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• Why Women Over 40 Struggle to Lose Weight (And What Actually Helps)
• Starting Over After Gaining the Weight Back (The Mental Battle No One Talks About)
• Why Enjoyable Workouts Matter More Than Intense Ones

March 8, 2026

Why Women Over 40 Struggle to Lose Weight

(And What Actually Helps)

By Anne Brice

Hormones and Aging

As women, hormones play a huge part in our mental and physical health. As we grow, go through puberty, enter womanhood, have children, and pass through menopause, our hormones change the way our bodies react to the challenges we, as women, face. After the age of 40, the decline in hormone production becomes increasingly obvious. Where once I could lose 20 lbs in a month if I really applied myself, the same effort today only gets me 5 lbs in 3 weeks. Oh, and forget about keeping it off! We blame it on a slowing metabolism and grab for any bottle claiming to speed it up. What is even worse? We listen to trendy advice stating eating every 2 hours will speed up our metabolism. A very grave mistake indeed.

Stress and Cortisol

The next villain standing in our way is cortisol. This is hormone secreted in times of stress. Now, take for instance a bunny jumps in front of your car speeding down the highway. The Fight-or-Flight response kicks in. Your body is flooded with cortisol, getting the necessary nutrients to your muscles that they need to react, and decreasing the nutrients to other organs and systems that are not needed at the moment. You gasp and instinctively swerve to miss the fluffy moron. Success! He hops away undeterred in your rear view mirror and you breathe a sigh of relief. It may take several minutes, but your heartbeat will return to normal, cortisol production reduces, and the body returns to homeostasis.

Now take for instance the year I spent working as a Detention Officer at the jail. Everyday was filled with uncertainties. I never knew what kind of mood the inmates would be in. Would a fight break out at any moment? Did they have enough toilet paper to keep them happy? Why are those two whispering in the corner?? And even once I left the pod, I dealt with other officers who felt I didn’t have what it took. I faced accusations that I was behaving inappropriately with male officers; rumors started by officers who didn’t get what they wanted from me. In this situation, my cortisol levels were activated on a daily basis. I did not take time for meditation nor did I exercise after work. I barely slept. I couldn’t stop thinking about work and how I could have handled situations better.

In situations like this, the prolonged cortisol levels were taking necessary nutrients away from my heart, brain, digestive system, immune system, and other systems that aren’t needed in a short term distress response. Over time, my systems began to deteriorate resulting in constipation or diarrhea, lack of focus, unstable moods, high cholesterol, frequent illnesses and infections, chronic muscle tension, and of course… weight gain. My body was packing away as much food as possible to feed those hungry muscles it mistakenly thought I needed to deal with my horrible job.

The good news is that even if you are dealing with high amounts of bad (or good) stress, there is a way to return your body to homeostasis to decrease your daily cortisol levels. For me, that is undoubtedly exercise. I love it, but some people find it to be more of a punishment than a release. There are several other methods including yoga, meditation, and simple breathing exercises. The ultimate stress reliever is sleep and without it, the cycle continues. Weight loss is dependent on adequate amounts of sleep. Don’t neglect it. Prioritize it.

Why Strict Dieting Fails

Okay, ladies… So we gain all this weight and we blame ourselves, am I right? Without extensive study into what/who the villain in our story actually is, we shame ourselves for our lack of willpower and self-discipline. Time to whip ourselves into shape as fast as possible. Diet starts tomorrow! No more sugar, no more carbs, no more of anything that tastes good. We don’t deserve carbs!

Yes, I’ve been there, done that. After all, I am bipolar and projects are what I specialize in. If I am going to do it, I am going to commit 100%! I go out, get that gym membership, and write a detailed diet and exercise plan. I go to the store and buy a ton of supplements that promise fast results. I get an app to track all my calories and tell it I want to lose 30 lbs in a month. It says I can only have 1200 calories a day. I’m like, “Cool,” and I set to work. Can you spot all the mistakes I made?

First, I have created a diet plan that I will hate and most certainly will not stick to. I have already set myself up to fail.

Second, I buy a bunch of supplements that are no doubt NOT approved by the FDA. These man-made chemicals will end up damaging my metabolism or cause harmful side effects for my conditions because I obviously didn’t ask my doctor if they were safe (I don’t want a lecture, I just want a shortcut!).

Third, I get an app that knows nothing about my individual health. It’s just pumping out generic information based on my age and weight. What’s worse, constantly monitoring every morsel will inevitably get old and tedious.

However, let me simplify this. Why does strict dieting fail?

Because it’s no fun.

Why Strength Training and Fasting Helped Me

My doctor recommended a book called The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung. What I liked about this book is it did not talk about the solution at first. Had I known he was going to recommend fasting, I would have tossed that thing in the trash! Instead, he began by discussing why every strategy I had been using for years wasn’t working; debunking one myth after another, including the “Eat Less, Move More” myth. Fasting helps regulate insulin and stress management reduces cortisol. These hormones are the culprits of weight loss that must be conquered.

**Before I continue, please note not everyone can or should fast. I highly encourage anyone considering a fasting regimen to consult their doctor.**

After a surgery I had to remove a very small bone in my foot, I was bedridden for a week and because of complications, had a lengthy recovery. Therefore, my fitness career was on hold and I went from a lot of movement to none. Since eating healthy food is not my forte, I feared I would gain a lot of weight. Luckily I had already begun fasting, but was not yet aware of how beneficial it would be.

Fasting is a gradual process. I did not jump into it like I did my past dieting fails. However, I was surprised at how quickly my body adjusted. The hunger signals disappeared with practice. There are crazy people who fast for several days in a row, or even weeks, but I’m not that person. It is not necessary for effective weight loss and is contraindicated for my health conditions. Basically, I don’t eat late at night, I drink black coffee in the morning and skip breakfast, and I don’t snack in between meals. This routine reduces the amount of insulin produced in my body throughout the day. When I used to eat every 2 hours, believing it would boost my metabolism, I was actually flooding my body with insulin throughout the day, destroying my chances for sustainable weight loss.

Do I eat rabbit food and starve my body of carbs? I absolutely DO NOT. I love carbs. Though, my gluten sensitivity does not, so I do have to be cautious. As Dr. Jason Fung says, it’s not about calories people. It’s about the timing.

After that summer’s surgery, I did not gain a bunch of weight. In fact, over the course of 3 months, I lost 30 lbs WITHOUT exercise. Exercise is necessary for good health, yes. It is not necessary for weight loss. It’s all about what we’re putting in our bodies. Pour clean fuel into your car, it will perform at its best. The same goes for humans.

Now, where does strength training come into the story? Oh, strength training… How I hate it. I am the cardio queen, people. I love indoor cycling. It’s KIND OF an obsession. Which is funny because before I got into it, I avoided it like the plague.

Side note here: If you’re into cardio like me, do NOT deny your body carbs. End note.

Here’s the thing about excessive cardio… it can actually lower metabolism. Long cardio sessions can lead to the body burning muscle for energy. With muscle loss, resting metabolism slows, which then leads to fewer calories burning when at rest. I hate to tell you this, ladies, but all those calories you burned in that cardio session are nothing compared to the calories those body builders are burning while they’re sitting there on their phones at the machine. Muscle mass = high calorie burn at rest. Now, my cardio sessions did seem to move the scale down, but it was only temporary. As soon as I missed one or two weeks of cardio, my weight rebounded faster than I did after my divorces.

So if you like what you’ve read and want to give it a try, here’s your homework:

• Read The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung.
• Stop denying yourself the carbs you so desire.
• Find a stress management technique you enjoy.
• Get plenty of rest at night!
• Talk to your doctor about fasting and find out if it’s right for you.
• Start with shorter fasts until your body adjusts and then find a fasting routine that works for you.
• Incorporate strength training into your exercise routine.
• Find a support system.
• Return to this page for more encouragement throughout your journey.

You CAN do this! I believe in YOU!

Love, Anne

Follow Strong with Anne Brice on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for new articles and fun videos you can relate to.

March 11, 2026

starting over after gaining the weight back

(The Mental Battle No One Talks About)

By Anne Brice

The Shame of Gaining Weight Again

Twelve years ago I lost 95 lbs and completely transformed my life. I became an inspiration to others, became a fitness instructor, and thought I had finally figured everything out. But life has a way of testing you. Stress, mental health issues, poor eating habits, and steroid shots slowly pushed my weight back up to 197 lbs.

And the hardest part wasn’t the weight. It was feeling that I had somehow failed.

“You are an inspiration,” I had been told by countless clients I sold weight loss products to. “If you can do it, so can I!”

I was so ashamed of being just another weight loss successor who gained (almost) all their weight back. I went into hiding so no one would see what I had done. No gym or fit camps. No social events. Definitely no walking in front of mirrors or posing for photos. Everything I had finally began to enjoy just a few years prior.

“Just get it back off. You’ve done it once, you’ll do it again,” my friends and family said. 

The truth is, starting over after weight gain can feel even harder than the first time. You know what it took before, and you’re not sure you have the energy to do it again. 

The Fear That Nothing Will Work Anymore

Over the course of 10 years, I had tried weight loss pills, shakes, patches, excessive exercise and eating as little as 500 calories a day. I was desperate. It would work for a little while before my body adjusted, plateaued, and I began overeating again out of frustration. 

“I can’t do this, forget it.” And just like that, diet OVER.

Sure I got it off, but could I call it successful if I couldn’t maintain it? 

Do you know what it feels like to wonder if anything will ever keep your weight off?  Why bother??

However, last summer I realized something important. I didn’t need to punish myself or follow another extreme diet. I just needed a system that worked with my life instead of against it.

Learning to Restart Without Self-Hatred

The turning point happened when all the pain returned. My mental health suffered. The poor nutrition, lack of exercise, alcohol/tobacco use, and low self-esteem reactivated the extreme highs and lows of my bipolar disorder. If you suffer from any kind of mental health disorder, you know this wasn’t just affecting me. It affected my children as well. 

Enough. I decided I wasn’t done fighting for my health. If another long trek was what I had to do, it had to start immediately. I knew the further I let it go, the more work I would have to do. 

Was I ashamed to show my face in the gym again? You bet I was. Imagine a celebrity that once lived in a mansion that is now living on the streets after losing their battle with a drug addiction. Everyone has been reading it in the tabloids. They know. But his agent finally swings him a commercial gig selling herpes medication and he walks onto that shoot with his head held high to rebuild his reputation.

Maybe my story wasn’t near as dramatic as that, but eating is an addiction for me, and that’s what it felt like (plus, I’m a drama queen – for reference, see my before and after photos). 

I walked into the gym I used to teach classes at, scared to death I would see someone I knew. I was 55 lbs heavier than the last time they saw me. But I held my head up high and owned my story, determined to get it back off and show them I could do it again.

You have to love yourself enough to make that walk of shame. 

Why I Was Gaining and What Stopped the Cycle

Did that gym adventure fix it?

Psha. No. What I’ve learned in all my years is that the gym is not a sustainable solution for weight loss. It may help a little at first, but my body always adjusts to my new level of calorie burn and once it learns my new habits, those long cardio sessions that used to drop the scale are doing nothing anymore.

I went to my doctor defeated. “I’m eating less and moving more. I don’t understand. The scale never moves and if I eat even one carb, I gain 5 pounds in a day.”

She gave me a prescription to aid in my weight loss but recommended I read The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung. This is my new weight loss bible and I swear by it. This book explained in perfect detail why I continued to plateau and gain the weight back.

I had 2 factors that were working against me:

1. Insulin: I was spiking my insulin multiple times a day off the advice that I should eat healthy snacks every 2 hours to increase my metabolism.
2. Cortisol: I was not sleeping well, not managing my stress, and I was taking steroid shots every 3 months for 6 years to relieve the pain in my foot from a broken sesamoid bone. All of these were elevating the cortisol levels in my body.

I read on and on with the same nagging question, ‘Yes, Dr. Fung, but what is the solution!?!?’

That’s when he recommended the one thing I did not expect:  Intermittent Fasting.

I am the last person in the world that would’ve thought this would work for me. After all, I was addicted to food. No way I could go long periods of time without food! 

Don’t dismiss it, my friend. It is not NEAR as difficult as you may believe. (**Please see important note at the end of this article**)

I simplified my approach. Intermittent fasting helped me break the cycle of eating and cravings. It gave my body structure again, and for the first time in years, I felt like I had control. 

Teachers out there who have no time for meal prep, dieting, and exercise, I was able to maintain my weight for 6 months while teaching middle and high school theatre, instructing the color guard line, traveling with the band, and coaching the speech and debate team (The hospitality room at those tournaments provide enough food for a king). 

However, I was on the easiest diet ever for a busy educator. I skipped breakfast, ate lunch in the cafeteria, then ate a quick fast food dinner (Yep! Fast food! Gasp!) before rehearsal. No need to pack snacks. Just 2 quick meals a day. 

During that time I also built an entire home gym that I maybe used 3 times. Proving again that exercise is good for health, but not necessary to maintain or lose weight. 

Don’t even get me started on how much money I saved… If only I had known this before spending hundreds on all those pills and shakes!

That means just controlling my insulin helped me maintain my weight, because I was clearly not managing my stress… That was the last ingredient that needed to be dealt with to continue my weight loss.

I made the tough decision to quit my job. One of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make because it affected so many people, but it was necessary for my physical and mental health.

Now my cortisol levels are on the mend, my weight loss has resumed, and I am 16 lbs away from reaching my goal again. 

Encouragement, My Dear Readers

If you’ve gained weight back, please know this: you are not starting from zero. You’re starting from experience. Everything you learned before is still there.

Starting over doesn’t mean you failed. Sometimes it just means life happened – and you’re strong enough to rise again. 

It begins with a choice.

Love, Anne

**Please note: Intermittent Fasting isn’t for everyone. Please consult your doctor before beginning any fasting regimen.**

Follow Strong with Anne Brice on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for new articles and fun videos you can relate to.

March 14, 2026

why enjoyable workouts matter more than intense ones

By Anne Brice

People Stick With Workouts They Enjoy

You decide to lose weight and the first thing on your checklist is to join a gym. You join a group fitness class that you don’t love, but it’s the only one that fits your schedule. You know you need cardio, so you also join a cycling class, but it’s soooo not your thing. You heard you need strength training to burn more calories, but the gym floor is intimidating and out of your comfort zone. So now tell me: Did you stick with those classes? Did you show up on the gym floor consistently? I bet many of you will say, “No!”

I picked up running for awhile. Initially it felt good to do something I thought I couldn’t do, but honestly, it was boring and took a lot of will-power to reach each mile. Needless to say, I eventually gave it up. I bought countless workout videos promising major results, but that overly enthusiastic instructor grated on my nerves and doing the same workout over and over everyday got old.

People just do not stick with workouts they aren’t enthusiastic about or make them feel uncomfortable. Nor do they keep coming back to activities they just flat out HATE. People commit to activities they enjoy.

If you’d rather walk around the park with your dog than sweat it out with a bunch of people you don’t know, I recommend you take the park any time. Will you burn as many calories? Maybe not right away, but those walks will burn more calories over time than the 3 cycling classes you took and then quit.

Community and Fun Matter

I don’t like working out alone. Me, personally, I LOVE group fitness. Working out with others is my happy place. Getting that positive feedback from my instructor is gold. Having other class members text me with: Are you coming to class?? keeps me accountable. Most of my closest friends are people I met at the gym. So do I keep coming back? You bet I do!

My gym friends encourage me to keep going. A community of like-minded people are stronger together.

Now if you are introverted and group fitness is 100% NOT your thing, take that solitary run, walk, or lifting sesh with your headphones on. I love that for you! Fun matters. Find your brand of fun. If you can also find a community online for added support and accountability, you will find strength in numbers.

Punishment Workouts Cause Burnout

When you ate those donuts someone brought to the office or had an extra slice of cake at that birthday party, did you run to the gym, crank up the stair master, and muscle through each step to reverse what you ate? Then my friend, you just used that exercise as a punishment and have likely doomed yourself to failure.

According to a study by ResearchGate, punishment workouts—using physical exercise to penalize poor performance or misbehavior—contribute significantly to burnout by creating negative associations with activity, reducing motivation, and causing mental and physical fatigue.

If you had a coach who used exercises to punish you when you were young, chances are exercise creates negative emotions for you. Finding fun activities that are more like games than a workout would benefit you most.

Over the years, my favorite game-like activities included rollerskating or playing volleyball with friends, racing my husband on our bikes through the neighborhood, or playing tennis with him at the park. Our family football games in the backyard also created positive exercise vibes that kept us coming back for more.

Work smarter, not harder. Workouts that keep you coming back for more will surely burn more calories than those you quit.

Love, Anne