Why Strength Is the Foundation of Health in Midlife (And the Research That Proves It)
Many men in their 40s and 50s rely on cardio workouts, circuit training or HITT classes to stay “fit enough.” Take Mark, a 50-year-old who jogs a few times a week and does body-weight circuits occasionally. He figures that as long as he keeps his weight in check and his heart pumping, he's healthy.
But recent science suggests a missing piece: building and maintaining muscle strength.
5 Reasons Men Over 40 Need to Train Differently
If you’re a man in your 40s or 50s, chances are you’ve noticed training doesn’t feel the same as it did at 25. Workouts that used to leave you feeling energised now leave you sore for days. The weights don’t move as easily. Injuries crop up more often. And somehow, the belly fat seems harder to shift, even if you’re “working just as hard.”
Once you hit 40, your body changes and your training needs to change with it.
That doesn’t mean giving up on strength, muscle, or performance. In fact, it’s the opposite. With the right approach, men in midlife can build strength, maintain a lean physique, and perform at a high level for decades. But the key is training smarter, not harder.
Men in Midlife: You Probably Need to Eat More, Not Less
When most men in midlife think about losing weight or getting healthy, the first instinct is to eat less. Skip breakfast. Cut calories. Try intermittent fasting. Maybe just have a coffee and tough it out until lunch.
Sound familiar?
This might feel like discipline, but the truth is: many men are unknowingly under-eating—especially when it comes to nutrients, not just calories. And it’s wrecking their energy, hormones, metabolism, and long-term health.
Let’s break this down.
The Modern Testosterone Decline: What Every Midlife Man Should Know
Since the 1980s, studies have documented a consistent decline in average testosterone levels among men. One prominent study found that testosterone levels have been decreasing by about 1% per year, independent of aging. This means that a man in his 30s today may have significantly lower testosterone levels compared to a man of the same age in previous decades. [1]
While aging naturally leads to a gradual decrease in testosterone, the accelerated decline observed in recent decades suggests additional contributing factors.
Here are five of the key lifestyle and environmental influences:
Butter: The Nutrient-Packed Superfood Men in Midlife Need
For years, we’ve been told that butter is bad for us. That it clogs arteries, raises cholesterol, and should be swapped for so-called "heart-healthy" spreads. But what if I told you that butter is actually one of the healthiest fats you can eat? And that the alternatives we’ve been sold are the real problem?
I know this because I grew up on a dairy farm. My grandmother churned butter straight from fresh, raw cow’s milk. The rich, creamy taste was unlike anything you’ll find on store shelves today.
We ate it every day—on potatoes, vegetables, rice, and steak.
And guess what?
No one was scared of butter.
No one was terrified of cholesterol.
And people weren’t dropping dead from heart disease at the rates we see today.
How light exposure affects heart health.
As men in midlife, we're often reminded of the importance of maintaining our cardiovascular health to ensure vitality and longevity.
However, the conversation around heart health extends beyond traditional topics of nutrition and exercise.
Recently, while listening to Dr. Gabrielle Lyon's podcast featuring cardiologist Dr. Michael Twyman, I gained valuable insights into the role of light exposure in cardiovascular wellness.
Dr. Twyman emphasizes that cardiovascular health isn't just about what we eat or how often we exercise; it's also intricately linked to our circadian rhythm and light exposure.
High Intensity Cortisol Monkeys
If your training goal is to destroy your hormones, bring on adrenal fatigue, and wreck your body with high volume, high-speed low-quality movements, you should find your closest "so-called HIT class" and eat a low-calorie diet. If your goals are to build strength, increase mobility, prevent injury, improve hormone balance, build lean muscle, shift some body fat, increase energy levels, and improve your quality of life, you should start training and eating smarter than the average cortisol monkey.
Understanding Insulin - The key to staying lean
We say insulin and people think: diabetes. And yes, it’s true that insulin is very important to diabetics because their pancreas no longer makes enough of it (and so they must inject it) but in fact, anybody interested in looking good, feeling good and living longer should educate themselves about how insulin functions in the body.
For those who have been following me on Instagram (@stretch_rayner) you might have seen me measuring my blood glucose levels and ketone level during my KetoDiet experiments.