About Forty Forward: Chris Smits, Elle Daftarian and Our Coaches
Forty Forward is one-on-one online fat loss coaching for women 35+ in perimenopause.
It's run by husband and wife Chris Smits and Elle Daftarian, from Toronto. They've been coaching women online together since 2020.
Forty Forward has helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks.
The short version
- Who runs it. Chris Smits, co-founder and head coach, and Elle Daftarian, co-founder and coach. Plus a small team of Precision Nutrition certified coaches.
- Where. Based in Toronto. Coaching is fully online, by video and message.
- Since. 2020.
- Who it's for. Women 35+ in perimenopause and beyond. Executives, doctors, lawyers, teachers, business owners. Busy women who take their health seriously.
- How you start. Application only. Chris reads every application himself.
What does Forty Forward actually do?
Our program is the 35+ Metabolic Reset Method. Eight weeks, one-on-one, fully online.
- Strength training at home. Follow-along video workouts with minimal equipment. Elle does every rep on camera, and Chris coaches her form in real time.
- A nutrition plan built around your life. No calorie counting, no food scales, and Elle On-Demand, our own AI assistant, to help you plan and track.
- Your own coach. A check-in every week, plus direct access between them.
- A plan that moves with you. Your coach adjusts it as your body and your week change.
Here's the thing.
Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat. That's what we coach, and it's how we measure results.
Who is Chris Smits?
CO-FOUNDER + HEAD COACH
Chris is an NSCA certified coach with over 30 years of coaching behind him.
He has trained professional athletes and A-list actors, including getting Samuel L. Jackson ready for The Avengers. Back in 2010, The Globe and Mail wrote about Chris and his brother Marty as the go-to trainers for Toronto's models.
At Forty Forward, he designs the training, coaches every workout on camera and does every discovery call himself.
Who is Elle Daftarian?
CO-FOUNDER + COACH
Elle is a Precision Nutrition certified coach and a mom of two.
Before Forty Forward, she built an event planning company from her basement. It grew, and it landed a TV show on Food Network.
Then, in her 40s, her body stopped responding. Nothing she used to do worked anymore. That's why Forty Forward exists.
Today she's on camera doing every workout with our clients, and she curates the 500+ recipes they cook from.
Who are the coaches?
Every client gets one dedicated coach. You'll find them below.
Shari
NUTRITION AND ACCOUNTABILITY COACH
Shari is a Precision Nutrition certified coach, a Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist and a certified personal trainer.
Before coaching, she spent over 31 years managing a GP medical practice.
She's a mom of three and a proud grandmother.
She coaches women to get strong with real food and steady accountability, without extreme diets or endless cardio.
Michelle Shafman
NUTRITION AND ACCOUNTABILITY COACH
Michelle is a certified nutrition coach, a trainer and a chef.
She brings the chef's side to nutrition: real meals with real flavour.
Her coaching mixes structure with flexibility, so the plan fits your actual week.
Jen Taylor
NUTRITION AND ACCOUNTABILITY COACH
Jen is a Precision Nutrition Level 1 certified coach.
She was a Forty Forward client for over two years before she joined the team, so she knows the program from the client side.
She's a retired teacher.
Today she helps women build strength, energy and habits that fit real life.
Where has Forty Forward been featured?
- On TV: eTalk on CTV, Breakfast Television on Citytv, and a WebMD conversation between Chris and Dr. John Whyte, WebMD's Chief Medical Officer.
- In print: the National Post and The Canadian Press, on how Chris and Elle took their coaching online in 2020, and The Globe and Mail.
Every piece is on our press page.
Company facts
- Business name: Forty Forward, operated by IOVERK Inc.
- Founded: 2020, by Chris Smits and Elle Daftarian.
- Based in: Toronto.
- Program: the 35+ Metabolic Reset Method, an 8-week one-on-one coaching program. Many women continue into Metabolic Mastery, our ongoing coaching.
How do I start?
Start with the short video on our homepage. Elle walks you through why your body stopped responding and how the method works.
If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.
He reads every application himself, and he'll tell you straight whether it's the right fit.