Changing your Body after 40: A Workout Guide for Women

The Best Workouts for Women 40 and Beyond: Shifting Your Approach

So many women in their 40s (and beyond) often overlook how our workouts need to shift when we hit perimenopause. It’s a topic that doesn’t get enough attention, but it’s so important.

I spoke with a 45 year old woman who said she feels she is doing all the right things—working out with a trainer, staying active—but still feels exhausted and stuck. Her trainer is a young guy, great at what he does, but not quite in tune with what a midlife body truly needs.

And this is SO common.

• If you’ve felt like your desire to train has been all over the place…

• If you’re struggling to generate the same intensity you used to…

• If you don't know how to schedule your workout week...

• If your sleep isn’t what it used to be, cravings are higher, and you feel like your body doesn’t reflect all the effort you’re putting in…

You’re not alone. And it’s not just in your head.

When you enter perimenopause and menopause, your hormones—estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—begin to gradually decline. These hormones affect everything from brain health to mood, energy, fat loss, and muscle gain. They protect our ability to manage stress, keep insulin sensitivity in check, maintain bone density, and balance blood sugar.

As they decrease, our approach to nutrition and exercise has to adjust. What worked in our 20s and 30s doesn’t necessarily work now, and that’s okay! The good news is there are specific strategies that can help.

The Impact of Stress and Cortisol

Stress—whether it’s from life, work, or even exercise—triggers our bodies to produce cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones help us to metabolize fat, carbs, and protein for energy, which is great when we need it (like during a workout). But when we’re stressed all the time, it leads to chronically high cortisol levels.

High cortisol can cause our bodies to store excess fat, particularly around the midsection. And because we become more stress-sensitive in midlife, finding the right kind of exercise becomes even more important.

What Kind of Exercise Works Best?

Here’s the approach I recommend for midlife women:

🏋️‍♀️ Strength Training: 70-80% of your workouts should focus on building muscle. This means lifting weights with intention and focusing on intensity over duration. Keep your workouts under an hour and prioritize proper form and recovery.

• Lift with Intention: Choose compound movements (e.g., squats, deadlifts, presses) and execute reps with control and a braced core.

• Intensity over duration: Short, focused sessions (<1 hour) with heavier weights and proper form are more effective than long workouts.

• Prioritize recovery: Rest, good nutrition, and active recovery are essential for muscle growth and injury prevention.

• Balance your routine: Include mobility, stretching, and light cardio to maintain flexibility and overall fitness.

  
  

🚶‍♀️ Low-Intensity Movement: Include daily walks, yoga, or any movement that feels restorative. This helps manage cortisol and keeps your body in a balanced state. Low-intensity movement like NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) or walking can and should be done daily. You can also include 2-3 days of Zone 2 exercise, which is great for building endurance and supporting metabolic health. (And if you’d like a quick cheat sheet on Zone 2 exercise—including the ideal heart rate formula and how to incorporate it into your routine—shoot me a message, and I’ll send it your way!)

💥 Bonus: If you’re feeling good and your energy is steady, you can add in 2 short (10–20 minute) HIIT sessions a week—think sprints, a fun Tabata circuit, or a bootcamp-style class. (Here are some free 6-minute Tabata workouts if you need inspiration!)

Sample Weekly Strength Training Plans

Before you dive in, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Rest days: Aim to take at least one rest or active recovery day each week, and a rest day or two in between workouts, if working the same muscle groups. This gives your muscles time to repair and grow, which is just as important as the workouts themselves.

• Choosing weights: Select weights that feel challenging by the last few reps of each set while maintaining proper form. If you can breeze through your reps, it's time to go heavier!

• Form over everything: Quality of movement matters more than quantity. Prioritize good form to avoid injury and get the most out of each exercise.

If you can strength train 2-3 days a week:

• Option 1: Full Body on all days

• Option 2: Lower Body, Upper Body, Full Body

• Daily: Low-intensity movement like walking or NEAT - aim for 7k + steps

• 2-3 Days: Zone 2 exercise or a 10-minute HIIT session if energy allows

  
  

If you can strength train 4 days a week:

• Day 1: Upper Body

• Day 2: Lower Body

• Day 3: Full Body

• Day 4: Upper or Lower Body (depending on your goals)

• Daily: Low-intensity movement like walking or NEAT - aim for 7k + steps

• 2-3 Days: Zone 2 exercise or 10-minute HIIT as an alternative

  
  

If you can strength train 5 days a week:

• Day 1: Back and Biceps

• Day 2: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps

• Day 3: Legs and Glutes

• Day 4: Shoulder-Focused

• Day 5: Glute-Focused

• Daily: Low-intensity movement like walking or NEAT - aim for 7k + steps

• 2-3 Days: Zone 2 exercise or 10-minute HIIT if energy allows

There are so many ways to break up your workout schedule, but the key is to keep it simple and focus on what matters most to you. If overall strength is your goal, full-body workouts are a solid choice. Want to see more definition in your lower body? Add an extra leg day to your week. Prioritizing upper body strength or core stability? Tailor your schedule accordingly. The best plan is the one you can stick to consistently—without overcomplicating it!

If you’re wondering whether shifting your workout approach during perimenopause can truly make a difference, here’s what one of my clients had to say:

"I stopped snacking and refocused on mindful eating. Having a good routine in the gym and not needing to push myself so hard to see results—realizing that I don’t have to change up the routine so often—really took the stress out of it. By not worrying about that, I was able to just get in there and get it done. I have a lot more consistency now."

Her experience is a perfect example of how small, thoughtful shifts in both mindset and workout strategy can lead to lasting results. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—sometimes, it’s all about simplifying and staying consistent.

P.S. Muscle: Your Metabolism’s Best Friend

In closing, let’s clear up a common myth: muscle doesn’t “weigh more” than fat. A pound is a pound. But muscle takes up less space, meaning the more muscle you have, the leaner and more defined you’ll look.

Even if fat loss is your goal, strength training is crucial. Gaining muscle helps boost your metabolism, making it easier to burn calories even at rest. Plus, more muscle gives you more flexibility with your diet—always a win! When you have more muscle mass, your body naturally burns more calories at rest, which means you can enjoy a bit more freedom with your food choices (especially carbohydrates) without worrying as much about weight gain.

Need more Help?

If you’re not sure where to start or feel overwhelmed by what your body needs in this stage of life, I’d love to help! Whether you need a simple plan to fit into your busy schedule, support with strength training, or guidance through perimenopause and beyond—just send me a message or click HERE to see how we can work together -- and we’ll get you started!

Or, you can find workouts on my YouTube channel or in the "Workout" highlight on my Instagram page—plenty of options to get you moving :)