5 Common Fat Loss Mistakes Women Over 35 Still Make (and How to Fix Them)

If you’re a woman over 35, fat loss can feel more frustrating than ever. Hormonal changes, stress, and a busy life can all make it seem impossible to make progress.

But here’s the truth – your body isn’t broken. You just need a smarter, more sustainable approach. Let’s break down the 5 biggest fat loss mistakes women over 35 still make – and exactly how to fix them.

1. Eating Too Little for Too Long

You may have heard of the term “mini cut” where low calories are on the plan for a short period of time, e.g. 6-8 weeks. This approach is for people who want to “get in and get out” and experience fast fat loss, e.g. pre-wedding cut, holiday, photoshoot etc. After this period of time, you would then go back up close to maintenance calories before going into a more gentle deficit. The other option is to stay in a smaller deficit for longer period of time, e.g 6 months.

Both options will result in fat loss, one just quicker than the other, but both will also experience metabolic adaptation where you will experience a fat loss plateau. This is normal and it is our body protecting us.

Being in an aggressive deficit (35%+) for too long signals your body to conserve energy. You’ll naturally move less, which means you burn fewer calories throughout the day. Many people think their metabolism ‘slows down,’ but what’s really happening is that your body becomes more efficient. It conserves energy by reducing movement and other energy-expending processes – so the same calories no longer create the same results.

The fix: Eat enough to fuel your body and your exercise and decide on an approach that is realistic for you, whether it’s the short term “get in and get out” or the longer term option. Start by finding your maintenance calories with my free TDEE Calculator. Then create your required deficit – around 10-20% below maintenance for longer term, or 30-35% for short term.

2. Doing Only Cardio (and Skipping Strength Training)

Cardio has its place, but if it’s all you do, you’re missing the magic ingredient: muscle. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass. Research shows that after the age of 35, we lose between 0.5-1% of muscle mass! Our bodies burn more calories to maintain muscle, so for this to be decreasing without us strength training means we no longer burn as many calories – which makes fat loss harder. Strength training not only tones and shapes your body, but also boosts fat burn and confidence.

The fix: Add 2–4 strength sessions a week to your routine. Focus on full-body and muscle group workouts and progressive overload. If you need a plan that’s already structured for results, try my 8-Week Transformation Program – it includes home and gym options so you can train anywhere.

3. Ignoring Sleep and Stress

You can’t out-train poor recovery. When sleep and stress are out of balance, your hormones follow – and fat loss becomes a struggle. As a parent, I completely empathise with lack of sleep and how it affects not just my training, but my recovery, focus, mood, and mental health. I have found this really helpful:

Kids routine – I strictly followed a routine since my daughter was a baby (for new parents out there, I strongly recommend the book “How To Enjoy Year One” by Rachel Waddilove). We’ve had phases of bedtimes being challenging (she’s 3 now) but for the most part, I’d say 85% of the time to date, she goes to bed at 7pm, asleep by 7.45pm, so we have an evening to relax and unwind.

Phone ban – at 8pm, I turn off notifications on my phone, and I don’t “doom scroll” before bed. When you scroll on your phone before bed, the bright blue light from the screen tells your brain it’s still daytime, which suppresses melatonin – the hormone that helps you fall asleep. Plus, the constant stimulation from social media or messages keeps your mind active instead of winding down. Even a few minutes of late-night scrolling can delay your sleep and reduce its quality, making it harder to wake up feeling rested.

Eat early – try not to eat before bed, as your body will then concentrate on digesting instead of producing melatonin hormone to get your to sleep. I normally eat by 6pm and in bed by 9pm (yes I really am that rock and roll).

Restrict fluids – don’t drink anything an hour before bed to help avoid getting up in the night t the toilet. This was a game changer for me!

High stress raises cortisol, which can make it easier to store fat around your midsection and harder to manage cravings. Stress came come from a variety of places – work, family, personal. Look at the areas in your life causing stress and prioritise that to find solutions to decrease your stress. Remember, a problem shared is a problem solved – don’t take on all the stress if you can help it.

The fix: Prioritise 7–8 hours of sleep each night. Build in small stress-management habits: walks, breathwork, journaling, or short reset breaks during your day.

4. The All-or-Nothing Trap

The all-or-nothing mindset kills consistency – and consistency is the real key to progress.

The fix: Stop chasing perfection. Focus on progress over perfection. If you go off-plan, move on. Long-term change comes from showing up most of the time – not all of the time.

5. Expecting Fast Results (and Quitting Too Soon)

You didn’t get here overnight – and you won’t transform overnight either. Real, lasting fat loss takes patience and consistency.

Many women give up just before their body starts responding. But small daily wins compound – and in 8–12 weeks, you can completely reshape your body and mindset.

Stay patient — every rep, every meal, and every day of consistency adds up. Give your body time to reward your effort.

The fix: Set realistic expectations. Track strength, confidence, energy, and inches – not just the scale.

The bottom line:
Fat loss after 35 is absolutely achievable – with the right strategy and mindset. Whether you want structured workouts, guidance, or full accountability, I’ve got you covered.