Fat loss in your 40s can feel extra difficult. As oestrogen naturally declines through perimenopause ahead of your final period, your body becomes less responsive to the intense workouts and calorie restriction you may have previously relied on for results. But losing weight is certainly still achievable – it just requires a rethink.
As 70-year-old fitness coach Carrie Lynn Sisson learned firsthand, how you eat and exercise needs to work with your hormones, not against them. Below, she shares the seven steps to achieving your goal, including the simple workout plan she recommends, and why you should stop trying to eat less. ‘If I was 40, had 10kg to lose and had no idea where to start… I’d start here,’ she says. ‘You can trust me, I’m 70.’
1.I would stop trying to make up for lost time
‘I wouldn’t suddenly start working out 6 days a week. I wouldn’t slash my calories, cut out carbs or promise myself that this time I would be perfect. Instead, I would remind myself: I am not behind, I am just starting from where I am. And that is enough. I would create a realistic plan, not an extreme one.’
2. I would make my goal smaller before I made it bigger
‘Especially if I had young kids and barely had time for myself, I wouldn’t start by trying to become a “gym person”. I would simply make one promise: move my body for 20-30 minutes, 3 times a week. A walk counts. A workout at home counts. Ten minutes while the kids are occupied counts. The goal at first wouldn’t be to burn the most calories. The goal would be to become someone who consistently makes time for herself again.’
3. I would learn to lift before trying to “burn off” the weight
@carrielynnsisson//Instagram
‘If I was afraid of the gym, I wouldn’t throw myself into a complicated workout plan. I would learn a few basic movements: squat, hinge, push and pull. I would start with weights that felt manageable. At 40, I wouldn’t want my entire fitness routine to revolve around making myself smaller. I would want to build muscle, strength, confidence, and a body that supports me for decades to come.’
4. I’d eat more real food
@carrielynnsisson//Instagram
‘For me, this has aways been the biggest key to keeping my weight steady. I wouldn’t obsess over being perfect or never eating anything processed, but I would make real, nourishing food the foundation of most of my meals. When I consistently eat real food, I feel better, have more energy, and maintaining my weight becomes so much easier. You don’t need a perfect diet. You just need to get back to eating food that actually fuels you.’
5. I would stop eating as little as possible 
@carrielynnsisson//Instagram
‘If I had 10kg to lose, my first instinct might be to eat less. But instead of trying to survive on salads and willpower, I would start asking: “How can I build meals that keep me full?” I would add’:
A solid source of proteinMore fibre-rich foodsFruits and vegetables Meals with enough volume to satisfy me
‘I would learn how to eat in a way that supported my energy, my family and my goals.’
6. I would stop waiting until life got less busy
‘I would start building a routine inside the life I have right now. Maybe that means 30-minute workouts. Maybe it means walking during the kids’ soccer practice. Maybe it means training after the kids’ bedtime. Consistency was never supposed to mean doing the same thing perfectly every week. It means finding a way to keep coming back.’
7. I would measure success differently
‘Yes, I might still want to lose 10kg, but I wouldn’t let the scale be the main measure of success. I would pay attention to’:
Feeling strongerHaving more energySleeping betterClothes fitting differently Being able to carry moreFeeling less intimidated in the gym Keeping promises to myself
‘Sometimes the first thing you lose isn’t the weight. Sometimes it’s the fear. And sometimes that’s what finally allows everything else to change.’
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.