Why Weight Loss Gets Harder
If you've noticed the scale creeping up despite not eating more or exercising less, you're not imagining things. Several factors converge after 35:
- Declining testosterone: Less testosterone means less muscle mass, slower metabolism, and easier fat storage — especially around the midsection
- Insulin resistance: Cells become less responsive to insulin, making your body more likely to store calories as fat
- Decreased growth hormone: GH drops significantly, reducing your body's ability to burn fat and build muscle
- Thyroid changes: Even subclinical thyroid slowdown impacts metabolism
- Cortisol: Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which directly promotes abdominal fat storage
- Sleep quality: Poor sleep disrupts hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin) and tanks testosterone
What Doesn't Work
- Crash diets (destroy muscle and metabolism)
- Cardio-only approaches (without resistance training)
- Ignoring hormones (the biggest overlooked factor)
- Willpower alone (biology beats willpower every time)
What Actually Works
- Hormone optimization: Fix the foundation. If testosterone, thyroid, or insulin are off, everything else is an uphill battle
- Resistance training: Builds muscle, boosts metabolism, improves insulin sensitivity, and increases testosterone
- Protein priority: Higher protein intake preserves muscle during fat loss and improves satiety
- Sleep optimization: 7-8 hours of quality sleep is non-negotiable for hormonal health
- Stress management: Lowering cortisol enables fat loss
- Medical guidance: A personalized plan based on your actual bloodwork and metabolic profile
Start with a metabolic assessment and find out what's really going on.