Being Fit After 40
Coach Christian
Most men live like Peter Pan and are happy to do so. After all, if we could stay young forever, why wouldn’t we?
However, the reality is that sooner or later, Father Time catches up with us, and we begin to regress. Our metabolism slows down, along with our motivation, and we decline much faster than we anticipated.
Many of our clients are frustrated middle-aged men, or at least that’s how they feel when they join our program.
They’re tired and fed up with wanting to achieve a body transformation but, despite their efforts, feel they’re getting nowhere.
The truth is, after the age of 40, many things change, and you have to adapt your behaviours, habits, routines, and lifestyle, if you want to see results.
After 40, the metabolic rate slows down, meaning the body burns fewer calories, leading to potential weight gain or difficulty shedding fat, especially around the abdomen.
As muscle mass decreases and metabolism slows, fat accumulation, especially visceral fat around internal organs, becomes more common, which is linked to health risks.
Recovery times after workouts or injuries lengthen, increasing the risk of overtraining or chronic pain.
Joint stiffness and decreased flexibility are also common, affecting posture and increasing the risk of injury during physical activities.
Muscle mass tends to decrease due to a natural decline in testosterone and growth hormone levels, making it harder to build and maintain muscle. This typically begins around the age of 30 and decreases by about 1-2% per year. By the time men reach their 40s, this decline can have noticeable effects.
Lower testosterone levels contribute to the loss of muscle mass, making it harder to build and maintain muscle.
Strength levels may also decrease as a result. Testosterone helps regulate fat distribution, and as levels drop, men may notice an increase in body fat, particularly around the abdomen.
A drop in testosterone can also lead to a reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, or other sexual health issues.
Men with lower testosterone may feel more tired or sluggish throughout the day, which impacts their motivation for exercise and other physical activities.
Testosterone can also affect mood, and lower levels might contribute to irritability, depression, or difficulty concentrating.
Additionally, testosterone plays a role in maintaining bone density. A significant drop can lead to a higher risk of osteoporosis or fractures.
Not only do men face these physical changes, but they also experience shifts in their personal and professional lives.
More responsibilities, assets to manage, businesses to run, families to attend to, and children to guide, all of these can squeeze time. Not only is it harder to find time for the gym or exercise, but workouts also become tougher to complete and don’t yield the same dramatic results they once did.
However, it’s not all bad. There are many positive changes too.
While ageing can bring physical challenges, men over 40 also experience several positive changes that can enhance their fitness and overall well-being: By the age of 40, many men have developed discipline, patience, and resilience, which can translate into more focused and consistent training, better decision-making, and a long-term mindset toward health and fitness goals.
With age often comes a deeper understanding of one’s body.
Men over 40 are more likely to be in tune with what works for them in terms of nutrition, exercise, and recovery, allowing them to train smarter rather than harder.
Maturity often brings better emotional control, reducing impulsive behaviours like crash diets or overtraining.
By 40, many men have achieved a degree of financial stability, enabling them to invest in personal training, high-quality nutrition, supplements, or recovery tools that support their body transformation journey.
Men tend to approach fitness with a balanced and sustainable perspective, it often becomes more about long-term health, energy for family, and longevity rather than just aesthetics.
This shift in motivation can lead to a more fulfilling fitness journey.
Men over 40 also prioritize recovery more than younger individuals, recognizing the value of rest, stretching, and mobility work to prevent injury and maintain long-term performance.
Having daily interactions with these individuals and guiding them on their journeys gives me a deep understanding of their challenges and aspirations. Being in my late 30s myself, I’m fully aware of what lies ahead, both the good and the bad. This drives me to make every day count and focus on building a strong foundation for a successful future. To me, true transformation goes beyond just the physical—it’s about nurturing the body, mind, and overall well-being, or what I like to call the spirit.
Looking fit, thinking sharp, feeling content, and setting an example for future generations should be the motivation to be your best self.
I also believe that to achieve a physical transformation, you need to be muscular, lean, strong, fit, and flexible.
While I could write pages on this, I will focus on the key areas that are crucial for improving metabolism, muscle mass, fat loss, and recovery to ensure continuous progress.
Strength Training
Incorporating resistance training at least 3-4 times per week helps stimulate muscle growth (hypertrophy) and counteract age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).
Focus on BIG compound movements like a form of squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows, which engage multiple muscle groups and add some isolation exercises in, leg extensions, flys, pullovers, front raises, as well as some exercises to work the arms and core.
Gradually increase the weight or resistance to challenge muscles and promote continuous growth.
Strength training plays a key role in increasing and maintaining testosterone levels, particularly for men over 40.
The exercises I mentioned above stimulate the release of testosterone by engaging large muscle groups.
The body responds to the physical stress of lifting weights by increasing testosterone production to support muscle repair and growth.
The more intense the workout, particularly with heavy weights and lower repetitions (around 6-8 reps), the stronger the hormonal response. This type of training promotes an anabolic (muscle-building) state, which directly influences testosterone levels.
Strength training helps preserve lean muscle mass, which supports higher levels of testosterone. More muscle requires more testosterone to maintain, creating a positive feedback loop.
Regular strength training helps the body become more efficient at using insulin, which can lead to improved fat metabolism and lower body fat percentages. Lower body fat levels are associated with higher testosterone production.
Strength training also increases growth hormone levels, which works in synergy with testosterone to support muscle growth, fat loss, and overall metabolism.
Higher growth hormone levels are associated with higher testosterone levels, contributing to better overall hormonal balance.
Building more muscle through strength training increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR), meaning you burn more calories at rest. This helps maintain a leaner body, which in turn supports healthy testosterone levels.
Strength training boosts self-confidence and overall mental well-being, which can indirectly support testosterone production. Higher self-esteem and reduced stress have been linked to healthier hormone levels, including testosterone.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief rest periods.
This approach can increase calorie burn both during and after workouts due to the “afterburn” effect (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).
HIIT is effective for burning fat, particularly visceral fat, without sacrificing muscle mass.
HIIT offers several benefits for men over 40, helping them overcome age-related challenges such as reduced metabolism, fat gain, and declining cardiovascular health.
Maintaining strength and fitness is crucial for men over 40, who often face a slowing metabolism and struggle with fat accumulation.
Unlike steady-state cardio, which may lead to muscle loss, HIIT helps preserve and even build muscle. By incorporating resistance training into HIIT sessions, men can maintain lean muscle mass, which becomes increasingly important as muscle naturally declines with age.
HIIT workouts are typically shorter than traditional workouts, often lasting between 20 to 30 minutes. For busy men over 40 with tight schedules due to family or work commitments, this time efficiency allows them to fit effective workouts into their day.
HIIT enhances insulin sensitivity, which helps the body use glucose more effectively. This reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, a common concern as men age, and supports better overall metabolic health.
Additional Areas for Achieving a Physical Transformation
Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to support muscle repair and growth. High-protein diets also help boost metabolism because they require more energy to digest (thermic effect of food).
Eat protein-rich meals every 3-4 hours to maximize muscle protein synthesis.
Prioritize lean proteins (chicken, fish, turkey), whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats (avocados, nuts, olive oil). These foods provide essential nutrients while supporting fat loss.
Reducing refined carbohydrates and sugary foods can help control insulin levels and prevent fat storage.
Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep. Poor sleep disrupts hormones that regulate hunger (ghrelin) and fullness (leptin), leading to overeating and weight gain. It also impairs recovery and muscle growth.
Adequate sleep helps reduce stress and inflammation, ensuring muscles recover and rebuild after workouts.
Chronic stress increases cortisol, a hormone linked to fat storage (especially in the abdominal area) and muscle breakdown. Incorporating relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can lower cortisol levels.
Maintaining a healthy balance helps reduce the stress that might otherwise lead to poor dietary choices or inconsistent training.
Regular stretching, yoga, or foam rolling sessions can enhance flexibility and prevent injury, keeping you more active and improving workout efficiency. Include low-intensity activities like walking, cycling, or swimming to keep the body moving without overtraining.
Fasting can also be an effective strategy for men over 40 to improve metabolism, support fat loss, and even maintain muscle mass, but it should be approached thoughtfully.
It doesn’t have to be focused on traditional principles like the popular 16:8 method (16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating).
It could be as simple as waking up early, getting in a weight training session and a post-cardio session on water, BCAAs, and electrolytes, or maybe a black coffee before having your first meal.
If you don’t work out, spend around 3 hours before your first meal to encourage the breakdown of fat for fuel and to allow your mind to work without using energy to break down food.
Fasting encourages the body to tap into stored fat for energy during the fasting window, which can accelerate fat loss, especially for stubborn areas like the abdomen.
It enhances insulin sensitivity, meaning the body becomes more efficient at processing carbs and storing less fat.
Fasting has been shown to increase growth hormone, which helps preserve muscle mass, enhance fat burning, and improve recovery.
Above, I have outlined many changes you can apply to improve the way you look, think, feel, and live. I am helping many clients achieve results in their 40s that they never thought possible, even in their younger days. It is not rocket science but sports science.
Since I have always been fascinated with anatomy, physiology, and performance, I have invested so much time into my studies.
I practice what I preach and have walked the walk, helping many men and women achieve the look they always wanted but never did. The reason I am spending part of my busy Monday writing this blog is the same reason I am motivated to continue learning and passing it on. Especially given that many friends and family have passed too young, we must recognize that our time is limited.
As much as being over 40 is not the end of this life, it is approaching that direction.
The decisions we make today will pave the path for tomorrow.
I hope this final message motivates you to take action and inspires you to share this content with a friend over 40, in the hope it may also help them.
If you want to book a consultation to discuss your goals and our transformation programs then click on the link below, and one of my team will respond and make that arrangement.
Christian
