How I Finally Got Leaner in My 40s Than I Ever Was in My 20s
If you’d told me in my 20s that I’d be leaner and stronger in my 40s, I’d have laughed.
Back then, I thought fitness meant extremes.
I thought being “perfect” was the only way forward.
In reality? That mindset set me back years.
Here are the biggest mistakes I made and what I know now.
1. I Thought Perfection Was the Goal
I believed if I slipped up even once, I’d ruined it.
One missed workout, one “bad” meal, and I’d spiral into all-or-nothing mode.
→ “I’ll just start again Monday.”
→ Cue overeating all weekend.
→ Back to square one.
What I know now:
Consistency beats perfection every single time.
70% done consistently is far more powerful than 100% for three weeks followed by burnout.
2. I Thought Carbs Were the Enemy
In my 20s, I avoided carbs like they were poison. Every time I ate bread or pasta, I convinced myself I’d gained weight overnight.
What I know now:
Carbs fuel performance, recovery, and metabolism. They improve sleep by supporting serotonin and melatonin. And paired with protein, they help preserve muscle.
Cutting carbs didn’t make me leaner. It made me tired, flat, and constantly craving.
3. I Thought Eating Late Made Me Fat
I genuinely believed that eating after 8pm meant everything would “turn to fat.”
So I went to bed hungry, thinking I was being disciplined.
What I know now:
Fat gain isn’t about the clock. It’s about total energy balance.
In fact, backloading carbs in the evening can help with sleep, recovery, and muscle growth.
The only caveat? Don’t eat right before bed if it wrecks digestion.
4. I Thought Sweat = Fat Loss
I used to repeat the phrase “sweat is fat crying” like it was gospel.
If I didn’t leave the gym drenched, I thought I’d wasted my time.
What I know now:
Sweating is just your body cooling itself.
It doesn’t equal fat loss.
Building muscle and managing nutrition do.
5. I Fell for Fat Burners
This one nearly wrecked me.
I bought into the hype, thinking fat burners would speed everything up.
Instead, they gave me heart palpitations, made me anxious, and did absolutely nothing for long-term fat loss.
What I know now:
You can’t shortcut physiology. The only thing fat burners burn reliably is your money (and sometimes your health).
6. I Thought Cleanses Would “Reset” My Metabolism
Juice cleanses, detox teas, extreme restriction… I tried it all.
What I know now:
Your liver and kidneys already detox your body.
Cleanses don’t “reset” metabolism.
They just deplete energy, strip muscle, and trigger rebound cravings.
7. I Thought More Was Always Better
I went from 0 to 100 with everything.
If I trained, it was 5+ days a week. If I dieted, it was all-out starvation.
What I know now:
More doesn’t mean better.
In your 40s and beyond, strength training 2-3 times per week, walking daily, and following a structured system outperforms random chaos.
It builds muscle, raises metabolism, protects joints, and creates results that actually last.
The Bottom Line
The truth? I wasted years chasing hacks, starving myself, and punishing my body - only to end up stuck.
Now, in my 40s, I’m leaner, stronger, and healthier than I was in my 20s.
Not because I “tried harder.”
But because I finally understood:
→ Muscle is the engine that drives metabolism
→ Consistency beats perfection
→ Structure wins over chaos
→ Science works, gimmicks don’t
If you’re stuck doing everything “right” but not seeing results, maybe it’s not you.
Maybe it’s the plan.
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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.
