Never Diet Again with Max Lowery

Is Intermittent Fasting Safe for Women Over 40?

• Max Lowery

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Intermittent fasting transformed my life — but for many women over 40, it’s doing more harm than good.

In this episode, I break down why fasting can backfire when hormones, stress, and metabolism shift during perimenopause and menopause. You’ll learn the biggest mistake women make with fasting, how to improve metabolic flexibility without extreme restriction, and why emotional eating — not food itself — might be your biggest weight loss blocker.

I also share 3 simple, sustainable habits that help reset your body to burn fat naturally, without tracking or skipping meals.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why fasting doesn’t work the same after 40
  • How hormone changes affect cravings and belly fat
  • Why “discipline” isn’t the problem — and what actually is
  • The truth about metabolic flexibility and sugar-burning mode
  • 3 habits to ditch cravings and feel in control again

If you've tried everything and still feel stuck, this episode will shift your perspective — and give you tools that actually work.

Listen now and start getting results that last. 🎧 



Watch my The Cravings & Fat-Burning Masterclass:  https://www.neverdietagain.uk/register-podcast

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/max.lowery/

Book a Food Freedom Breakthrough Call: https://calendly.com/maxlowerycoaching/food-freedom-breakthrough-call

Max Lowery:

In 2017, I wrote one of the first books on intermittent fasting in the UK. I've practiced intermittent fasting for over 10 years and it has quite literally changed my life. Since writing my book, the 2-Meal a Day, I've helped over 1,000 women lose weight and keep it off, and I've now changed my mind on fasting. In this video, I'll show you why intermittent fasting can be a powerful tool for weight loss, but why it might not be the right tool for women over 40 who are trying to lose weight. You'll also learn the biggest mistake most women make when trying intermittent fasting, how hormones, stress and your metabolism change everything after the age of 40, and how to get all the benefits of fasting without stressing your body and getting any of the negative side effects. But before I show you why intermittent fasting might do more harm than good if you're a woman over 40, we need to get clear on what it actually is, because right now, intermittent fasting is being marketed like it's a magic pill Skip breakfast, shrink your eating window and burn fat automatically. Those are the claims, but there's a lot more going on beneath the surface. Automatically, those are the claims, but there's a lot more going on beneath the surface. How do you create a life that allows you to lose weight, eat the foods that you love and sustain the results. Over the last 10 years, I've helped thousands of people do exactly that. I'm Max Lowery. I'm an author, personal trainer and weight loss coach. In this podcast, I'm going to share my top tips and tricks from within my one-on-one coaching program. It's my goal to give you the tools and understanding so that you never diet again.

Max Lowery:

Intermittent fasting at its core is when you cycle between periods of eating and not eating. It doesn't tell you what to eat, it tells you when to eat. It's nothing new. Every ancient culture and religion has practiced intermittent fasting in some way for thousands of years. There are many different styles, like the 16-8, the 5-2, alternate day fasting or my own method, the two meal day. Intermittent fasting isn't magic. By limiting the window of time in which you can eat, you can naturally reduce how often you eat, and when you eat less frequently, it becomes easier to eat less, without tracking, weighing or overthinking every single bite. That's how it works. It helps create a calorie deficit, which is the foundation of every successful fat loss strategy, no matter what the method.

Max Lowery:

But here's what I think intermittent fasting stands out from other diets, it can be sustainable and enjoyable. But, unlike other restrictive, unenjoyable diets, intermittent fasting can be sustainable and enjoyable. Not only can it help with weight loss, but it can also improve your metabolic flexibility, which is your body's ability to switch effortlessly between different fuel sources, whether it's the sugar from food, stored carbohydrate in the muscles and the liver, and your body fat. When you can effortlessly shift between the different fuel sources, everything changes. You feel fewer cravings, more stable energy levels and less urgency around food, which can make weight loss feel effortless For many people, myself included. Fasting can feel natural and not forced. There's no complicated rules, there's no obsessing over macros, just eating larger meals less frequently and enjoying sustainable weight loss.

Max Lowery:

I fasted for over 10 years. I eat two large, satisfying meals per day and it helps me stay lean, energized and in control of my relationship with food all year round. Sounds great, right? End of video. Go try intermittent fasting. No, that's not what I'm saying, because here's the part that nobody talks about. The same exact approach amazing can help other people, especially women over 40, feel anxious, fatigued, obsessed with food and totally out of balance. And this is because there are some fundamental differences between men and women which have to be taken into account, because when you start fasting, you're not just changing your meal schedule and eating less. You're altering your hormones, your metabolism and your stress response.

Max Lowery:

So before you dive deeper into fasting or blame yourself for doing it wrong, let's look specifically at what's going on beneath the surface. If you're watching this video, chances are you're a woman over 40 who's struggling with your weight, just like so many of the women that I work with. You're smart, driven and incredibly disciplined, but you're still stuck. And why is that? It's likely because you're trying to do what used to work in your 20s and 30s. Back then, cutting out carbs, dropping to 1200 calories, smashing gym sessions all of that could have helped you lose weight in the past, but once you hit your 40s, the perimenopause and the menopause changes everything. Your hormones shift, your stress response shifts, your metabolism becomes less flexible, your energy levels plummet and your body stops responding to those old strategies and, in fact, sometimes they can make things worse. So let's briefly talk about exactly what is going on within your body.

Max Lowery:

As estrogen and progesterone decline during the perimenopause and menopause, several changes take place in your body. One key change is a reduction in insulin sensitivity, meaning that your body can become less efficient at processing carbohydrates. This can lead to higher circulating insulin levels, which can promote fat storage, particularly in the abdominal region. At the same time, the decline in estrogen affects how your body regulates appetite, energy, mood and sleep. Really quick one for me, guys. I don't run ads on this podcast and I do aim to give you as many high-value tips and tricks as I can for free. All I ask in return is that you help me spread the word. That way I can help as many people as I can to never diet again. The way to do that is to rate, review and share this podcast. A review will only take 30 seconds, but it would mean the world to me. But, more importantly, it could help change the life of someone else. Research suggests that lower estrogen levels are linked to increased visceral fat accumulation. Research suggests that lower estrogen levels are linked to increased visceral fat accumulation.

Max Lowery:

Even when you don't increase your calories, you can put on more belly fat. At the same time, your sensitivity to stress goes up. Cortisol, your main stress hormone, becomes harder to regulate. When cortisol stays elevated, it increases cravings, disrupts your sleep and drives fat storage. It can actually make fat loss feel impossible. So if you then lay intermittent fasting on top of that skipping meals, extending fast, working out fasted you're just adding more stress onto a system that is already overwhelmed. And the result your hunger spikes, your mood crashes and you start questioning your willpower.

Max Lowery:

But this has nothing to do with willpower. This is not discipline. You don't just need to try harder, you need to work with your physiology and your biology, because lots of the clients I work with think they just need to try harder, but they don't. They need to work smarter. You need to nourish your body instead of depriving it. You need to support hormonal health and restore metabolic flexibility so that your body, instead of depriving it. You need to support hormonal health and restore metabolic flexibility so that your body naturally burns fat and regulates appetite. When you make those changes, when you stop following old rules that no longer fit into your life, everything gets easier your cravings drop, your energy comes back and the fat starts coming off without extremes. And that's exactly what we're going to dig into next.

Max Lowery:

Because it's not just about hormones why fasting can do more harm than good for women over 40. It's also because it doesn't address the root cause of the issue. So let's look at that when I wrote my book back in 2017, I believed intermittent fasting was the answer. I thought if everyone incorporated fasting in some way, shape or form, all their problems would be solved. That's because it helped me control hunger, stay lean and simplify eating. But when I started working with real women mums, busy professionals, women in the perimenopause and the menopause I saw something very different. Fasting alone wasn't enough and in some cases it made things worse.

Max Lowery:

Intermittent fasting can be a great tool For some people. It's exactly what they need. It simplifies eating, reduces snacking and helps them feel more in control. But that doesn't mean it's the answer, especially if you're a woman over 40 who's struggled with weight for years. Because for many of the women I work with, fasting doesn't address the root cause of why they put on the weight in the first place. It's just one tool. In order to get long-term success, you need many tools for the job.

Max Lowery:

So what are the root causes of weight gain? Well, it's emotional eating, it's stress, it's years of being stuck in all or nothing thinking, swinging between restriction and rebellion. Most of the women I work with feel like they know what they need to do, but the issue is they eat when they're stressed, overwhelmed, lonely, or as a reward at the end of the day, or if they make a single mistake, then they give up and throw in the towel and tell themselves I'll start again on Monday, when they've had a long, exhausting day at work. Food is the only comfort that they trust. Fasting doesn't fix that. It won't teach you how to handle stress without turning to chocolate. It won't stop you from eating half a bag of crisps just because you feel like you broke the fast and made a mistake. It won't rewire the guilt or the shame that's built up after years of failed diets. And that's why, for many women, fasting is just another fad diet that cannot be maintained in the long term. The weight might come off for a while, but it almost always comes back. That's because the emotional triggers, the perfectionism, the beliefs, the sabotage they are all still there.

Max Lowery:

So if this sounds like you and you've tried fasting, tracking, low carb, calorie counting and nothing sticks, it's probably not about the food anymore. It's about what's driving your choices around food. I am less interested in what my clients eat and I'm more interested in why they are eating, and that's exactly why I created my Cravings and Fat Loss Masterclass. In it I break down how to reset your relationship with food, stop emotional eating and lose weight in a way that actually lasts. If you want to get access to that, click the link below.

Max Lowery:

So for a lot of the women I work with, it's not just about hormones or emotional eating. It's the fact that their body is stuck in sugar burning mode. The technical term for this is being metabolically inflexible. It means your body relies almost entirely on a constant stream of food and carbohydrates to function. If you have constant cravings, energy crashes or you get irritable if you don't eat, then likely you are stuck in sugar burning mode and it's going to make you feel totally out of control with food. It's going to make eating in a calorie deficit almost impossible and this is why fat loss can feel like a battle. So intermittent fasting can improve metabolic flexibility for some people. However, there are all these potential negative side effects, particularly if you are a woman over 40. So, instead of jumping straight into fasting, I'm going to give you the exact same three tips I give my coaching clients, and this will help you reset your body to burn fat gently, with no tracking, no restriction and no skipping meals.

Max Lowery:

Number one eat three large, satisfying meals at the same time every single day. This trains your body to expect and trust consistent fuel. This can reduce hunger, stabilize blood sugar. Sounds incredibly basic, but most people are eating eight, nine times a day. They are grazing all day, every day. So going back to basics, focusing on three square meals, prioritizing protein and fiber, is going to make you feel fuller for longer, it's going to regulate your blood sugar and you'll likely end up eating less as a consequence.

Max Lowery:

Number two stop fucking snacking. Snacking is a massive problem. You could be eating 500 calories extra every single day just in snacks. And remember, every bite, lick and taste counts, the BLTs. Snacking keeps you dependent on a constant stream of food to function. It will make eating and a calorie deficit almost impossible, but unfortunately it's become socially accepted and the social norm. But this is a relatively new issue. When you remove the snacks, your body is forced to start using its stored energy, aka body fat. This could be hard at first, but after about a week it should feel effortless and you should feel less hungry overall. And number three get 7,000 to 15,000 steps in per day.

Max Lowery:

Walking is underrated. It lowers blood sugar, reduces cravings and signals to your body that it's safe to burn fat, and all of this without stressing your system or raising hunger levels. It's free, safe and anyone can do it. And not just that if you get 7,000 to 15,000 steps in, you could burn more calories than a hard workout. Yes, I said it more calories. So these three habits will improve your metabolic flexibility and naturally reduce your calorie intake. But not just that they can be sustained in the long term, because once your metabolism becomes more flexible, give it a few weeks and you will feel less hungry, more energized and more in control of your relationship with food, and therefore eating less is going to become much, much easier.

Max Lowery:

So if you're a woman over 40, your body, hormones and stress levels require a more flexible and gradual approach. If you want to fast safely and effectively, in a way that actually lasts, you need to start with these three habits, but also address the root cause of your weight gain. This means improving your relationship with food, learning how to fuel yourself properly and addressing the emotional and mindset patterns that are driving your overeating. Only then can intermittent fasting become a supportive tool, not a stressor or a temporary fad diet, and that's why I gave you those three simple tips in this video. Eat satisfying meals, stop snacking and move your body consistently. These steps improve your metabolic flexibility and bring your body back to balance. But if you've been dieting for years, if your relationship with food is filled with guilt, stress or shame, if you currently feel completely out of control when it comes to eating, then these three tips might not be enough.

Max Lowery:

You may need more than just watching a YouTube video or listening to a podcast, and that's exactly why we offer the Food Freedom Breakthrough Call. It's a free one-on-one call with either myself or one of the team, where we'll help you unpack exactly what's going on, share what's working for other women just like you and show you how our proven system can help you lose weight without restriction, without shame and without starting over every single Monday. So if you're ready to finally feel in control around food again, click the link below and book in a call. I would love to be able to help, but if you're not ready for a call, that's no problem at all, because if you feel like you're doing everything right but you're still not seeing results, make sure you catch this video, because it's going to.