How to Burn More Fat at Rest: The Smarter Approach to Getting Lean in Your 40s, 50s and 60s

If you're in your 40s or older and want to lose fat without living on low calories or doing bootcamp-style cardio six days a week, this is for you.

Most people think fat loss happens in the gym.

But the real shift happens outside of it — when your body burns more at rest.

That’s what changes the game for high-performing men I work with.

Here’s how it works.

1. Build Muscle to Raise Your Metabolism

Muscle is your metabolic engine.
The more of it you have, the more calories you burn doing absolutely nothing.

Starting in your late 30s and accelerating through your 40s, 50s, and 60s, you naturally lose muscle unless you're actively maintaining it.

Less muscle means fewer calories burned at rest.

So even if you're eating the same clean meals and walking daily, your body now stores more fat than it used to, especially around your midsection.

You haven’t lost willpower.
You’ve lost muscle.

The fix: 

→ Strength train two or three times a week with a structured program.
→ The goal isn’t to torch calories during the workout.
→ It’s to build muscle that increases the amount your body burns 24 hours a day, including when you’re on the couch or stuck in meetings.

2. Cut Back on Excessive Cardio

Running every day or chasing HIIT classes used to work.

But in your 40s and beyond, it’s more likely to leave you burned out, hungrier, and spinning your wheels.

Too much cardio increases cortisol, the stress hormone that encourages fat storage around your belly and breaks down muscle.

It also makes your body more efficient, which means fewer calories burned over time for the same effort.

That’s the opposite of what you want.

The fix: 

→ Use walking as your base.
→ Lift for strength and muscle.
→ Save cardio for heart health or stress relief, not fat loss.

3. Stop Eating Like You’re on a Detox

Most men in this age bracket eat too little Monday to Thursday, then binge Friday to Sunday.

The clean eating cycle backfires every time.

When you consistently under-eat, your thyroid slows down, your metabolism tanks, and your body fights to store fat.

You don’t lose weight - you lose muscle.

Then the minute you eat normally again, you regain fat faster and feel worse.

The fix:

→ Eat enough to support your training and daily energy.
→ Start with protein at every meal.  Then layer in carbs based on your activity.
→ You don’t need to live on chicken and broccoli.
→ You need structure and consistency… Not punishment.

4. Prioritise Recovery (Even If Sleep Isn’t Perfect)

You don’t need to be in bed at 9pm every night with lavender oil and blackout blinds.
But you do need to give your nervous system space to recover.

High stress and poor recovery increase cortisol, drive cravings, disrupt blood sugar, and make it almost impossible to lose fat.

If you’ve got kids, work pressure, or both, your sleep might not be ideal.
That’s ok, focus on what you can control.

The fix:
→ Cut down caffeine after midday
→ Get outside for natural light early in the day
→ Wind down with less screen time before bed
→ Build small recovery moments into your day (walks, meals without your phone, short breaks)

You don’t have to be perfect.

But the better your body recovers, the easier fat loss becomes.

5. Follow a System That Handles the Thinking for You

Most people don't fail because they’re lazy.

They fail because they’re trying to wing it on top of an already full life.

Motivation disappears when your system isn’t built for your reality.

Especially if you're running a business, managing a team, or juggling family life.

The fix:
→ Use a clear, simple system for training, nutrition, and recovery.
→ It should tell you what to do and when, without decision fatigue or all-or-nothing rules.

That’s what my clients have.

They train two or three times per week.
They eat more, not less.
And they burn more fat while doing less, because their metabolism is working with them.

Build muscle.
Fuel your body.
Recover in a way that fits your life.

That’s how you stay lean, strong, and energised… 

Whether you're 42 or 68.

P.S. If you’re not already subscribed to my free newsletter, I share weekly tips to help you lose weight without giving up your favourite foods or doing endless cardio. You can subscribe here.

You can build a strong, lean, focused body at any age. But you need the right tools. If you want help building a strategy that works with your life, not against it, you can start by booking a free call here.