Fat loss for those over 40 years of age requires a different approach than it does for young adults. Your body won’t respond the same as it did back then. Nor will you get by with inadequate sleep, drinking too much, or doing so much cardio that you could watch a Netflix series each week while workout out on your bike, treadmill, or Nordic Track.

That said, just because you need to approach fat loss differently, it doesn’t mean it’ll be difficult.

In fact, you’ve probably learned by now that most things are pretty simple, and we have an uncanny ability to make them complicated.

In this post, I’ve outlined a simple fat loss plan for men and women over 40. If you embrace these five factors, you'll see most of your excess body fat melt away in the months to come.

However, if you need something more aggressive, check out my four-week fat loss plan: 28 Days: 4 Weeks Of Fat Loss.

This is Not a Fat Loss Meal Plan

Unless someone is prepping for a bodybuilding or physique contest, I refuse to make a strict meal plan. Based on how often people ask for them, I know I'd make some great extra money, but I won't sell what I don't believe in.

I supposed that means I'd never get a job representing a COVID vaccine company either.

Anyway, I'm opposed to strict meal plans for a few reasons:

Scripting out what to eat doesn't teach you how to eat.

A meal plan is only effective if you have access to the foods on the plan. When people go on vacation or get out of a routine they often go off the rails.

Eating according to a meal plan often leads to obsession about upcoming meals and disordered eating patterns.

I want no part of that.

The good news is, when you eat and live within a few guidelines, your body almost always sheds fat and builds muscle, making you leaner and healthier. And when you eat based on guidelines, you can eat almost anywhere and avoid gaining weight.

In the rare circumstances that people don’t see a significant change within their first three to four months, I strongly encourage them to get a full blood panel through their integrative doctor. I’ll cover in a different post.

Fat Loss Factor 1: Protein

Eat more protein, and eat it first at each meal.

Most diets recommend reducing carbs or fat. In other words, your diet immediately starts with restriction.

Restriction doesn’t work, whether you’re referring to the restriction on freedom to choose an experimental drug or the freedom to eat from your junk food drawer.

Does fat restriction work? Maybe, at least maybe in the short-term. Does carb restriction work? Yes, for a while.

Does eating an excess of protein work? Absolutely.

In fact, research shows that higher-protein diets deliver better results than fat or carb restricted diets.

Higher-protein diets:

Keep you full longer and cut cravings

Help you maintain more steady blood sugar levels

Stimulate muscle protein synthesis and decrease breakdown

Are far more thermogenic, calorie-for-calorie, compared to fat or carbohydrate

Support a strong immune system, helping you avoid getting sidelined by sickness

Unless someone has pre-existing kidney disease, I recommend men eat 1 gram per pound ideal bodyweight, and women eat 0.8 grams per pound ideal bodyweight.

If you choose to eat more, that's no problem. Eating even more protein will not lead to body fat gains. Research has proven that over and over. Just don't eat less.

Read more: Why is a high-protein diet best for health and fitness?

Fat Loss Factor 2: Breakfast Skipping

Skip breakfast and make lunch your first meal of the day.

If possible, avoid eating right away in the morning. If that is IMPOSSIBLE, at least stop eating cereal, toast, pancakes, or waffles and drinking fruit juice. That sort of a breakfast leaves you fatigued and braindead a couple of hours later. Nobody should start their day with that (including kids).

If you can wait until lunchtime, do so.