Staying Functional In Midlife: Why Your Body and Mind Need You To Start Today
- Jonno Scholey
- Dec 11
- 3 min read
For most of my adult life, movement was non-negotiable. After 17 years in the military, being active wasn’t a choice, it was who I was. Training every day wasn’t about a six pack or chasing numbers, it was about being prepared, strong, and fully functional.
But life has a way of shifting faster than you realise.
Leaving the military, stepping into a demanding management role running a large surgical service, especially during Covid, took a toll. Long shifts, endless pressure, responsibility for thousands of patients and staff… fitness slowly became something I used to do.
Then life added another layer. The birth of my daughter came with complications and a traumatic experience I wasn’t prepared for. My priority was survival, support, and being present for my family. Training became a memory.
Before I knew it, I had become disconnected from the person I was.
A glance in the mirror was the wake-up call I didn’t expect. I didn’t feel like me. Physically I was out of shape. Mentally I was struggling. And worst of all, I hadn’t even noticed it happening.
Losing Functionality Happens Quietly
Midlife doesn’t slap you in the face. It creeps. You stop moving as much. You work more. You carry stress instead of dumbbells. Your body tightens, your joints complain, your energy drops, and suddenly climbing stairs feels harder than it should.
It’s not just fitness you lose, you lose functionality:
Simple movements become uncomfortable
Strength declines faster than you realise
Flexibility and mobility drop
Fatigue becomes normal
Stress sticks around longer
But the most damaging part? You accept it as just getting older.
Functional Training Is The Midlife Game Changer
You don’t need fancy tricks or extreme workouts. What you need is functional training, the type of movement that supports everyday life.
Functional training improves:
Strength you can use (lifting kids, carrying bags, doing DIY, moving furniture)
Mobility and flexibility so you stay pain free
Core strength to protect your back and posture
Balance and stability to prevent injuries
Endurance so you don’t run out of energy halfway through the day
It’s not about looking like a bodybuilder. It’s about being capable.
It’s about being the parent who plays, not the parent who watches from the bench.
Your Mental Health Needs Functional Fitness Too
The turning point for me wasn’t losing weight or gaining muscle, it was getting my mind back.
When I started training again, building real functional strength, something changed:
Stress reduced
Sleep improved
I was more patient
I felt like myself again
With more energy came more connection with my family. I naturally spent more time outside with the kids. I wanted to play, run, laugh, and be involved.
I wasn’t watching life happen. I was part of it again.
Don’t Let Life Pass You By
If you’re reading this and thinking:
“I’ll start when life calms down…”
That time may never come. You don’t need the perfect schedule, gym membership, or spare hours every day. You just need to take the first step, because waiting will only make it harder.
You don’t need to be fit to begin. You just need to begin to be fit.
Get Started Today With Support
If you want support with functional training and building strength without overwhelm, download my Free Beginner’s Fitness Guide. It’s designed for busy people like us who need:
Quick functional workouts
Simple nutrition foundations
Realistic habits that fit real life
And if you need the confidence to walk into the gym and start training, The Body Conversion kit is built for exactly that, practical, quality equipment designed to support safer lifts, better mobility, and training with purpose.
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