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If you feel like your metabolism hit a wall after 40, you’re not imagining it. The strategies that used to work: cutting carbs, doing an extra HIIT session, or skipping dessert, don’t seem to have the same effect anymore. The reason? A complex mix of hormonal shifts, gut imbalances, and increased cortisol levels that make losing weight more challenging.
But here’s the good news: by understanding what’s happening inside your body and making small but powerful shifts (like supporting your gut microbiome and timing your meals strategically) you can break through the weight loss plateau.
Why Weight Loss is Harder After 40
Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol start to fluctuate wildly as you enter perimenopause and beyond. One of the biggest culprits in midlife weight gain is high cortisol levels, often caused by chronic stress, poor sleep, and blood sugar imbalances. When cortisol is high, it signals your body to store fat—especially around the midsection.
At the same time, your gut microbiome (the trillions of bacteria in your digestive system) also changes with age and research shows that as gut diversity decreases, the body becomes more prone to inflammation, insulin resistance, and fat storage. In other words, the gut-hormone connection plays a major role in metabolism, and when it’s out of balance, losing weight feels like an uphill battle.
How Fasting Supports Your Gut & Metabolism
Enter short, strategic fasts, one of the most effective (and natural) ways to reset your metabolism and support gut health after 40. Fasting doesn’t mean starving yourself though, it simply gives your gut time to rest, heal, and balance your hunger hormones.
Here’s why it works:
🔹 Increases insulin sensitivity: As we age, our cells become more resistant to insulin, leading to higher blood sugar levels and easier fat storage. Fasting helps reset insulin sensitivity, making it easier for your body to burn fat for fuel.
🔹 Reduces inflammation: Studies show that short fasts help reduce inflammation markers in the body, which is key for hormone balance and metabolism. (Chronic inflammation is linked to weight gain and a sluggish metabolism.)
🔹 Supports gut bacteria: Fasting gives your gut microbiome a chance to reset and encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria that aid digestion and fat metabolism.
🔹 Lowers cortisol levels (when done right!): Over-exercising and undereating can raise cortisol, but gentle fasting, especially when synced with your cycle, can help regulate stress hormones and promote fat burning instead of fat storage (yes please).
How to Use Short Fasts for Weight Loss
For women over 40, extreme fasting isn’t the answer, instead, gentle fasting windows of 24 or 36 hours can be incredibly effective. Here’s how to do it in a way that supports your hormones rather than stresses your body:
✅ Time it with your cycle: Fasting works best in the follicular phase (Days 1-14) when estrogen is higher and the body is more insulin-sensitive. Avoid fasting in the luteal phase (Days 15-28) when progesterone is rising and your body needs more nourishment. (To learn more about this, I highly recommend Dr Mindy Perez’s book Fast like a girl).
✅ Prioritize protein & healthy fats when you eat: After fasting, break your fast with whole, nutrient-dense foods like eggs, avocado, wild-caught salmon, and grass-fed meats to stabilize blood sugar and keep cravings in check.
✅ Support digestion & gut health: Fasting helps reset your gut, but to truly see results, you need the right gut-supporting nutrients.
How For Her Probiotic Helps Your Gut & Metabolism
Even with the best fasting and nutrition plan, gut imbalances can still hold you back, (believe me I know!) that’s why I created For Her Probiotic—a specific, unique natural formula for women, designed to support gut health, digestion, and metabolism. It helps:
✨ Restore gut bacteria balance (so you can absorb nutrients properly) ✨ Reduce bloating & support digestion ✨ Assist with hormone balance & weight management
If you’re ready to support your gut and finally see the scale move in the right direction, start here: [For Her Probiotic]
Let’s Work With our Body, Not Against It
Losing weight after 40 isn’t about punishing ourselves with restrictive diets or exhausting workouts, it’s about supporting our gut, balancing hormones, and working with our body’s natural rhythms (sign me up!)
By combining short fasting windows, gut-supporting foods, and the right probiotic, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to shed stubborn weight, feel energized, and truly love your body again.
Now it’s time to take action: start with one small change today, perhaps check where you’re at in your cycle and plan your next short fast. I try to do a 24 hour fast once each month and really love the benefits 💛
