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After almost a decade, British TV favourite Doctor Foster is set to return to our screens, with Suranne Jones herself confirming that she will reprise her role as Gemma Foster in the show’s third and final season. In recent years, following the success of Doctor Foster, Suranne has taken on numerous roles in acclaimed shows, including Vigil, Hostage, Gentleman Jack and Film Club.
So, amidst her jam-packed acting schedule, how does she manage to keep on top of her fitness? With consistency, says Louise Yerby, Suranne’s personal trainer, adding that the actor is a big believer in the ‘a little bit is always better than doing nothing.’
Yerby, who specialises in midlife strength and weight loss, tells Women’s Health that Suranne follows a structured exercise regime that progresses weekly. In other words, they use progressive overload – gradually increasing the intensity of a workout – to maintain and build that all-important midlife muscle. With strength work, this would involve incrementally increasing the number of reps or the weight each week.
Why is it effective?
The session below, reveals Yerby, is Suranne’s favourite for building lower-body and core strength. She feels like she gets a lot of bang for her buck because the session is relatively short but supports:
- Muscle retention
- Insulin sensitivity
- Cortisol control
- Bone density
- Confidence
The workout
Suranne’s hormone-friendly, progressive lower-body and core strength circuit
Duration: 35-40 mins
Rounds: 3
Rests: 60-90 secs between exercises
Load: Heavy enough that your last 2 reps feel challenging but still solid
What to Read Next
1. Barbell Romanian deadlift x 8-10 reps
Why: Works your posterior chain, glutes and hamstrings – it’s strong and grounded.
- Push your hips back like you’re closing a car door — knees soft, not squatting.
- Keep the bar close to your legs and your spine neutral (ribs down, chin tucked).
- 3-second controlled lower, then drive through your heels to stand tall and squeeze glutes.
2. Dumbbell reverse lunge x 8 reps on each leg
Why: Great glute and stability work – and reverse lunges are kinder on your knees, and feel athletic rather than frantic.
- Step back softly and drop straight down – front knee tracks over mid-foot.
- Keep your chest tall and your core braced.
- Drive through the front heel to return to standing (glute-focused).
3. Hip thrust (barbell or dumbbell) x 10 reps
Why: Pure glute strength. Pause for one second at the top. Go heavy but controlled.
- Keep your chin tucked and your ribs down – avoid arching at the top.
- Drive through your heels and fully extend your hips.
- Pause for one second at the top and squeeze your glutes hard before lowering with control.
4. Half-kneeling Pallof press x 10 reps each side
Why: For deep core, anti-rotation stability. This is the ‘midlife hormone support’ move because the stability reduces cortisol spikes compared to frantic crunch circuits.
- Keep you front foot flat and back glute squeezed for stability.
- Press your hands straight out without letting your torso rotate.
- Slow return – resist the pull of the cable the whole time.
5. Farmer’s carry x 30-40 secs
Why: Grip and core strength, posture, mental grit. Walk tall with controlled breathing.
- Stand tall with your shoulders down and back and chest proud.
- Brace your core lightly (think 'zip up' through the middle).
- Slow, controlled steps with steady breathing.
Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.
