By: Dr. Derek Wilcox
Derek Wilcox, PhD, is a sports physiologist and performance coach who helps clients of all levels improve body composition, strength, and longevity through evidence-based training, nutrition, and biomechanical assessments. As the U.S. Army’s Head Powerlifting Coach and a multi-sport competitor, he blends science, compassion, and practical strategies to deliver adaptable, results-driven coaching.
The Narrowing Window of Fitness Success After 35
Try to find a more frustrated and annoyed group than people over 35 who exercise and diet consistently without making progress toward their body composition and performance goals. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
If you really want to see their frustration level spike, have someone in their 20s explain how simple the process is “based on the science.” Technically, they are correct: calories in versus calories out still drives weight gain and loss. Resistance training is the key to gaining muscle. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates remain the main nutrients to focus on, with vitamins and minerals in supporting roles. The difference is that the context changes with age, and that is the kicker.
When Reality Hits After Your 20s
Another favorite point from younger people is that research shows chronological age is not the main driver of metabolic dysfunction, being less active is. Completely true. Except, once you get past your college years, reality hits hard and responsibilities grow fast.
Stress builds as you search for a career that pays the bills and maybe start a family. Personal and professional priorities shoot up the hierarchy of needs and quickly consume the time you once had for exercise. Early on, youth still covers the cracks. But through your 30s those stressors add up, and both psychological and physical stress accumulate.
Sedentary Habits, Sleep Loss, and the “Oh No” Moment
Many jobs now involve long hours sitting or repetitive short-range motions that tighten joints and cause chronic pain. Add kids to the mix and you sit even more, sleep less, and watch stress hormones rise while nutrition and exercise take a back seat for years.
The result: more body fat, less muscle, and hormones drifting far from optimal. Your mind assumes you can bounce back like before, until that first semi-athletic movement that ends with a strained hamstring, tweaked back, or popped shoulder. Reality has arrived.
“This Is Normal” Isn’t Good Enough
One of the worst blows comes at the doctor’s office. Many people in this situation hear, “Yes, this is normal as you get older.” Not only are you expected to accept these new circumstances, you’re told not to expect much improvement.
Yet the basic prescription remains the same: lift weights or do general exercise, eat a better diet, and rest. The hard truth is that sometimes your body simply will not respond like it did in your youth. Hormones may not bounce back naturally. This is dysfunction and should be addressed with your medical team.
Hormones are critical for healthy psychological and metabolic responses. Dysfunction quickly becomes a quality-of-life issue. Common treatments include estrogen and progestin for women, and testosterone, thyroid, or growth hormone therapies for men and women with anti-aging goals. Eating fewer calories and lifting weights cannot work as intended if your hormones are off. “Calories out” is drastically different now. Pressing the same button on a machine with broken wiring does not fix the hardware.
Why Coaching Matters More With Age
This is where an educated, experienced coach can save you time and wasted effort. People in their youth have a wide window of strategies to lose fat and gain muscle. As we age, that window narrows. Recovery slows, injury risk rises, and tissues are less pliable. You need a calculated, efficient approach for nutrition and exercise.
My primary role with most clients is to strip away fluff and unnecessary steps so more time and energy remain for work and family responsibilities.
The Hidden Cost of Sacrificing Yourself
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people sacrificing their own health, thinking it is righteous to give that time to family or career. In the short term, it makes sense. In the long term, it erodes your ability to give energy to everything else.
Declining physical health, energy, and strength means you have less to offer the people and projects that matter. Maintaining your capacity to contribute in all areas of life is exactly what you invest in by staying in shape. Lean muscle mass is strongly correlated with survivability and lifespan. If you let yourself get weaker and out of shape, the chances rise that you will not be around, or will not feel well enough to achieve your goals or enjoy time with family. They deserve the best version of you, and you owe it to them to make that effort.
The Physics Stay the Same, the Context Changes
Yes, technically, the rules do not change because physics is a thing. Physiology follows physics. But the context changes as we age. We must use more efficient, detail-oriented methods for staying in shape and building the bodies we want.
All this work pays off far beyond aesthetics. The ability and capacity to perform your best for yourself and others cannot be taken for granted. It must be earned. Your return on investment in your health is exponential, and nothing else in life gives a payoff quite like it.
Ready for Guidance That Fits Your Life?
If you’re tired of spinning your wheels trying to do what used to work, consider working with a knowledgeable coach who understands the unique challenges of training and eating well after 35. My 1:1 online coaching is designed to help you cut through the noise, stay accountable, and finally see the results you’ve been working for, all while fitting your plan into a busy life.
Find Dr. Wilcox on..
Instagram: @wilcoxstrengthinc
