If you’re in your 40s, 50s or 60s and finding yourself frustrated with fitness, you’re not alone. You may have already searched online for common exercise struggles, only to find advice that feels vague or unrealistic for your stage of life.
The truth is, what worked for you in your 20s and 30s, like endless cardio, HIIT workouts or skipping meals, probably isn’t working anymore.
And there’s a reason for that: your body has changed.
Hormonal shifts, increased stress sensitivity, slower recovery, and changes in metabolism all make exercising in midlife a very different challenge. That doesn’t mean you can’t get amazing results. It just means the approach must be different too.
In this post, we’ll break down why exercise feels harder after 40, tackle the most common struggles women face, and explain what to do instead—so you can build a body you feel confident and comfortable in again.
How Much Exercise Do You Actually Need?
This is one of the most misunderstood parts of fitness for women over 40.
Many women still think they need to do more cardio, more HIIT classes, or push themselves harder in workouts to see results. But if you’re in perimenopause or menopause, this can actually backfire.
What most women don’t realise is that your body is fundamentally different now than it was in your 20s and 30s. You’re not broken, it’s your hormones that have changed, and with them, your ability to tolerate certain types of stress has changed too.
From your late 30s onwards, levels of oestrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate and drop. These two hormones are not just important for reproductive health. They also play a major role in:
- Regulating the body’s response to stress
- Managing blood sugar and energy levels
- Supporting muscle mass and bone density
As these hormones decline, your body becomes more sensitive to physical and emotional stress. That includes the stress caused by high-intensity exercise like HIIT or long-distance cardio.
These workouts spike the stress hormone cortisol. When cortisol is chronically high, your body is more likely to store fat, particularly around the belly. You’re also much more likely to hold onto it, no matter how hard you train.
This is why many women say things like, “I’ve been running 5 days a week and I’m actually gaining weight!” or “I’m doing back-to-back gym classes and I still can’t shift the belly fat.”
HIIT and cardio might have worked when you were younger, but they often do more harm than good in menopause. You may feel more tired, hungrier, more bloated, and end up injured, which then knocks your confidence even further.
So what should you do?
Strength Training is The Solution
Strength training done the right way—2 to 3 times a week, lifting weights heavy enough to challenge you for 5 to 15 reps—gives you all the benefits without the hormonal fallout. The reasons why it works:
- It builds lean muscle, which boosts metabolism and helps your body burn fat more efficiently (especially at rest).
- It supports bone density, which is crucial as women can lose up to 4.4% of bone per year between ages 50–54 if they don’t take action.
- It improves insulin sensitivity, which reduces belly fat and stabilises your energy and mood.
- It keeps cortisol levels low, so your body doesn’t go into a stressed-out, fat-storing state.
On top of this, strength training protects you against the loss of muscle that naturally happens with age. From around age 30, women lose about 1% of muscle per year if they don’t strength train, which is a condition called sarcopenia.
That loss leads to a slower metabolism, flabbier body shape, and increased risk of injury and frailty later in life.
So no, you don’t need to “work out harder” as you get older. You need to work smarter—with your body, not against it.
How to Exercise with Limited Mobility
Injuries, joint pain, and chronic conditions become more common with age. But physical limitations don’t mean you can’t exercise, instead it means you just need a different approach.
One of the most important things to understand is that movement heals. Staying sedentary can worsen pain and lead to faster declines in strength and mobility. However, the type of movement matters.
For example, women with arthritis or knee pain might struggle with jumping or running. That’s why low-impact strength training is ideal as it allows you to build muscle and protect your joints without impact stress. Studies actually found that strength training showed significant improvements in strength and function, and reductions in pain for adults with osteoarthritis.
Other helpful options include:
- Chair-based strength workouts
- Resistance band training
- Swimming or water aerobics
- Gentle Pilates or yoga
These options keep your heart rate healthy, improve muscle tone, and support better balance and flexibility. Before starting any new exercise routine, speak with a care provider to make sure it’s safe for your situation.
7 Common Exercise Struggles (and How to Solve Them)
1. Lack of motivation
If you keep starting strong on Monday and fizzling out by Thursday, you’re not alone. We’ve coached thousands of women and we can tell you with certainty: motivation is not the issue. What really trips people up is doing the wrong things and seeing no results.
That’s the fastest way to feel defeated.
Imagine putting in all that effort and still gaining weight. That’s what happens when you follow old-school methods that don’t work for your body anymore and it’s one of the most common exercise struggles women over 40 face.
The good news is that once you start following a plan that’s designed for women in menopause, results come quicker than you’d think. Clothes start fitting better. Energy picks up. The scales move. And suddenly, you don’t need to force motivation anymore. It builds on itself.
2. Lack of time
Let’s be honest—you’re probably not sitting around twiddling your thumbs. Whether it’s a busy job, looking after family, or a house that never seems to stay clean, most women over 40 are constantly doing something.
But here’s the perspective shift: if you don’t make time for your health now, you’ll be forced to make time for health problems later.
We’re not talking about hours in the gym. We’re talking about 30–45 minutes of strength training, 2–3 times a week, plus a bit of walking each day. That’s all it takes to get strong, feel better, and finally lose weight that’s been hanging around for years.
And it’s a drop in the ocean compared to how much time you’ll gain back when you’re not dealing with aching joints, low energy, and constant fatigue.
3. Focusing on either exercise or nutrition – but not both
Another trap we see is focusing too much on one piece of the puzzle. You might be eating really well but doing no exercise at all. Or working out every day and still grabbing quick snacks and glasses of wine to get through the week.
Both can feel like effort, but neither will give you results on their own.
Here’s the problem: after 40, you naturally lose 1% of your muscle mass every year unless you’re strength training. That’s why just eating clean doesn’t give you a toned or firm look anymore.
And on the flip side, working out without dialling in your nutrition means you’re constantly fighting an uphill battle with cravings, blood sugar spikes, and belly fat.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about doing the right things together, consistently.
That’s why we coach both exercise and nutrition inside our programme, so you’re not missing half the equation.
4. Not investing in yourself
You spend money on the kids, the car, the house, the holidays. But when it comes to your health? You put it off.
We hear this all the time from women we speak to. Deep down, they know they’re not feeling great, they’re tired all the time, uncomfortable in clothes, avoiding photos, missing out on activities with family. But they still struggle to spend money on coaching, support, or even time for themselves.
And often, it’s not about money. It’s about self-worth.
Menopause can knock your confidence. You start to feel like you’ve lost who you used to be. You tell yourself, “I should be able to do this on my own,” or “It’s selfish to focus on me.”
But here’s the truth: you can’t pour from an empty cup. When you feel better, everything gets better—your energy, your mood, your patience, your performance at work, and your connection with the people you love.
The best investment you’ll ever make is in your health, because that affects every single day of your life.
5. Still doing what worked in your 20s
Back in your 20s and 30s, you probably could eat what you wanted, throw in some cardio, maybe hit the gym when you felt like it—and the weight came off.
But after 40, your body is different. Your hormones start to shift—especially oestrogen and progesterone—which changes how your body handles stress, blood sugar, muscle retention, and fat storage.
That means the old tactics don’t work anymore. In fact, they can make things worse. Running for miles. Doing HIIT five times a week. Starving yourself during the day, then giving in to cravings at night. It’s no wonder you feel like you’re spinning your wheels.
Your body is not broken. It just needs a new approach—one that works with your hormones, not against them.
That’s what we do in Fit Over 40—helping women drop 1–2 dress sizes in just 12 weeks by making a few key changes that match their stage of life.
” I’d started playing netball again but it didn’t seem to be making any difference and I was the largest I’ve ever been. At training I felt sluggish and slow and my knees and hips had started to ache. I’m not sure there are words to describe the transformation I’ve been through over the last 18 months. I’m 2 stone lighter, but the consequent mental transformation has been even better. I now really like what I see in the mirror”
– Rachel Crookes, Trinity Client
6. Trying to figure it all out alone
Being healthy in your 40s, 50s, and 60s is not as simple as it used to be. It’s not just about eating less and moving more anymore.
That’s why we spent over 10 years, working with over 7,000 women, studying every cutting-edge course and piece of research on menopause and midlife health—so you don’t have to figure it out alone.
If you try to work it out by yourself, you could spend years spinning in circles and never getting the results you want. By then, your metabolism may have slowed further, your motivation drops even more, and the effort to turn it around becomes bigger.
The alternative? Work with someone who’s done the hard part already.
Not a 25-year-old PT who lives in the gym and doesn’t get how hard it is to juggle a job, kids, and menopause. But real coaches who help normal women get real results—without cutting out everything you enjoy.
If that sounds like what you’ve been missing, start with our Free Guide and we’ll show you exactly how to get started.
7. Making slow decisions
A lot of women wait.
You tell yourself you’ll start after the next holiday. Or when work gets quieter. Or when the kids don’t need as much. But here’s what no one tells you:
The longer you leave it, the harder it gets.
In your 20s and 30s, your body could coast. But after 40, it doesn’t sit still. It’s either getting better or getting worse depending on what you do—or don’t do—each day.
Let’s say you’ve gained a stone in the past 18 months. If nothing changes, where will you be in 3 years? Probably another 2 stone heavier, more fatigued, and feeling even more stuck.
And the truth is, every stone takes 3–6 months of consistent effort to lose. That’s why acting sooner (when the problem is still manageable) is the smartest move you can make.
We’ve coached thousands of women who all say the same thing: “I just wish I’d done this sooner.”
So don’t wait for things to get worse before you take action. Start now. Your future self will thank you.
How to Build an Exercise Plan
If you’re still following the same exercise plan you did in your 20s, it’s time for an upgrade.
Back then, you could do hours of cardio, skip meals, or do back-to-back gym classes and still see results. But now? Those old tactics only leave you feeling exhausted, injured, and no closer to your goals.
Why? Because after 40, your body is experiencing a drop in oestrogen, progesterone, and (to a lesser degree) testosterone. This affects your metabolism, muscle retention, and the way your body handles stress.
If you’re not strength training regularly, you’ll naturally lose 1% of muscle per year after 30 (a condition called sarcopenia). From age 50–54, bone loss can speed up to over 4% per year.
This means that without the right support, your metabolism slows down, posture weakens, and fat storage—especially around the belly—increases.
To counteract this, a smart exercise plan should include:
- Low impact strength training (LIST) 3 times a week
- Walking daily for overall energy and fat burning
- Balanced nutrition focused on calories, protein, and fibre
We call this the Goldilocks method—not too much, not too little, but just right for your stage of life.
We go deeper into this inside our Free Training.
How To Make Exercise a Habit That Sticks
One of the most common exercise struggles for women over 40 is staying consistent. And it’s not about laziness—your time is taken up by a demanding career, family commitments, or looking after ageing parents. Most women we coach say they’re always busy doing things for others, and putting themselves last.
But the reality is, if you keep pushing yourself to the bottom of the list, your health will continue to suffer and eventually, something gives.
Making exercise a habit doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through intention, structure, and support.
First, schedule your workouts like meetings. If it’s in your calendar, it’s more likely to happen. Then, make them doable. A 30-minute strength session is enough. You don’t need 90-minute gym slogs.
You also need a plan that fits around your life. Random YouTube workouts won’t get you results because they’re not tailored to your body, your goals, or your hormonal reality.
Most importantly, don’t rely on motivation. Motivation is fickle. Systems, habits, and accountability are what get results. That’s why we offer structured coaching and group support inside the Fit Over 40 Programme, so women just like you can finally stay on track.
“Trinity coaching has gently led me to self discovery. I came to realise I had lost myself in work and had no work/life balance. I learnt to say no. I learnt to use meditation on a daily basis to help manage my stress and emotions. I know it’s a cliche but Trinity has actually transformed my life. I’ve lost 30kg but I’m not on a diet, I’ve changed my lifestyle.”
– Rachel Hillier, Trinity Client
Ready to Stop Struggling and Start Seeing Results?
If you’ve found yourself facing these common exercise struggles despite putting in the effort but seeing no results, feeling more tired instead of better, wondering why your body isn’t responding like it used to, it’s not a lack of willpower.
By the time many women find us, they’re frustrated, disheartened, and honestly, a bit skeptical. And we get it.
Most of our clients felt exactly the same before they joined us.
They were unsure if another programme would be any different. They’d been burned before by quick fixes, fads, or coaches who didn’t understand what it’s like to go through menopause and juggle work, family, and everything else life throws at them.
But here’s the truth: what we do is different.
We’ve helped over 7,000 women transform their health, body and confidence—and we have a 97% success rate for those who follow the plan. This isn’t guesswork. It’s a proven, science-backed system designed specifically for women going through hormonal changes, with real support every step of the way.
Here’s what’s included in our Fit Over 40 Coaching Programme:
- A personalised, step-by-step nutrition plan designed for hormonal balance, fat loss and energy
- Structured Low Impact Strength Training (LIST) workouts to build strength, tone up and protect joints
- Weekly check-ins and accountability to keep you consistent and on track
- Access to expert 1-1 coaching from our team of menopause fitness specialists
- A supportive community of like-minded women who get what you’re going through
- Our full Diet Makeover system to reset cravings and boost results in the first 2 weeks
- Custom guidance on calories, protein and fibre so you know exactly what to eat
- Tools to track your progress in dress sizes, waist measurements, energy and mood
- Lifetime habits and mindset coaching so your results actually last
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I struggle to exercise?
Most women struggle because they’re following plans that don’t suit their hormonal stage of life. The wrong workouts spike stress and lead to burnout.
Is it harder to get in shape after 40?
Yes, due to hormonal changes and slower muscle and bone turnover, but the right approach makes it absolutely possible—and even enjoyable.
Is 40 too late to start exercising?
Not at all. In fact, starting at 40 or beyond can dramatically improve your energy, strength, and long-term health. It’s never too late.
Why is it suddenly hard to exercise?
Hormonal shifts in perimenopause reduce your stress resilience and recovery ability, making high-impact workouts harder and less effective.
