Transcript: The Real Reason You're Not Losing Weight in Your 40s (Hint: It's Not Cardio)

All I know is I'm really glad I finally picked

up a weight. What's up, you guys? Famous Ashley

Grant here. Welcome to More Movement, Please,

the podcast where I hope to inspire you to move

your body more. Today, I have another awesome

voice note, and this one comes to us from Anne

Brady, and here's what she has to say. If I had

to give one fitness tip for someone in their

40s who wants to lose weight and get healthy,

it would be this. Make strength training the

foundation of your routine. And I know, that

might not be what you'd expect. Most people think

the answer is more cardio, but the real game

changer in your 40s is building and maintaining

muscle. Strength training simply means working

your muscles against resistance. Things like

bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, kettlebells,

or machines. And the key is consistency. Two

to three times a week, every week. Not a quick

12 -week program and then you're done. Just regular,

full -body sessions that challenge your muscles

in a way that feels doable for you. So why is

this important in your 40s? Because your muscles

are the engine that support almost everything

about your health as you age. Muscle mass, muscle

strength, and muscle power are what keep you

moving well, feeling capable, and staying independent.

Muscle is also metabolically active, meaning

it uses energy even when you're not working out.

So the more muscle you have, the more calories

your body naturally burns throughout the day.

This makes weight loss easier and long -term

weight maintenance more realistic. And beyond

metabolism, muscle is what helps you complete

daily activities. Carrying groceries, climbing

stairs, getting off the floor, keeping up with

your kids or grandkids, and moving without fear

or injury. Strength training protects that ability.

regarding weight loss strength training boosts

your metabolism it improves how your body handles

blood sugar supports better energy and helps

regulate the hormones that influence hunger and

stress and as you get stronger every other type

of movement including cardio becomes easier if

you're new to strength training focus on frequency

before intensity aim for two full body sessions

per week include movements that work both your

upper and lower body And once that feels like

routine, then you can add intensity, increasing

the challenge. Things like heavier weights, more

reps, or more complex exercises. The goal is

to build consistency first. Intensity can come

later. If you're in your 40s and you want to

lose weight and get healthy, strength training

is your best investment. It boosts your metabolism,

protects your muscle, supports your joints, and

helps you feel strong and capable in your everyday

life. Start simple, stay consistent, and build

from there. I don't know about you guys, but

I finally started lifting weights, not like crazy

lifting, but I am actually using weights in my

workouts. And I can't help but get tickled whenever

someone tells me, you know, you need to add strength

training to your workouts because it reminds

me of whenever I first started trying to work

out and how my instructor Rhonda would... basically

say to me that she never thought I was going

to lift a weight. She never thought that she

could get me to lift a weight. And I didn't realize.

back then just how important it was to add strength

training to my exercises. And a friend of mine

who used to own a couple of health websites,

she used to say that to me all the time too.

She's like, if you're getting serious about fitness,

you really need to start lifting weights. And

I really didn't understand why it was such a

big deal. I was like, well, if I'm trying to

lose weight, aren't I supposed to just do more

cardio? Shouldn't I just be dieting? Like, isn't

that what I really need to lose weight? Yeah,

okay. That is something you can do to lose weight.

But if you're trying to improve your overall

fitness, then you have to include strength training

in your workouts. And I can tell you guys, I

am so freaking glad that I started lifting weights

and like using weights in my workouts because

feeling stronger, it just feels so much better

than what I was doing before. I mean, I've said

it before and I'll say it again. Zumba is still

my absolute favorite thing to do. That is my

favorite way to work out. But I'm so glad that

I am including strength training because I mean,

being able to lift stuff. being able to do things

like, oh my goodness, it is such. I hate the

word game changer, but it really was like it

really was a game changer for me to add strength

training to my exercises. I do feel like it's

helped give me more endurance. It's helped improve

my fitness overall. And if you're not including

strength training in your workouts, what are

you even doing with your life? I really hope

that this that this episode inspires you that

if you are not currently doing some sort of strength

training in your exercises that you will start

because it. It is everything. And it just feels

so good to be able to lift stuff. And I told

you guys in previous episodes that my goal now

is to seriously start using those 20 pound dumbbells

more often. I'm getting closer and closer. I'm

using them in some of the exercises that I'm

doing, but I'm still not using them quite to

the degree that I want to. I'm getting there.

I can't wait. I'm so excited. I hope that this

message was inspiring for you. I hope you enjoyed

everything that Ann Brady had to share. And I

really enjoyed what she shared. And I would love

to hear from y 'all too. If you'd like to share

a voice note that can be used in this podcast,

I want to hear from you. Go to famousashleygrant

.com backslash fitness. And if you're a person

who's on a fitness journey, just like me, and

you want to share what you're going through,

I want to hear from you. Or if you're a fitness

pro and you want to share, you know. A tip that

I may not have thought of or that I haven't covered

yet, I'd love to hear from you too. So head over

to famousashleygrant .com backslash fitness.

But that's all I've got for you guys today. Onwards

and upwards, my friends. Have you worked out