Australian trainer lists nine health habits she says women over 30 should avoid

An Australian sports nutritionist and personal trainer has identified nine common diet, exercise and cooking practices she believes can do more harm than good for women over the age of 30.

Rachael Attard, founder of the Lean Legs Program and a qualified group trainer and sports nutritionist, told the Daily Mail that some well-intentioned habits may add physiological stress or raise exposure to contaminants, undermining goals such as weight management, balanced hormones and energy levels. She outlined the practices in a social media post and in interviews about the advice she gives clients.

Attard said the first thing she would not do is drink unfiltered tap water. "Tap water contains lots of contaminants including heavy metals (especially lead), fluoride, chlorine and bacteria," she said, and recommended installing a home water filtration system and choosing filtered water to reduce potential exposure.

She advised against very intense high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for most women over 30, saying such workouts can add "stress to your already stressed out body." "If you don't have cortisol or hormone imbalances, these workouts might work for you. But unfortunately this isn't the case for most women over the age of 30," Attard said. She favors lower-impact, no-jumping variations of interval work designed to limit excessive stress on the body.

Attard also urged caution with seafood, citing bioaccumulation of heavy metals. "Fish accumulate heavy metals, especially mercury," she said, noting that larger species such as tuna and mackerel tend to have higher levels. She recommended smaller fish such as anchovies and sardines, and noted that shellfish including prawns, crabs and scallops are generally lower in heavy metals.

Regarding cooking fats, Attard recommended avoiding oils that are exposed to heat and oxygen. "When oils are exposed to heat and oxygen, they oxidise. And this produces AGEs (advanced glycation end products)," she said. She linked high intake of those compounds to inflammation, fatty liver, oxidative stress and ageing, and advised using alternatives such as butter, ghee, lard, tallow or broth.

Attard warned against buying pre-shredded cheese, saying many packaged products are coated with anti-caking agents and preservatives. "It's better to grate your own cheese. Plus it tastes better," she said.

She recommended against exercising without first eating, a practice often described as fasted cardio. While acknowledging some people may tolerate it, Attard said most women over 30 experience fatigue or hormone imbalances that make pre-exercise nutrition important.

On intermittent fasting, Attard said the approach can have benefits for some people but cautioned that prolonged periods without food constitute an added stressor. "We already fast while we're sleeping, usually for at least 12 hours. I think three healthy meals per day — and no snacking unless necessary — is ideal," she said.

Attard challenged the trend of avoiding dairy entirely. She described dairy as nutrient-dense, providing calcium, vitamin D, K2, magnesium, phosphorus and probiotics in products such as yoghurt. She said dietary calcium helps support gut health and can protect the gut from stress.

Finally, Attard advised against cooking with cast iron cookware because the soft metal can potentially leach into food, and she suggested stainless steel as an alternative.

Attard framed the list as guidance tailored to women over 30 who may be managing hormonal shifts and accumulated stressors. She recommended practitioners and individuals consider individual health status when choosing exercise, nutrition and cooking practices and said she offers alternatives to clients seeking less-stressful approaches.

The recommendations reflect Attard's professional perspective shared with the Daily Mail and her Lean Legs Program clientele. She presented the list as a combination of contamination concerns, dietary trade-offs and stress-management strategies rather than universal prohibitions, noting that some practices may suit certain individuals depending on their hormonal and health profiles.