Are you working hard to lose weight, eating less than ever, but still not seeing results? You’re not alone. Many women over 40 experience these exact frustrations, and the culprit is often an overlooked issue: a sluggish metabolism. The good news? A metabolism reset can help you break free from this cycle and finally achieve sustainable fat loss.
Here are three major signs that your body is begging for a reset—and what you can do about it.
1. You’re Eating Less but Gaining Weight
If you’ve been slashing calories, skipping meals, or turning down dessert at every opportunity, yet the scale keeps creeping up, your metabolism could be in survival mode.
When you consistently eat too little, your body adapts by slowing your metabolism to conserve energy—a process known as metabolic adaptation. Over time, this can cause:
• Fatigue: Your body lacks the fuel it needs for everyday activities.
• Muscle Loss: Your body breaks down muscle for energy, which further slows your metabolism.
• Weight Gain: A slower metabolism means fewer calories burned, even at rest.
What to do:
Instead of cutting calories further, focus on eating more whole, nutrient-dense foods and gradually increasing your calorie intake to support your metabolism. This process, known as a “metabolism reset,” helps your body feel safe to burn fat again.
2. You Feel Constantly Exhausted and Burned Out
You might think your tiredness is just part of getting older, but chronic fatigue can be a red flag that your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs. If you’re eating healthy, exercising regularly, and still feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck, your metabolism may not be functioning optimally.
Symptoms of metabolic burnout include:
• Waking up tired even after a full night’s sleep.
• Crashing in the afternoon or struggling to stay motivated for workouts.
• Feeling irritable or overwhelmed by everyday tasks.
When your body is undernourished, stress hormones like cortisol spike, which further slows fat loss and can even lead to weight gain, especially around the midsection.
What to do:
Focus on fueling your body properly by eating balanced meals that include protein, healthy fats, and fiber. And don’t forget to prioritize recovery—sleep, hydration, and active rest days are essential for repairing your metabolism and rebuilding lost energy.
3. You’ve Hit a Plateau or Regain Weight Faster Than Ever
You lose a few pounds, only to hit a frustrating plateau—or worse, the weight comes back almost immediately. This is a classic sign of metabolic adaptation, often caused by years of yo-yo dieting. Each time you go on a calorie-restrictive diet, you lose muscle along with fat. Over time, this decreases your muscle mass, which lowers the number of calories your body burns at rest.
The result?
• You burn fewer calories doing the same workouts.
• You gain weight more easily, even when eating less.
• Fat loss becomes harder with each passing year.
What to do:
It’s time to focus on strength training to rebuild lost muscle and boost your resting metabolic rate. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning the more you have, the more calories you burn—even while resting.
What Is a Metabolism Reset?
A metabolism reset is about giving your body what it needs to function optimally. It involves:
1. Eating More: Gradually increasing your calorie intake to maintenance levels so your body stops fighting against fat loss.
2. Strength Training: Building lean muscle to support a higher metabolism and a stronger, more toned body.
3. Balancing Hormones: Improving sleep, reducing stress, and eating enough to support your body’s recovery processes.
The goal is to create a foundation where your metabolism works with you—not against you. It’s not about quick fixes but about long-term, sustainable results.
Ready to Reset Your Metabolism?
If any of these signs sound like you, don’t worry—you’re not alone, and there’s hope. The first step to breaking free from the diet cycle is to understand your body’s unique needs and take action to heal your metabolism.
Want to learn more? Download my free Quick Start Guide to get started with simple, actionable steps you can take today. Or check out my workout app, where I provide strength-training plans designed specifically for women over 40.
It’s never too late to reset, rebuild, and reclaim your strength. Let’s make this your strongest chapter yet!
As the weather cools down, many women over 40 notice a familiar pattern—winter weight gain. The colder months bring comfort food cravings, holiday gatherings, and a natural urge to slow down. But what if I told you that winter weight gain doesn’t have to be the enemy? You can actually plan for it, prevent it, or even use it to your advantage. Here’s how to handle winter weight gain so you come out stronger and healthier on the other side.
Why Winter Weight Gain Happens
Before diving into solutions, let’s talk about why winter weight gain is so common. During the winter, many of us are less active, crave richer, heartier foods, and indulge more during the holidays. Combine that with shorter days and colder weather, and it’s easy to see why our bodies tend to hold onto a little extra weight. But this doesn’t have to be a negative thing!
Instead of dreading those extra pounds, you can choose how to approach winter weight gain. You can plan for it, prevent it, or use it to your advantage—especially if you’re focusing on long-term health and fitness.
Option 1: Plan for Winter Weight Gain
If you know winter weight gain is likely, why not plan for it instead of fighting it? Here’s how:
Shift Your Focus to Maintenance
Winter is a great time to switch your focus from fat loss to maintenance. This means eating to fuel your body and working out to stay active, without stressing over the scale. It’s a break from constant dieting that gives your body time to recharge. After all, maintaining your weight through the winter is a win!
Enjoy Seasonal Comfort Foods in Moderation
You don’t have to skip the cozy winter meals, but balance is key. Aim to fill your plate with lean proteins, fiber-rich vegetables, and healthy fats. Foods like soups, stews, and roasted veggies can be comforting and nourishing without overloading on calories.
Give Yourself Grace
Allow yourself to enjoy the season without feeling guilty. The extra warmth your body holds in the colder months is natural and temporary. Remind yourself that weight fluctuates, and that’s okay.
Option 2: Prevent Winter Weight Gain
Not ready to let those extra pounds creep in? Here are some tips to help prevent winter weight gain:
Stay Active Indoors
It’s easy to get stuck on the couch when it’s cold outside. But staying active, even indoors, can help prevent weight gain. Whether it’s a home workout routine, resistance training, or simple movement breaks throughout the day, keep your body moving. Remember, small bursts of activity add up!
Fuel Your Body, Don’t Overload It
Eating more doesn’t have to mean eating poorly. Focus on nutrient-dense foods that fuel your body. Protein, fiber, and healthy fats can help keep you satisfied and curb cravings for less nutritious snacks. Think about adding the good, rather than restricting yourself.
Stay Hydrated
Winter weather can make you feel less thirsty, but staying hydrated is crucial for preventing overeating. Sometimes we confuse thirst for hunger, so keep up with your water intake. Try herbal teas or warm broths to stay cozy and hydrated at the same time.
Option 3: Use Winter Weight Gain to Your Advantage
What if you could turn winter weight gain into a positive? Here’s how you can use this season to build muscle and set yourself up for long-term success:
Embrace Muscle Building
Winter is the perfect time to focus on strength training. If you find yourself craving more calories, put them to good use by fueling muscle growth. Building muscle not only boosts your metabolism but also makes future fat loss easier. Plus, having more muscle helps you look and feel strong!
Focus on Strength-Based Workouts
Shift your workouts from cardio to strength training during the winter months. Building muscle can help offset any potential weight gain, and it’s an excellent way to stay active while indoors. Strength training will also give you a solid foundation for when you’re ready to focus on fat loss again.
Use the Off-Season to Recover
Winter is a great time to prioritize recovery. Focus on getting enough sleep, managing stress, and giving your body the rest it needs. Proper recovery will help you build muscle and prepare for future fat loss phases with a renewed sense of energy and focus.
The Bottom Line: Winter Weight Gain Isn’t the Enemy
Whether you choose to plan for winter weight gain, prevent it, or use it to your advantage, the key is to approach this season with a strategy. Winter doesn’t have to derail your fitness goals. In fact, with the right mindset and plan, you can come out of the colder months feeling stronger, healthier, and ready for what’s next!
Why the “21 Days to Make a Habit” Rule is Holding You Back: The Real Science Behind Habit Formation
If you’ve ever been told that it takes just 21 days to form a habit, you’re not alone. It’s a popular concept that’s been thrown around in self-help books, fitness programs, and diet challenges. But here’s the truth: the 21-day rule is a myth.
When it comes to long-term behavior change—especially complex habits like transforming your eating or exercise routine—21 days simply isn’t enough. In fact, research shows it could take much, much longer to turn those behaviors into habits that actually stick.
The Origin of the 21-Day Myth
The idea that it only takes 21 days to form a habit originated in the 1960s with Dr. Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon. He noticed that it took his patients around 21 days to adjust to changes in their appearance after surgery. However, this observation was specific to post-surgery adaptation and was never meant to apply to habit formation in general.
Over time, this idea was adopted and simplified into the notion that anyone can form any habit in just 21 days. But science has since proven that this just isn’t the case, especially for more complex behaviors like changing your relationship with food or exercise.
The Real Science of Habit Formation
In reality, forming a habit is a much more individualized process. In a 2009 study from University College London, researchers found that it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a habit, depending on how complex the behavior is. On average, the participants took 66 days to form a new habit.
So why the wide range? It comes down to complexity. Simple habits like drinking a glass of water with your lunch might only take a few weeks to become automatic. But behaviors that are deeply rooted—like breaking the cycle of restrictive dieting or making exercise a regular part of your life—take much longer. And the more significant the behavior change, the more time and consistency it requires to solidify.
Complex Habits Take Time—And That’s Okay
If you’re a woman over 40, chances are you’ve been through your fair share of diet challenges, workout routines, and quick-fix solutions that promise massive results in just a few weeks. Maybe you’ve tried a 21-day detox or a month-long fitness bootcamp, only to find yourself slipping back into old habits as soon as it’s over.
The reason? 21 days is simply not enough time to change something as complex as your eating habits, fitness routine, or mindset around food.
Think about it: Your relationship with food, exercise, and your body has likely been shaped by years—if not decades—of conditioning. Fad diets, the influence of diet culture, and life’s ups and downs have made these behaviors more complicated than drinking more water or flossing your teeth.
That’s why quick-fix solutions and short challenges often lead to frustration when they don’t work long-term. Real change requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to commit beyond those initial weeks.
Breaking Free from the 21-Day Diet Mentality
The key to long-lasting results isn’t found in 21-day sprints—it’s found in showing up consistently for the long haul. If you’re serious about transforming your health, whether it’s learning to eat more, heal your metabolism, or stay consistent with exercise, you need to give yourself enough time to make these behaviors second nature.
Rather than focusing on 21 days, start thinking about your progress in terms of 66 days, 100 days, or even 254 days. That’s how long it could take for complex habits to become automatic. The good news? Every day you stick with it, you’re reinforcing that habit and moving closer to making it a permanent part of your life.
How to Stick with It Long-Term
So, how do you stay the course when habit formation takes longer than the quick-fix solutions we’ve been conditioned to expect? Here are a few tips:
1. Set realistic expectations: Understand that lasting change takes time. Be patient with yourself and focus on progress, not perfection.
2. Start small: Begin by making small adjustments that you can build on over time. These incremental changes will compound and become habits more easily.
3. Track your progress: Whether it’s using an app to track food intake or a journal to log workouts, tracking your behaviors helps you stay accountable and measure progress.
4. Embrace consistency, not intensity: It’s not about being perfect every day—it’s about showing up regularly. Small, consistent actions lead to bigger, long-term results.
Conclusion: Play the Long Game
Remember, forming a habit takes much longer than 21 days, especially when you’re trying to break free from years of dieting or exercise struggles. The more complex the behavior, the more time and effort it takes to make it a habit.
If you’ve been frustrated by short-term challenges that don’t lead to lasting change, it’s time to shift your mindset. Be willing to commit to 66, 100, or even 254 days of consistent effort. When you do, you’ll find that these habits become automatic, and you’ll finally break free from the cycle of quick fixes.
Figuring out how much to eat for fat loss can feel like navigating a maze, especially for women over 40.
It’s a question I get all the time: “How much should I eat for fat loss?” So trust me, you’re not alone if you find yourself frustrated by the conflicting information out there.
It’s an important question, yet many overlook the importance of understanding their current eating habits before making changes. In this post, we’ll explore how to determine your caloric intake, why it matters, and how it can set you up for success on your fat loss journey.
The Importance of Knowing Your Current Caloric Intake
Before jumping into a diet plan or calorie-reduction strategy, the first step is to understand how much you’re currently eating. This may seem straightforward, but many people skip this essential piece of the puzzle, particularly those trying to DIY their weight loss journey.
Why Current Intake Matters
For women over 40, life gets busier, and managing time can become overwhelming. Often, there’s a desire for quick fixes — “just tell me what to do!” However, without understanding your current caloric intake, you’re essentially throwing darts in the dark. Whether you’re trying to lose fat or gain muscle, knowing your baseline intake is vital.
How to Calculate Your Current Caloric Intake
1. Track Your Food: Start by logging everything you eat for at least three days. You can use apps like MyFitnessPal or keep a physical food diary. This helps you become more aware of your eating habits.
2. Evaluate the Data: Once you have three days of logged food, assess the average calories and macros you’ve consumed. If you haven’t tracked before, it’s common for your intake to change once you become aware of what you’re eating.
3. Understand Duration: Ask yourself, “How long have I been eating this way?” If you’ve recently become conscious of your eating habits, your current intake may not represent your usual consumption patterns. It’s crucial to establish how normal this level of eating is for you.
The Next Step: Finding Your Ideal Caloric Needs
After determining your current caloric intake, the next question is, “How much should I be eating?” Here’s how to find out:
1. Use Calorie Calculators: There are plenty of online calculators to help you estimate your caloric needs based on your age, weight, activity level, and goals. You can also refer to wearable devices like Fitbits or Apple Watches for an estimate of your daily calorie burn.
2. Compare the Numbers: Take your average intake and compare it with the number generated by the calorie calculators. Are you currently eating less, more, or about the same as what you should be? This comparison will guide your next steps.
Understanding the Discrepancy
Let’s say your logs show you’ve been averaging about 1,800 calories, but the calculator suggests you should be consuming around 2,400 calories for maintenance. What does this mean? If you’re not losing weight at your current intake, it indicates a significant gap between your needs and your intake.
What to Do with This Information
• Consider Your Options: If you’re at 1,800 calories but should be at 2,400 for maintenance, you have a choice to make. You can either gradually increase your caloric intake to heal your metabolism or decide to stay at a lower caloric level. Just remember, drastic calorie cuts can lead to muscle loss and a slower metabolism, especially for women over 40.
• Be Informed: Understanding these numbers is critical. Ignoring the gap between what you’re eating and what you should be eating can lead to confusion, frustration, and ultimately wasted time on your weight loss journey.
Moving Forward with Your Fat Loss Journey
Once you know how much you should be eating, the path becomes clearer. Whether your goal is fat loss or muscle gain, having this foundational knowledge will allow you to create a tailored approach that works for your body and lifestyle.
Keep Track and Stay Accountable
As you start adjusting your caloric intake, continue tracking your food and monitor how your body responds. This ongoing awareness will help you make necessary adjustments and keep you motivated.
Conclusion
The question of how much women over 40 should eat for fat loss is multi-faceted. Starting with an understanding of your current caloric intake is crucial. Take the time to track, evaluate, and adjust your eating habits accordingly. This foundational step can save you years of frustration and pave the way for sustainable fat loss.
If you’re looking for more guidance on navigating your caloric intake and fat loss journey, consider checking out resources like the EM2WL Starter Kit or the Master Your Metabolism Masterclass. These tools can provide you with the knowledge and strategies needed to succeed.
By using this structured approach, not only do you set yourself up for success, but you also empower yourself with the knowledge needed to make informed choices moving forward. Remember, it’s not just about eating less; it’s about eating right!
Do Carbs Make You Fat?: The Truth About Carbs and Fat Loss for Women Over 40
For many women over 40 looking to lose weight, carbs often take the blame. We hear it all the time: “Cut the carbs, and the pounds will melt away!” But is this really the case? In this article, we’ll break down the myths and facts surrounding carbs and their impact on fat loss—especially for women navigating the changes that come with age.
Understanding Carbs and Weight Gain
It’s easy to see why carbs get blamed for weight gain. Carbohydrates are found in many foods we love, like bread, pasta, and sweets, but they’re also in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The confusion often starts here—people lump all carbs together, assuming they all have the same impact on the body. However, not all carbs are created equal.
Processed and refined carbs (like pastries and sugary snacks) can technically lead to weight gain because they are easy to overeat and don’t provide much nutritional value. On the other hand, unprocessed carbs (like fruits and whole grains) offer essential nutrients and can actually help you manage your weight.
So, what’s the real story? Are carbs truly to blame for that stubborn belly fat, or is the issue more complex?
Why Carbs Are an Easy Target
For years, low-carb diets have been marketed as the magic solution to fat loss, and it’s easy to see why. When people reduce carbs, they often lose weight quickly at first due to water loss.
You see, for every gram of carbohydrate stored in the body as glycogen, the body retains an extra 3-4 grams of water.
That means for every 1 gram of carbs, you’re retaining 4-5 grams of weight (carbohydrate + water).
You read that right…every gram of carbs = 4-5 TIMES it’s weight in water.
To put that in “scale” terms – for every 100g of carbs, equates to approximately .88-1.1 pounds. A 500g spike in carbs over the course of the week, can show as 4-5 pounds gained that week.
So, when you cut carbs, your body taps into its glycogen stores, releasing that stored water and causing a rapid drop in weight.
This quick result can make it seem like carbs were the problem all along. However, this early weight loss isn’t sustainable if the overall diet isn’t balanced.
Many women over 40 who have been through several dieting cycles might find that simply cutting carbs doesn’t lead to long-term fat loss. This is because the real issue isn’t the carbs themselves, but the type of carbs and how they fit into your overall calorie intake.
The Bigger Picture: Calories, Fat, and Overeating
Let’s look at some data to set the record straight. Between 1970 and 2010, the average American’s calorie intake increased by about 500 calories per day. Surprisingly, the largest increase came from added fats and oils, not carbs. The rise in obesity rates isn’t solely due to eating more carbohydrates. In fact, highly processed foods—often a combination of carbs, fats, and sugar—are more likely to lead to overeating and weight gain.
For example, eating an apple versus eating a pastry provides two very different outcomes. The apple, rich in fiber, can actually help you eat fewer calories overall, while the pastry is more likely to lead to overeating because of its high fat and sugar content.
Do Low-Carb Diets Work for Fat Loss?
Research shows that when calories and protein are the same, low-carb diets don’t have a significant advantage over higher-carb diets for fat loss. This is particularly important for women over 40, as our bodies change with age, and preserving muscle mass becomes critical. Protein intake plays a huge role in this. Diets higher in protein, regardless of carb intake, have been shown to promote fat loss while helping maintain muscle mass.
The key takeaway here? Cutting carbs alone isn’t a magic bullet for fat loss. In fact, finding the right balance of protein, carbs, and fat that works for you will yield better, more sustainable results.
The Role of Ketogenic Diets
You’ve likely heard about the ketogenic diet, or “keto,” as it’s commonly known. While keto has gained popularity for fat loss, recent studies show it may not offer the advantage many claim. In a study comparing ketogenic diets to low-fat diets, both groups lost similar amounts of fat and muscle, with no significant difference in results. When it comes to fat loss, if calories and protein remain the same, low carb diets do not outperform higher carb diets.
For women over 40, it’s important to remember that losing muscle mass along with fat can make it harder to maintain a healthy metabolism. Finding a balanced diet that preserves muscle while promoting fat loss should be the goal, not simply getting the scale to move at any cost.
So, Are Carbs Fattening?
The short answer is no—carbs are not inherently fattening. The type of carbs you eat and how many total calories you consume matter more than the carbs themselves. Processed, high-sugar foods can lead to overeating, while unprocessed, fiber-rich carbs like fruits and vegetables can support your fat loss goals.
As you navigate fat loss over 40, focus on eating a balanced diet that includes healthy carbs, enough protein, and the right number of calories for your body. Don’t let the fear of carbs keep you from eating the foods that can fuel your body and support your long-term goals.
Final Thoughts
For women over 40, fat loss can feel like a never-ending battle. But the key is balance, not restriction. Cutting out carbs isn’t the answer; instead, focus on eating a sufficient amount of whole, nutrient-dense foods that help you feel satisfied and nourished.
Remember, carbs can be part of a healthy, fat-burning diet.
The real secret? Finding what works best for you and your body’s needs.
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