The Rest Factor: Episode Sixteen with Jenny Fisher
You can also listen to the full podcast episode with Jenny Fisher.
What Is Metabolic Fitness?
Metabolic fitness refers to how efficiently your body produces and uses energy. It includes:
- Stable blood sugar regulation
- Healthy insulin response
- Strong cardiovascular capacity (cardio metabolic health)
- Adequate muscle mass
- Hormonal balance
- Resilience to physical and mental stress
If you’ve ever wondered what is metabolic health, it’s the broader picture of these internal processes working smoothly together.
When your metabolic health is optimized, fat loss becomes easier, energy improves, and cravings decrease.
What Is Metabolic Age and How Is It Calculated?
Metabolic age compares your basal metabolic rate (BMR) to the average BMR of people your chronological age. If your metabolic age is lower than your actual age, your metabolism functions more like a younger person’s.
For example, a 54-year-old woman who strength trains, eats 100g of protein daily, and maintains high cardiovascular fitness might have a metabolic age of 35.
Lowering metabolic age after 50 (or 40) isn’t about dieting harder. It’s about increasing muscle mass, improving VO2 max training, and strengthening insulin sensitivity.
Why Does Metabolism Slow Down After 35 for Women?
Several factors contribute:
- Declining hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone)
- Gradual muscle loss starting as early as 30
- Increased cortisol levels from chronic stress
- Reduced activity and NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis)
- Poor sleep impacting blood sugar regulation
During perimenopause fitness and menopause fitness phases, falling estrogen reduces insulin sensitivity. This makes insulin resistance in women more common and fat storage especially around the midsection which is more likely.
The answer isn’t eating less. It’s building metabolic resilience.
Strength Training for Women Over 35: The Foundation of Fat Loss
If there’s one non-negotiable for metabolic health, it’s resistance training. Strength training for women over 35 preserves and builds muscle, which:
- Raises resting metabolic rate
- Improves glucose disposal
- Enhances bone density
- Supports hormone balance fitness
As Jenny Fisher explained on The Rest Factor Podcast:
Muscle health will either keep you out of the hospital or it will get you on an acorn stair lift at 75 years old.
How Can Women Over 35 Build Muscle and Burn Fat Effectively?
Follow this simple weekly structure:
- 3 full-body strength sessions (45 minutes): Include push, pull, squat, hinge, lunge, and carry patterns
- Progressive overload every 2–3 weeks: Increase weight, reps, sets, or adjust tempo
- Use dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, or bodyweight: To build muscle over 40, aim for 20–40% of daily calories from protein and distribute it evenly, 20–30g per meal.
Muscle is your metabolic insurance policy. As muscle mass increases, so does calorie burn even at rest.
HIIT Workout Strategy for Cardio Metabolic Health
High intensity workouts are powerful but only when programmed correctly.
Is HIIT Safe and Effective for Perimenopausal Women?
Yes, when paired with strength training and proper recovery.
An effective HIIT workout looks like:
- 30–45 seconds high intensity effort
- 60–120 seconds full recovery
- Repeat 6–10 rounds
- Total time: 20–30 minutes
This approach improves:
- VO2 max training capacity
- Mitochondrial density
- Post-workout calorie burn
- Insulin sensitivity
Avoid turning HIIT into long, exhausting cardio intervals. True HIIT is short and strategic.
The Best Diet for Metabolic Health After 35
You don’t need extreme restriction but you do need structure.
How to Boost Metabolism After 35 Without Restrictive Dieting
Focus on these non-negotiables:
- Protein: 100g daily target
Example:
- Greek yogurt breakfast (25g)
- Chicken quinoa bowl lunch (40–45g)
- Lean protein dinner (35–50g)
- Fiber: 25–30g daily: Supports gut health, satiety, and blood sugar balance
- Hydration: 2L water daily
- Remove ultra-processed foods and refined sugar: Reduces inflammation, stabilizes energy, lowers chronic disease risk
Within two weeks of reducing refined sugar and processed food, many women notice reduced bloating and fewer cravings.
As Ana Marie Schick noted on The Rest Factor Podcast, "It really is about looking under the hood."
- Limit or eliminate alcohol
Alcohol affects cortisol levels, sleep quality, gut health, and hormone levels.
Insulin Resistance in Women: Why It Blocks Fat Loss
Even with normal lab work, elevated insulin can silently drive fat storage. Signs may include:
- Midsection weight gain
- Energy crashes (often around 3 PM)
- Sugar cravings
- Difficulty losing fat despite effort
Improve insulin sensitivity by:
- Lifting weights
- Adding HIIT strategically
- Prioritizing sleep
- Eating protein at breakfast
- Avoiding constant snacking
When insulin stabilizes, fat burning becomes accessible again.
Should Women Over 35 Avoid Fasted Workouts?
Research from hormone experts suggests fasted workouts may elevate cortisol excessively, especially during perimenopause.
Chronically high cortisol levels can:
- Increase fat storage
- Disrupt thyroid function
- Worsen hormone imbalances
- Reduce performance
Instead, aim for at least 150 calories of pre-workout nutrition containing protein and carbs. Examples:
- Banana with nut butter
- Greek yogurt
- Protein oatmeal
- Whey protein shake
Proper pre-workout nutrition improves performance, protects muscle, and supports metabolic conditioning.
Sleep, Cortisol, and Circadian Rhythm Alignment
Poor sleep directly affects metabolic health.
When sleep drops:
- Insulin resistance rises
- Hunger hormones increase
- Recovery declines
- Cravings intensify
To improve metabolic resilience:
- Get morning sunlight
- Maintain consistent sleep times
- Avoid late-night snacking
- Train earlier in the day when possible
Better sleep enhances fat loss results without changing calories.
What Is the Best Exercise for Weight Loss After 35?
It’s not more exercise, it’s smarter exercise. The ideal combination:
- 3–4 days resistance training
- 1–2 HIIT sessions
- Daily walking (8,000–10,000 steps)
Scale weight may not change dramatically due to muscle building, but body composition improves. You’ll look leaner, feel stronger, and lower your metabolic age over time.
How to Lower Your Metabolic Age After 50 (or 40)
If your goal is to reduce metabolic age, focus on:
- Increasing muscle mass
- Improving VO2 max
- Hitting 100g protein daily
- Strength training consistently
- Sleeping 7–8 hours
- Eliminating excess sugar and alcohol
Metabolic age improves when your BMR rises and cardiovascular efficiency increases.
Conclusion
Metabolic fitness is the missing link for women over 35 struggling with fat loss. It shifts the focus from restriction to resilience—from eating less to fueling smarter.
By prioritizing strength training for women over 35, strategic HIIT workouts, adequate protein, and sleep, you rebuild metabolic health from the inside out.
Your metabolism isn’t broken. It’s adaptive. When you align your training, nutrition, and recovery with your physiology, fat loss becomes sustainable, energy stabilizes, and your metabolic age can move backward—no extreme dieting required.
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