During menopause there is a significant drop in oestrogen, which can lead to a faster loss of muscle and bone mass. Resistance training, progressive loading and safe impact-based exercises can help combat bone and muscle loss while supporting your overall health and wellbeing
Why exercise matters in your 40s and 50s
As we age into our midlife, age-related changes to your body may include:
• Reduced muscle mass
• Increased adipose tissue (fat around your abdomen)
• Reduced aerobic capacity
• Increased chronic disease risk
Exercise during this period is critical for maintaining your metabolic health and your ability to perform daily tasks, self-care, household chores and cognitive and social activities independently.
What to prioritise
Strength training
Preserves muscle mass and metabolic health.
Cardiovascular fitness
Reduces cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk, combatting age-related changes.
Mobility and joint health
Helps prevent musculoskeletal pain and injury. Regular exercise helps mitigate the age-related increase in BMI and loss of muscle and bone mass observed in midlife (MDPI Nutrients, 2025).
Recommended weekly activity
Adults should continue to aim for:
• 150–300 minutes moderate aerobic activity, or
• 75–150 minutes vigorous aerobic activity, plus
• Strength training at least two days per week » (Golaszewski et al., 2021; Canada.ca, 2026)
• Additionally, balance training is a great addition to reduce your falls risk!
Sex differences in midlife exercise
In your 40s–50s, age-related changes between men and women become more noticeable due to differences in hormones. For men, testosterone slowly decreases (about 1% each year), which can lead to a gradual reduction in muscle mass, strength, and overall fitness. For women, these years often mark the start of menopause. During this time, there is a significant drop in oestrogen, which can accelerate age-related changes. This may lead to faster loss of muscle and bone mass, as well as an increase in fat around the abdomen. Many women also experience symptoms such as fatigue, poor sleep quality, and hot flushes, which can make exercise and recovery feel more challenging. Despite this, women often respond really well to exercise, making physical activity a powerful tool to help protect against many of these changes.
Exercise prescription for women
Larger focus on resistance training (3-4 sessions per week), progressive loading and safe impact-based exercises to combat accelerated muscle and bone loss.
Exercise prescription for men:
Focus on maintaining muscle mass, strength and cardiovascular fitness by continuing to follow Australian general guidelines
Recommended exercise types
• Resistance training
• Brisk walking, cycling or swimming
• Functional strength training
• Mobility and flexibility training
Exercise physiologist expert insight Midlife strength and fitness is your long-term insurance policy. Staying strong now is one of the most effective ways to protect against frailty, injury and chronic disease later in life!
