In our early forties, our once lovely breasts start to lose their roundness, their fullness and their ‘have me, I’m yours’-ness.

This is in part due to our  breast tissue starting to become less glandular and more fatty which makes them feel less firm. Declining oestrogen levels at the onset of the menopause can make breast tissue dehydrated and less elastic. Hence it’s less of the perky and more of the murky.

Can anything be done? Well, apart from a decent bra that has been fitted properly by a qualified person (probably someone who doesn’t even need a tape measure but can give you the once over) you can give some serious thought to your pectoral muscles.

But before that, let me say this. There can be a tendency to think this is the lot of the middle-aged woman. That nothing can be done. That we are consigned to a life of doing gentle exercise because that befits our age (and in some cases our demeanour).

But listen… our whole bodies are going to become less taut as the 50’s approach because of hormonal changes and we can’t stop that. What we can do is use our muscles to fight the slackness. If we work them with some resistance and make them hurt just a little bit, then their density will improve. This means the muscle fibres will break and grow back stronger. Sounds damaging but it really isn’t. That’s just the process of firming and toning.

And a pair of dumbbells will help us do just that.

Anything from around 3kg to 6kg (each hand obviously), depending on your own personal strength, will go a long way to helping you improve the firmness (and direction!) of your breasts.

Your pectoral muscles lie underneath your breast tissue. Training them will not increase or decrease your breast size but they will help to give them a more lifted look.

Here is a very simple sequence of exercises which you can do with the lovely new pair of dumbbells you have bought. Click here to view: Gorgeous Bosoms Here We Come!

And here are the workout notes with a few tips on getting it right:

CHEST PRESS: Lie on the step (or floor). Hold the dumbbells with your knuckles behind you. Drop the elbows down towards the floor and push the weights upwards as you exhale. Keep a good slow tempo and take care not to arch your spine. I’m doing 18 reps in the video. Do a few less if you struggle with that. Rest for about 20 seconds.

CHEST FLYES: These will be harder and you may need lighter dumbbells but we are only doing 12 reps. Turn your knuckles out to the side, open your arms (don’t drop, just open with control) and then exhale as you bring them back together, over your chest not your face. Try and squeeze your pectoral muscles together. Again, rest for about 20 seconds.

PRESS UPS (don’t groan): I’m doing elevated ones here. Just do 12 of whatever variation you are able. Easier versions are shown here.

Rest for about 30 seconds to a minute and then repeat twice more, so three times in total.

Do that little sequence twice a week.

Good luck. Get in touch if you need help. Annie x