Did anyone transform their fitness at 40?

[sorepaw1]

I'm 40, fatter and unfitter than I have ever been (size 20) and do not recognise myself. I've never been fit, but i was slim in my younger years. Looking for people to inspire me, tell me how you turned it all around later in life and give me hope that i can do the same! Is it possible?

Go for it sorepaw1 I have made lots of positive changes in my 50s. I began by walking around the park nightly, after this I started aquacise twice a week. After months of this I felt fit enough and brave enough to see a personal trainer in their private studio. I now train twice a week. Mostly deadlifts, squats etc plus added cardio. I feel so much better for it. All this has been combined with lowering the carbs in my diet. I have dropped two dress sizes, lost about 10% body fat, can deadlift 60kg and feel so much better for the changes.

Forgot to say weight lost over about 18 months was 16kg so slow and steady.

Not at 40 but in my 40s. I went from doing zero exercise to being active. It started with doing 10000 steps a day in one of the lock downs. Then couch 2 5k. Then, more recently, joining a gym in my late 40s. Still walking 10k steps a day, running a few times a week and going to the gym 3 times a week. I honestly feel better than ever.
You can do it. Start small and find what works for you.

I'm 38 and started running in March, I'm not long home after doing a comfortable 10km run in just over an hour. If you would have told me a few months ago that I could ever comfortably run 10km I would have laughed. I was so self conscious when I started running and would only do it under the cover of darkness, this evening I wore a pair of shorts in public for the first time in years. I'm not going to pretend that I'm a super fit muscle woman but I'm really proud of the progress I've made over the past few months, my confidence has just gone so far up from the woman who was afraid to run in daylight in case people laughed at me to wearing shorts and running around my busy local park. It might not sound like a lot to some but it really is massive to me. It was definitely a case of small steps for me and the hardest thing was starting, once I decided I was committed to it I was flying before I knew it.

I’m not at this level but 👏👏 amazing!

well, at 40 I was still 17st, eating take away most nights and struggling to get up a flight of stairs.
at 50 Im 10st, eat a healthy unprocessed diet and regularly run, weight train and do pilates. I feel better then ever and honestly am pretty much a different person both physically and mentally.

Doesnt matter if you are 40 or 70...its never too late to make a positive change!😉

Yes. Did no exercise whatsoever , started running 4 years ago, run club, parkruns, then a few 10k and 10 mile races. When I was 44 started menopause and went on patches and piled a stone on in 4 weeks despite still running, so started weight training 3 times a week along with running 3 times a week,never been fitter and feel mentally better too.

Thanks @minipie. 💐 I spent a long time in my youth counting calories/weighing food/avoiding carbs and generally having a miserable time around food. Building some muscle has been an absolute game changer and I recommend it to everyone- especially women, and especially women aged 40+
It helps us maintain bone density and that’s so important post-menopause.

Not at 40 but at 58. I was overweight (probably in the obese category) at almost 11 stone and 5 feet tall, size 14 (or a large 12)
I worked with an online PT, installed MFP and bought a Fitbit. I also have degenerative discs so walking distances was often a struggle and running was out so I started with under a mile walks daily and after a few months, I bought some hand weights and started with these 3 times a week. I gradually increased my walking distance and yesterday, I did 5 miles. I generally do an hours walking every day either outside or on a treadmill. I also do two dance classes a week. I’ve lost nearly 3 stone, am now a size 8 and have not been this fit since my early twenties. My mental health is also loads better, getting outside and fitter really helps to gain a positive mindset.
If you start with small targets, it’s quite easy to gradually increase to your next one.

Which CG programme did you start off with?

I'm 43, used to be super fit but thanks to a serious of shit health stuff, have now put on a ton of weight and lost all my fitness. I have to start again from scratch but am so demotivated because I've never been unfit before and kind of keep talking myself out of it.

I did at 39/40. I joined a gym and went 5 times a week. I lost weight, toned up and looked great. Then I got a knee injury and stopped going. Put loads of weight on and went back to being a v unfit couch potato. I rejoined but never got back into it. So yes, it is possible,

I joined a gym two years ago when I was 54. I do step classes and general gym workouts (cardio/weights). Weight hasn't changed substantially unfortunately but that is prob due to diet. However, I feel so much stronger and healthier. Can lift heavier weights and do cardio without puffing and sweating.

For those scared to go the gym - please just try it! My local gym is so so friendly and everyone there is lovely and so encouraging. There's a complete mix of people, some insta ready gym bunnies, some people with disabilities, some overweight middle aged people in their old trackies who don't know what they're doing (ehem...me) and everything in between. There's always people happy to give help or advice if you need it.

I joined a gym aged 39 when i realised i had no energy and ached all the time. I started with 30 mins on the treadmill here and there and progressed to the odd class. Then did regular classes 3 times a week. Then replaced some classes with weight lifting.

I'm now 41 and I FEEL so much better. My body is more toned, more energy and no aches. I actually enjoy going to the gym now.

When I first went I just decided to turn up and look round, work out how to get in, where to put all my stuff and what I needed. Then go home.

The second time I decided just to use one machine for 15 mins. The next time i aimed to used two machines....before I knew it I was there regularly and enjoying it. I always planned to just go for 20 mins thinking that 20 mins was better than nothing. I usually ended up staying for longer because once I got into it, it didn't feel so bad.

Completely agree @Undethetree .

I was scared of the gym my whole life. It took me ages to work up the courage to go in. 6 months later and I love it. I feel better, I look better, I like seeing the regulars at the gym. It feels like a nice little community.

I'm almost 45 and picked up running again at the beginning of last year after several years off. I wasn't completely unfit but didn't do anything other than the occasional cycle and countryside walk.

I worked myself up to a half marathon last autumn, then a marathon last month (faster than the ones I did pre-children) and have just signed up to a 50 miler this September.

It can be done! I'm being more deliberate now in how I train and rest, and despite being older I am probably making faster progress.

One thing I wanted to add is that with children, work and so on I have to just carve out time for exercise and work around it. If I waited for some time to magically free up I would never do it. It has to become a habit and a non-negotiable.

I am in that process right now. It's going well!

One thing I would advise is that if you have an activity you don't like doing, do not do it! Just delete it from your mind. Don't do couch to 5k if you hate running. It's hard. And if there is a barrier to you going to the gym then it is pointless forking out for it. For me it's the act of getting there, ADHD vibes unfortunately, far too many steps involved. Gyms cost serious money, even municipal ones. This is why things like Apple Fitness+ work well: low subscription, you can do it in your pants.

There are just so many different things to take up and get into. For me, I want to be out in nature. I had to start with regaining strength, because years of inactivity due to depression had basically weakened me. You can find short strength training videos on YouTube which will get you going far faster than you'd have thought possible.

Add in lots of walking (everyone says that) or rushing-about-doing-errands activity. Do stretches if you don't fancy yoga. Get some hand weights and learn some good moves. It's all on YouTube. Everything helps and within a couple of weeks you feel so so much better. (I cut out alcohol and sugar too.)

Then the more you do, the better you feel, and the more you feel able to do, and your brain gets into the way of moving again.

Transformed my fitness in my 50s!
Small group personal training for a year 3x week and now also run 3-4x week. I feel great now, better/fitter than I was in my 20s. I did literally nothing for almost 20 years. It’s totally possible, newbie gains in strength and aerobic fitness are hugely satisfying- go for it!

Like others have said, try to find something you enjoy - or at least something you don't hate. There's so many different classes or activities you could try, keep going until you find something you like. There's no point in dreading it every time, you will find all the excuses in the world not to do it. I don't like running, so I just don't do it. I joined the gym a few times over the years and was bored of it, so ended up not going after a few weeks (and then spent months trying to get out of their pesky subscription contracts).

Eventually I tried Reformer Pilates, and I love it! I happily go 3 times a week if I can, and never skip it unless I'm seriously ill or something. I actually look forward to it. Not that I love every minute of the class, but it's quite dynamic so even if I don't like a particular move, I know it will only last 60 seconds or so until we move onto the next thing.
I also learned that I thrive in a class environment, having an instructor tell me what to do - if I was at home I would just give up when it got hard, but in the class I keep pushing for those last few moves. And I walk out of class feeling amazing. It's expensive but for me it's totally worth it, for the mental benefits as well.

I'm not overweight, so wasn't looking to lose weight necessarily, but I have lost a few pounds I would say, but more than that I have toned up and feel leaner and stronger.

40 now, got in to weightlifting at 33.
I was dealing with chronic pain from osteoartritis, tendonitis and had diastasis recti after my twins. Had high blood pressure, BMI was 36 and I was just miserable. I cleaned up my diet, consistently trained twice a week with the odd week off for illness and injury. I lost 5.5st in 18mth, blood pressure normal and chronic pain much more manageable. Since had another baby and gained a lot of weight but still train, dissapointed in myself for not getting the weight off again because it does increase my pain levels but sleep is not plentiful with a toddler and finding it hard to be motivated on that front.

At 48, yes.

I hated sport at school, binned my trainers when I left and did nothing until 48, after ds and generally feeling pretty stodgy.

I tried to do C25k and failed miserably. So I did gateposts instead. If I went for a jog I'd try to run to the next gatepost. Each time I went, I'd try to run an extra 3 metres or 5 metres or whatever. Any extra, no matter how small was a success.

It took me a year to get to a reasonable distance - about 3k I think, and another year to run ParkRun but I managed it by not setting myself targets that were unrealistic for me. Just kept at it, quietly refusing to give up.

Now I can run 10k quite happily. Not fast, but I do it regularly. I also do karate with DS.

Yes, that was me!

I looked at the mirror 2 months before turning 40 and decided I didn't want to carry on like this through my 40's.

Lost 2 stones by my 40th and another 3 stones after. I now train in the gym 6 times a week and do 3-4 classes.

The key for me was not to actually focus on getting to a goal by my birthday. Whatever progress I made would be an improvement and that would be better than nothing.

I'm 47 and 18 months post partum. Been at the gym for 5 months and slowly building my strength up.

It is an uphill battle but I'm fighting.

My face looks old, my body looks younger. Gutted about my face. Considering saving for a face lift operation for my 50th birthday

My friend is a nutritionist and I've been amazed at this...

Eat proteins with every meal. Lean meat, fish, eggs and pulses.

Aim for 30 different plants a week. (Google that)

Try to do 16 hour fasts during the week. Sleep counts towards the hours.

Ditch upfs, so go back to full fats and real sugar. Olive oil, lard, not rapeseed or low fat stuff.

The weight has fallen off me. Talking half a stone in a week and a half.

Also loads of water !

Try it.

This is basically my diet now, minus the sugar. I do the fasting anyway, I don't really get hungry till gone noon. And lots of strength exercise and walking. It's great!