Trying to lose weight in your 40s or 50s but feel like the scale has firmly decided not to cooperate? You’re eating less, maintaining a calorie deficit and squeezing in plenty of cardio, yet the results still aren’t showing. Before you cut your calories further or add another workout to your routine, there may be more at play than simply how hard you’re working – especially as your body goes through hormonal changes during this stage of life.
Chennai-based fitness coach Raj Ganpath, who has over 18 years of experience and is the founder of the Slow Burn Method, the co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and the author of Simple, Not Easy, is breaking down why women in their 40s and 50s may struggle to lose weight.
In an Instagram video shared on September 29, the fitness coach advises, “If you’re a woman between the ages of 40 and 50 and you’re trying to lose weight and for that you’re eating very less, doing a lot of cardio, and depriving yourself, you need to stop doing that right now. I’m going to tell you exactly why and what you have to do instead.”
Why are you struggling to lose weight?
Many women in their 40s and 50s on a fitness or weight loss journey can feel frustrated when the number on the scale refuses to budge. Despite consistently putting in the effort, a lack of visible progress can affect motivation and leave you questioning whether you’re doing enough. However, changes in hormones during this stage of life may also influence weight management, meaning the plateau may not simply come down to effort.
Raj explains, “The reason you’re struggling to lose weight is not because you are not working hard enough. It is because your basal metabolic rate, your BMR, has dropped. Why did that happen? Because you’re going through perimenopause. And when you’re going through perimenopause, the level of oestrogen in your body fluctuates and when that happens the amount of muscle mass in your body declines and when muscle mass goes down, BMR also goes down.”
How to fix this?
Raj highlights that the solution isn’t to drastically cut calories, starve yourself or spend more time doing cardio. Instead, he points to the importance of building muscle. He explains, “It is by building more muscle or at the very least maintaining the muscle that you already have.”
He outlines three key things you need to follow to build more muscle or preserve the muscle you already have.
Strength training
Strength training is non-negotiable when it comes to maintaining muscle mass. Challenging your muscles provides the stimulus they need to preserve and build strength. The fitness coach highlights, “Strength train regularly and religiously two to four days every week. Somehow make it happen.”
Eat adequate protein
Protein is a building block of muscle and bone strength. Along with strength training, getting enough protein helps maintain and strengthen muscles. Raj notes, “Eat sufficient protein. That is 1.5 grams of protein for every kilogram of your body weight every day.”
Get enough sleep
Sleep is essential for recovery. Muscles also repair and grow at rest, so no matter how much you strength train, your efforts won’t pay off unless you give your body enough time to recover. The fitness coach advises, “Make sure you get seven to eight hours of sleep every day, even if it is disturbed.”
“If you can do these three things, I guarantee you, you will look, feel, and function better. The amount of muscle mass in your body will increase or at least stay the same, and the amount of fat mass in your body will reduce. So, stop chasing weight loss and start chasing strength. And like everything else in life, once you stop chasing it, it will find you,” concludes Raj.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Raj Ganpath is a Chennai-based fitness and nutrition coach, entrepreneur and mentor with over 18 years of experience. He is the founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and the author of Simple, Not Easy. Known for simplifying complex fitness and nutrition concepts, Raj helps people build practical, sustainable habits that support long-term health and weight loss.
