Why Diets Fail Over 40 And What ACTUALLY Works

Do you want to lose fat over 40 without starting another diet that falls apart when life gets busy or you run out of willpower? Most people think restrictive diets are the solution. But that is actually what is holding you back. In 25 years of coaching, I have helped hundreds of people break that cycle using a simple and sustainable approach.

So, in this video, I will show you why diets fail and what you can do instead. I am so tired of hearing this. Every time someone tells me they have to go on a diet, I feel that familiar eye roll starting. Those of us over 40 have probably said it many times.

Why Diets Always Feel Temporary

I did it for years, probably a decade, because we are conditioned to think of a diet as a short term project. Go on a diet, lose fat. But the usual outcome of that project is that you cannot maintain the diet and you gain the fat back again.

The moment you say diet, you have already created a finish line in your mind. You plan to be good for a while and then eventually go back to normal. That means the fat comes back. Your weight returns to whatever it was before, and sometimes more.

The Problem With Trendy Diet Labels

These days, it is rarely just a diet that involves reducing calorie dense ultra processed foods and eating more vegetables. It is carnivore or keto or intermittent fasting. Each is packaged as the special solution people over 40 have been missing.

Carnivore cuts out everything except animal products and gets attention because it sounds simple while also being so extreme that it feels new. Even though carnivore certainly helps you meet your protein needs, which is a key concern over 40, and it eliminates ultra processed, fatty, and sugary foods, it gets just about everything else wrong for long term health.

Keto and Intermittent Fasting in Real Life

The ketogenic diet has legitimate potential medical applications for specific conditions like epilepsy, but it is not an optimal choice for most active, busy, professional people. Intermittent fasting can be helpful for some people because it creates simple guard rails. Eat only during certain hours and your total calories often go down without having to track anything.

But my client Steven is a perfect example of how this strategy can go wrong. He initially lost weight with intermittent fasting, but his progress stalled because his daily protein intake was far too low on only two large meals a day. Once he introduced a protein shake with berries as a morning meal, his energy and strength in the gym increased.

Why Calories and Protein Still Matter

With more effort and more movement, Steven was finally able to gain muscle and lose his belly fat. My client Laura had another intermittent fasting experience that taught a completely different lesson. As a new mom, she was unintentionally doing intermittent fasting because she did not have time to eat in the morning.

Even though she did not eat until the afternoon, she was not losing body fat because her overall calories and protein were not where they needed to be. Once we got her calories consistently low enough to create a true calorie deficit, her body finally responded the way she wanted and she lost 30 lbs.

What Actually Drives Fat Loss

These stories are not about whether intermittent fasting is good or bad. They show why focusing on diet labels distracts you from what actually drives results. None of the diets I mentioned have unique fat burning properties when you control for calories.

If calories are the same and protein and fiber are similar, fat loss results are essentially the same. It is not the label on the diet that matters. It is the numbers it ends up producing for you.

Energy Balance Over 40

The real driver of fat loss is energy balance. It is the ongoing relationship between the calories you consume and the calories your body burns. Calories in, calories out.

Despite what you may have heard, a calorie deficit works for everyone at any age. But some people burn fewer calories. Smaller people cannot eat as much as larger people because their bodies simply do not need as many calories.

Why Muscle Matters

Your body burns some calories in the gym, but that is a very small part of your total daily energy expenditure. Most of what your body uses is to keep you alive and maintain bodily functions, and that is primarily dependent on your body size. Building muscle helps you burn as many calories as possible for your body size.

Having more metabolically active muscle slightly increases how many calories your body needs to sustain itself. That is your maintenance level. If your intake is consistently higher than your output, you gain fat, and when you reverse that relationship sustainably, you lose fat.

The Biggest Diet Mistake Over 40

Two people can both be on keto and get completely different results. The label is the same, but their calorie intake, movement, and exercise can be very different. That is what actually drives fat loss.

The biggest problem with diets is the mindset. The phrase, I have to go on a diet, assumes you will eventually come off it. This is not a willpower issue, it is the predictable outcome of using short term tactics for a long term problem.

Think Long Term, Not Short Term

We have to keep eating until we die, because if we do not eat, we die. Think of your way of eating as a long term strategy. Can you keep it up for life, or have you chosen a diet that makes you miserable?

You would not treat your career as an eight week sprint and then stop forever. You build systems and routines that support you through busy times, travel, and stress. Your nutrition needs the same approach.

What To Do Instead of Dieting

Instead of asking what diet you should go on, ask how you can modify what you are already eating in a sustainable way. Some sacrifices need to be made, but they are usually not as dramatic as you think. If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.

Start by understanding roughly how many calories you are taking in and create a small, sustainable deficit. Prioritize protein at each meal to support muscle and keep you full. Include carbs and fats you enjoy, including some treats, so you are not constantly fighting cravings.

Building a Plan That Fits Real Life

Plan meals that work for your real schedule, not a fantasy version of your life where you cook every meal. If you eat out or order in, learn how to make better choices. The right nutrition strategy is the one you can stick with during stressful weeks, travel, holidays, and family events.

The system stays the same even when the foods change. Lean protein, fiber, vegetables, fruit, and smaller servings of treats. If your plan only works when life is perfect or you cannot imagine doing it for a year, it is not the right plan.

Start Small and Stay Consistent

Start from where you are. Find small changes that feel easy but add up over time. Soon, you will get the fat loss results you want without starting over on Monday or next year.

For the five rules you need to build an effective fat loss plan over 40, watch this video HERE.

Ivana Chapman