The REAL Reason You Can't Lose Fat Over 40
Feb 01, 2026Most people think successful fat loss comes from choosing the right diet.
Keto, carnivore, and intermittent fasting get a lot of attention these days, but if you think back a decade or two, you probably remember Atkins, South Beach, The Zone, Paleo, and the Master Cleanse. That was the lemonade diet.
I'm going to show you why chasing the right diet keeps people stuck and what actually needs to change if you want to lose fat long term as you get older.
The Diet Cycle Keeps People Stuck
To start, let’s talk about the diet cycle. I have coached busy professionals successfully with fat loss for 25 years, but I have gone through my share of weight loss struggles too. In my early 20s, I was 30 lbs heavier than I am now and dealing with severe digestive issues.
I tried all of the diets I just mentioned when I was struggling to get fat off in my 20s. The same 10 to 15 lbs came and went for over a decade in a cycle of restriction and binging on my favorite foods, mainly chocolate and ice cream. It was depressing feeling like a failure with fat loss when I had always been someone who worked hard and achieved my goals.
Why Restrictive Diets Don’t Last
As a coach, I have seen many people bounce from one plan to another, always hoping the next system will finally be the one they can stick to. Restrictive diets can help you lose fat in the short term, but the results rarely last. That rigid approach kept me stuck and frustrated for years.
I repeated the same cycle because I was focused on the wrong thing. It took me far too long to realize that another arbitrary set of food rules was never going to solve the real issue.
Discipline Is Not the Problem
At this point, you might assume you just need to try harder. You might think the problem is that you need more rules or more discipline. That is not the issue.
Being harder on yourself almost always backfires, especially for high performers. You think working harder will get results, but it usually leads to burnout. You cannot sustain that level of restriction, and when it falls apart, you feel like a failure.
The All or Nothing Trap
This often leads to dramatic resolutions. You decide you will never eat ice cream again, never have French fries, or never drink alcohol. If you have made those promises before, you already know they do not last.
Until you change how you think about food and exercise, you will never stay lean long term. No special diet will fix the internal patterns that drive the same behaviors over and over again.
Why Food Rules Aren’t Enough
I can tell you how much protein to eat and how many vegetables to include. I can even give you recipes and meal ideas. None of that helps when you are upset and feel the urge to eat an entire tub of ice cream, which is exactly what I used to do.
The same applies after a stressful day at work when you feel like you need a glass of wine. No diet fixes those moments. This is the part most plans ignore.
The Lean Mindset Method
Most coaches focus on food lists, meal timing, or strict rules. They ignore the thoughts, beliefs, and stories that shape your decisions. That is why a core part of my fat loss system is the Lean Mindset Method.
This method helps you identify the thinking patterns that sabotage fat loss. I explain it in more detail in the free Lean and Strong 40+ Plan, which you can download at the link in the description.
All or Nothing Thinking in Action
A very common thinking trap is all or nothing thinking. It often sounds like this. I had a cookie after dinner, so I might as well have chocolate too.
Or, I messed up today, so I might as well start again tomorrow and have a muffin for breakfast. That is like spilling a few drops of coffee on the counter and deciding to dump the entire cup.
Balanced Thinking Creates Consistency
A more balanced thought would be, it was one cookie and one choice does not erase all my progress. You move on to the next meal. Cookies can also be part of your plan if you enjoy them.
A nutrition plan without your favorite foods is miserable and unsustainable. This same pattern shows up with exercise.
Why Skipped Workouts Snowball
I skipped a workout, so I am probably losing progress. I might as well skip tomorrow too. Many people treat nutrition and training as one package.
If one part fails, they abandon everything. You are either fully locked into health and fitness mode or completely off track. There is no middle ground, and that is a problem.
Why Resolutions Fail
At this time of year, most people are serious about health and fitness. But the odds of achieving a fat loss resolution are only about 10 to 20 percent. Most resolutions fail because they are built on extremes.
Extreme rules, extreme expectations, and zero tolerance for normal human behavior do not work long term.
A Better Approach to Fat Loss
Here is the approach that actually works. Forget chasing another trendy diet. Start from where you are and make gradual changes that fit your lifestyle and preferences.
Most importantly, examine your beliefs about food and exercise. Do you think you need to be perfect to succeed. Consistency beats extremes every time.
It’s Not Too Late Over 40
Do you believe you are too old to lose fat. Your 40s and 50s can be challenging because career, family, and health pressures all collide. But they can also be a powerful turning point.
These years can set you up to enter your 60s and 70s stronger and healthier. It is not too late.
Breaking Old Patterns With Food
Many of us carry decades of negative food messaging from childhood and social media. Those beliefs keep us stuck. Once you learn to ignore the noise and reframe your thinking, food becomes enjoyable again.
This is where the Food Freedom List comes in. It is included in the Lean and Strong 40+ Plan available in the link in the description.
Building a Sustainable Plan
You build a nutrition plan that makes sense for you. Less restriction, more enjoyment. A reasonable approach that supports fat loss without giving up your favorite foods.
To start putting that plan together, watch the video here.