Nutritionist | Strength & Yoga Trainer | Food Scientist
I have been training for over two decades now. I have lifted, stretched, twisted, sweated, and shown up on days when every part of me wanted to stay in bed. And if there is one thing that 20+ years in fitness and nutrition have taught me, it is this — self-discipline is not punishment. It is the biggest, most raw, most honest form of self-love you will ever practice.
I turned 40 recently, and let me tell you — the conversation around your body changes. Society will have you believe it’s all downhill from here. That you should “slow down.” That your best years of fitness are behind you. I am here to tell you that it is the biggest myth in the wellness space. The truth? Forty is when you stop exercising to look good and start exercising to live well. And that shift in mindset? That’s where the real magic happens.
Why Discipline Is the Ultimate Act of Self-Love
We live in a world that glorifies comfort. Binge that show, skip that workout, eat that tub of ice cream — you “deserve it.” But here’s what I have learned: what you really deserve is a body that supports you at 50, 60, 70, and beyond. A body that lets you climb stairs without losing your breath, pick up your grandchildren without wincing, and travel without worrying about your knees giving out.
Self-love is not about letting yourself off the hook every single day. It is about showing up for your future self. It is about waking up and choosing that workout even when motivation is nowhere to be found. It is about meal prepping on a Sunday because you know the week ahead is going to be hectic. That’s discipline. And that is the deepest form of caring for yourself.
I always tell my clients — invest in a good trainer, invest in a good nutritionist, invest in a good lifestyle. It is better than buying an expensive handbag. The returns on that investment compound every single year after 40.
The Weight on Your Joints — A Conversation Nobody Has Honestly Enough
Now, let me put on my food scientist hat for a moment and talk about something that does not get discussed honestly enough: what extra weight does to your joints as you age.
Every extra kilogram you carry is not just an extra kilogram. It multiplies the force on your weight-bearing joints — your knees, your hips, your lower back. Research published in the American Journal of Medicine has shown that individuals who were overweight in their 20s had a greater than threefold increased risk of developing symptomatic knee osteoarthritis by their 60s. Think about that. What you carry today, your joints pay for tomorrow.
A major review published in PMC (National Library of Medicine) found that for every 5 kg of weight gain, the risk of developing osteoarthritis increases by 36%. Obesity does not just load the joints mechanically — it also triggers chronic low-grade inflammation through elevated cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, which actively degrade cartilage from the inside. It is a double whammy: more weight pressing down on the joint AND more inflammation eating away at the cartilage. (Source: Springer — Obesity & Osteoarthritis, PMC3788203)
The Arthritis Foundation also reports that every extra pound of body weight adds approximately four pounds of pressure on the knees. If you are 10 kg overweight, your knees are absorbing almost 40 extra kilograms of force with every step you take. Over a decade, that damage compounds silently until one day it shows up as chronic pain, reduced mobility, or worse — a joint replacement.
This is not about looking a certain way. This is about protecting the infrastructure that lets you live an active life.
Clean Eating Is Non-Negotiable After 40
As a food scientist with a specialization in nutrition and sports-specific nutrition, I have seen firsthand how a good diet transforms bodies from the inside out. After 40, your metabolism slows, your hormonal balance shifts, and your body becomes less forgiving of poor choices. The processed food that your 25-year-old body could brush off now contributes directly to inflammation, weight gain, and joint deterioration.
I rely 100% on my food to provide me with all the nutrition that I need. Focus on whole foods, anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, ginger, leafy greens, and omega-3-rich foods. Indian diets are among the most scientific and therapeutic diets in the world — every spice and component has a reason that modern science is only beginning to understand. Go back to your roots. Eat whole, eat clean, and eat mindfully. And get enough protein — this is the one macronutrient most people over 40 chronically Undereat, and it is essential for preserving muscle mass and supporting joint health.
Resistance Training: Your Secret Weapon Against Aging
Here is a fact that should shake you into action: your body loses 3 to 8 percent of its skeletal muscle mass every decade after 40. This condition is called sarcopenia, and it is one of the biggest predictors of disability, fractures, and loss of independence in older adults. (Source: MDPI Life Sciences, 2025 — Effects of Resistance Training on Sarcopenia Risk Among Healthy Older Adults)
The good news? Resistance training is the single most effective intervention to fight sarcopenia. A 2009 Cochrane review of 121 trials involving over 6,700 participants concluded that progressive resistance training significantly improves physical functioning, strength, and the performance of daily activities in older adults. (Source: PMC4849483 — Resistance Exercise to Prevent and Manage Sarcopenia and
Dynapenia)
You do not need to deadlift 100 kg. Resistance training after 40 looks like bodyweight squats, lunges, resistance band work, light dumbbell exercises, and functional movements that strengthen the muscles around your joints. When your muscles are strong, they absorb impact forces better, taking the load off your cartilage and bones. When your muscles are weak, your joints suffer. Is it that straightforward?
I have been training in functional movements, weight training, yoga, and Pilates for over 20 years. My recommendation for anyone over 40 is to aim for at least three sessions of resistance training per week, combined with yoga or mobility work for flexibility and recovery. Start slow if you are a beginner, but start. Consistency over intensity is the mantra here.
My Go-To Exercises for a Strong Body After 40
- Squats and Lunges — These are non-negotiable. They strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes — the muscles that protect your knees and hips. Use your bodyweight first, then gradually add resistance.
- Resistance Band Pull-Aparts and Rows — Your upper back and posture deserve attention. Poor posture after 40 accelerates spinal degeneration. These exercises counteract the hunching that desk work creates.
- Planks and Core Work — A strong core supports your lower back, improves balance, and reduces fall risk. I was part of a Guinness World Record plank with Puma — I cannot stress enough how important core stability is.
- Yoga and Mobility — As an Ashtanga Vinyasa practitioner, I can tell you that flexibility and joint mobility become more important with every passing year. Yoga keeps your connective tissue supple and your mind calm.
- Walking — Yes, walking. It is the most underrated exercise. Thirty minutes of brisk walking daily keeps your cardiovascular system healthy, manages weight, and is gentle on your joints.
The Bottom Line
Your body after 40 is not a problem to fix. It is a home to maintain, protect, and respect. Every rep you do, every clean meal you eat, every hour of sleep you prioritize — it is all an act of self-love. Not the Instagram kind. The real, unglamorous, showing-up-on-hard-days kind.
Be disciplined. Be consistent. Be kind to your future self.
That is the biggest act of self-love there is.
Scientific References:
- Weight Loss and Obesity in the Treatment and Prevention of Osteoarthritis — PMC (NIH):
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3623013/ - Obesity & Osteoarthritis — PMC (NIH): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3788203/
- Body Weight and Osteoarthritis — American Journal of Medicine:
https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(99)00297-1/fulltext - Effects of Resistance Training on Sarcopenia Risk Among Healthy Older Adults — MDPI Life Sciences
(2025): https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/5/688 - Resistance Exercise to Prevent and Manage Sarcopenia and Dynapenia — PMC (NIH):
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4849483/ - How Fat Affects Osteoarthritis — Arthritis Foundation: https://www.arthritis.org/health-
wellness/about-arthritis/related-conditions/other-diseases/how-fat-affects-osteoarthritis - Age-Related Changes in the Musculoskeletal System and the Development of Osteoarthritis — PMC
(NIH): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2920876/