue shares practical, no-nonsense advice on movement, nutrition and longevity — always with a dash of humour and heart.

Why the Alive Pilates Method Keeps Lynn Moving at 90

November 12, 2025/in Longevity, Menopause/Post Menopause, Pelvic Floor Health, Pilates/by Susan Booth

At 90 years young, Lynn is living proof that movement really is medicine. When she first joined our Alive Pilates Method sessions, she simply wanted to keep her joints supple and her balance steady. What she didn’t expect was how much calmer and more relaxed she’d feel after every class.

Best Things I love about Reformer Pilates

September 22, 2025/in Longevity, Menopause/Post Menopause, Mindset, Nutrition, Pelvic Floor Health, Pilates, Sleep, Weight Loss Motivation/by Susan Booth

One of the things I love most about Reformer Pilates is how adaptable it is – especially for midlife women. The machine might look a little daunting at first, but it’s an incredible piece of kit that supports your body while challenging it in all the right ways. For women with sore knees, dodgy hips, or stiff shoulders, the Reformer takes away the pressure of the floor and allows you to move smoothly with control.

That’s why my Golden Bloom classes at Bloom Reformer Studio Mickleover are so popular. Every session is tailored to meet you where you’re at – whether you’re building back strength, improving mobility, or simply wanting to feel more confident in how your body moves. I make sure the springs and exercises suit your needs, so you can strengthen without strain and stretch without stress.

The results are fantastic: better posture, stronger core, improved balance, and a feeling that your body is working with you rather than against you. The Reformer really is a game-changer for midlife women – gentle when you need it, powerful when you’re ready.

If you’re curious, come and try Golden Bloom at Bloom Reformer Studio Mickleover – your joints will thank you! I work for the studio for this class, so to book you need to go to their website and you will find my classes on Tuesdays, 12 & 1pm and Wednesdays 11.30am. If you are not a midlife woman, but would still like to take a class with me I also do a beginners session on Wednesdays at 12.30pm (in your lunch break!) BOOK HERE

I’m Sue, founder of Alive Fitness, where I help midlife and post-menopausal women feel stronger, healthier, and more confident through movement, mindset, and simple nutrition. You’ll usually find me teaching Pilates, yoga or strength, or over on Instagram sharing everyday tips for thriving in menopause and beyond.

Mat Classes at Alive Pilates

September 22, 2025/in Longevity, Menopause/Post Menopause, Mindset, Nutrition, Pelvic Floor Health, Pilates, Sleep, Weight Loss Motivation/by Susan Booth

There’s something different about a mat class at Alive Fitness. Yes, we stretch, strengthen and move – but it’s about so much more than exercise. My classes are designed for midlife and post-menopausal women who want to feel good in their bodies, improve posture, and build strength where it really matters. Every session is tailored to help with balance, core stability, flexibility and those niggles we all get in our shoulders, hips and knees.

The beauty of mat-based Pilates and yoga is that it’s low impact yet highly effective – you’ll feel stronger without being battered and bruised. We take time to focus on the small things: breathing well, releasing tension, moving joints through their full range. It’s those details that make everyday life easier – bending, lifting, walking tall.

But the reason no one ever leaves? It’s the atmosphere. Classes are friendly, supportive, and welcoming. There’s laughter as well as hard work, and everyone feels part of something. It’s not about competition, it’s about community. Women stay because they feel better, move better, and enjoy being with people who understand their stage of life.

Come for the exercise, stay for the feeling. That’s the Alive Fitness difference. If there ARE any spaces I will show them on the Classes Page. Find it HERE

Three Pelvic Floor Myths That Need Busting – Now!

May 23, 2025/in Menopause/Post Menopause, Pelvic Floor Health/by Susan Booth

I’m constantly amazed (and honestly, a bit frustrated!) by how many women I speak to who are quietly putting up with pelvic floor issues. Friends, class members, fit women, strong women… all whispering about leaks, urgency, or that dreaded “key in the door” dash.

Why are we putting up with it? Why should we?

Spoiler alert: We shouldn’t. And the good news? You can do something about it. So let’s bust a few big myths:

Are you a nocturnal urinator?

November 16, 2022/in Longevity, Menopause/Post Menopause, Pelvic Floor Health, Sleep/by Susan Booth

What do your pre-bed/sleep habits have to do with the pelvic floor? As a pelvic floor pilates teacher, I teach that it is not a healthy sign if you have to get up to pee in the middle of the night. When a client reports that they do get up once, twice, three times per night to go pee I will discuss things like bladder irritants, hydration intake before bed and teach habits to “retrain” the bladder. These things are all very important to continue working on but there’s another aspect to why we shouldn’t be getting up in the middle of the night to pee; it’s a sign that we are not reaching the very important REM (rapid eye movement) cycle!

A lot of great things happen in our body during REM. It is a very important stage of sleep that influences learning, memory and mood. It is also one of the times when antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is released. ADH’s most important role is to conserve the fluid volume of your body by reducing the amount of water that is passed out through the urine. When fluid needs to be conserved and not expelled, ADH secretion increases and we urinate less. When we are properly hydrated, ADH secretion decreases and we urinate at the normal amount (every 2-3 hours and the flow should be strong for 8-12 seconds).

ADH plays an important role in hydration but it also plays a huge role in our ability to sleep through the night! A well-hydrated adult should need to urinate every 2-3 hours. So, how are we supposed to be able to sleep 8+ hours straight without urinating? ADH! When we fall into REM sleep, ADH release is increased which decreases the amount of urine that is produced, we do not have to pee as much and, voila! We are able to sleep without peeing!

However….

During and after menopause, the ADH, which is a hormone is also affected, so we do tend to see ladies going for a wee more often at night.

Healthy Sleep Habit suggestions:

Set a consistent sleep schedule – go to bed at roughly the same time each night.
Have regular bedtime rituals – take a bath, listen to music, meditate. These should be relaxing activities and so that you cue your body that it is time to go to sleep.
Get regular exercise but make sure it is at least 2 hours before bedtime.
Limit caffeine and avoid nicotine – these are stimulants and will interfere with your sleep. Try to stop caffeine intake after 12. Withdrawal from nicotine will initially interfere with sleep. However, once you are past the withdrawal phase, you should be able to sleep better (studies show).
Don’t eat a meal right before bed. Try to eat dinner at least 2 hours before bedtime. A light snack before bed has been shown to promote sleep however.
Avoid alcohol – although alcohol is a sedative and initially promotes sleep, it will interfere with the quality of sleep; you will wake more often and might have increased nightmares.
Keep naps short to increase your “sleep debt” during the day to help you fall asleep easier.
Use your bedroom for sleep only! Try not to eat, watch TV or use other electronics in bed. You want to associate your bedroom with sleep and not other things that might trigger stress.
Stop screen time 2 hours before bed – using screens (TV, cell phones, tablets, laptops) can damage our biological clock. The light emitted “confuses” our brain and makes us think its daytime.
Make sure your bedroom is cool, quiet and comfortable!

What happens to our vaginas as we hit menopause?

November 25, 2019/in Menopause/Post Menopause, Pelvic Floor Health/by Susan Booth

Most women are unprepared for changes in their vagina as they go through their perimenopause + menopause years, which are essentially the 40s and 50s. I know I was!

A healthy vagina has a pH of 3.6-4.5. This is an acidic environment where oestrogen creates glycogen and glycogen allows the predominance of lacotbacilli species to dominate.

This diverse gut microbiome is good in your tummy. But a diverse vaginal microbiome is not. A healthy vagina has LOW microbial diversity.

A healthy vagina also has a thick epithelium which provides protection from irritation, and chafing, whether that be from tight clothes or intercourse.

The menopausal vagina is very, very different than the pre menopausal vagina. Oestrogen drives the changes in the menopausal vagina.

When there is low/no oestrogen (as in menopause) + when there is waning oestrogen (as in perimenopause), vaginal health suffers.

I’m talking about this today because it needs to be brought out of the closet. Women suffer a lot from this and it is widely under reported due to embarrassment or thinking that it’s just ‘normal vaginal atrophy’.

Unlike hot flushes, which may settle with time, vaginal problems almost never do.

What can you do?

Smoking is an independent risk factor for contracting BV (bacterial vaginosis, common in menopause)—so if you smoke, stop!

Using certain probiotics vaginally can help. Interestingly, oral probiotics, while helpful, may not have a huge impact on the vaginal microbiome. The 2 systems are not as connected as you might think. Herbal support, teas, modifying sex positions, MLT laser, maintain healthy body weight….all of these things can help.

Using topical Oestrogen lowers pH, increases lactobacilli + more. This is the most successful method of helping, or almost finding some calm in that area.

If you can’t/don’t want to use oestrogen, using a water based lube is helpful.

A healthy vagina=a happier woman=a happier midlife experience!

There are more blogs on this site regarding your pelvic region, and I regularly run 4 week courses for Pilates for Pelvic Floor.

What are the first signs of having a Pelvic Floor problem?

March 25, 2019/in Pelvic Floor Health, Pilates/by Susan Booth

Now I am bang smack into my menopausal years, the words ‘Pelvic Floor’ have been reintroduced to my vocabulary. Over 20 years ago I gave birth to two lovely human beings, and at the post natal check ups, the GP mumbled something about Pelvic Floor exercises and was I doing them. I said yes, but really I didn’t know if I was or not? Nobody had shown me, nobody had explained how. I was busy with my little ones, I vaguely remember someone mentioning a lift or something!

Fast forward 20 years to the present day…