“I’m 40 and I Haven’t Worked-Out in Over 10 Years. Where Do I Begin?”

“I’m 40 and I haven’t worked-out in over 10 years. Where do I begin?”

This is a question that’s often asked. It’s an excellent question, because in all appearances, you seem interested to get healthier. There’s no knocking that!

So to answer the question: “I’m 40, and I haven’t worked-out in over 10 years. Where do I begin?,” it’s best to just...........simply begin!

Here are 4 stages that I’ve come up with to bring you some clarity for a broader outlook on your fitness journey. Everyone is unique so use your imagination to fill the gaps.

Stage 1:

Begin by doing something. At this point, anything you do will be better than not having done anything. It is too easy to quit, and so, just doing anything is a great start, as long as you do it safely, whatever that is.

Some examples that come to mind, relating to “to simply begin,” could be doing a light stretch, and just getting out the house for a short jog around the block. Or, just dropping to your living-room floor and attempt to do a few push-ups, sit-ups or even some Jumping Jacks. These will be challenging in the beginning for anyone who hasn’t worked-out in a while, let alone “10 years,” if at all for some.

If there’s any question about how to perform a simple exercise, such as a proper push-up, or how to properly stretch your muscles, there are plenty of examples on Youtube. However, I do recommend viewing at least 3 examples, only because of how amazed I am about finding content creators in the fitness space that do perform basic exercise improperly, and so just view a few examples from different accounts to ensure that you’re learning applying these exercises safely. There are many things that you’re trying to achieve in this stage, but firstly, aim to crack a sweat by the end of your workout, but also don’t push your heart too much. So, listen to your body, give it a challenge, but do not over due things. Stage 1 helps us get our joints ready, gets our muscles more responsive, readies our mind for a greater physical challenge, and helps our metabolism and heart “shift gears” from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one. It just takes a little time. If we’re too impatient with our selves, its too easy to develop some kind of injury. You must respect that your body is in Stage 1 and has to be conditioned to reach the more advanced levels of fitness, but do ensure you’re challenging yourself, safely. You’re on the right track!

Again, this is Stage 1 and Stage 1 is the beginning stage. Doing some sort of performative exercise means that you’ve begun.Good job! Now, consistency is the key, however. You must commit yourself to exercising routinely. When you begin to notice, even the subtlest changes, i.e., getting a little stronger, reaching a higher rep range, slimming down a little, being able to jog the same distance in shorter time… these are the indicators that truly help us remain committed and motivated. Fitness is hard, but once the habit is formed, for many of us, fitness becomes fun, and when we fail to get our workout in, we feel guilty. And so, the beginning is challenging, for sure. Stick with Stage 1 for about a month. Remember, just simply begin and then hold yourself to it. Aim for 3 days a week, even if your workout is as short as 20 minutes.   

Stage 2 -Part A, Part B:

During Stage 1, you may think you know what your general fitness goal is, i.e., lose weight, gain lean muscle, etc., but Stage 2 Part A, is really the stage of drastic growth through experimental exercise training. Stage 2 is a year long phase, during which some goals are achieved and then often times new and challenging goals are chased. The body changes immensely. A magnificent synergy is at worth within us; our mind is desiring the fitness challenges, more calories are burnt, more fat is lost, lean muscle has increased and our cardio has improved. And, with every new positive indicator of fitness we achieve, we are continuing to have fun and experience a pleasurable pain, making us all-around more resilient to the basic forces of life. For these reasons, it seems, the desire to do the handwork to be healthier becomes as important as the air we breath, so to speak.

Stage 2 Part A is a great time to consider entering the gym, meeting a couple of regulars and researching various exercises of interest that pertain to which ever realistically achievable fitness goal/s that we set for ourselves. A personal trainer would be excellent to help you fast-track, depending on the trainer. Generally, a personal trainer is going to know what is proven to work, but everyone is, to a degree, unique. The point - there’s options. It could surprise you just how a 40+ year old could elevate themselves physically. It’s partially true, the adage,”age is just a number,” it’s also true that in the year 2025, we have remarkable approaches to fitness at our fingertips. And so, options are many. Stage 2, Part A, is learning how your body responds to this or that, making great progress towards your goals, and experiencing with different workout programs that fit your lifestyle and willpower.

Stage 2, Part B, is committing to a more comprehensive workout program that has been designed by a credible fitness professional. Most people fail to advance beyond Stage 2A. They become content where they are, or are choosing to make advances on their own without advanced guidance. Here is many develop some sort of injury and then more often than not, exit the fitness realm with hopes to make a return whence they’ve recovered from their injury.

We must remember that its not natural for a 40 year old to push into the advanced fitness stages. To do so is somewhat complex. Diet is deeply involved, periodization is as crucial and these are things that require the research of a seriously motivated individual, if they are to advance without the help of professionals in the fitness industry. The time that one remains in Stage 2, Part B can range anywhere from a year to three years.

Stage 3:

This is the stage that, once here, you’ll feel accomplished within ourselves, physically. This is the land of the “the chips fall where they may.” We are still committed to higher fitness and setting new goals but we basically in a state of maintenance. What ever advancements we make, are more difficult to attain. This is where we want to be. Though, as we age, we’ll always be fighting regression. Our testosterone levels decrease ever more, for example. This is not to be feared. We just have fun giving regression a hard time beating us by maintaining our bodies the best we can. Some may take this serious enough to consider being prescribed enhancements, though, I wont open that door, here.

Stage 4:

Competition Level - Marathons, Ultramarathons, bodybuilding shows, powerlifting competitions and strongman events to list a few, consist of stage 4 level athletes, though, there is a wide range of factors that separate the “best from the rest.” Genetics, willpower and so much more goes into the conclusion of an athlete at the competitive level. Stage 4 is what many aim, and for the ones the succeed, we draw inspiration from, as spectators of such sports, we can recognize these athletes’ hard work, and just how admirable their efforts are.

Hopefully, for those who ask similar questions as the one quoted at the beginning of this piece, this has helped to give basic confidence to get going on your fitness journey. As stated in Stage 1, just simply begin! Remember that keeping at it (being consistent) will be the key to your fitness success. Also, listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, cease with the exercise. If you happen to skip a workout day, get back on the “horse” the next day. Also, try to make it fun as possible so that you look forward to the workout. Give yourself a fighting chance to feel healthy again. You can do it!