It’s Not You, It’s the Plan: Why Fitness Over 40 Feels So Hard (and What to Do Instead)

It’s Not You, It’s the Plan:

Why Fitness Over 40 Feels So Hard (and What to Do Instead)

If you’re over 35, 40, 45 (or somewhere in that range) and feel like you’re constantly starting over with your workouts or nutrition, I want you to hear this loud and clear:

It’s not you. It’s the plan.

Every Sunday night, you promise yourself this will be the week. You’re motivated. You’ve got a new challenge, new recipes, a new mindset. But by Wednesday, you’re sore, tired, overwhelmed, and wondering why you can’t just stick with it.

Sound familiar?

I hear this all the time. And as someone who’s been through it myself, I want you to know that the problem is not your willpower, motivation, or discipline.

The problem is that most plans weren’t built for you.

Fitness Over 40 Is Different  And That’s Okay

Your body is changing. Your life is changing. And yet, most of the fitness and nutrition advice out there still assumes you’re 25 with all the time and energy in the world.

Let’s be real:

• Your hormones are shifting
• Your recovery needs are greater
• Your metabolism is different
• Your life responsibilities are heavier

You’re balancing a career that may be at its peak. You might be raising kids and caring for aging parents. You’re pulled in a hundred directions and still trying to take care of yourself.

When those “just do it” style plans don’t work for you, it’s easy to fall into a guilt spiral.
You start saying things like:

“I always do this.”
“I can never stick with it.”
“Something must be wrong with me.”

But nothing is wrong with you. You’re simply in a new season of life and you need a different approach.

https://youtu.be/9LbvKsZfPk4

The Truth About Real-Life Wellness Over 40

When we try to follow rigid workout or diet plans that weren’t built for our current season of life, we set ourselves up to feel like failures.

What you actually need is a rhythm that works with your body and your life not against it.

• You might not have time for 5 gym sessions a week, but you can commit to 3 strength-based workouts at home.
• You might not want to meal prep for hours, but you can learn to build simple, nourishing meals.
• You might not feel motivated every day, but you can learn to stay consistent through grace, not guilt.

This is where yoga philosophy comes in not the poses, but the principles.

How Yoga Philosophy Changes Everything

Here are three yogic principles that can completely shift the way you approach fitness, nutrition, and your relationship with yourself:

1. Ahimsa (Non-Harming)

Stop beating yourself up.
That harsh inner voice the one that says you’re failing, lazy, or not doing enough it’s not helping. In fact, it’s pushing you further away from your goals. You don’t need to shame yourself into change. You can care for yourself into it.

2. Svadhyaya (Self-Study)

Your journey is yours.
You don’t need to follow the same meal plan as your coworker or that influencer on TikTok. Learn what works for your body, your schedule, and your energy right now. This is the season to turn inward, explore, and make choices from a place of awareness.

3. Tapas (Discipline)

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up consistently, intentionally, even when motivation fades.
Discipline doesn’t mean punishment. It means having your own back, especially when life gets messy.

So… What Should Fitness Over 40 Look Like?

Honestly? The word “should” doesn’t even belong here. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
But here’s what