Why So Many Women Over 50 Feel Like Giving Up on Their Bodies (And Why It’s Not Their Fault)

I wasn’t planning to write this blog today — but I’ve had so many conversations lately, both inside and outside the clinic, that I felt like it needed to be said.

There’s this quiet, subtle giving up I keep seeing in women over 50.

Not in dramatic ways. But in the way they move. The way they talk about their bodies.
And the way they don’t quite believe that things can change anymore.

It shows up in phrases like:

“I’ve tried before and it didn’t work.”
“I can’t seem to stick with anything.”
“Maybe this is just part of getting older…”

It shows up in body language too — the way they tug at their t-shirt to hide their body that they are ashamed of, or soften their goals before they even say them out loud. The way they apologise for their bodies before even describing what hurts.

Here’s what I want you to know:
Most of the time, they never had the right plan in the first place.

They were given generic advice. Told to rest. Or thrown into something too hard, too fast — and ended up in more pain, and even more afraid to try again.

👉 They didn’t fail.
👉 They were failed.

And that experience — of being hurt, of feeling let down, of trying to get it right and still ending up back at square one — makes women scared to try again.

Not lazy. Not weak. Just human.

So what actually works?

It’s not motivation. That fades.

It’s not perfection. That doesn’t exist.

It’s systems. Support. And permission to mess up and keep showing up anyway.

Because real change doesn’t come from going all-in for 6 weeks and burning out.
It comes from having structure. From having someone check in.
From having a plan that makes room for real life — and real setbacks.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need a better way forward.

Want to take that next step?

If this post feels like it was written for you — it probably was.

We’ve got a small group rehab program starting soon, designed specifically for women 50+ who want to feel strong again, rebuild trust in their body, and do it without the pressure of a bootcamp-style environment.

It’s supportive. It’s structured. It’s safe.
And there’s also an online option for those not local to Cromwell.

👉 If you’re ready to finally feel strong, supported, and proud of your body again — e-mail laura@therecoveryproject.co.nz — we’ll talk it through and see if it’s the right fit.

Because you’re not too old. You’re not too far gone.
You’ve just never been given the right path — until now.

Let’s build it. Together. 💛