#252. This Is Why Exercise Isn’t Working After 40 (And What To Do Instead)

You’re doing more than ever: more workouts, more discipline, more effort. And still, your body seems to be working against you. If you’re over 40, Dr. Tabatha says there’s a reason, and it isn’t a lack of willpower. In this episode she explains why exercise alone may actually be stalling your weight release, and what to focus on instead.

Exercise Isn’t the Weight Release Tool You Were Told It Was

Dr. Tabatha sees this constantly in her practice: women who are strong, consistent, and disciplined, yet their bodies don’t respond. Her reframe is freeing: “Exercise is for strength and flexibility, not weight release.” What keeps weight on after 40 is usually food, your nervous system, and your stress levels.

Hormones, Cortisol, and Stress Are Connected

After 40, hormones, cortisol, stress, and gut health are all linked. What worked in your 20s and 30s may stop working, not because you’re doing it wrong, but because your body’s needs have changed.

Watch the Timing of Your Workouts

“When you exercise in the evening, you spike cortisol when your body wants to wind down.” Dr. Tabatha explains that this can create inflammation, disrupt sleep, and keep belly fat stuck. If you’re struggling with sleep or stubborn weight, try moving harder workouts earlier in the day.

Alcohol Is a Bigger Factor Than Calories

Alcohol is a major driver of weight release resistance, especially for women. It disrupts hormones, damages the gut microbiome, and increases inflammation. As Dr. Tabatha puts it, “It’s not just about calories, it’s about chaos inside your body.” (Go deeper in what alcohol is really stealing from you.)

Move Like You Were Designed To

Dr. Tabatha opens with a simple observation: Jesus walked a lot. So she walks as much as she can. She parks at the back of the lot and leaves the front spots for people who really need them. “Little movements like that matter.”

Your body was designed to move throughout the day, not just during a workout. Your nervous system connects to every organ, and when you don’t move regularly, the body starts to break down, sometimes showing up as gut issues or unexplained pain.

Rest Is Part of the Plan

Jesus also rested, stepped away, and prayed. Dr. Tabatha starts each morning in the Word and hands her worries to God, and she finds that everything flows better when she does. Rest isn’t laziness. For a stressed body, it’s often the missing piece.

What to Do Instead

1. Add more everyday movement: walk more and park farther away.
2. Use exercise for strength and flexibility, not punishment.
3. Avoid intense workouts close to bedtime.
4. Reduce or take a break from alcohol.
5. Look at food, stress, gut health, and sleep alongside exercise.
6. Start your morning with Scripture and prayer, and build in real rest.

Related reading: why diets don’t work for women over 40 and blood sugar balance for women.

Your next step: If this episode spoke to you, start the 5-Day Empowered by Faith Challenge and take your first faith-filled step toward healing, with Scripture, simple daily actions, and a community of women walking the same road.

This article summarizes a Fast to Faith podcast episode and is for education only. It is not medical advice. Talk with your own healthcare provider before changing medications, supplements, or your care plan.

Listen to the Full Episode

When More Exercise Isn’t the Answer: Healing Hormones, Faith, and Fat Loss After 40

If you’ve been working out harder than ever but still feel stuck in your weight release journey, this episode will shift your entire perspective. Dr. Tabatha unpacks why traditional fitness advice fails women over 40—and how healing starts by listening to your body, not punishing it.

She breaks down the hidden impact of cortisol, hormone imbalances, gut health, and even alcohol on stubborn belly fat. You’ll hear how simple changes like walking more, eating differently, and resting like Jesus did can lead to lasting transformation. If you’re tired of pushing with no results, this conversation is your permission slip to slow down, reset, and trust how God designed your body to heal.

If you liked this episode, watch it on YouTube! 👉🏻

Chapters:

0:00 – Why Exercise May Be Holding You Back
1:57 – Cortisol, Gut Health & Weight Release Resistance
4:50 – Working Out at the Wrong Time & Drinking Too Much
8:45 – How Movement Affects Your Nervous System
11:21 – The Power of Rest, Prayer, and Walking Like Jesus

If this episode helped you see your health in a new light, share it with a friend who’s been feeling stuck. 💛

The Transcript:

Why Exercise Isn’t Working After 40: The Hidden Hormonal Truth
(00:00)
Dr. Tabatha: How did Jesus live? He walked a lot. So I try to walk as much as I can. When I go somewhere, I park at the back of the parking lot and walk all the way to the building. I don’t look for the front spot—I leave that for someone who really needs it. Little movements like that matter.

(00:24)
 Dr. Tabatha: Welcome back to the Fast to Faith podcast! If you’re here, you’re probably ready to shift your health, mindset, and entire life. But maybe you’re doing more than ever, and it still feels like your body’s working against you. Sound familiar?

(00:57)
 Dr. Tabatha: Today, we’re diving into why exercise alone may actually be stalling your weight release—especially after 40. Hormones, cortisol, stress, gut health… they’re all connected. And I’ll show you why what used to work isn’t working anymore.

(01:57)
 Dr. Tabatha: I see this all the time with my patients. They’re strong, consistent, disciplined—but their bodies aren’t responding. Why? Because exercise is for strength and flexibility, not weight release. It’s your food, your nervous system, your stress levels. That’s what’s keeping the weight on.

(04:50)
 Dr. Tabatha: One major mistake? Working out at the wrong time of day. When you exercise in the evening, you spike cortisol when your body wants to wind down. That creates inflammation, disrupts sleep, and keeps fat stuck around your belly.

(06:37)
 Dr. Tabatha: Let’s talk about alcohol. I know, no one wants to hear it. But it’s a huge factor in weight release resistance—especially for women. It disrupts hormones, kills your gut microbiome, and increases inflammation. It’s not just about calories—it’s about chaos inside your body.

(08:45)
 Dr. Tabatha: God created our bodies to move—and not just in workouts. Your nervous system is connected to every organ through movement. When we don’t move regularly, our body breaks down. That includes everything from gut issues to mystery pains.

(11:21)
 Dr. Tabatha: And Jesus didn’t just move—he rested. He stepped away, prayed, reset. That’s what I do every morning now. Before I dive into the chaos, I start my day in the Word and give my worries to God. And when I take that time? Everything flows better.

(13:09)
 Dr. Tabatha: Still feeling stuck in your weight release journey? Click here to watch my video on the main reasons you’re gaining belly fat after 40 and what to do about it. You don’t want to miss this one.