Think like a CEO of your health and fitness to feel the benefits in years to come
For many people, their 40s are when things start to feel different. Energy shifts, recovery slows and the habits that once worked effortlessly don’t seem to deliver the same results.
As performance expert Matt Roberts explained on the Performance People podcast, this isn’t a sudden change, it’s the result of a long-term process that starts much earlier.
Why your body starts to change
By the time you reach your 40s, underlying physiological changes are already well underway. “The testosterone starts to drop at around 30 to 35 years old for men,” says Roberts.
For women, the timeline is different but just as significant: “Females hit a bit of a slump from between 40 to 55 and somewhere in that zone there's perimenopause and menopause.”
These shifts require a more considered approach to health and performance.
“There are things that happen that definitely cause a problem. And it definitely makes us have to really reassess how we work ourselves,” he adds.
Health is an ongoing strategy
One of the biggest mistakes people make is treating health as something they can dip in and out of.
Roberts is clear that it doesn’t work that way: “It's about an ongoing process of staying on top of every facet of your health all of the time.”
And that means continuing to challenge the body.
“Life is about being tested physically. We have to test ourselves," he says. "We have to push ourselves to make sure we are forcing the body to constantly adapt.”
Rather than focusing on complex routines or quick fixes, Roberts emphasises a small number of core habits.
Strength comes first
If there’s one priority, it’s building and maintaining strength.
“Strength training I would say is probably the number one thing we need to be doing,” he says. The goal isn’t size – it’s function. Without strength, other systems begin to decline.
“Unless those muscles are really strong and functioning well, we can't get the hormones to get a response," he says.
Build your aerobic base
Cardiovascular fitness still matters, but not all cardio is equal – Roberts recommends incorporating zone 2 training into your regular routine.
“It's sitting on the bike for 45 minutes at roughly 125 beats per minute if you're around 40, 45 years old… 3 or 4 days a week.”
This type of training supports the body at a cellular level.
“Every cell has a mitochondria or many mitochondria. And they're a bit like the battery of the cell,” he adds.
Don’t lose your mobility
Mobility is often overlooked – until it becomes a problem.
“We do get stiffer unless we actually keep on moving,” he explains.
Small, consistent habits can make a significant difference over time. “Doing mobility drills (should be) a regular thing.” Without that effort, the changes can creep up.
“But without that, gradually you get a little stiffer, you get a little more tired, you get a little more achy," he says.
Why consistency is everything
In midlife, the biggest challenge is often not knowing what to do – but actually doing it.
“If we don't do the work, the workload, the workouts, then we can't perform in other ways in our life,” he says.
That’s why prioritisation becomes essential, especially during the busiest lifestage of all in terms of the demands placed on us.
“It does mean making time. This is just what I do, because if I don't do this, everything else gets significantly harder.”
And sometimes, that means being unapologetic about it: “It does mean actually being slightly selfish.”
Knowledge is power
Before focusing on optimisation, Roberts believes people need to understand their baseline health.
“We need to know more data about ourselves. We need to understand ourselves much more,” he suggests. “If no one knows their blood pressure, then we're a complete loss.”
It starts with finding out your simple metrics, then deeper insights can be gained through testing.
“A blood test, a full blood work analysis? I would say for anyone who's serious about trying to make some good health changes, it's absolutely the starting point.”
Sleep still underpins everything
Sleep remains one of the most important and misunderstood elements of health.
“People shouldn't feel too pressurised to get these enormously long sleeps. It's really about quality,” says Roberts.
High-quality sleep can still be effective, even at shorter durations.
“If you've got a high quality sleep, you can have as little as six, six and a half hours and still be okay.”
The bigger picture
Ultimately, taking control of your health in your 40s isn’t about quick fixes or short-term interventions. It’s about consistency, awareness and long-term intent.
Because by this stage, the body is no longer something you can ignore. And the habits you establish now determines how well it performs in the decades ahead.
