Train Smarter, Not Harder — The 40+ Blueprint That Works

Are you a woman over 40 still working out the way you did in your 20s, only to find you’re not getting the same results anymore?

If your current routine feels like a battle against your body, it's time to shift your approach. To get the results you truly deserve, you need to understand three big things about training smarter, not harder.

Make sure to watch this video until the end to get my proven strength training blueprint for women 40+.

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1. Your Hormones Matter (A Lot More Now)

One of the most significant shifts for women over 40 is the increased influence of hormones.

As you age and approach perimenopause and menopause, your body naturally produces more cortisol, the stress hormone, which can make things a little harder. While cortisol is vital for managing stressful situations, chronic elevation due to everyday life, and surprisingly, certain workouts, can be detrimental.

Many women unknowingly contribute to elevated cortisol levels by choosing workouts that promise the highest calorie burn on their watch, often gravitating towards long cardio-based or high-intensity classes.

The overlooked piece of this puzzle is that too much of these activities, especially if they are long, will increase cortisol. When cortisol levels remain elevated, your body perceives a constant state of danger, leading to more belly fat gain and even water retention, making you feel puffy and causing weight fluctuations despite intense effort.

This isn't about shunning cardio entirely, but rather being smart about not adding unnecessary stress to a body already dealing with hormonal changes.

2. Boost Your Metabolic Rate, Don't Just Burn Calories Manually

While energy expenditure is certainly part of the equation for workouts, the way you burn energy needs to evolve. Instead of focusing solely on “manual calorie burning” through endless running or biking, the smarter approach is to increase your metabolic rate. This is where weightlifting becomes your most powerful ally.

When you lift weights, your muscles grow, which in turn increases your metabolic rate. This means that the more lean muscle mass you have, your body burns more calories even when you're resting.

Unlike the immediate calorie count you see on a watch after a run, the calorie burning from weightlifting is a continuous, byproduct effect of having higher muscle mass. This is why individuals with more muscle mass can “get away with eating more” without losing their gains, as their muscles efficiently use the extra energy.

Conversely, someone who relies solely on cardio for calorie burning might find themselves in a constant cycle of intense workouts to manage weight fluctuations. By lifting weights, you’re not just burning calories during the workout; you're building a furnace that burns calories all the time.

3. Weightlifting is the Key to Shaping Your Body and Preventing Muscle Loss

If you're in your 40s or beyond, you have to actively work to maintain and build muscle mass. Unlike your 20s or early 30s where activity might have been enough to maintain muscle, in your 40s, muscle loss accelerates if you don't give your muscles something to do. And guess what accelerates this loss even more? Eating less and less which is another thing that women in their 40s and beyond do in order to lose weight, without realizing that if they don't lift, they lose valuable muscle mass.

Weightlifting is the only thing that will truly shape your body. Many clients achieve great results by lifting weights two to three days per week, complemented by walking, and only doing cardio for fun if they enjoy it.

To support muscle building, pairing weightlifting with a high-protein diet is also highly beneficial, as many women could improve their protein intake. However, remember that eating more protein alone doesn't build muscle in the same way weightlifting does; you need both.

Practical Steps to Train Smarter

So, what does it look like to train smarter and not harder in your 40s and beyond?

• Embrace Strength Training: This is non-negotiable for results. If you're new to it, resources like a “14-Day Strong and Sensitive Course” provides beginner and intermediate workouts with both bodyweight and dumbbell options.
• Focus on Big, Compound Movements: Prioritize exercises that use most muscles. The five foundational lifts recommended are: squat, deadlift, row, overhead press, and bench press. These should be the foundation of your routine, with modifications or variations as needed. Spending 45 minutes on a treadmill followed by a few bicep curls won't change your body shape.
• Lift Heavier: Most women need to lift heavier than they currently do to stimulate muscle growth. If you're using the same light weights month after month, you won't see the desired changes.
• Rest Between Sets: This is crucial. After your last repetition, you should feel the need to rest for about a minute before moving on. If you don't feel the need to rest, it likely means your weights weren't heavy enough, and you weren't challenging yourself adequately. Resting allows for recovery and ensures you're truly working your muscles to promote growth.
• Slow Down and Focus: During your workouts, slow down, take more breaks, and focus on your form and technique. Perform each movement with intention. Forget about constantly counting calories burned during individual exercises; instead, focus on strengthening your body, as that's where the real gains come from.
• Prioritize Overall Well-being: Remember that excessive stress, both from life and from inappropriate workouts, negatively impacts your gains. Forcing yourself through a 5 AM bootcamp after only five or six hours of sleep might feel “right,” but from the perspective of your body, hormones, and nervous system, it's not a good choice. You'd be training harder, not smarter.

By making these intelligent adjustments to your training, you'll work with your body, optimize your hormones, build strength, and achieve the results you truly deserve in your 40s and beyond.

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