Weight Loss Over 40: 5 Habits That Could Be Holding You Back and Making You Feel Older | 71

0:00 SPEAKER_00: I want to start today's episode telling you something that might actually surprise you.

0:05 SPEAKER_00: Most women think getting older automatically means having less energy, losing muscle, gaining weight, feeling stiff, watching the number on the scale slowly creep up year after year.

0:16 SPEAKER_00: But here's the truth that I want you to hear.

0:18 SPEAKER_00: Getting older isn't what's causing many of these changes.

0:22 SPEAKER_00: Losing your muscle mass is what's causing these changes.

0:25 SPEAKER_00: And unfortunately, many of the habits we've been taught in the name of weight loss over the years are actually speeding up that process.

0:33 SPEAKER_00: Eating less and less and less every year, doing hours of cardio, skipping strength training, living on coffee and five hours of sleep.

0:42 SPEAKER_00: These habits don't just make losing weight harder, they can also leave you feeling older than you really are.

0:49 SPEAKER_00: So today we're talking about five common habits that may be working against you and what to do instead so you can lose weight, you can feel stronger, and you can age with confidence so you can live your best life for many, many years.

1:03 SPEAKER_00: So put those earbuds in, take a deep breath, and let's prioritize the best version of you.

1:12 SPEAKER_00: Hey beautiful, and welcome to Weight Loss in Midlife, where we ditch the diet cycle and finally lose fat, build muscle, and feel confident again.

1:20 SPEAKER_00: I'm Jennifer, a certified women's coach who's been where you are, stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle, navigating midlife changes and wondering why what used to work doesn't anymore.

1:31 SPEAKER_00: After years of restriction and burnout, I found a better way.

1:34 SPEAKER_00: Built on macros, mindset, and muscles.

1:36 SPEAKER_00: Each week I'll share the strategies to help you lose fat, boost your metabolism, and build lasting strength and confidence.

1:43 SPEAKER_00: Let's dive into today's episode.

1:50 SPEAKER_00: Hey beautiful, welcome back to the Weight Loss in Midlife Podcast, the show for busy women in midlife who want to finally lose fat, feel confident, and have the energy to live their best life.

1:58 SPEAKER_00: Before we dive into today's episode, I want to share something with you that I created for you that is completely free because I know so many of you are stuck in that same frustrating diet cycle.

2:09 SPEAKER_00: You're truly trying harder all the time, restricting more, starting over every Monday and constantly searching for the next diet that's going to finally work.

2:18 SPEAKER_00: But the truth is, lasting weight loss doesn't come from another diet.

2:22 SPEAKER_00: It comes from learning how to build habits, change your mindset, and create a way of eating and living that actually fits your real life.

2:28 SPEAKER_00: That is why I created a free resource called Break Free from the Diet Cycle.

2:32 SPEAKER_00: These are seven podcast episodes to help you stop starting over, build healthy habits, and finally lose weight without another diet.

2:39 SPEAKER_00: Inside, you're going to get carefully selected podcast episodes that walk you through the mindset shifts, nutrition strategies, and healthy habits that create lasting weight loss.

2:47 SPEAKER_00: And because listening is only the first step, every episode comes with a personal coaching guide designed to help you uncover your roadblocks, shift your mindset, and take the next best step forward.

2:59 SPEAKER_00: Think of it as like having me there with you, coaching you each step of the way.

3:04 SPEAKER_00: If you're ready to stop starting over, stop chasing quick fixes and finally create a healthy lifestyle so you can maintain, head to the link in the show notes and download your free copy of Break Free from the Diet Cycle.

3:15 SPEAKER_00: Or you can go to weightlossinmidlife.kit.com backslash break the diet cycle.

3:21 SPEAKER_00: When I was younger, I thought the answer to losing weight was simple.

3:25 SPEAKER_00: Eat less.

3:26 SPEAKER_00: Exercise more.

3:27 SPEAKER_00: Do extra cardio.

3:28 SPEAKER_00: If the scales stopped moving, eat even less.

3:31 SPEAKER_00: Maybe you believe that too.

3:32 SPEAKER_00: And for a while, yes, all of that worked.

3:35 SPEAKER_00: But then my 40s came.

3:37 SPEAKER_00: Suddenly, the things that worked in my 20s and 30s, they stopped working for me.

3:41 SPEAKER_00: I was eating less than ever.

3:43 SPEAKER_00: My energy disappeared.

3:44 SPEAKER_00: My strength declined.

3:46 SPEAKER_00: The scale barely moved.

3:47 SPEAKER_00: And I started wondering if my metabolism was broken.

3:50 SPEAKER_00: And friend, what I learned over the years is it wasn't broken.

3:55 SPEAKER_00: My body simply needed different things now in this time of my life.

3:59 SPEAKER_00: So instead of focusing on getting smaller, I started focusing on getting stronger because muscle is one of the greatest predictors of healthy aging.

4:08 SPEAKER_00: If you want to lose weight and still feel strong, energized, and capable as you get older, it's important to stop fighting your body and start supporting it.

4:16 SPEAKER_00: The good news is that you don't need an extreme diet.

4:19 SPEAKER_00: You don't need to spend hours in the gym.

4:22 SPEAKER_00: Small and consistent habits can make such a tremendous difference over time.

4:28 SPEAKER_00: So let's walk through five habits that may be holding you back and what you can do instead.

4:33 SPEAKER_00: So habit number one, you're eating less every single year to try to lose weight.

4:38 SPEAKER_00: Many women believe that because they're getting older, they should keep eating less.

4:41 SPEAKER_00: So every year they cut another snack, skip breakfast, avoid the carbs, eat these tiny salads.

4:47 SPEAKER_00: But here's the problem: when you consistently undereat, your body doesn't just lose fat, it also loses muscle.

4:54 SPEAKER_00: And muscle is metabolically an active tissue.

4:57 SPEAKER_00: It helps support your metabolism, it helps support your strength, your balance, and your independence as you age.

5:04 SPEAKER_00: So if you're constantly underfueling your body, you're making it harder to maintain that muscle.

5:09 SPEAKER_00: So instead, you want to make sure that you eat enough to nourish your body.

5:13 SPEAKER_00: Focus on balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats and carbohydrates.

5:18 SPEAKER_00: The goal isn't to eat as little as possible, it's to eat enough to feel energized while you're still supporting your fat loss and muscle maintenance.

5:27 SPEAKER_00: Habit number two, skipping strength training.

5:29 SPEAKER_00: If your workouts are mostly walking, biking, or just cardio classes, you're missing one of the most important pieces of healthy aging.

5:36 SPEAKER_00: Beginning in our 30s, we naturally start losing muscle every decade unless we actively work to maintain it.

5:43 SPEAKER_00: And strength training is what's going to help you.

5:46 SPEAKER_00: This is where you're going to build muscle to protect your bones, improve your balance, increase your metabolism, reduce that injury risk that can hold you back and help you stay independent later in life.

5:56 SPEAKER_00: This isn't about becoming a bodybuilder.

5:58 SPEAKER_00: It's about carrying groceries with ease, getting up off the floor, keeping up with your grandkids.

6:03 SPEAKER_00: So instead, aim to lift weights three to four days a week.

6:07 SPEAKER_00: Um progress gradually, meaning you're adding a little bit of weight each week, every two weeks, but making sure that you're progressing and consistently being consistent is what matters more than being perfect.

6:18 SPEAKER_00: So if you make it into the gym only two days, that's great.

6:22 SPEAKER_00: Next week, aim for three.

6:23 SPEAKER_00: Habit number three, living on five hours of sleep.

6:26 SPEAKER_00: Sleep is often the first thing busy women sacrifice, but poor sleep affects nearly every aspect of our health.

6:34 SPEAKER_00: When you don't sleep enough, your hunger hormones become less balanced, cravings increase, stress hormones rise, recovery slows down, and your energy drops, and workouts are going to feel harder and you're going to be exhausted.

6:46 SPEAKER_00: So it's no wonder losing weight feels impossible when you're exhausted.

6:50 SPEAKER_00: So instead, prioritize seven to nine hours of sleep whenever it's possible.

6:55 SPEAKER_00: Even improving your bedtime routine by 30 minutes can make a difference.

6:59 SPEAKER_00: Remember, sleep isn't being lazy, sleep is actually being productive.

7:04 SPEAKER_00: Habit number four, doing endless cardio.

7:07 SPEAKER_00: Now don't misunderstand me.

7:09 SPEAKER_00: Cardio is so great for your heart.

7:11 SPEAKER_00: Walking is fantastic.

7:13 SPEAKER_00: I love walking and I see such a huge difference when I can get 10,000 steps in a day.

7:18 SPEAKER_00: Cycling, swimming, it's all wonderful.

7:20 SPEAKER_00: The problem is when cardio becomes your only strategy, the only thing that you're doing to try to lose weight.

7:28 SPEAKER_00: Many women think if I just burn more calories, but your body needs resistance to preserve your muscle.

7:34 SPEAKER_00: Too much cardio combined with too little food can actually make recovery harder.

7:38 SPEAKER_00: It raises your cortisol and contributes to muscle loss.

7:42 SPEAKER_00: So instead, think of cardio as something you do for your heart.

7:45 SPEAKER_00: Think of strength training as something you do for your future.

7:48 SPEAKER_00: And keep walking.

7:49 SPEAKER_00: Walking is one of the most underrated forms of movement for stress reduction, blood sugar management, and just your overall health.

7:56 SPEAKER_00: And number five, ignoring your protein.

7:59 SPEAKER_00: Protein becomes even more important after 40.

8:02 SPEAKER_00: It supports your muscle maintenance, recovery, fullness, healthy metabolism, your blood sugar balance.

8:08 SPEAKER_00: Yet many women don't eat enough until dinner.

8:12 SPEAKER_00: It's breakfast, it might be a skip or just a small piece of toast or an a bar walking out the door.

8:18 SPEAKER_00: Lunch is always a small salad.

8:20 SPEAKER_00: You're missing opportunities all day to add protein into your diet and get the benefits of it.

8:27 SPEAKER_00: So instead, aim to include protein at every meal.

8:30 SPEAKER_00: Greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, fish, lean beef, beans, cottage cheese.

8:34 SPEAKER_00: Protein doesn't have to be complicated.

8:36 SPEAKER_00: It just needs to be part of your plate.

8:39 SPEAKER_00: All right, so let's give out three action steps that you can do.

8:42 SPEAKER_00: Action step number one, choose one meal today and make protein the priority.

8:46 SPEAKER_00: Don't overthink it.

8:46 SPEAKER_00: Simply ask, where's my protein and add it to your plate?

8:49 SPEAKER_00: Action step number two, schedule two or three strength workouts this week.

8:53 SPEAKER_00: Put them on your calendar like any other important appointment because your future self is going to thank you when you are stronger and you can handle what comes your way as you get older.

9:04 SPEAKER_00: And action step number three, take a walk after dinner.

9:08 SPEAKER_00: Even 10 to 15 minutes of walking can improve digestion.

9:11 SPEAKER_00: It can help regulate your blood sugar, reduce your stress, and add to your daily movement goal.

9:17 SPEAKER_00: So these small walks are going to add up over time.

9:20 SPEAKER_00: All right, beautiful friend, I want you to stop thinking about exercise and nutrition as a punishment for getting older and something you must do.

9:27 SPEAKER_00: Instead, change your mindset.

9:29 SPEAKER_00: Think of them as investments into your future.

9:32 SPEAKER_00: Every balanced meal, every strength workout, every extra hour of sleep, every walk, you're making a deposit to your future health.

9:40 SPEAKER_00: So you can live your best life.

9:41 SPEAKER_00: You're building a body that's going to carry you through the vacations, the hikes, the playing with your grandkids in all those moments that matter most.

9:48 SPEAKER_00: Because the goal isn't just to live longer, it's to live stronger and to live you the best life that you possibly can.

9:56 SPEAKER_00: And the beautiful thing is, it is never too late to start.

9:59 SPEAKER_00: All right, ladies, if today's episode reminded you that lasting weight loss isn't about eating less, it's about building habits that help you stay strong for life.

10:06 SPEAKER_00: I have a free resource that will help you take it to the next step.

10:10 SPEAKER_00: It's called Break Free from the Diet Cycle.

10:12 SPEAKER_00: Inside, you're going to find a curated podcast playlist, coaching.

10:15 SPEAKER_00: There are guided prompts that help you work through each podcast and do the exercises that help you make the changes that you need, the healthy habits into the lifestyle that's going to last.

10:26 SPEAKER_00: You can download it for free using the link in the show notes, and I'd love to help you on your journey.

10:31 SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening and choosing to invest in your health and in your future.

10:35 SPEAKER_00: These small moments of care are what build real confidence and lasting strength so you can live your best life.

10:41 SPEAKER_00: All right, ladies, remember that you are beautiful and strong.

10:44 SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep showing up for yourself, keep celebrating those small wins, and remember one choice, one change, one meal at a time.

10:50 SPEAKER_00: I hope you have an amazing week.

10:58 SPEAKER_00: Before you go, I have one quick favor to ask.

11:01 SPEAKER_00: If this episode empowered you, it would mean so much to me if you could help spread the word so more women can use back to build the muscles and feel unbelievably strong and confident.

11:11 SPEAKER_00: The best way to do this is to read three.

11:14 SPEAKER_00: It takes just a 10 second.