The habits I swear by in my 40s

What worked in my 20s and 30s doesn’t quite do the job anymore. My body, mind, and priorities have shifted—and my habits have evolved with them. These are the little things I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that help me stay strong, energized, and mentally clear in this season of life.

I start my day with water

When I wake up, the very first thing I do is drink a 16 oz cup of room temperature water. I make it the night before and set it on my bedroom desk next to my probiotics so I can’t miss it. I used to start my day with coffee, but it started upsetting my stomach. Even if coffee still works for you, I recommend starting with water. Once I read about how dehydrated our bodies are first thing in the morning, this became a non-negotiable for me.

I prioritize protein in my first meal

I’m not counting every gram—I’m not trying to hit 100 grams of protein a day—but I do prioritize it in my first meal. I’ve gotten this down to a science. It takes less than five minutes, and it genuinely makes me feel off if I skip it.

I started doing this after reading Body Love by Kelly LeVeque and learning about the Fab Four: protein, fat, fiber, and greens. I loved how simple and effective the idea was. In the summer, when my kids sleep in, I even keep my single-serve blender in the bathroom so I don’t wake up the whole house. (Yes, really. The big blender was too much to clean and always smelled weird until I bought a little tool to clean the plastic ring—game changer.)

My go-to Fab Four smoothie:

• Protein: One scoop vanilla + one scoop chocolate Orgain (this combo just works for me)

• Greens: Powder or frozen spinach (I pre-portion spinach into sandwich bags and freeze them)

• Fat: A good squeeze of MCT oil

• Fiber: Heaping tablespoon of mixed power seeds

• Ice, water, and a splash of unsweetened almond milk

I blend it up, hit “smoothie,” and walk away until it’s done.

I strength train without chasing sweat

I’ve always loved lifting weights. Feeling strong is empowering. These days, I prioritize heavy weights and fewer reps. I’m lifting heavier now in my 40s than I ever did in my 20s or 30s. I don’t always break a sweat, and I’m fine with that. Sometimes I make my own plan, and sometimes I use AI to generate one. If you’re new to lifting, start light and build. But don’t be afraid to go heavy when you’re ready.

I aim to burn 200 calories per workout, not 500

This was the hardest shift. I used to think a good workout had to mean burning 500 calories.

But once I started learning about cortisol and how high-intensity workouts can spike it (especially as we age), I made the switch. Now I walk. No incline treadmill, no fancy routine, just me, my dogs, and sometimes a weighted vest.

It took me a while to get over seeing 200 calories on my watch instead of 500, but once I did, my body responded better than it ever had. If your current routine is working, stick with it. But if not, maybe give this a try for a month and see what changes.

I work on balance and agility

I have a 22-year-old who could have kids soon, a 19-year-old who might in a decade, and a 10-year-old who might in two (decades). If I’m going to be chasing grandkids at 67, I need to be ready.

So I sneak in balance work whenever I can. Standing on one foot while putting on shoes or socks. Balancing in the kitchen. Eventually I want to start practicing sitting down on the floor and standing back up with no hands, a small thing, but a huge skill.

I move every day

With a 10-year-old at home and being in my late 40s, I’ve had to shift my motivation. Now it’s not about how I look, it’s about staying strong, keeping up, and protecting my mental health.

Six days a week, I get 10,000 steps. Three days a week, I lift. And one glorious day a week? I let myself chill. Couch time is sacred. Please don’t judge, it’s part of the balance.

I wake up with a plan

When my kids were little, I’d wake up and just try to survive the day. I was constantly stressed, feeding everyone, keeping them entertained, trying to work, managing the chaos. I knew there had to be a better way.

Now, I plan the night before. Time blocking works for me, but even a simple checklist can make a huge difference. Just knowing what the day holds helps me wake up calm instead of overwhelmed.

I unfollow anyone who doesn’t lift me up

I used to follow fitness influencers for “motivation.” But most of the time, they made me feel worse. Same with the news. Same with some friends who dropped me with no explanation.

So I unfollowed them. Real friends, I keep up with in real life. Everyone else? I curate my feed to lift me up. I still scroll (I’m not perfect), but now I finish feeling better, not worse.

Getting older doesn’t mean slowing down, it means getting smarter about how we take care of ourselves. This is what works for me. Your version might look different, and that’s totally okay.