If you’re in midlife and find yourself working out regularly but still gaining weight, you’re not alone. Many women feel frustrated when their old exercise routines stop delivering results. The reality is—your approach to wellbeing might need to change too.
Midlife and Hormones
Midlife brings significant hormonal shifts. Declining levels of estrogen and progesterone can affect everything from your metabolism to your mood. Add in an increased sensitivity to stress hormones like cortisol, and it’s no wonder your body might feel like it’s resisting your best efforts.
Confusion Around Cardio?
Cardio has long been the go-to for weight management, but as you enter midlife, too much of it can actually work against you.
Cortisol and Stress:
Long cardio sessions can elevate cortisol levels. While cortisol helps your body respond to stress, chronic elevation can lead to stubborn weight gain (especially around the belly), muscle loss, and fatigue.
Muscle Matters:
As we age, we naturally lose muscle if we don’t actively work to maintain it. Since muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, losing it can slow your metabolism, making weight management harder.
Overtraining and Burnout:
Our bodies in midlife can be more sensitive to overtraining, leaving you feeling exhausted rather than energised. This can impact not just your workouts but your overall wellbeing.
If cardio has been your go-to, you might consider reducing it to once a week while incorporating other forms of movement that support your changing body. This shift can make a big difference without feeling guilty for letting go completely.
Shifting to Smarter Exercise
Midlife exercise isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what works for your body now. Here’s how to adapt:
Strength Training:
Building muscle is essential. Strength training helps boost your metabolism, improve bone density, and give your body a more sculpted appearance. Aim for two sessions a week targeting all major muscle groups. Find a trainer that understands the midlife woman and get them to create a plan for you to follow. Once you’re set up, you can just repeat the sessions until you’re ready for the next step.
Gentle Cardio:
If you love cardio, do it, but if it feels like stress, keep it to once a week and choose shorter, less intense sessions. Think walks, cycling, or swimming at a moderate pace rather than long, high-intensity workouts. There are also plenty of free walking videos on YouTube if you don’t want to leave your home.
Restorative Movement:
Yoga, Pilates, or even stretching sessions can help manage stress, improve flexibility, and support overall wellbeing.
Recovery is Non-Negotiable:
Adequate rest, hydration, and sleep are the heroes of midlife wellness. Recovery allows your body to heal, rebuild, and come back stronger.
The Inner Work: Changing Your Stress Response
The most transformative work, however, will happen on the inside. Working on exercise and diet alone does not address the underlying problems setting up the stress in the first place. While adjusting your exercise routine is important, your body’s response to life stressors plays a major role in your overall wellbeing.
When we’re in midlife, unresolved life experiences, chronic stress, and habitual responses to perceived threats can keep us stuck in a fight-or-flight mode. This constant state of stress impacts your body’s ability to function optimally, leaving you feeling drained, emotionally reactive, or stuck in patterns you can’t seem to shift.
The Good News:
You can change your response to stress by doing the inner work to release outdated meanings and unsupportive beliefs stored in your subconscious. When you shift how you perceive and respond to life’s challenges, your body follows suit:
Cortisol levels decrease as your nervous system relaxes.
Your metabolism improves as the fight-or-flight state eases.
Emotional resilience grows, helping you handle life with more ease and less tension.
This deeper work goes beyond strategies and quick fixes, creating lasting changes that ripple through every area of your life.
Your Midlife Wellness Blueprint
Midlife is an opportunity to approach your health with curiosity and compassion. Instead of pushing harder, try pausing and tuning into what your body is asking for.
Consider:
Balancing your workouts with restorative practices.
Releasing old patterns of stress and emotional reactivity.
Prioritising what feels good rather than focusing only on the numbers.
Your body isn’t betraying you—it’s simply asking for a new kind of support. By combining intentional movement with inner work to shift your response to stress, you’ll create the foundation for a stronger, calmer, and more energised midlife.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If this resonates with you and you’re ready to explore how to create lasting changes in your wellbeing, let’s connect. Whether it’s refining your exercise routine, uncovering the roots of stress, or redefining your approach to midlife, I’m here to guide you. Reach out today and take the first step towards a vibrant, purpose-filled life.

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