How do I lose belly fat after 40?

...speaking, we're a little healthier, but things are just going better. I know when my HRV is high I've slept well, I've been eating well, I've got no issues going on in my life, you know, no external stresses. That's creating a little bit of anxiety and it shows with this HRV and this is what I discovered about myself was my cortisol was doing that Because my chronically poor cortisol level. I was retaining fat around my subcutaneous fat, around my mid drift, especially around the belly button region. So I had this killer four pack. But I couldn't seem to lose the weight around the bottom too. And the big reason why is this? Chronic stress. And this isn't just affect me. This is very common in men and women alike. If you're carrying a little bit of extra fat around that mid drift and it's like gosh, it just feels like it's constantly inflamed there and just always feeling a bit off. It d...

For example, set a specific goal, like running a 5K charity race for a cause you're passionate about. Running a purpose can be a powerful motivator, also a great way to keep you accountable. Now question two what's the best diet for weight release? You understood, I didn't say weight loss, weight release. Why do we release weight? Because we say bye-bye, bye-bye weight. I don't want me coming back, because when you lose stuff, inevitably you try to find it again. Right, think about losing your keys. Everyone hates losing their keys. So, subconsciously, we're so used to losing stuff and wanting to find it again. So remember weight release. So what's the best diet for weight release? There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Think of it as assembling a puzzle. A balanced diet with a calorie deficit is like finding the perfect piece. It fits right in Now to implement this focus on portion contro...

...en Mountain Biking. I strapped on my cassette player yeah, I know dating myself again with a tape playing on Endless Loop A went to side B, wynch went back to side A, and so on. I'd ride until I had exhausted both the tape and myself. Only then would I ride. I had more and more daily activity, incrementally, eventually joining the gym. Over 14 months, nearly 18 months, I was transformed. This time, adolescence itself was on my side as I shot over a 6'1" it's a big growth. Sport that definitely helped me burn more calories. My weight didn't change that much just to qualify that, but I did see body fat melt away as new lean muscle mass appeared. Now with a better understanding of the science and biology of health, I know that my physical changes came from a combination of cardiovascular and resistance training. I strengthened my body, increasing my lean muscle, which cranked up my metaboli...

Back on almonds like your Adam Vegas poker table and make sure your dinner plate is a carnival of lean meat, seafood or a legume parade. But why increase protein intake? For one, it's satiating, meaning you feel full longer, which is a bonus for weight management. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants consuming a higher protein diet reported greater satiating. See, it makes you feel more full longer. Plus, a high protein intake has been linked to improved muscle mass and strength, which is critical as we age to prevent sarcopenia, that's, the loss of muscle mass we're discussing preserving your independence over the years, and that's no small feat. Now let's talk about metabolic health. Did you know your body burns more calories digesting protein than fats or carbohydrates? This phenomenon, known as a thermic effect of food, means you're...

And when you combine those two lots and lots of movement, which is stressful in your body, with not enough energy coming in it's a vicious cycle that feeds on itself because your body will compensate. People don't understand. The more you try to run and burn yourself out with this cardio and you're not eating enough, the more the body says oh, I got to shut down and survive, I've got to preserve those calories, and you burn fewer and fewer calories. And then you wonder why you can't lose weight. Eating 800 calories a day and running two hours a day, right, so the less is more is really important. I've had female clients come to me like that. Their hormones are out of whack, they're on thyroid medication and all we do is we say let's drop everything. Let's drop everything. We're going to train maybe three days a week. We're going to lift heavy. You're not going to be doing all those reps...

...y to see my testosterone levels soar, because my nutritionary choices were all geared towards decreasing my body's inflammation. For those that know, too much inflammation not a good thing in our body. That was a major cause to why my condition would sometimes flare up and take a little while to recover. It was based on some of the foods that I thought were healthy and I continued to eat them. Dairy wasn't a big issue for me it's not like I'm lactose intolerant or such but dairy was creating specifically lactose, creating this inflammatory response. Those that have asthma or any breathing challenges, you'll know that if you have any dairy it actually creates more mucus. It impedes some of that quality of breath, being able to just take air into your lungs. That's again just to give you a case in point, how some of these foods, even though we think they're healthy, in unbalanced meals, or...

...apps and tools they can help you stay on track and make informed choices and decisions, but don't rely on those you know, because once you learn how to fuel yourself to thrive rather than simply get by and survive, you can't unlearn that Now. Moving on to question three how do I get rid of stubborn belly fat? Now, that's stubborn belly fat. We all have a story to tell, don't we? Stress, though, is probably the biggest and number one villain here Releasing hormones that love to hang out in your midsection. Cortisol is a prime one, and cortisol is a good steroid. Okay, it's a hormone, I should say, but we also see people get cortisol shots, usually to help with dealing with excess inflammation and sometimes chronic pain or pain. And so here's the thing. Cortisol is a wonderful hormone and it does have this dampening effect when it comes to pain and it helps us really amp up when we need to...

...is? Because I find that the way you speak is very empathetic but also relatable and accessible, and that's not always the case, especially in our space, let's be honest. Yeah, yeah, I've been told that and I appreciate that and I guess it comes from the seeing the people around me how their choices over time especially my older folks in my family how it catches up to you over time and gives you poor health, whether that's metabolic disease, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, alzheimer's, just obesity and wanting to change my genetic tree, as they say. So I can't say. There's one point in time it probably took from late 2019 to like 2021, two years of just experimenting. But experimenting is probably the thing that's going to get anyone listening to figure it out, right, yeah Is test, test, test, retest, track and measure. The first thing for me was my training and I firmly believe, dai, th...

Overindulgence can send your testosterone levels on a downward spiral, says current drug abuse reviews. Okay, it's about sipping for satisfaction, not for excess, aiming for a hormonal equilibrium, not a hormonal roller coaster. Just to paint some visuals for you, number seven, this one's important incorporate natural testosterone boosters and supplementation. Now please recognize that, as I mentioned some of these ideas or strategies, you're always going to want to consult with a health professional first, work with somebody a naturopath, a GP, a functional medicine practitioner that really has the experience, wisdom and knowledge to help guide, because it is very much subjective, based on what's going on internally for the individual. So there is a battery test that you're going to want to do to really get a clear picture where you at and then they can formulate a plan for you to get t...

...hose that have been connected with me for a while I was all about the heavy lifting and high intensity workouts. And you know, when I'm younger it's amazing. We have this just natural resiliency to deal with hard stuff and we sort of shrug off the hard workouts. We got those muscle soreness the day after, a couple of days after, and we just keep pushing, we keep going back, keep doing it. Remember that used to not be a problem. I'm now 47 and my body doesn't like that so much. And what happened was I was so biased to just lifting a lot of heavy weight, doing some high intensity interval training. You know, very typical CrossFit but I wasn't focusing on mobility and recovery because, honestly, I thought it was for people who, uh, I don't know what kind of slacking you know, like I knew that it was important, but I didn't think I needed it. Can you relate to that, can you? You know I was l...

So yeah, less is more often. Well, I like it and I know that you have your own little story about that journey to fitness after 40. But I'd love you to touch on that. But, more importantly also, how do you inspire, motivate and, more importantly, educate people that are maybe over that 40? And they don't know or feel? Maybe this is part of the better way to sort of frame this. You know, I know people get to that sort of place in life and they can feel really low, right, like you know, in our 20s, well, we've got metabolism, we've got that youth on our side, right, we often have lots of just natural energy output and it can often offset all that. Well, it's just called alcohol calories, extra food calories, you know, just all the other excess stuff. But then in our 30s we get into sort of family mode and we often put our fitness on the back burner. And it's almost a cliche, I mean, we hea...

Now number two is stress management techniques. So incorporate stress-reducing activities into your routine. So this can be like meditation, deep breathing exercises, quick workout. These practices can help lower cortisol levels. So imagine your mind is a pressure cooker. Regular physical activity acts like the release valve, preventing the buildup of pressure and reducing the risk of an emotional explosion. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular physical activity is a powerful tool for managing stress. Now number three is healthy snacks. This is a big one that I had to lean in on, and I started preparing healthy snacks and loading my fridge with pre-made healthy snacks, because it's always when I have that hankering I need something to eat, and I need it now. If I got something healthy to reach for, I'll reach for it and I'll eat that instead. Eat that instead. It's always when I don't h...

In June 2019 I published a post looking for four dads over 40 to beta-test an idea. Seven years later that idea is the whole of my working life. This is the full version: where it came from, what it actually involves, and the promises it refuses to make. FIG. 01 The work is small and repeated. That is the whole trick. Every man in this work arrived the same way. Successful at his job, good at being a dad, present at the things that matter, and quietly falling apart in the one area nobody could see from the outside. He had usually tried to fix it a few times. A gym membership in January. A diet that lasted until the first work trip. A burst of running that ended when his knee or his calendar gave out. Each attempt confirmed the same story: I know what to do, I just cannot make it stick. That story is wrong, and the DadBody project exists to prove it. He does not lack knowledge. He lacks a...

...l post from June 2019, kept unedited. The current version of what it became is written up here . Archival republish. This is the post that started the DadBody project, published to LinkedIn on 7 June 2019 and reproduced here unedited, closing call to action included. The beta it advertises is long closed. It is here as a dated record of where this began. FIG. 01 Where the project started. IF you are a dad over the age of 40, then read on. If not, no worries, feel free to share this message with someone that may fit the profile. I'm looking for 4 more dads to beta-test a program that I've developed over the past 3 years. The #DadBodyProject. As a dad, husband, brother, friend and community leader, I know all too well how challenging it can be to try to fit it all in. As men, we're often pulled by careers, family, community, and our own dreams and ambitions. That's life. And it's beautiful...

it as the lifestyle you actually want, the choices get easier. I still think that is true and I now think it is close to useless as advice, because it describes the destination and not the road. Here is the road. You change the defaults, one at a time, and you wait. Protein at breakfast for a month until it is not a decision. Then fat at every meal. Then the evening cutoff. Each one takes about four weeks to stop requiring thought, and the compounding is what does the work , not the intensity. I have watched this play out with enough men to be confident about the timeline, and the honest version of it is that the first six weeks feel like nothing is happening, and then the fourth month is when someone asks you what you have been doing. Does eating fat make you fat? Not in the way the low-fat era claimed. Fat is the macronutrient that makes a meal satiating, and when it came out of the fo...

at a time, and oblique twists. The adage use it or lose it rings all the truer as we age. Start implementing functional fitness into your lifestyle today to ensure a capable, pain-free future. Written in 2017, and it is the earliest piece in this archive that argues for healthspan over lifespan. That argument is now the whole premise of the coaching. The specific home programs named in the original have been left out because two of them no longer exist. The 2% Solution. Play it here, with the full transcript on the page. Most men over forty who feel exhausted are not sleep deprived. What is actually going on. What held up from my 2016 column, and the part I oversold. The real timeline, and every number from a sixty-day cohort of twenty-three men.

The evidence is strongest for replacement rather than restriction, so eat more olive oil, nuts, fatty fish and seeds. If you have a family history or a problem lipid panel, that is a conversation for your doctor. How do I eat well without counting calories? Protein at breakfast, fat with every meal from whole foods, four dinners you can make without thinking, stop eating about three hours before bed, and keep real food in the car and the bag so a hungry version of you is never choosing from what is in front of him. Change one default at a time and give each about four weeks. Sacks, F. M., et al. (2017). Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee systematic review: food sources of saturated fat and risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat restriction for cardiovascular d...

Ask a man over 40 how many times he has started again and he will usually laugh before he answers. Five. Six. He owns the equipment. He knows what to do. FIG. 01 A man who gets six weeks in and stops is telling you about the fuel, not the engine. Ask a man over 40 how many times he has started again and he will usually laugh before he answers. Five. Six. He has lost the same fifteen pounds three times. He owns the equipment. He knows what to do. He has proven, repeatedly, that he can do it for six weeks. That last part is the interesting part, and it is the reason I do not believe this is a discipline problem. A man who cannot do something never gets six weeks in. A man who gets six weeks in and then stops is telling you something about the fuel, not the engine. Because the thing that got you started is not a thing that can keep you going. This is the clearest pattern I have seen in near...

...had not worked, or he had tracked meticulously for eleven days and then stopped, and the eleven days told him nothing except that he was capable of tracking for eleven days. Tracking is a diagnostic tool. It is excellent for two or three weeks if you genuinely have no idea what you are eating, and after that it becomes a substitute for changing anything. The men who get lean and stay lean are almost never the men with the longest logging streaks. What works instead is structure, decided in advance, so that the decision is not being made by a hungry version of you at 4pm. This is the single change with the best ratio of effort to effect that I know of. Thirty to forty grams. Eggs, Greek yogurt, leftover meat from dinner, a shake if you must. It changes what you want to eat at 3pm more than anything you do at 3pm. Olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, oily fish. This is the satiety lever and i...

And why most timelines lie to you. Thirty years of coaching, one cohort of twenty-three men, and every number I have, including the ones that do not flatter me. FIG. 01 The unglamorous part nobody photographs. The honest answer to how long it takes to get back in shape is this: you will feel different in about two weeks, you will be measurably stronger in about six, and you will look different somewhere between weeks eight and twelve. If you are over forty and you have been out of it for years, put those numbers at the slower end and stop reading the ones that promise otherwise. Every "six week transformation" you have seen is measuring the wrong thing at the wrong time. It measures the photo. The photo is the last thing to change. That gap, between the day the work starts paying and the day it becomes visible, is where almost every man I have coached has quit. Assume three to four sessi...

for someone with more time than you have. The men who hold onto progress are the ones whose plan survives a bad week, a work trip and a sick kid. Consistency at 70 percent beats perfection you abandon in week three. The 2% Solution. Play it here, with the full transcript on the page. The least exercise that actually does something, and the part everyone leaves out. You have done it five times. It is not discipline, and the fix is unglamorous. Seven years ago I went looking for four dads over 40 to test an idea. What it became, and what it refuses to promise.

written in February 2016 and published as The Whole Life Fitness Manifesto. The book goes deeper. This page is the version I still hand to men on a first call, because it fits in their life today. The 2% Solution. Play it here, with the full transcript on the page. The earliest written record of the two percent framework. The least exercise that actually does something, and the part everyone leaves out. Most men over forty who feel exhausted are not sleep deprived. What is actually going on.

Most men who tell me they are exhausted are not sleep deprived. They are running a stress response that never gets switched off, and the body has quietly downgraded them to save power. FIG. 01 The part nobody photographs. I have had this conversation with more men than I can count. It usually arrives about ten minutes into a first call, in roughly the same words. I'm not unhealthy. I'm just tired. All the time. Then comes the list of things they have already tried. Going to bed earlier. Cutting coffee after noon. A sleep tracker. A blood panel their doctor called unremarkable. Sometimes a second panel, from a private clinic, because the first one felt like it missed something. Here is what I have learned from twenty years on my side of that call. Most of these men are not sleep deprived in the way they think. They are running a stress response that never gets switched off, and their body...

activity a week plus two strength sessions. Walking counts. Almost nobody needs a more complicated aerobic prescription, and almost everybody underestimates how much of it they are missing. Two rules, not a diet. For fatigue specifically these are the two that move the needle, because they change the shape of your energy across the day rather than the total. If you have run the four above properly for eight weeks and you are still flattened, that is useful information, and now is the time to go back to your doctor and push harder than you did the first time. Ask specifically about thyroid function, ferritin and full iron studies, B12, vitamin D, fasting glucose and HbA1c, and a morning total and free testosterone. Anaemia and hypothyroidism are common, treatable and routinely missed in men, because men present late and get less thorough workups. Sleep apnoea is the other big one and it i...

I am Dai Manuel. I have coached in this city for close to thirty years, and for most of that time I was not a very good personal trainer. Good at the training, bad at the business of it, and the reason for that is the reason men over 40 come to me now. FIG. 01 Dai Manuel, Vancouver. If you searched for a fitness coach in Vancouver, you have probably already tried the usual route. A trainer, three sessions a week, a good first month, and then life happened and the whole thing quietly unravelled. That is not a character flaw. It is a design flaw. Three hours a week with a trainer means 165 hours a week without one. The gap is where every result is decided, and it is the gap the entire personal training model politely ignores, because its revenue depends on you needing it again next year. I coach men over 40, mostly dads, mostly men who are successful at everything except this. The framewor...

a test of how fit you already are. Tell me honestly where you are starting from. Can I do DadBody 28 from outside Vancouver? Yes. It runs online, with coaching scheduled Vancouver time. Still not answered? Read every question or message me directly and you get me, not an assistant. Apply for one of thirty 0 of 30 places filled

hear about it first. DadBody 28 is the shorter option if you would rather not wait. Still not answered? Read every question or message me directly and you get me, not an assistant. One hundred fifty episodes on movement, stillness, reading, nutrition, mindset and recovery. Search the transcripts or listen from the archive. Browse episodes Start here: the whole library Apply for one of twelve 0 of 12 places filled Every result above is a real man who will tell you about it himself. Named with permission, and shortened at their request. Read: how long it really takes to get back in shape

The small group I run twice a year for men who are done doing this alone. Application only. Apply for a place Not ready for the full application? Just say hello . FIG. 01 Sixty days is long enough to change something and short enough to finish. I ran this with twenty-three men and told them to name their own price. Matt P. lost twenty-eight pounds in seventy-five days, two hundred and seven down to one seventy-nine, and had a DEXA scan to confirm it was fat and not muscle. Jason S. lost five kilos and put visible muscle on. He said his sleep quality went to a hundred percent, which is his phrasing, not mine. Maurice T. held his sobriety through the whole sixty days and tracked his own biometrics consistently for the first time in his life. Karl J. ran a marathon during the program. He also gave me the lowest score in the group, five out of ten, and I have kept it on the page because you...