Simple question. Never really been in good shape my whole life but now nearing 40 every extra potato chip shows.

Anyone gotten into great shape at 40? Where did you start?

28 comments

  2. I got in the best shape of my life at 49. I started doing Body Pump, did it for years. Then I switched to HIIT, which is way harder. I’m 65 now. I still do Body Pump every once in a while, I’m sore as hell after. These are gym fitness classes, in case that’s not clear.

  3. Started traveling a lot in my mid 40’s and got into great shape otherwise it would have decimated me.

  5. I’m probably fitter than I’ve ever been. I’m in my mid 40s and started cycling a few years ago. It feels good.

  6. Close. I started mountain biking in my 30’s and started riding more for endurance and distance when I got closer to 40. I smoked for a long time, was lazy and didn’t do any exercise for a long time so even though I’m not in as good of shape as I wish I was, my lungs are healthy (confirmed by a pulmonologist), and I feel way better than I ever have. I finally also got my low testosterone addressed.

  7. Not the best shape of my life, necessarily, but I quit drinking and started exercising in my forties after being a fat drunk for most of my thirties.

  9. I still keep in shape , and not the absolute top shape as I was in my 20s but still can work it harder than most

    Hell, began doing porn at 40 and have been doing alright!

    anything can be achieved if you understand that there isn’t really anything holding us back but ourselves!

  11. Was diagnosed as a diabetic about a year ago. I’m down 32 lbs.. still want to drop 80 more and I’ll be good. I do eat better these days and cook my own food. I walk about 30-40 miles a week.

    Recently started lifting weights again. Hopefully I stay consistent. 37 btw.

  12. I don’t know about best shape of my life, I went pretty hard in my 20’s in the gym but I’m 40 and I hit a personal best bench press 3 weeks ago and my upper back has never felt (or looked) better. Also arms feeling and looking bigger. Legs coming along slowly cause my bad lower back kinda limits squats and stuff like that. I also hit a shoulder press mark that I havnt done since late 20’s.

    Focusing more on making my lower back and core stronger so it doesn’t hinder me.

  13. I’m still a few months from 40 but yeah, I’ll be in the best shape of my life. Started a progressive weightlifting program just after turning 39 (Stronglifts), starting with an empty bar and adding tiny increments of weight with every workout. Plus a bit of cardio, dietary improvements, better sleep, etc, and the results are starting to compound. I’m ~60% of the way to my strength target and once I hit that sometime this fall, I’ll switch to ‘maintenance mode’ for the lifts and then focus on decreasing my 5k time.  

    The frustrating thing is realizing how easily I could have done all this 10-15 years ago. Would’ve been easier to start at a younger age and I could’ve been enjoying the benefits of fitness for all these years. 

  14. About to turn 46 here.. at 43 I started to not like what I was seeing in the mirror. I’ve never been fat, I always been active. But I was becoming the skinny fat dad bod.

    Sooo I started going to the gym. I had no goals in mind other than to go 5 days a week no matter what.

    When I was in my 20’s it was always “I want a six pack by summer” sorta goals. Now the goal is to go 5 days a week no matter if I feel like it or not.
    There are some weeks I’ve gone everyday.
    I give myself some leeway to have the occasional lack luster workout because my goal is consistency.

    It’s been 19 months and I honestly feel better then when I was in my 20’s. I’m stronger as well and while I still don’t have a 6 pack I look better in a t shirt then I ever have.

    I went to my daughter’s school for a “field day” recently. One of her classmates (she’s 9) came up to her and said “is that your dad, he’s jacked!” Haha so if nothing else I look jacked to a bunch of elementary school kids.

    My wife has noticed as well, she won’t say that she likes it better than before, but there are signs she appreciates all the hard work.

    So it can happen. Just be consistent and take your feelings out of it.

  15. I was borderline obese (bmi like 29.8, 30 and above is obese). I was nearing 40 (at 37). I decided enough is enough.

    2 years later, I’m almost on the normal range (25.6, below 25 is “normal”). I have never been this fit – I can run a 10km in 1h. I can do push ups with my teenage daughter sitting on my back. I can do pull ups (not many, but some). Moving stuff, lifting stuff, daily life got in general much better. While I won’t consider myself great looking, I’ve had a couple of women hit on me while running (even with my wedding ring on). So I went from obese to fit enough to be noticeable I guess.

    Also, better performance in bed. And you gain one inch down there for every around 40 lbs lost (or for decent humans something around 1cm for every 10kg), due to reduced fat – your fat sits between the illiac bone and skin, “filling” it and making your friend seem smaller.

    How did I start? With a fuck ton of will. Count calories. Exercises help with toning and not looking flabby, but you gotta starve and suck it up. Eating less, being mindful of what I eat. I also started with some elastic bands (like [this](https://www.amazon.com/TheFitLife-Exercise-Resistance-Bands-Handles/dp/B07KFSCD47/ref=sxin_31_pa_sp_phone_search_thematic-asin_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.5fd192aa-4553-4598-a2c5-76df0302374d%3Aamzn1.sym.5fd192aa-4553-4598-a2c5-76df0302374d&cv_ct_cx=Elastic+band+set&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZPN9MdAgun6PNmxg4hOl7MahPSS9G5NDaguI-jpsD0WzGEiBPygmW4o4bBc_U5gL.zkveBlOXveQBkmjRBXU_8Ov2cUeoJgJ2z1X3TVnn8zM&dib_tag=se&keywords=Elastic+band+set&pd_rd_i=B07KFSCD47&pd_rd_r=672f674b-20ca-4861-8506-8715baa5a130&pd_rd_w=UbM55&pd_rd_wg=CkX3v&pf_rd_p=5fd192aa-4553-4598-a2c5-76df0302374d&pf_rd_r=JZ88RY5SYTJ6GZTTQWNQ&qid=1716250977&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-1-ea923955-db2e-47a7-8849-36e4ea122b34-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1)) for weight training and YouTube hiit videos (the body project has some good starter videos I enjoyed).

    When I was almost breaking my door used as support for the resistance bands I got into the gym for weight lifting. Some time later I started street running.

    Let me know if you need any help!

  16. I’m 38. I’d say I’m likely the healthiest I’ve ever been. I’ve been stronger during some younger years when lifting weights but overall fitness I’d take this me over any other.

    Definitely quite possible to be in the best shape of your life at 40..especially if you were never in great shape ever to begin with.

  17. I got in great shape at 45. I started strength training and have been going now for 11 years. I basically follow the strong lifts 5×5. Just a couple of weeks ago I pulled a 405lbs deadlift.

  18. I started at 48, best shape of my life at 49. It started with a sort of mid-life crisis/emotional breakdown kinda thing. I was having near panic attacks and all this anxiety, couldn’t sleep, and didn’t know what to do with the energy. So I signed up for a gym. I had no idea what I was doing. Just started fast walking and jogging on the treadmill and doing weight machines. It hurt like Hell, but I was calm after, so I kept going back.

    I found one of the keys was to not go too hard. If you do you’ll get burned out, plus turned off due to the soreness afterwards. Give yourself permission to have an easy workout. The important thing is that you are THERE. If you’re breathing heavy then you’re doing enough. If you’re actually sweating then you’re killing it. You’ve got nothing to prove to yourself or anyone else. Show up and do a half-assed job. Just show up.

    Starting light at over 40 and especially out of shape also helps you avoid injury.

    And the other part (and even bigger really) is to get control of your diet. You lose weight in the kitchen. Eat less, and eat well. Most of your nutrition should come from fresh whole vegetables. And then some protein. Carbs in sparing amounts, and REALLY strive to stay away from sugar and processed foods. Give yourself a cheat day on the weekend if you need to, but steer clear of that shit. It will destroy you.

    Hydrate.

    And SLEEP. Adequate, regular, and predictable sleep is critical to your health, building muscle, and even losing weight as well. This is all scientifically proven. The “sleep when you’re dead” grindset crowd are full of shit.

    Cut down on the alcohol, or even eliminate it if you can. It’s terrible for you.

    After about a year of this I felt better at 49 than I ever did at 29. No shit.

  19. I am in the best shape of my life. Early 40s. Been working out since mid-20s. Isolated muscle workouts 6-days a week with legs being done twice per week.

    I’m a cancer survivor and I’m monitored regularly so fitness for me is my way of battling the beast. So I’d say, find your why and then install the discipline and you can do it.

  20. Was on my way to the best shape of my life 38-39 shaking depression and anxiety then I crashed my dirtbike and separated my collar bone so I’m have an orthopedic appointment in June to see what I can and can’t do to get healthy again.

    Edit: probably should of had surgery but I didn’t have health insurance at the time of the accident

  21. I started to get myself back in shape when I turned 50. I weighed over 340lbs. I’ve been at 220lbs for 10 years now and…I’m a lot skinnier than Trump. Remember: Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t built in a day. Don’t be the guy I see in the gym that slides the 100lb weight on his back for push ups after he spent 20 minutes walking backwards on the treadmill. I see new people come all the time that hurt themselves trying to do too much. Put together a sane healthy regimen. I was told 150 minutes of cardio per week is good and to keep a healthy diet. Good luck with your efforts!

  22. Started weightlifting at 40. Prior to that, I really only did cardio with occasional weights. I’m not as lean as I was in my younger years but I’m in the 1,000 lb club. Definitely never been stronger or bigger. Improved my life and health significantly.

  25. It’s absolutely possible to get into “impressively good shape” at 40. But if that’s the best shape of your life, that usually says more about what kind of shape you spent your 20s/30s in than it does how you look now.

  26. I did exactly that. 42 right now. I’ve gone thru many stages in my life where I got in shape and then let it go. But right now I feel the most energy and athletic while being able to lift the most weight I have have and my waist is slim. My feet hurt so I can run like I used to though.

  27. Absolutely. I wasted my 20s and 30s not exercising, drinking too much, and eating like shit. Finally, at 38, I had about 220 pounds on my 5’11” frame with a serious beer gut. I got tired of it and started exercising. Started eating better and cut back on the beer.

    I did the elliptical at first, then the rowing machine, then got into running. Soon after I added strength training, just 2-3 days a week, but enough to make a difference.

    Long story short, I’ll be 46 this summer. I have run 5 marathons and 2 ultra marathons, and have ramped up strength training to the point that I feel pretty damn good taking my shirt off at the beach or pool. My weight generally hangs around 185 but drops lower during marathon training.

    My only regret in life is that I didn’t start sooner. So start now. Get an app that tracks your calories. I use LoseIt, but there are others out there. You’ll be surprised how much you’re putting in and how little you’re burning off. So get moving. Walk, bike, swim, hike, run, lift weights, whatever works for you. But get moving and watch what you’re putting into your body. It can be hard, but the mental and physical health benefits have been amazing. Go do it dude. I’m rooting for you.

  28. Yes!

    After an unathletic and lazy lifestyle, I joined a fitness center at 37 years old and just after 40 I got my first belt in taekwondo. Strong and toned body. First time in my life!

    I had so many negative health issues that simply disappeared (insomnia, back pain, headaches, TMJ, etc.).

Leave a Reply
You May Also Like