Why Fat Loss Stops Working for Women Over 35
The truth about hormones, stress, and why your body needs a different approach now
If you’re a woman over 35 and finding that fat loss feels harder than it used to - slower, more stubborn, or completely unresponsive - you are not alone.
You might be:
Eating “well”
Exercising consistently
Trying to do everything right
And yet… nothing is changing.
Before we go any further, let’s clear something up:
Fat loss doesn’t stop working because you’re failing.
It stops responding because your body is changing.
And once you understand why, everything shifts.
Why Fat Loss Gets Harder After 35
Many women reach their mid-30s and 40s feeling blindsided.
What worked in their 20s - eating less, moving more, pushing harder - suddenly stops delivering results. This can feel confusing, frustrating, and deeply personal.
But fat loss after 35 is influenced by three major factors that most programs ignore completely.
1. Hormonal Changes Affect Fat Loss
As women move through their mid-30s and beyond, hormonal shifts begin - often years before menopause.
Estrogen, progesterone, insulin sensitivity, and cortisol all start interacting differently. These changes can lead to:
Increased belly fat
Slower metabolism
Reduced tolerance for calorie restriction
Bigger energy crashes
A body that holds on to weight instead of releasing it
The problem isn’t your discipline.
The problem is that your body now needs support, not stress.
Fat loss for women over 35 requires a strategy that works with hormones - not against them.
2. Chronic Stress Is Blocking Results
This season of life is full.
Careers, kids, mental load, emotional responsibility - and very little true rest.
When stress stays high for long periods, cortisol stays elevated. And when cortisol stays high, fat loss slows down or stops completely.
Your body doesn’t interpret chronic stress as:
“Let’s lean out.”
It interprets it as:
“We’re not safe. Hold on.”
That’s why cutting calories further or adding more cardio often backfires - especially for women over 35.
Your body isn’t resisting you.
It’s protecting you.
3. Most Fat Loss Programs Aren’t Built for This Life Stage
Many popular fat loss approaches were designed for:
Younger bodies
Lower stress levels
Short-term results
High motivation and lots of time
They rely on restriction, intensity, and willpower.
But motivation fades - especially when you’re exhausted.
What actually works for fat loss after 35 is:
Behaviour change over quick fixes
Strength-based movement, not punishment
Fueling your body properly for this stage of life
Systems that work even on busy, messy days
Consistency beats extremes - every time.
The Belief Shift That Changes Everything
This is the moment most women need - not another plan, but a reframe:
Your body hasn’t betrayed you.
It’s asking for a different approach.
Fat loss after 35 isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing different.
Different expectations.
Different inputs.
Different pacing.
When women stop fighting their bodies and start supporting them:
Energy stabilises
Food guilt reduces
Confidence rebuilds
Habits stick
Fat loss becomes sustainable again
Not overnight - but in a way that actually lasts.
If You’re Over 35 and Fat Loss Feels Impossible
If you’re tired of:
Starting again every Monday
Feeling guilty around food
Working hard with no results
Wondering if it’s “too late”
Please hear this clearly:
You are not broken.
You are not behind.
And you have not missed your chance.
You simply need an approach designed for this season of life.
A Supportive, Sustainable Way Forward
This is exactly why I created Thrive with Tess - my 12-week group program for women over 35 who are ready to stop fighting their bodies and start working with them.
Inside the program, women learn how to:
Lose weight without restriction or punishment
Regain all-day energy
Understand what their body actually needs now
Build habits that fit real life and motherhood
Rebuild trust with food and themselves
This isn’t a diet.
It isn’t a reset.
It’s a foundation.
Because confidence isn’t a result - it’s a skill.
And sustainable fat loss comes from systems, not willpower.
Ready to Stop Starting Over?
If this article resonated - if you felt seen, relieved, or understood - that’s not a coincidence.
It means your body is asking for support, not pressure.
You can change this - and you don’t have to do it alone.
Learn more about Thrive with Tess and join the next intake by booking a free Health Strategy call below.
This is for women who don’t want the fastest result -
they want the one that actually lasts 💛