Fat Loss After a Baby in Your 40s?

Yes, if you're 35+ and your doctor has cleared you to exercise. We coach moms in their late 30s and 40s, some just months after having a baby. We adjust the start to your body and swap core moves when needed. Still breastfeeding? Fat loss is often slower while you are, so we set your goal with that in mind.

A baby in your late 30s or 40s is a lot.

Your plan should know that.

First, when should you talk to your doctor (or pelvic floor physio)?

Before anything else.

Get cleared to exercise. Your postpartum check with your doctor or midwife comes first. We start once you have the green light.
See a pelvic floor physio if you can. A lot of the moms we coach already work with one. Tell your coach what they've said, and we build around it.
Tell someone if something feels off. Leaking, heaviness, pain, or a ridge down the middle of your belly when you sit up: mention it to your doctor or physio, and to your coach.

We coach. We don't diagnose. Your doctor and your physio lead on your recovery. We coach food, training, sleep and habits around what they say.

We'll never tell you to start, stop or change any medication. Breastfeeding and wondering about a supplement? Ask your doctor first.

Is it too soon to start?

Here's the thing.

There's rarely a perfect moment with a baby in the house.

What we look for is simpler:

You're cleared to exercise.
You have a little room in your week. About 4 to 5 hours, all in. Here's how that time actually breaks down.
You're ready to talk to your coach. Bad night with the baby? Tell her. Chris asks every woman for one thing: "All we want from you is communication."

If you're weighing now against later, here's how we think about starting now or waiting.

What changes if I'm still breastfeeding?

Two things.

Fat loss is often slower. A lot of the breastfeeding moms we coach notice their body holds on a little longer. That's normal, and we set your goal with it in mind. Be patient with yourself.

So while you're feeding, your coach looks at more than the scale. How strong you feel. How your clothes fit. Whether you're eating enough to get through the day.

Food matters even more. Feeding a baby takes fuel. You'll never hear us tell you to stop breastfeeding to reach a goal, and your plan won't be built around eating less.

Eating enough is part of the plan, every day. Hungry? Tell your coach, and she adjusts it with you.

Your coach builds your plan around real food: protein at every meal, plenty of water, and meals that fit a day with a baby in it. Here's how much protein matters, and how we keep it simple.

And the first two weeks of the Reset? Normally they're lower carb, with a short break from a few foods. If you're a few months postpartum or breastfeeding, your coach may change that part for you. Your recovery comes first.

How do you adjust the workouts after a baby?

Gently, and on purpose.

We adjust the start to where your body is right now. Your coach looks at how far out from the birth you are, what your doctor or physio has cleared, and how your nights are going. Your first weeks start there.

Start lighter. Lighter weights, fewer rounds, easier options. Every move has one.
Core moves get swapped. If a crunch-type move doesn't feel right, or your physio has told you to avoid it, your coach swaps it for one that does. Tell her what your physio has said, and she plans around it.
Short counts. A workout is about 50 minutes, follow-along video at home. Nap time only gave you 20? Part of a workout still counts.
Strength comes first. Resistance training is "the foundation and heartbeat" of everything we do, as Chris puts it. It's how you get your strength back for the lifting, carrying and rocking you do all day.

Never lifted before? Here's how beginners learn strength training at home.

What about the sleep I'm not getting?

Can we please stop pretending you can out-train a newborn's sleep schedule?

You can't. And you don't have to.

Your coach adjusts with you. On the hardest weeks, that might mean shorter workouts, simpler meals and a walk with the stroller. On the better weeks, you build.

What matters is the weeks adding up.

What's realistic for fat loss after a baby in your 40s?

Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat.

After a baby, that's especially true. Most women just want to feel strong in their own body again.

We've helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks.

For new moms, and especially while breastfeeding, the pace is often slower. So you and your coach set a realistic goal together on your onboarding call, based on your body, your baby and your week.

Ready to start, when you're cleared?

You grew a whole human.

Getting your strength back is allowed to take some planning.

Start with the short video on our homepage at fortyfwd.com. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method we use to change that.

If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.

He reads every application himself. On the call, tell him how old your baby is, whether you're breastfeeding and what your doctor has said, and he'll tell you straight whether the program is the right fit right now. If it is, he walks you through the investment then, once you both know it's a fit.

Your body did something incredible.

Let's help you feel strong in it again.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lose weight while breastfeeding in my late 30s or 40s?

Yes, once your doctor has cleared you to exercise. Fat loss is often slower while you're breastfeeding, so your coach sets a realistic goal and builds your plan around real food, never around eating less.

How soon after having a baby can I start strength training?

Once your doctor or midwife has cleared you to exercise. We start lighter, use the easier options and build from there, and we follow what your doctor or pelvic floor physio has told you.

What if I have diastasis or pelvic floor issues?

Tell your doctor or physio first, and then your coach. Your coach swaps any core move that doesn't suit you, and we follow your physio's lead.

Do I have to do the lower-carb first two weeks if I'm breastfeeding?

Your coach may change that part for you. If you're a few months postpartum or breastfeeding, your recovery and your milk supply come first.

Is your program only for women in perimenopause?

It's built for women 35+, and that includes moms who had a baby in their late 30s or 40s. Your coach adjusts the plan to where your body is right now.

Can I work on fat loss postpartum, or while I'm still breastfeeding, in my late 30s or 40s?