It’s Rob, Personal Trainer and founder of Lean Over 40 for Men.
Today I want to talk to the guy who feels like he’s starting over.
Maybe you’ve been out of shape for a few years. Maybe life got in the way, work, kids, stress, injuries.
Or maybe you just looked in the mirror one day and thought, “What happened to me?”
I get it. And if I lost all my progress and had to get back in shape from scratch at 40 or beyond… here’s exactly what I’d do…
No fads. No supplements. No overcomplicating it. Just a real, sustainable plan that works.
1. Start with Strength
Forget six-day splits and chasing pump workouts. If you’re over 40, you don’t need to train like a bodybuilder.
You need to train like a man who wants to be strong, lean, and pain-free.
I’d train twice a week, full body, focusing on compound lifts. Think squats, presses, rows, deadlifts, pull-ups.
Movements that hit multiple muscle groups and build real-world strength.
You don’t need to live in the gym. You need to get strong and recover well. That’s how you build muscle and support fat loss long term.
2. Eat Like a Grown Man
I wouldn’t jump into keto, fasting, or some celebrity meal plan. I’d eat like a grown man who wants to feel good, fuel his workouts, and drop body fat without losing muscle.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Protein from real food such as eggs, steak, chicken, fish.
- Carbs from rice, oats, potatoes, fruit
- Fats from olive oil, butter, nuts
No powders, no shakes, no tracking calories down to the gram.
I’d just keep meals simple, build habits, and eat to support my training.
3. Walk Daily, Skip the Cardio Hype
You don’t need to suffer through HIIT classes or run 5Ks to lose fat.
Walking is your secret weapon.
Every day I’d get out for a 30- to 45-minute walk. It clears your head, lowers cortisol, and helps burn fat without killing your joints.
Save the gym for strength. Use walking for recovery, stress relief, and overall conditioning.
4. Sleep Like Your Results Depend on It (Because They Do)
Most men over 40 try to out-train their lack of sleep. Doesn’t work.
You need 7-8 hours a night. No negotiation.
Why? Because sleep is when your body repairs, builds muscle, burns fat, and keeps your hormones in check. Bad sleep equals low testosterone, high stress, and stubborn belly fat.
If I were starting again, I’d fix my sleep first: same bedtime, dark room, screens off an hour before bed, and magnesium before sleep if needed.
5. Track One Thing and Stay Consistent
Don’t overcomplicate things with six apps and spreadsheets.
I’d pick one metric to track: waist measurement or body weight.
Track it weekly, not daily. Look for the trend, not the fluctuation. And I’d focus on consistency over perfection. That’s where the magic happens.
Final Thoughts: This Is How You Build Momentum
Getting in shape after 40 doesn’t mean giving up beer forever, living on chicken and broccoli, or working out five days a week.
It means training smart, eating real food, walking daily, sleeping well, and sticking to the basics.
This is exactly what I teach in my free training.
To your success!