 Most people don’t fail because they lack motivation. They fail because “ah sure go on” has quietly become part of their daily routine.
And honestly, I think a lot of people don’t even realise it’s happening. They think they need more discipline. More motivation. A stricter diet. A harder training plan. Usually, they don’t. What they actually need is a bit more awareness around the small decisions they’re making every single week.
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 One bad week… and suddenly people think everything is falling apart.
What’s actually going on You miss a couple of sessions. Life gets busy. Work ramps up. Kids need more time. Energy dips.  I saw a piece recently about Westwood Gym having to cancel memberships due to declining standards of behaviour.
Things like:
And to be fair, none of this is surprising.  “Doing two sessions back-to-back or trying to ‘make up’ for a bad week won’t fix your fitness.”
Here’s the reality You’ve probably done this before. Missed a few sessions. Busy week. Then tried to cram it all in. However, fitness after 40 isn’t about doing more or going harder. It’s about applying the right training stress and allowing your body to recover and adapt properly. If that part is off, it doesn’t matter how many sessions you do. You’ll either spin your wheels or end up more tired, sore, and frustrated than when you started.  Or maybe it’s not ageing at all
There’s a point where a lot of people start to feel it. You wake up a bit stiffer. You’re more tired than you used to be. Things that felt easy a few years ago now feel like effort. And the default explanation is always the same. “I’m just getting older.” It sounds logical. It sounds acceptable. It also lets you off the hook a bit. But here’s the uncomfortable truth. How long does it take to see gym results after 40?
Most adults over 40 will start to feel better within 2 to 4 weeks, see noticeable strength and energy improvements by 6 to 8 weeks, and visible physical changes within 8 to 12 weeks. Most people will see meaningful long term results within 3 to 6 plus months of consistent gym training.  Most people over 40 are not out of shape because they don’t care.
They’re out of shape because they’ve been sold the wrong version of what “fit” is supposed to look like. - Perfect routines - Endless motivation - Training nearly every day - Strict diets that fall apart the minute life gets busy That might work for someone with loads of time and very few responsibilities. It doesn’t work when you’re juggling work, kids, family life, and trying to keep everything else together. So instead of asking what you should be doing more of, it’s worth asking a better question. What does being fit actually look like after 40, in the real world? One of the most frustrating situations people face is this: “I’m exercising regularly but nothing is changing.”
For many adults over 40, the issue isn’t a lack of effort - it’s too much unstructured, high-stress training. If you’re over 40 and trying to get fitter, one of the most common questions is:
“How many times per week should I be training?” For most busy adults over 40, 2-3 training sessions per week is enough to get strong, fit and feel better.  Every so often I have a conversation with someone that goes something like this.
They tell me they’re exhausted. Not just “a bit tired”. Properly drained. So I ask a simple question: “What are you doing for training at the minute?” And the answer is usually impressive.... |
AuthorDavid Knowles is the founder of Evolutis, Dad x 5 & wannabe singer songwriter! Ready?Reading is great, but action is better. If you’re ready to start moving and feeling better, we’re here to help.
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