Why Can’t I Lose Weight After 40… Even When I Exercise?
When I was in perimenopause, I was doing everything right — or at least everything I had been taught and believed was right. One to two hours at a time, every other day, I was training hard. On top of that, I was filming workouts, plus teaching classes – pushing my body. I was eating relatively clean. I wasn’t bingeing, I wasn’t careless, I wasn’t “letting myself go.”
And yet… I was gaining weight. Weight that genuinely shocked me because of how hard I was working and how disciplined I was being. I remember thinking, how is this even possible? I felt frustrated, discouraged, and confused.
If I’m being honest, I also felt a little betrayed by my own body because the rules I’d lived by for decades suddenly stopped working.
What I didn’t understand then was this: My body wasn’t broken. It was changing.
If you’re over 40 and thinking, “I’m working out, eating pretty well, and the scale still won’t budge,” you’re not alone. This is one of the most common frustrations I hear from women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. The good news? It’s not just you. Your body has simply changed, and your strategy needs to change with it.
Why Weight Loss Feels Harder After 40
1. Hormonal shifts
As estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate (thanks to perimenopause and menopause), your body becomes more resistant to fat loss, especially around the belly. These hormone changes can also impact insulin sensitivity, making it easier to store fat even when calories haven’t changed.
2. Muscle loss slows metabolism
After 40, we naturally lose muscle mass if we’re not actively strength training. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, so your body burns fewer calories at rest than it used to.
3. Stress and cortisol
Busy lives, careers, family responsibilities, and lack of sleep all increase cortisol (your stress hormone). High cortisol tells your body to hold onto fat, especially midsection fat.
4. “Too much cardio” trap
Many women tend to favour cardio when the scale stalls. While cardio is great for heart health, excessive cardio without strength training can actually increase muscle loss and stress hormones, making fat loss harder.
How to Lose Weight After 40 (Without Doing More)
1. Prioritize Strength Training
Strength training 3–4 times per week helps rebuild muscle, boost metabolism, improve bone density, and balance blood sugar. More muscle = more calories burned all day long.
Tip: Focus on compound moves like squats, rows, presses, and deadlifts. You don’t need heavy weights, just consistency and good form.
2. Balance Cardio (Don’t Overdo It)
Cardio still has a place, but quality matters more than quantity. Shorter sessions, interval-style training, or low-impact steady-state cardio (like walking) are often more effective and easier on your hormones.
Tip: Aim for 2–3 cardio sessions per week and daily movement like steps.
3. Eat Enough Protein
Protein becomes even more important after 40. It helps preserve muscle, control appetite, stabilize blood sugar, and support fat loss.
Tip: Include protein at every meal (roughly a palm-sized portion), especially at breakfast.
4. Stop Under-Eating
Chronic dieting and eating too little can slow your metabolism even further. Your body sees this as a threat and holds onto fat.
Tip: Instead of cutting calories aggressively, focus on whole foods such as lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and smart carbs.
5. Support Hormones with Smart Nutrition
Highly processed foods, excessive sugar, and skipping meals can worsen hormonal imbalances.
Tip: Eat balanced meals, limit processed foods, stay hydrated, and don’t skip meals regularly.
6. Sleep and Recovery Matter
Poor sleep directly impacts hunger hormones and fat storage.
Tip: Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep and schedule rest days. Recovery is not lazy—it’s strategic.
Weight loss after 40 isn’t about working harder, it’s about working smarter. When you support your hormones, protect your muscle, manage stress, and fuel your body properly, fat loss becomes possible again.
If you’ve been doing “all the things” and not seeing results, it may be time for a new approach, one that actually works with your body, not against it.
Jari Love is a certified trainer and creator of the successful scientifically tested Get RIPPED!® series. You can learn more about Jari Love at www.jarilove.com. You can follow her on Facebook at @JariLoveFitness and at @rippedjari on Instagram.
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