Jacqueline Hooton is passionate about inspiring women about active ageing. She is a fitness tutor with a long and varied career in the fitness industry, a MNU certified nutritionist and now an influencer who empowers and educates women in their 40s and over about the physical health benefits of active ageing.
Jacqueline regularly challenges the negative narrative around growing older, age stereotypes and ageism. She has made personal appearances on numerous television and radio shows and has created content with Davina McCall and Joe Wicks.
Jacqueline Hooton has amassed an impressive following on her Instagram platform @hergardengym. Over 92% of her online followers are women, over a third of which are 45 or older – a rarity amongst Instagram fitness influencers. Some of her reels have had over 11 million views and her content has been seen by over 50 million people worldwide.
Jacqueline’s content emphasises optimal health and strength over ‘looking younger’, and challenges how people speak about women’s health. She also shares exercise adaptations for those with limited mobility, showing women how they can enjoy the benefits of active ageing at any time in their lives.
In 2021 Jacqueline guested on Joe Wicks’ The Body Coach live Instagram, and she has worked with other fitness influencers, but is most often seen training alongside her daughter Saffron.
Brands love Jacqueline’s informative and entertaining content. Currently, she is a brand ambassador for the international sportswear brand Women’s Best. She has created social media content for Mentholatum’s Mind Your Back campaign and Linwoods Health Foods as well as Sky TV, FRÉ Skincare, Women’s Health UK, Braun Healthcare, Pink Lady Apples, JD Williams, Bupa, Flo, Gina Bacconi, Ragdale Hall Spa, The Healthy Back Bag Company, HipSwan, Sleep & Glow, Dermatica, and Snowy Skin.
Her Garden Gym is Jacqueline’s private, home-based personal training studio in Bognor Regis. Jacqueline created this space to be a peaceful haven for female clients, where their psychological and physical well-being is supported. Here, clients receive personal physical trainer sessions, nutrition counselling and expert advice across one-to-one or small group training. It incorporates outdoor training space, in the garden or on the beach, promoting the positive mental and physical health benefits of spending time outside in a natural environment.
Jacqueline Hooton has appeared on BBC’s The One Show, BBC South Today, BBC Sussex and Spirit FM. She has been featured in, and written articles for, many national newspapers and magazines including The Independent and The Huffington Post. Jacqueline’s first book Strong: The Definitive Guide to Active Ageing, was published by HarperCollins in 2025.
Jacqueline has presented at numerous fitness industry events and is often invited to give talks on topics including healthy ageing, post-natal exercise and empowering women in fitness. She is a trainer with Davina McCall’s Own Your Goals, delivering fitness workouts for members of the app. She also attends regular filming days with Davina and the team, creating workouts and content for use across marketing.
Jacqueline Hooton is a keen runner and has completed two London marathons. She also enjoys strength training, and previously competed as a female figure athlete. Jacqueline also loves walking and cycling, particularly on the beach where she lives in Bognor Regis.
Jacqueline has had multiple surgeries for frozen shoulder, and has osteoarthritis, both of which are more common in midlife women. She also broke her wrist on a holiday in 2024. As a result, she understands some of the barriers to exercise and frustrations many women face as they grow older.
She is the mum to five grown up children, and a grandmother. Now in her sixties, Jacqueline is determined to carry on training and promoting the benefits of physical activity for older women like herself.
