Former Hollyoaks actress Stephanie Waring has revealed her fitness routine and diet secrets after celebrating the return of her six-pack abs following early menopause.
The 48-year-old soap star shared her progress on social media, explaining that she regained her physical strength after spending seven months consistently lifting heavy weights and eating without food restrictions.
Writing on Instagram, Waring encouraged other women not to write themselves off after hitting menopause. "Post-menopause doesn't mean you're past it. It's been a while since I've seen my abs, but 7 months of consistently lifting heavy and actually eating FOOD no more restricting has made such a difference," she penned. "We lose muscle quicker, things change, but that doesn't mean we can't build it back. I'm nowhere near finished yet."
Waring played the character Cindy Cunningham on the long-running British television soap opera Hollyoaks from 1996 to 2026. The actress went through perimenopause at age 43 before entering menopause at 45.
She has previously spoken openly about her childhood struggles with anorexia from the age of 10, as well as an unhealthy obsession with exercise during her teenage years. Having recovered from her disordered relationship with eating six years ago, she now posts body affirmation videos online. "I've learned to have a different relationship with food and now I have a lot more acceptance with my body," Waring previously explained.
Weightlifting routine and TikTok advice
In videos shared on TikTok, Waring urged women who are approaching or experiencing menopause to focus on building muscle strength so they do not fall apart at 70.
Her gym clips showed her performing weighted squats, hip thrusts, and push-ups. Explaining why she lifts weights in midlife, Waring said she loves food, noted that having more muscle leads to a faster metabolism, wants to look good in a bikini, aims to support her hormones after years of fluctuation, and seeks to protect her bones for long-term health.
In addition to heavy weightlifting, Waring mixes up her training with yoga. She shared a video from a yoga class showing her performing several movements, including downward dog poses, lunges, and physical stretches.
Dietary changes and food freedom
Waring revealed an insight into her nutrition last year, describing how she transformed her mindset around food after she stopped starving herself and spiralling about what she ate.
The actress stopped tracking her food intake and instead focused on fuelling her body with nutritious, high-protein meals. Her diet featured a variety of dishes including curries, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
Reflecting on a holiday from the previous year, Waring shared her experience of achieving true food freedom without restrictive rules. "This time last year I was on holiday, eating carbs, drinking wine, wearing the bikini, and not spiralling about it. Why? Because I finally stopped starving myself and started fuelling my body properly," she wrote. "No tracking, no rules, no cutting out the foods I love and I got in the best shape of my life. This is what real food freedom looks like. You don't need another diet. You need a reset."
Explant surgery and health journey
Waring also revealed last year that she underwent explant surgery to have her breast implants removed after experiencing debilitating symptoms linked to early menopause.
Speaking in an Instagram video, Waring explained that although there was nothing wrong with the implants themselves, she wanted to get rid of anything foreign in her body after dealing with severe perimenopause and menopause symptoms. "I've gone through an array of debilitating symptoms and I just feel like I need to have a fighting chance of feeling like me again," she said in the video. "So unfortunately I have to say goodbye to these. If someone is going through the same thing just know that you are not alone."
In an accompanying post, she detailed her decision after carrying the implants for 14 years. "This decision wasn't made lightly; it's something I've sat with for a while. I'm not here to tell anyone what they should do with their body," Waring wrote. She added that she was simplifying what her body had to carry and starting fresh, noting that she was recovering well at home following treatment at Pall Mall Medical and thanking clinic staff including Diane.
Waring is a mother of two daughters, 20-year-old Mia and 15-year-old Lexi. She had originally undergone breast augmentation surgery 14 years earlier to increase her bust to a D-cup following the birth of her youngest daughter, explaining at the time that the procedure had helped restore her confidence.
