As a woman approaching 40 myself, I understand firsthand the shifts that can come with this stage of life … perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. From gradual body composition changes to dips in energy and mood changes to hot flashes, these experiences are common, and you may be noticing some of them too (1,2).
What can feel especially frustrating is doing all the “right” things, yet not seeing the changes you expect. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many of the women I work with share the same concerns. The good news is that with a few adjustments, consistent effort, and a shift in approach, meaningful progress is absolutely within reach, especially when strength training becomes part of your routine (3).
Strength training isn’t about chasing a certain look or striving for perfection. It’s one of the most well-supported, effective ways to support your body through hormonal changes, preserve and build muscle, and feel stronger, more energized, and more capable in everyday life (3). Keep reading to learn why building muscle is essential after 40 and how to properly fuel your body to support it.
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Why Strength Training Matters More For Women After 40
The beauty of getting older is that you certainly become wiser (or so I believe!) The downside of getting older is that your muscle mass and bone density begin to take a hit unless you’re proactively doing things to maintain it, especially during the season of menopause (4).
Here are 4 reasons why strength training matters more for middle-aged women:
- It counteracts muscle loss.
Declining estrogen levels before, during and after menopause can alter your body’s ability to maintain lean muscle mass (4). Regular strength training counteracts this, helping to build and maintain lean muscle mass (5).
- It modifies body composition.
We’re not talking about the number on a scale here, we’re talking about the percent of muscle to fat you carry. Regular strength training is important to build muscle, supporting a leaner body composition, meaning you have more muscle than fat. This bodes well for total body health as you age (6). Not only will you burn more calories at rest but your risk of developing other conditions related to high body fat go down as well (7).
- It protects bone density (reducing fracture risk).
Putting pressure on your bones through strength training helps preserve bone density, a key component of healthy aging (3). While diet plays a role as well, movement, like strength training, also plays an important role (3).
- It supports metabolic and hormonal health (3).
Research shows consistent strength training helps improve metabolic and hormonal markers, as well as may reduce hot flashes and improve heart rate and blood pressure (3). Consistency is key to seeing these results, so adding a variety of strength training exercises into your routine (with appropriate supervision) is important.
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Building Muscle For Women in Their 40s With Strength Training
Building muscle doesn’t mean you need a gym membership or have to train like an Olympian. Consistent strength training, done right at home with minimal equipment, can be highly effective for building and maintaining lean muscle. And no, gaining muscle doesn’t mean getting bulky. It means feeling stronger, looking more defined, and being better prepared to handle the hormonal shifts of midlife without compromising your health (3).
Working with a personal trainer or qualified fitness professional can be helpful for tailoring exercises to your individual needs and comfort level. But if that’s not always accessible, here are a few practical options to get started on your own.
Strength Training Exercises for Perimenopause and Menopause
Compound movements, or exercises that engage multiple muscles at once, are an efficient way to incorporate resistance training into your routine (8). Starting with lighter loads, or even just your body weight depending on your current fitness level, is perfectly fine. The goal is to gradually increase the challenge over time, a principle known as progressive overload, which is key to building and maintaining lean muscle (9).
Note, research is ongoing as to the best types of strength training to include for women during menopause, but current evidence suggests that incorporating any form of strength training is beneficial (3). Consider adding these exercises into your strength training routine.
- Squats
How to Perform: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, support your core, push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering your body as if sitting into a chair. Keep your chest up and weight in your heels, then press through your feet to return to standing.
Modification: Make it easier by using a chair for support or not going down as far in the squat. Make it harder by adding free weights.
Benefit in Midlife: Supports everyday movements, from sitting to standing.
- Deadlifts
How to Perform: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding weights in front of your thighs. Hinge at your hips by pushing them back while keeping a neutral spine and slight knee bend. Keep the weights close to your legs as you lower them until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor or you reach your comfortable range of motion, then drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes to return to standing.
Modification: If you have lower back pain, reduce how far you bend down. To increase the challenge, consider a standing one-leg deadlift (which also builds core strength and balance.)
Benefit in Midlife: Protects lower back and strengthens muscles that support posture.
- Push-ups
How to Perform: Start in a plank position with hands under your shoulders, core braced. Lower your body in a straight line by bending your elbows until your chest is close to the floor, then push back up to the starting position while keeping your core engaged.
Modification: Start on your knees to make it a bit easier. For those more advanced, increase the challenge by raising one leg.
Benefit in Midlife: Supports core stability, posture, and builds upper body strength.
- Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Swings
How to Perform: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width, grip the kettlebell (or dumbbell) with both hands, hinge at your hips. Lower the weight back between your legs, then explosively extend your hips and squeeze your glutes to propel the weight forward, raising it to chest level before lowering it (with control) back down.
Modification: Complete this with a small weight or towel to get the movement down until you’re ready to add heavier weights.
Benefit in Midlife: Supports posture, hip strength, glutes and core.
Frequency and Consistency in Your Routine
National guidelines recommend at least two days per week of resistance training to gain its full health benefits, and that recommendation remains especially important during midlife (10). If you’re just starting out with strength training, begin with two sessions per week and gradually build up to three or four, focusing on different muscle groups each time to allow for recovery.
If you already feel comfortable with resistance training, you can continue progressing by increasing your weights or adding an extra set to further challenge your muscles and support continued strength gains.
Safety, Stability, and Mobility
As you get started including strength training as part of your routine, you need to keep safety top of mind. It will do you no good if you head into your first workout and pull a muscle. That’s why the key to safe, effective strength training you can do for the long run should prioritize these components:
- Include a warm-up and cool-down period.
- Don’t neglect mobility training.
- Incorporate regular core strength to support posture.
- Focus on proper form.
- Listen to your body, take rest days.
Nutrition and Fueling Your Training
Strength training is only one piece of the puzzle. You need to properly fuel your training to see the results you want, especially when it comes to those body composition changes (11). Keep these strategies in mind as you plan your weekly meals to support your strength training routine.
- Prioritize protein.Protein is important, especially for supporting muscle tissue after a resistance training session (11). More isn’t necessarily better, though, depending on your personal health history and starting point. Research also supports emphasizing plant-based protein sources while meeting your individual needs (11).
- Goal: 0.8 – 1.2 g/kg/day (11)
- For a female weighing 150-pounds, this would be between 54 and 82 grams per day.
- Goal: 0.8 – 1.2 g/kg/day (11)
- Incorporate complex carbs. Whole grains, fruits, and starchy-veggies, like sweet potatoes, are great sources of complex carbohydrates that provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients to keep your body supported while strength training. These foods offer important fuel for your muscles and provide fiber, a key nutrient that supports satiety (11).
- Consider foods rich in micronutrients that support bone density, like calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and boron (11,12). Think dairy foods like Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, and even dried fruit, like prunes (11).
- Don’t neglect sleep. Sleep is an important piece of the menopause support system (2). You’re more likely to get injured during your strength training session if you’re running low on sleep. Stick to a consistent wind-down routine and prioritize logging those zzz’s.
Some of our user favorite MyFitnessPal recipes that support your nutrient needs for strength training include:
Breakfast:
Main Meals:
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Bottom Line
Age is just a number, meaning unless you’ve been specifically advised otherwise by your medical team, building strength and improving overall health is achievable at any stage of life. In fact, midlife is one of the most important times to prioritize strength training for women. Consistent strength training supports muscle mass, bone density, metabolism, and even mood as you navigate the changes of menopause. And the best part? Your own bodyweight is enough to get started at home.
When combined with supportive nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits, strength training can help you move through this season with greater confidence, energy, and ease. Surrounding yourself with a like-minded community can make all the difference along the way. You can join the MyFitnessPal community here to find the support and motivation you’ve been looking for. We can’t wait to see the strength you build.
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