Exercise tips for women over 40
Menopause affects every midlife woman, but many feel unprepared to deal with this complex transition. As estrogen levels begin to decline during perimenopause, new challenges arise—from hot flashes and mood swings to changes in body composition to an increased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and osteoporosis.
“Taking a holistic approach [to menopause therapy] Empowering women to support their physical and emotional health throughout their transition,” said Dr. Jessica Shepherd, board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and chief medical officer of Hers.
Fitness is a key component of the equation, she explains. “Exercise is imperative during the perimenopausal and menopausal transitions because muscle mass decreases significantly over the years.”
But Dr. Shepherd points out that the goal isn’t just to move more, but to move in a way that works for your body.
Key points:
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Celebrity trainer Antonietta Vicario recommends prioritizing resistance training to preserve muscle, protect joints, and support metabolism during perimenopause and menopause.
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Combining multi-directional functional movements with short bursts of aerobic exercise is also essential for overall health and daily life.
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Combine exercise with proper nutrition and, where appropriate, medical support such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to maintain overall health and vitality.
Fitness habits that develop with you
To learn more, Hers spoke with Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at fitness company Pvolve and the brains behind its Menopause Strengthening Program.
“During perimenopause and menopause, exercise can help reduce some of the symptoms people experience and provide long-term functionality later in life,” Vicario explains.
Vicario said understanding how hormonal changes affect strength, endurance and recovery can help women train more effectively during this stage of life.
As estrogen levels drop, women experience decreases in muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, bone mineral density, and joint lubrication. Incorporating new fitness habits may help cope with some of these changes.
“Menopause requires us to develop a new relationship with our changing bodies,” adds Vicario. “Often, the methods we used to stay healthy don’t produce the same results, which can be frustrating. However, relying on science and adjusting our daily lives can greatly impact our success.”
6 Fitness Tips for Women Over 40
1. Prioritize strength training
“If people asked me the first thing to do during the menopausal transition, I would tell them: ‘Prioritize strength training,'” Vicario says.
Science supports this. Research shows that resistance training is one of the most effective ways to counteract the muscle-wasting effects of menopause.
“Muscle is our most metabolically active tissue,” Vicario explains. “It’s the powerhouse for many of our body’s functions. It helps us manage blood sugar and maintain insulin sensitivity, which keeps our hearts healthy. It also surrounds and supports our bones and joints, so there’s less wear and tear when we move. It even improves our bone density.”
While strength training may conjure up images of giant dumbbells and heavy free weights, it’s actually about building strength functional Strength – Power that can be translated into everyday life.
“I do think it can be intimidating for someone who’s never weight trained before,” Vicario admits. “At Pvolve, it’s not about starting weight training with crazy heavy loads. A strong, resilient body is a body that can move every day – so we start small and build the mind-body connection that is the foundation of good form.”
2. Incorporate short bursts of aerobic exercise
As estrogen levels change, your energy, endurance, and cardiovascular health can all change. Short, strategic bursts of aerobic exercise can be an effective alternative to high-intensity workouts.
“We always say people need to train smarter, not harder,” Vicario noted. “The strenuous exercise people may be accustomed to during the menopausal transition can actually increase inflammation, tire the body, and may even lead to overuse and injury.”
“For bone and heart health, I recommend SIT training, or short bursts of high-intensity interval training to stimulate the heart muscle, followed by a period of rest and recovery.”
Not only do these quick interval workouts boost metabolism and endurance, they can also help protect long-term brain health.
“When we rapidly shunt blood to the brain through cardiovascular intervals,” Vicario explains, “we help improve near- and long-term mental focus, memory, and cognitive health.”
3. Incorporate multi-dimensional sports
As women age, it becomes critical to train how their bodies move in daily life—not just how to move in the gym. This is the idea behind Pvolve’s functional three-dimensional movement approach.
“If you think about running or biking, both of which are good for your heart, you’re reusing certain muscles,” Vicario explains. “But we move 360 degrees in all directions, so our workouts should mimic that.”
By twisting, extending, bending, and rotating rather than sticking to repetitive back-and-forth motions, middle-aged women can strengthen their stabilizing muscles, protect their joints, and improve balance and coordination.
“It also helps us stay agile and enhances our reflexes, which all decline with age if we don’t train proactively,” Vicario added.
4. Focus on flexibility to prepare your joints for future growth
While strength training and multi-directional movement are key pillars of a midlife exercise program, specialized movement training also deserves attention.
“Your muscles are the support system for your joints. Strengthen them and they’ll protect you,” Vicario explains. “But even with strength training, it’s not all equal… We’re also trying to improve flexibility to keep joints supple and healthy.”
Gentle mobility exercises—such as hip circles, shoulder rolls, and controlled stretches—that keep joints moving through their full range of motion may help prevent joint pain and stiffness associated with menopause.
“Just moved [your joints] Promotes blood flow and lubrication,” she adds.
Mobility training also focuses on building those key stabilizing muscles.
This, Vicario says, helps “prevent falls later in life. It’s the trifecta of strength, stability and mobility that will help us move better in the long term.”
5. Go beyond cardio to manage weight
For years, aerobic exercise was considered the gold standard for weight loss. “There’s still this thought, ‘I need to sweat and do a high-intensity workout to lose weight,'” Vicario says.
But Vicario advises middle-aged women to shift their mindset and consider strength training as a key component of their weight management journey.
This is a common misconception, she explains. Women often believe that “weight training makes you stronger, and that you need to endure intense, prolonged cardio to see changes in body composition. In fact, prioritizing muscle leads to more effective body composition changes.”
The science here is clear—an integrated approach is key. Research shows that combining aerobic exercise with strength training is more effective at controlling weight than either exercise alone.
6. Start slow and aim for consistency
Between a demanding job, a family, and a busy schedule, finding time to move can seem impossible. The key, Vicario says, is to start small, stay consistent, and then find something you enjoy doing.
“My biggest advice is to start small and know that over time, you’ll develop an amazing habit. You need to enjoy the exercise you’re doing and let it resonate and become a habit,” she adds. “I think people often wait until they have a few hours in their day to exercise. Start with 20 minutes! Building an exercise habit can start small and then build up as your body grows.”
She points out that consistency, not intensity, creates lasting results.
“When you schedule these daily activities consistently, it pretty much does the work for you—you start chasing that high that you get when you exercise.”
Research shows that it takes about seven weeks to form a new habit.
To help yourself overcome this, Vicario recommends “control it with small amounts of exercise. If it’s 20 minutes, start with 20 minutes. That’s important!”
Beyond Exercise: The Importance of Holistic Care
Exercise is only one piece of the puzzle. From hormone support to mental health to fitness, menopause care should meet women’s needs with empathy and expertise.
Refuel your body with a nutritious diet
As your body changes, so will your nutritional needs. Combining regular strength training with a protein-rich diet can help preserve muscle, maintain energy, and support overall vitality. As women age, adequate calcium and vitamin D are critical for bone health. Staying hydrated helps support weight management and skin health.
Redefine success and self-image
Midlife is an opportunity to shift the narrative from loss to evolution. The goals become resilience, energy, and confidence—rather than chasing ideals.
“Your body may not look like it did in your 20s and 30s, and that’s okay,” Vicario says. “You’re building your body for decades to come.”
So take a moment to reevaluate your motivations.
“People exercise to get fit, but often what they gain is strength, confidence and power,” she added.
There is power in accepting that your body will change, but it is a blessing; it stays with you throughout life and meets your unique needs at that time. You can take steps now to keep it strong and capable to support you as your needs evolve.
bottom line
“There are so many things we can do – exercise, nutrition, mindset, even hormone replacement therapy. It’s about building a solid foundation for long-term strength and energy,” Vicario explains.
FAQ: Fitness Tips for Women Over 40
Should exercise habits change as we age?
Yes. As women age, especially during perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can affect energy, metabolism, joint health, and muscle mass. Tailoring your workouts—focusing on strength training, short bursts of aerobic exercise, and functional movements—can help maintain health, balance, and mobility.
What kind of exercise is best for women over 40?
A balanced routine that combines resistance training, functional movements, short bursts of aerobic exercise, and flexibility training is ideal. Strength training supports muscles and bones, functional movement improves real-world mobility, and aerobic exercise aids heart health and metabolism. Consistency is more important than intensity.
this story is made of her and reviewed and distributed by stacker crane.
