If you’re a woman over 40 who’s been doing everything “right” (eating less, following the plan, tracking your syns or points) and still not seeing results, you’re not alone.

Maybe you’ve watched other women in your group drop weight week after week, even when they admit they’ve had a “bad week,” while you stay stuck. And when you ask why, you're told to just “keep going” or “trust the plan.”

But what if the plan is no longer right for your body?

In this post, I’m diving into why traditional diets like Slimming World and Weight Watchers often stop working in midlife, and what your body actually needs to lose weight, feel good, and thrive after 40.

Why Diets Like Slimming World Work in Your 20s and 30s

When you’re younger, your body is more metabolically flexible. Your hormones are in balance, you have more muscle mass, and your body can tolerate a calorie deficit without much pushback.

This is why you may have seen great results from calorie-focused diets in your 20s and 30s. Your metabolism was more resilient, your blood sugar was stable, and your body bounced back quickly, even if the approach wasn’t truly nourishing or sustainable.

What Changes in Midlife That Makes Weight Loss Harder

From your late 30s onwards, everything starts to shift:

• Declining oestrogen and progesterone impact your ability to regulate blood sugar, control appetite, and store fat.

• Loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) reduces your metabolic rate.

• Chronic stress and elevated cortisol make fat loss harder and increase cravings.

• Thyroid function and digestion may slow down.

• Perimenopause amplifies all of this, often before your periods stop.

• Chronic inflammation and tired mitochondria reduce your body’s ability to burn fat, even when you're doing “everything right.”

This isn’t a willpower problem... it’s about physiology. And continuing to follow a diet that doesn’t support these changes only makes things worse.

Why Some Women Over 40 Still Lose Weight on These Diets

It’s true - some women your age do still get results on Slimming World or Weight Watchers. But here’s why:

• They haven’t dieted chronically in the past.

• Their hormones and blood sugar are still relatively stable.

• They may not be deep into perimenopause (or they’re on HRT).

• They’re highly compliant and get short-term surface results.

But what you don’t see is how they feel behind the scenes. Many still struggle with fatigue, poor sleep, cravings, bloating, and mood swings... even if the scales are moving.

And often, the weight comes back.

Why I Don’t Recommend Slimming World or WW (Even If They “Work”)

Even when these plans do deliver weight loss, it often comes at a cost.

• They focus on points and portions, not food quality or hormone health.

• They encourage carb-heavy, ultra-processed “free foods.”

• There’s no education around perimenopause, metabolism, or long-term health.

• They create all-or-nothing thinking and guilt around food.

• They ignore symptoms like fatigue, cravings, bloating, and poor sleep.

• They erode body trust and can damage your metabolism over time.

You’re not just trying to lose weight - you’re trying to feel well, stay strong, and age healthily. And these plans don’t support that.

So What Does Work After 40?

Here’s what a supportive, effective, and hormone-aligned approach to weight loss looks like:

1. Blood Sugar Balance

Ditch the spikes and crashes. Build meals around protein, fibre, healthy fats, and slow carbs to keep energy, hunger, and mood steady.

2. Prioritise Protein and Muscle

Muscle is your metabolic gold. Support it with strength training and enough high-quality protein to protect your metabolism and body composition.

3. Support Stress & Sleep

Chronic stress blocks fat loss. A regulated nervous system makes everything easier — from digestion to hormone production to appetite control.

4. Support Gut & Liver Health

If your gut is inflamed or sluggish, your hormones and metabolism will be too. Addressing digestion is foundational to long-term progress.

5. Think Long-Term Health, Not Short-Term Shrinkage

You want energy, confidence, and strength, not just a smaller number. Focus on feeling well now and protecting your future health.

Check out this week's episode, where I walk you through all of this in more detail, and explain how to reset your metabolism and work with your body instead of against it.