My workout: 'I worried I'd get big if I did powerlifting, but I've dropped a dress size’

Nicolle Smith, 49, on taking up powerlifting at 46

I started weightlifting three years ago at the age of 46. I’d done competitive athletics in my 20s and wanted to find a physical activity that would challenge me. I loved the film Rocky, and the classic training sequence from it, so I decided to join a boxing club. Non-competitive boxing became my second love for 10 years. But eventually it started to take a toll on my body, and I quit just after my 40th birthday.

If you’re not a runner (and I never enjoyed running), the options for fitness in the middle years really narrow down to a handful of activities. Many play tennis (which yields a high chronic injury rate in the over-40s), take up yoga (which is fine, but doesn't really get the heart rate up), or try golf (which isn't my thing).

I tried British Military Fitness for a year, but you need the stamina of a younger athlete. I considered CrossFit, but there was no way I was going to manage the dynamic moves. I was intrigued by the strength-based exercises and set out to find a qualified strength and conditioning trainer. Will Davis at Performance Pro started me off with body weight exercises, and at first, when he asked me to pick up a bar bell, I told him I didn't want to lift heavy weights; I worried that I would get big. He guaranteed I would not. I thought about the women I’ve seen lifting weights who look lean, and changed my mind.

Powerlifting consists of three lifts: the squat, the bench press and the deadlift. Lifting weights is technical, but that's what I love about it. You make improvements every week. It has a huge health impact for women as they age. I had a bone density scan last year and the technician told me mine was "off the charts". I have also dropped a dress size as fat has gradually become muscle.

Lifting provides a challenge for me, and I love the training environment. My gym is full of athletes of all ages, each with their own goals. No one is there to show off. It really is empowering.

Sessions per week? Three.Best pre-workout meal? Peanut butter on toast.Most exhausting move? My maximum deadlift of 92.5kg; one and a half times my body weight.

1 Go to the Global or UK Strength and Conditioning website (nsca.com; uksca.org) to find a trainer with qualifications near you: it's about the trainer, not the gym. Finding someone who will teach you proper technique and form will make injuries less likely.

2 Be patient. Powerlifting takes time. You might spend weeks learning the basics, but once you have mastered them, you’ll be thrilled when your weights get heavier.

3 Start with a simple squat. Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, pull your shoulders back and keep your back straight. With your arms above your head slowly push your bum back as you lower it to the floor. Pause and come back up.

4 Get a gym training buddy; you can watch each other's form and help move the plates on and off the barbell, which can be tiring on your own.

5 Mark Rippetoe is an expert lifter and former Olympic coach. Watch his video explainers or find his book, Starting Strength. Many lifters call it the bible of Powerlifting.

Powerlifting shoes, £74.95, adidas.com; York padded leather weight lifting belt, £12.88, sweatband.com; wrist supports, £2.99, amazon.co.uk

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