Cara Metz, a 52-year-old resident of Horley, Surrey, has overcome significant health challenges to transform her physique through a focused weightlifting regimen. Following major spinal surgery in 2021 that involved fusing several discs, Metz has rebuilt her strength and muscle tone by dedicating just 15 minutes a day to targeted exercise.

Metz’s back issues stemmed from a professional dance career in her youth, which included training under Strictly’s Shirley Ballas, combined with years of high-impact cardio like regular 10km runs. The intense workout routines were initially aimed at maintaining a thin figure, but left her with a frail, “squishy” body before she began weight training six years ago.

Since adopting a strength-based approach—lifting weights ranging from 5kg to 11kg at home five days a week—Metz has reshaped her body into one that is strong and lean. Her exercises include deadlifts, bicep curls, squats, lunges, and tricep extensions. At present, she estimates her weight to be around 54 kilograms (approximately 8st 7lb) and wears a size 8, significantly down from her previous size 10. Metz says her surgeon has remarked that her back is as strong as that of a 19-year-old man.

Metz’s lifestyle change was prompted in part by symptoms related to perimenopause, which she experienced around age 46. These included low mood, reduced libido, brain fog, weight gain, and sleep disturbances. Motivated by a documentary on menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), she modified her diet by eliminating sugar and processed foods and shifted her cardio to walking with occasional high-intensity interval training (HIIT). She was also prescribed HRT, which assisted in managing symptoms while she focused on weight training.

In January, Metz escalated her fitness goals by embarking on a bodybuilding program with professional coaching. This followed her participation in a Hyrox competition in 2024, a grueling event combining an 8km run with strength exercises such as deadlifts, back squats, sprints, burpees, and kettlebell carries. The combination of nutrition planning—high in lean protein—and regular intensive training resulted in a physique she describes as unrecognizable from six months prior.

Currently, Metz trains five days a week, including early morning walks with a weighted vest, cardio sessions on gym equipment, and extended weight training. On non-training days, she maintains light physical activity without weights. Her body fat percentage has dropped to 12 percent, which she acknowledges is not sustainable year-round. Metz intends to reduce training intensity after her bikini competition circuit concludes.

Her personal journey has been marked by health challenges beyond her spinal surgery, including a decade-long struggle with fertility that involved multiple miscarriages and the birth of two children in her 40s. She views weightlifting as both a physical and emotional form of healing, and she expresses a commitment to maintaining strength and fitness well into later life.

While her husband Larry praises her achievements, he has noted her increasingly muscular physique with surprise. Metz embraces the transformation, noting that her children delight in pointing out that she has more muscle than their father.