How to Lose Weight After 30 (and Keep It Off)

Does it seem like losing weight after 30 is a lot harder than it used to be? I have a lot of people ask me how to lose weight after 30 because it just ain’t working anymore! You aren’t wrong. Things aren’t the same. But think about it this way: Your schedule is busier, your energy is lower, and life just isn’t the same as it was before. You are looking back at pictures of you when you thought you were fat, and WISH you had those same problems.

If you’re here, chances are you’ve already tried eating “healthy,” cutting carbs, or hopping from one workout trend to the next. And you’re frustrated that the scale isn’t moving—or worse, moving the wrong way.

But you’re not broken. Your body just needs a better plan. Let’s break it down step-by-step.

Step 1: Know What Your Body Actually Needs

Weight loss starts with understanding how many calories your body needs each day. That number isn’t a guess—it’s based on your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and how active you are. This is NOT a number that you need to stay below. Most definitely not. This is your baseline for life sustaining function.

If you don’t know your baseline, it’s like trying to budget without knowing your income.

We walk you through the math in this blog: 👉 How to Calculate Your Calorie Needs to Lose Weight After 30

Step 2: To Lose Weight After 30 you Focus on Calories First—Not Only “Eating Healthy”

You can eat all the veggies, smoothies, and protein bowls in the world… but if you’re taking in more energy (calories) than your body will burn in a day from snacks or desserts, the scale won’t budge. If you are taking in too many, the scale might even continue to go up. However, please don’t cut out the grilled chicken to save some calories. I promise that isn’t the issue. The grilled chicken, even smothered in cheese, is giving you many benefits outside of the very very low caloric amount it adds. (It’s the cheese on top that might be underestimated! :))

That’s why we always start with this: 👉 Why Calories Matter Most for Weight Loss at First

Don’t worry—this doesn’t mean strict counting forever. But awareness helps you stop guessing and start adjusting.

Step 3: Understand How Your Body Burns Calories

This is where the acronyms come in: TDEE, BMR, and NEAT.

It’s not as complicated as it sounds—and once you get it, everything clicks. These terms explain how many calories your body uses at rest, during movement, and throughout the day.

Here’s a simple breakdown so you can determine if you need more movement in your day and what it can do to help you lose weight: 👉 What is TDEE, BMR, and NEAT?

Step 4: Build Habits You Can Stick With

We’re not about quick fixes here. Because let’s face it—you’ve probably tried those already.

Weight loss that actually lasts means creating routines you can keep doing even when life gets busy. That might mean prepping simple meals, walking more often, or just drinking more water consistently. It’s not about how many calories you can cut today or this week – it’s about what you can do – nope, actually – will do long term to lose weight and keep it off.

If you won’t do it long term to lose and maintain your new healthy weight (we can help you determine that with our body composition testing machine – InBody) then you shouldn’t do it now. There is no prize for cutting out carbs for 30 days, dropping the weight and then adding all the weight back once you reintroduce carbs to your lifestyle. Stop the yo yo and do things that are sustainable.

How to Build Awareness of your Eating Habits?

Before we change anything, we need to know what we are actually doing – so we know WHAT to change. We have to stop throwing darts at the problem and being realistic. We made a guide that helps you track your food in a way that fits your personality—because you don’t have to do it perfectly to make progress. 👉 Read it here.

Where to Start to Keep Adding Simple Habits that add up to Lifestyle Change

Now that we know what we are eating and how it all adds up, how can we start improving your diet with habits vs restriction or short term change? I wrote this with that question in mind. How to Make Healthy Improvements to your Eating, Simple.

It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress. We help women build these small but powerful routines every day at NHF.

Menopause, Metabolism, and Making Nutrition Work for You

Yes, menopause really can impact your sleep, your energy, and that stubborn belly fat. Hormonal changes can mess with your hunger, your metabolism, and even how well you recover from workouts. But you’re not stuck—you just need a new approach.

Start by focusing on two of the most powerful tools: vegetables and protein. I explain how this works (plus how to plan, prioritize, and prepare your meals) right here 👉 Fight Menopause with Food.

What About Weight Loss Medications?

More women than ever are turning to injections or weight loss medications—and maybe you’ve considered them too. I wrote about how I’ve seen this play out, including how it affected people in my own life, and what I believe really matters most.

If you’re curious about these medications—or already using them—this blog is for you. 👉 Read: My Honest Take on Weight Loss Medications

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

At NHF, we help women every day over 30 who want to lose weight without losing their energy, confidence, or minds. 🙂

We’ll help you understand your body, make a plan, and stick with it—even when life gets messy.

👉 Book a Free Intro and let’s get started—no pressure, just support.