Why Your Fitness Routine Keeps Failing You

And What to Do Instead

You're smart and capable, and you know strength training and overall fitness are important. You've been at this a while – your normal routine is: join the gym, dive in hard, follow a program, burn out, rinse, repeat. And yet here you are, wondering why it still feels like a struggle—like fitness is this thing you should do, but never something that feels like it's truly working for you.

Let me guess. You've tried the high-intensity circuits, the grueling boot camps, the strict meal plans with macros calculated down to the last almond. Maybe it worked for a while—until life happened. Work got crazy. Your kid's soccer schedule turned into the Olympics. Or you just couldn't face another 5 a.m. alarm for something that left you feeling more broken than badass.

Here's the truth you might not want to hear (but desperately need to): your approach isn't broken—it’s your mindset.

Let me explain.

The Real Reason You're Stuck

You've been living in what I call the workout mindset. You treat fitness like a series of short-term sprints, chasing a goal: Lose 10 pounds. Get toned arms. Fit into those jeans from 2008. But when you're done sprinting, where do you go? Do you do more and go harder?

The problem? Life isn't a sprint. It's a marathon. And if you're in or around your 50s, the game has changed. The stakes are higher—your health, your independence, your quality of life. But the rules of the game are different now, and nobody handed you the new playbook.

Until now.

Why Your Old Routines Don't Work

"Go hard or go home," right? NO! Yet you've internalized that idea, pushing yourself to the edge, only to end up exhausted or injured. Spoiler alert: fitness doesn't have to leave you wrecked to be effective. Yes, you will increase the intensity – actually, intensity is one of the training variables that we turn up and down over time so you can live stronger longer.

You're playing by yesterday's rules.

What worked when you were 30 probably won't serve you like it once did. Your priorities have shifted—you care less about shredded abs and more about staying functional, strong, and injury-free for the long haul (you can still have shredded abs; it’s just a different recipe).

You're undervaluing recovery.

You think rest is for wimps, but here's the deal: recovery isn't just a nice-to-have. It can be the magic sauce that keeps you progressing without breaking down. Stress from workouts is just one type of stress. Work, family, illness, what’s going on in the world at any given time – all take its toll on the body.

You're stuck in "all-or-nothing" mode.

Life throws curveballs—travel, family, Netflix binges. You think if you can't do it all perfectly, you might as well do nothing. Instead of an “all-or-nothing” mindset, think about it as a “non-negotiable.”

• All-or-Nothing: Often sacrifices mental well-being and recovery for physical goals, creating burnout or injury, especially for older adults.

• Non-Negotiable: Prioritizes longevity, making fitness a lifetime commitment rather than a short-term sprint, which supports aging (strong) and overall wellness.

What to Do Instead: A Physical Practice

You don’t need another mindless 30-day challenge or a fancy fitness app. A more sustainable approach is a Physical Practice—something that evolves with you, focuses on what your body needs now, and fits into your real, messy, beautiful life.

Here's how you start:

Find The Right Dose.

Forget crushing yourself every session. Think about what you do, how much, how hard, and how often you do it based on your readiness (a state of being mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared to engage in physical activity). This is where manipulating the variables —volume, intensity, frequency, and complexity come in.

Find that sweet spot of doing the right amount of the right stuff at the right time (the dose), so you feel good and see progress?

Redefine Success.

Ditch the outdated idea that fitness is only about aesthetics. Success is being strong enough to carry groceries, mobile enough to tie your shoes without grunting, and resilient enough to enjoy life without pain. The aesthetics and other goals will become byproducts of your physical practice.

Play the Long Game.

Think beyond today's workout. What can you sustain over the next decade? How do you want to feel at 60, 70, 80? Your choices today determine that future.

Embrace Grace Over Perfection.

Life happens. Some weeks, you're a rock star in the gym; other weeks, you're crawling through. In fact, some days, that is my workout; I’ll crawl, then carry kettlebells for distance or time. Fun, efficient, simple! Consistency isn't about perfection—it's about showing up, even when it's messy.

Let's Get Real

You're not failing because you're lazy or undisciplined. Shit went south because you've been sold the wrong story—a story where fitness is about punishment, perfection, and pushing harder.

But what if you chose a new story? One where fitness is about freedom, strength, and living life on your terms? One where you're not just working out—you're building a life where you can do the things you love.

That's what a Physical Practice is. And it's waiting for you to step into it.

So, what's it going to be? Another cycle of burnout—or finally breaking free? The choice is yours. And if you're ready to rewrite your story, I'll be here, cheering you on every step of the way.

Your Next Step

Ready to make the shift? Let's start small. Experiment. Find your dose. Start with this Free Guide