Fitness After 40: What Actually Works (and What to Stop Doing)
If you’re over 40 and feeling like your body doesn’t respond the way it used to, you’re not imagining things.
You’re not lazy.
You’re not broken.
And you’re definitely not alone.
I know this personally.
In my early 40s, I was doing all the “right” things — going to group classes at a popular gym, hitting hot yoga, watching what I ate, trying to stay consistent — and yet my body wasn’t changing. After making some initial progress, everything stalled. The number on the scale wouldn’t budge. And no matter how hard I pushed, it felt like I was spinning my wheels.
That experience changed how I think about fitness — and how I coach today.
Because the truth is: what works in your 20s and 30s doesn’t always work after 40. And once you understand why, everything gets easier.
Why Fitness Feels Different After 40
A few important shifts start happening in your 40s:
You naturally lose muscle mass if you’re not training for it
Recovery takes longer
Hormonal changes affect energy, mood, and body composition
Old aches and injuries can start speaking up
None of this means you’re “getting old.” It simply means your body now needs a different approach.
Trying to train the same way you did in your 20s or 30s often leads to frustration, burnout, or injury — not better results.
The Big Mistake Most People Make
One of the biggest mistakes I see is defining "fitness" as cardio.
Running, spin classes, long sweaty workouts — they feel productive. They can be fun. And there's definitely a place for them. But on their own, they’re not enough — and certainly not enough when you're past 40.
I made this mistake too. I thought if I just DID more, everything would fall into place. Instead, I felt stuck and frustrated.
What was missing? Strength.
What Actually Works After 40
1. Strength Training Becomes Essential
Strength training is the foundation for feeling good as you age.
It helps:
Preserve (and build!) muscle strength and bone density
Support joints and reduce aches
Improve metabolism and energy
Build confidence in your body
You don’t need to lift heavy all the time. You do need to lift intentionally and consistently (see next point).
2. Consistency Beats Intensity
These days, I train more often than I really need to simply because I enjoy it so much. But really, you only need to hit the gym two to three times per week to see a difference.
Because I go more often, I usually put my workouts at about a 70% effort, with the occasional harder day mixed in. That approach allows me to stay consistent, recover well, and actually enjoy training.
Consistency always wins over extremes.
3. Cardio Still Matters — But It's Not The Only Thing That Matters
Cardio is great for heart health and stamina, but it’s not the whole picture.
Without strength and stability work, cardio alone can leave you with major deficits in your fitness and skills.
CrossFit, for example, defines 10 general physical skills that together make up a well rounded athlete:
Cardiovascular/Respiratory Endurance: The body's ability to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
Stamina: The body's capacity to process, store, and utilize energy.
Strength: The ability to apply force with muscles.
Flexibility: Maximizing range of motion at a joint.
Power: Applying maximum force in minimum time (strength + speed).
Speed: Minimizing cycle time for repeated movements.
Coordination: Combining distinct movement patterns.
Agility: Minimizing transition time between movements.
Balance: Controlling the body's position.
Accuracy: Controlling movement in a specific direction or at a specific intensity
Workouts that are more cardio-centric will check the box for #1, #2 and maybe #3. But it's not going to do much for the remaining skills.
The goal is to develop competency across all 10 of these areas to remain healthy and strong as you age.
4. Coaching and Progressions Matter
One of the biggest fears people over 40 have is getting hurt — and that fear is completely understandable.
The answer isn’t avoiding exercise. Do that, and you will surely injure yourself lifting a bag of rice, carrying your bags at the airport, running for a bus, hoisting your child/grandchild into a swing or any of the other myriad things we do every day.
The answer is to proactively learn how to move well, get stronger, scale appropriately, and progress safely. That’s where good coaching makes all the difference.
The Moment Everything Clicks
As a coach, one of my favourite things to witness is the moment someone realizes they’re capable of more than they thought.
It might be their first push-up.
Their first full-depth squat.
Or simply finishing a workout or completing a lift and thinking, “I can't believe I did that!”
That confidence spills into everything else — posture, energy, mood, even how they show up in daily life.
It’s Not Too Late — You’re Right on Time
If you’ve been thinking, “I should be in better shape by now,” here’s what I want you to know:
You’re not behind.
You’re not broken.
And you’re not out of time.
With the right approach — one that prioritizes strength, variety, consistency, and smart coaching — you can feel better in your 40s and beyond than you did years ago.
If you’re curious what that could look like for you, we’d love to help.
Book a No Sweat Intro and let’s talk about your goals, your history, and the smartest path forward for you.
