The Problem With Fat Loss Advice For Women Over 40

If you're a woman over 40, you've probably heard that you need a special diet, special workouts, and a completely different set of rules because of your hormones.

As a strength coach and fat loss specialist for over 25 years, I've worked with women in their 40s through to their 70s who built muscle, lost fat, and got stronger.

So, I'm going to share what the research actually shows you should focus on to get fat loss results over 40.

I started weight training when I was 15 to get stronger for karate competitions. Since then, I've seen so many fitness and diet trends come and go.

One of the best ones is more women getting into weight training. It's still less than one-third of women overall, but it's a start.

More women want to stay strong as they get older. And since we're losing muscle at about 0.8 to 1% per year starting at 40, a progressive resistance training program is something we should all be doing. I'm going to explain how to do that a bit later.

The Problem With Fear-Based Menopause Messaging

I also think that it's amazing that we're finally talking openly about perimenopause and menopause, but the downside is that fear-based messaging is everywhere.

And understandably, women are confused because of these popular messages.

Too many women are limiting themselves because they're in perimenopause or menopause when they really shouldn't.

I'm perimenopausal, so I guess I need to...

I'm menopausal, so I really can't...

I'm postmenopausal, so it's probably too late for me to...

Where did these ideas even come from?

Both women and men have a tendency to place limits on themselves due to age. It's a mindset I want to help people to overcome.

I'm not going to be as strong because I'm in my 40s.

I can't do that now that I'm in my 50s.

No one's saying your potential for muscle building, strength, or fat loss is greatest in your 50s or 60s, but most people didn't reach their potential in their 20s and 30s.

So, there's still a long way for most people to go.

Why Women Are Hearing More About Perimenopause

Now, it's only in the last seven or eight years that we've been starting to hear about menopause on social media. And only in the last four to five years that the term perimenopause has been getting attention.

That's the interesting time which I'm in now, in the four to eight years before a woman's period stops.

Even as someone very well educated about health and fitness, up until about five years ago, all I really knew about menopause was you get hot flashes and your period stops.

It's great that we're all getting more educated about these challenges for women in their 40s and 50s.

Before that, women just suffered in silence, not knowing why they felt a certain way or what to do about it.

The problem is that the menopause market is now a massive opportunity for grifters in health and fitness.

Many of the doctors and PhDs who are leading the movement are unfortunately marketing unproven supplements and confusing women about what exercise they need to do and what food they need to eat.

For me, that's the frustrating part.

Women Need More Exercise, Not More Restrictions

Not enough people are exercising, whether it's cardio or weight training or daily movement like walking.

Only about 15 to 20% of women 45 to 64 strength train twice a week, which is part of the health recommendations in Canada, the US and the UK.

Only about 20 to 25% of women in that age group are meeting the combined guidelines. That means strength training twice a week and doing 150 minutes of moderate cardio activity per week.

About 60 to 70% of women 40 to 59 are overweight or obese.

Women are not exercising enough.

So scaring women away from any exercise is wrong.

Placing limitations on women based on their age and life stage is also wrong.

It's especially wrong when those limitations aren't even supported by research, but are just a particular influencer's theory, usually based on mechanistic ideas or rodent studies.

Common Menopause Fitness Myths

Because if you've been following the 40-plus women's health space, then you've probably heard the warnings.

• Perimenopausal women shouldn't do zone 2 cardio because it raises cortisol and hurts your hormones.
• You have to lift heavy.
• You need a weighted vest to build bone density.
• You need to follow a special diet during perimenopause and menopause.

I'm going to unpack all those myths here because you should know that they're not supported by science.

Yes, we have less research on women, particularly older women than on young men, but we still have decades of data on women that backs up one key idea.

Women respond to exercise in pretty much the same way as men.

It's good for all of us.

We build muscle at relatively the same rate as men. There was a recent meta-analysis just last year where they analyzed 29 studies and that's what they found.

Our hearts get stronger and healthier with cardio exercise.

If you want more details about what it actually takes to get lean and strong over 40, I've put together a FREE plan that you can get HERE. 

The Fundamentals Still Matter

Now, even if men built muscle at a greater rate, we still know that progressive resistance training works for women.

You train, you push yourself, you get stronger and gain muscle.

Building muscle and losing fat is possible in our 60s, 70s, and even 80s.

On the nutrition side, we all need to eat enough lean protein, more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, healthy oils, nuts, seeds, and less ultra-processed treat foods, and drink less alcohol.

There's nothing that women need to do differently apart from eat a bit less because of our generally smaller body size.

Good lifestyle habits support all your hormones and the healthy function of your body from top to bottom.

Whatever stage of life you're at, we shouldn't automatically assume limitations based on our age because it often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

That's why I encourage people over 40 to stop using their age as an excuse.

You're way more capable than you realize.

What Exercise Should Women Over 40 Do?

When it comes to exercise, we all should be doing strength training at least twice a week.

We all should be doing at least 150 minutes of cardio per week.

Putting gender and age-based restrictions on activity isn't supported by research.

And it puts up more barriers to exercise, which is the last thing that anyone needs.

Enjoy sprinting and are in good enough shape to do it? Do it.

But don't feel you have to because you're a woman in your 40s.

I don't sprint and I'm doing just fine, thanks.

I do some interval-type work with my karate training. My heart rate goes up and down depending on whether I'm kicking or punching or sparring with my son or doing kata.

I don't worry about any specific protocol.

And really, there's no perfect way of doing interval work for fat loss or health benefits.

It's all just marketing or a certain protocol used in one particular research study.

Do You Need to Lift Heavy?

Want to lift heavy weights? Go for it once you're ready.

That means when your muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments have adapted to lower weights.

That should take many months, at least a year.

Work your way up as you feel comfortable.

But it's important to know that research shows that you can build equal levels of muscle with higher reps if that's what you or your joints prefer.

The important thing is that you push yourself close to failure and you push yourself to get stronger over time.

You also want to gradually load your bones so that you strengthen them as well.

Do You Need a Weighted Vest?

No, you don't need a weighted vest for bone density.

If you look at the actual studies, women weren't just throwing on a weighted vest for a 30-minute walk.

They were wearing it for 8 hours a day over 6 to 12 months, which just seems annoying and uncomfortable to me.

And the changes in bone density were tiny.

Most importantly, resistance training and maybe some impact training can produce better bone benefits without requiring you to live in a weighted vest.

Wear it for walking if you enjoy it.

The additional calorie burn is really minimal.

So, if it annoys you, don't force yourself.

I don't use a weighted vest.

Doing just fine. Thanks.

What About Zone 2 Cardio?

For health and longevity benefits, zone 2 is where at least some of your cardio training should be at any age.

Choose an activity you enjoy and gradually build up the intensity so you find it hard to carry on a conversation.

I love riding my mountain bike in the summer.

Parts of my ride I'll just push myself up a hill and get my heart rate up for short periods.

Managing Perimenopause and Menopause Symptoms

Yes, the symptoms of perimenopause, menopause caused by hormone fluctuations are real.

Poor sleep, fatigue, hot flashes, flushes, night sweats, joint pain, and mood issues, including anxiety and depression, can affect everything.

It makes everything harder.

So, of course, it's important to pay attention to those things and do what you can to manage them.

You might need to modify your workouts around your joint pain. I've had to do that.

You may want to make adjustments to your training if you're particularly tired one day, but that applies to everyone.

Everyone's experience of aging is unique.

The 40s, 50s, and 60s can look very different for different people.

The Importance of Autoregulation

As a former athlete, first in karate and then in natural bodybuilding, and someone who's dealt with chronic digestive issues, IBS and GERD, I have a lot of experience modifying my training around my symptoms, injuries, and energy levels.

In sport science, we call this autoregulation, and it's defined by two ideas.

Your readiness to train, recovery status, and your resulting performance is affected by factors not related to your current workout that you may not have full control over. So, nutrition, sleep, mood, prior training history, hormonal status, emotional stressors, and for me also digestive symptoms.

And two, you are the most reliable source of info regarding your training readiness or recovery status if you've been given the right tools for how to monitor it.

So, learning how to manage any symptoms you're having and adjust your workouts around them is a really important part of staying consistent and being successful during challenging physical times.

And yes, lots of women experience that.

Up to 80% of women will experience symptoms of perimenopause with about 20% having symptoms that significantly disrupt their quality of life.

But every woman's experience is different and we can't make assumptions about all women going through this phase.

You are unique and you don't need a negative label holding you back.

Real Women, Real Results

I've worked with some amazing women over the years.

Joan, who at 65 was doing walking lunges with a 25 lb dumbbell in each hand.

Jennifer, who was 51, who lost 10 lbs and regained her confidence 2 years after her breast cancer diagnosis.

Jan, who was 48, a busy entertainment lawyer who lost 80 pounds over the course of a year.

Leslie, who in her 60s did two challenging weight training sessions a week with me in between her rounds of chemo.

They were all champions in my eyes, overcoming immense physical and psychological challenges to succeed with their goals.

I treated them as the individuals they were, not as women of a certain age.

Is that phrase still around? Because it's gross.

What Evidence-Based Coaching Really Means

While the latest influencer recommendations seem like they're helping women, they're only adding to the confusion by selling false promises, supplements, and giving women more pointless rules to follow.

As a coach who has worked with women and men for over 25 years, I never give a person advice based only on their sex.

I make recommendations based on their training experience, their current fitness, their personal strengths and weaknesses, and their preferences.

A lot of people talk about evidence-based or science-based information for fat loss and muscle building.

And there are three things that make up evidence-based advice.

One, the totality of evidence, looking at all of the research, not a single study.

If an influencer shares one study that goes against the body of evidence we have on a subject, they're doing something called cherry-picking, and many do this.

The second thing I think about is my experience with similar clients.

Sometimes my own personal experience, if it's relevant, and last, but definitely not least, the client's personal preferences.

Only then can I come up with an exercise and nutrition program that's truly evidence-based.

And as with medical care, that's really the individualized approach that we should be taking for muscle building and fat loss because your needs are what matter, not a random assumption based on your age and sex.

If you want the help of a sensible coach who understands the science and has worked personally with dozens of women like you, check out the LINK HERE.

Ivana Chapman