#004 - Losing fat after 40
WHY FAT LOSS FEELS HARDER AFTER 40 — AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Let’s be honest — getting lean after 40 hits different.
You’re not lazy. You’re just juggling more than ever:
Work. Family. Sleepless nights. Joint pain. Hormones that don’t play fair.
And if you’ve found yourself thinking:
👉 “I’m doing everything right, but nothing’s changing…”
You're not alone — and you're not broken.
You’ve just hit the age where fat loss gets *more complicated*.
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💡 HERE’S WHY IT FEELS LIKE YOUR BODY IS WORKING AGAINST YOU:
📉 You start losing muscle *after 30*
It’s called *sarcopenia*. Unless you train and eat to maintain it, you lose 3–8% of your muscle mass every decade.
Less muscle = slower metabolism
Slower metabolism = more fat storage (even when you’re “eating well”)
Pair that with long hours, poor sleep and more stress?
That’s a perfect storm for stubborn fat gain.
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😰 STRESS, CORTISOL & FAT STORAGE — WHAT NO ONE TELLS YOU:
Chronic stress = elevated **cortisol**
Cortisol is a survival hormone. When it stays high from modern stress (deadlines, broken sleep, skipped meals), your body does what it’s designed to do:
👉 “Store fat — just in case.”
This used to help us survive famine.
Now it just makes your belly feel impossible to shift.
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👩🦳 IT’S EVEN HARDER FOR WOMEN. BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
Women 40+ face a unique combo:
• Hormonal shifts
• Slower recovery
• More mood swings & belly fat
• Disrupted sleep
This isn’t in your head — it’s your hormones.
But the solution isn’t *more cardio* or *cutting carbs*.
It’s working smarter — not harder.
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✅ WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS?
You don’t need a strict diet. You don’t need to go full 75 Hard.
You need habits that:
✔️ Fit around your life
✔️ Work with your hormones
✔️ Are actually sustainable
Start here:
🥩 Prioritise protein — 1.6–2g per kg of bodyweight
🏋️ Strength train 2–3x/week — protect muscle
🚶♀️ Walk daily — especially after meals
⏰ Time-restricted eating — simple insulin control
😴 Sleep 7+ hours — recovery over restriction
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🔁 IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT — IT’S ABOUT BEING CONSISTENT.
This isn’t about punishing yourself into shape.
It’s about building *rhythms* you can repeat:
• So you feel strong
• So you stay sharp
• So you age well — and on your terms
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🔥 THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE:
Try these 4:
1. Eat 30g protein at breakfast
2. Walk 20+ mins a day
3. Don’t snack after dinner
4. Sleep 7 hours
No tracking. No overthinking.
Just stack wins.
That’s how you build a future-proof body — one habit at a time
Gavin Allinson - Nutrition