Perimenopause Fat Loss Coaching for Women 35+, Online Across Canada

Forty Forward is one-on-one, online fat loss coaching for women 35+ in perimenopause. Our 8-week 35+ Metabolic Reset Method pairs hormone-first nutrition, with no calorie counting, with at-home strength training and a real coach who adjusts your plan every week. We're based in Toronto, coach women across Canada online, and have helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks.

If your body stopped responding to what used to work, you're in the right place.

Here's what's changing, why the old rules stall, and exactly how we coach it.

What changes in your body during perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the stretch of years before menopause when your hormones start to shift.

For a lot of the women we coach, it shows up in their late 30s or 40s.

And here's the frustrating part.

You didn't change anything. Your body did.

What women tell us they notice first:

• Fat settling around the middle, even though the way they eat hasn't changed.
• Energy that crashes by mid-afternoon, even after a full night in bed.
• Workouts that used to work suddenly doing nothing at all.

None of that means you're broken.

Your body is playing by new rules, and nobody handed you the new rulebook.

If the belly is the one driving you up the wall, we break it down here: Why am I gaining belly fat in perimenopause when nothing changed?

One note before we go further. If you're not sure whether what you're feeling is perimenopause, your doctor is the right first call.

Our job starts after that: building a plan that works with the body you have right now.

Why did the old approach stop working?

Can we please stop pretending that eating less and doing more cardio is the answer for a 45-year-old body?

Most of us were raised on that rule. And in your 20s, maybe it even worked.

Here's what we see happen after 35, over and over:

• Under-eating. When you eat too little, your body reads it as a threat. It slows down, holds on to fat, and gives up muscle first.
• Endless cardio. Running, spin and long sweaty classes burn calories in the moment, but they give your body very little reason to build or keep muscle. And muscle is your metabolism.
• Random workouts. A different class every day feels productive. Chris has a less polite word for it: "When you do random workouts, you send so many mixed messages to your body that it has no clue where you want to go. It's just a vomit of exercise."

That's why the harder you push, the less happens.

The effort was real. The plan was built for a different body.

If this is you, working out five days a week and eating well with nothing to show for it, read this next: I work out 4 to 5 times a week and eat healthy. Why isn't anything changing?

Is this a weight loss program?

Yes, and here's the honest version.

Most women come to us wanting to lose weight.

What they actually want to lose is fat.

The scale can't tell the difference between fat, muscle and water. So we coach the thing that changes how you look and feel: less fat, more muscle. That's why our results are measured in pounds of fat, and why so many women see their clothes change before the scale moves.

What is the 35+ Metabolic Reset Method?

It's our 8-week, one-on-one coaching program, built for women 35+ in perimenopause and beyond.

Four pieces, working together.

1. Hormone-first nutrition

A personalized plan built around your schedule, your stress, your sleep and the foods you actually enjoy.

Hormone-first means we build around what your body needs right now. Enough protein. Enough food to train on. Meals that keep your energy steady through the afternoon.

The first two weeks are a little lower in carbs. Then we open it up.

No calorie counting. No food scales. No macro tracking.

2. Strength over cardio

Follow-along video workouts you do at home, on your schedule.

Elle is on camera doing every workout with you, and Chris coaches her form in real time, with easier and harder options for every move.

The workouts build on each other week to week. That's progressive overload, and it gives your body a reason to change. Chris calls resistance training "the foundation and heartbeat" of everything we do.

All you need is a set of dumbbells, a Swiss ball and some fabric bands.

3. Weekly plan adaptation

Every week, you check in. Your coach looks at what's working, what isn't and what your week actually looked like. Then she adjusts the plan.

Travel, a sick kid, a brutal deadline. The plan bends with it.

You don't start over on Monday.

4. One-on-one video coaching

A dedicated coach who knows your goals and your life. Video check-ins, plus direct access between check-ins when something comes up.

No chatbot. No support inbox that takes three days.

Why that matters.

Most programs give you one piece. A meal plan, or a workout app, or a group class.

In our experience, women in perimenopause get results when all four pieces work together, adjusted by someone who's paying attention.

Do I have to count calories or give up my favourite foods?

No. And we mean it.

• There's no calorie counting, no food scales and no macro tracking.
• Wine nights and favourite foods stay in. We work them in, not out.
• You eat the same meals as your family. Nobody's cooking three dinners.
• Your plan comes with Elle's recipe library, built around groceries you already buy.

Chris says it best on his calls: "Life has real food, it has real events."

A plan that can't survive a birthday dinner was never going to last.

And if you happen to be someone who likes numbers, macro coaching is available. It's your choice, never a requirement.

What does a week of coaching look like?

About 4 to 5 hours a week, all in.

That covers your workouts, a bit of food prep and your weekly check-in.

A typical week:

• Strength workouts at home on most days. Follow-along video, so you just press play.
• One check-in with your coach, where your plan gets adjusted for the week ahead.
• Meals from your plan, built around what your family already eats.
• Recovery that counts. Sleep, walks, and the rest days you've been feeling guilty about.
• Your coach on hand between check-ins for the "is this normal?" questions.

We'll usually nudge you toward morning workouts when your life allows it. Chris explains that, in our experience, training earlier in the day sits better with your energy and your sleep than a hard session at 8 p.m.

No gym. No commute. No class schedule.

There are bodyweight workouts for when you travel, and curated DJ playlists, because nobody should have to squat in silence.

Who is this for, and who isn't it for?

We work with women who take their lives seriously. Executives, doctors, lawyers, teachers, business owners, real estate agents. Women who show up for everyone else and are ready to show up for themselves.

It's for you if:

• You're 35+, in perimenopause or past it, and your body stopped responding to what used to work.
• You want to lose fat and build strength without crash dieting or living at the gym.
• You're busy with a career, kids, parents, all of it, and you want a plan built for that life.
• You're done guessing and want someone to tell you exactly what to do, then check in.
• You're a total beginner, or you've been lifting for years. Both work.

It's probably not for you if:

• You want a quick fix or a crash diet.
• You'd rather have a self-serve app with nobody on the other end.
• You want in-person training or a class schedule at a gym.
• You're looking for medical care. We coach. We don't diagnose, prescribe or treat.

We're application only. Chris is honest about it: we have specific criteria, and we can't work with everyone. If it's not a fit, he'll tell you on the call.

What if I'm on GLP-1s like Ozempic, or thinking about them?

GLP-1s and peptides have changed the game. We know they can be life-changing when they're done right. We've seen it.

Here's where we land, depending on where you are.

Already on them.
Do it right. Make it count. The medication changes your appetite. It doesn't build muscle or tell your body where to pull from. That's where we come in. Strength training, plus eating enough protein on the days you're not hungry, is what keeps you losing fat instead of muscle.

Thinking about it.
Start with the Metabolic Reset. The foundation typically gets the job done. And if you ever want more support down the road, we have a hormone and functional medicine practitioner on our team.

Want nothing to do with them.
Most women come to us here. No prescriptions. No medications. Just the foundation: strength, protein, recovery and progressive overload.

Chris compares the medication without a foundation to putting high-octane fuel in a car with a worn-out engine. The fuel only helps once the engine is built.

One thing we never do: tell you to start, stop or change a dose. That's always a conversation with your doctor. We coach the training, the food and the habits around whatever the two of you decide.

The medication changes the input. The method determines the outcome.

What about HRT?

Some of the women we coach are on hormone therapy. Some are considering it. Some can't take it, or don't want it.

We coach all three.

Here's how we handle it:

• HRT is a medical decision between you and your doctor. We never recommend starting, stopping or changing it.
• Whatever you decide, the foundation stays the same: strength training, enough protein, enough food, sleep and recovery.
• A lot of women come to us already on HRT and tell us they feel better, but the fat around their middle hasn't moved. Training and nutrition are the piece we add.

If you want to go deeper, our hormone and functional medicine practitioner works alongside your own doctor, never instead of them.

What results can I expect, and is there a guarantee?

The 35+ Metabolic Reset Method has helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks.

Fat, specifically. That word matters.

You're building muscle while you lose fat, so the scale only tells part of the story. Your coach also tracks:

• How your clothes fit.
• Your progress photos.
• How much stronger you're getting.
• Your energy, sleep and mood.

A lot of the women we coach tell us energy is the first thing they notice. The jeans come next.

Chris calls the goal shrink wrap, tighten, tone. Strong and lean, and still you.

Our Results Guarantee:

Our most successful clients show up for every check-in, follow their nutrition plan, and do the workouts properly. Do that, and if you haven't hit the result we set together on your onboarding call, we keep coaching you for free until you do.

After the 8 weeks, many women continue into Metabolic Mastery, our ongoing coaching, to keep building.

Who will actually coach me?

Real people, with real faces and real names.

Chris Smits, co-founder.
NSCA certified, with three decades of coaching behind him, from professional athletes to women who've never picked up a dumbbell. He designs the training, coaches every workout on camera and reviews every application himself.

Elle Daftarian, co-founder.
A Precision Nutrition certified coach, a mom of two, and the woman doing every workout on camera with you. She went through perimenopause herself. Her body stopped responding, nothing she used to do worked, and that's why Forty Forward exists.

Your coach.
A dedicated, Precision Nutrition certified coach. Our coaches are women over 40 who've been through the Reset themselves, so the hard weeks aren't theory to them.

Chris and Elle are husband and wife, based in Toronto, coaching women online together since 2020.

Chris likes to say we're in the relationship business. Elle likes to remind him that she's the one in perimenopause, so she gets the final word.

Where has Forty Forward been featured?

Chris and Elle have been on TV and in print across Canada.

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.

You can watch and read every piece on our press page.

Real women, in their own words

The best proof is hearing it from her.

Here are two stories from Elle's YouTube channel.

Erin's story.
Erin is a 41-year-old mom of two. She sat down with Elle to talk about her 8 weeks in the 35+ Metabolic Reset.

Ashley's story.
At 44, with a demanding career and three kids, Ashley was running and eating well, and nothing was working anymore. She shares what changed.

More stories from Sarah, Franny, Sari, Marianne and Michelle are on our press page.

How do I get started?

Three steps. No credit card. No pressure.

1. Watch the short video on our homepage. Elle walks you through why your body stopped responding and how the method works.
2. Apply for a call with Chris. The application takes a few minutes, and Chris reviews every one himself.
3. Talk with Chris. He'll look at where you are, what's been blocking you, and tell you honestly whether this is the right fit.

What about the investment?

Every plan is built for one woman, so the investment is something Chris walks you through on the call, once you both know it's a fit.

You've been taking care of everyone else for a long time.

Your body can still change. It just needs a plan built for the woman you are now.

Start with the video. We'll take it from there.

Frequently asked questions

Is Forty Forward coaching online? Do I need to live in Toronto?

It's fully online. We're based in Toronto and coach women across Canada, and because everything happens by video and message, you don't need to live near us.

Do I have to count calories or track macros?

No. There's no calorie counting, no food scales and no macro tracking. Your coach builds your plan around foods you already eat.

How much time does it take each week?

About 4 to 5 hours a week, including workouts, food prep and your check-in. Workouts are at home, on your schedule.

I've never lifted weights. Can I still do this?

Yes. Every exercise has easier and harder options, Chris coaches form in every video, and your coach scales the plan to where you're starting.

Do you work with women on GLP-1s or HRT?

Yes. Whether you're on them, considering them or not interested, we coach the strength training, protein and habits around your choice. Any decision about starting, stopping or dosing a medication stays with your doctor.

Is this a weight loss program?

Yes. Most women come to us wanting to lose weight, and what they actually want to lose is fat. We coach fat loss and muscle gain, which is why our results are measured in pounds of fat, not just scale weight.

How much does coaching cost?

Every plan is built for one woman, so Chris walks you through the investment on your call, once you both know it's a fit.

What happens after the 8 weeks?

Many women continue into Metabolic Mastery, our ongoing coaching, to keep building strength. What you learn in the 8 weeks is yours to keep either way.

Is there a guarantee?

Yes. "Our most successful clients show up for every check-in, follow their nutrition plan, and do the workouts properly. Do that, and if you haven't hit the result we set together on your onboarding call, we keep coaching you for free until you do."