Why The Weight Keeps Coming Back

1. Even spread across meals

If you’ve ever heard the advice to “frontload” a certain daily macro (usually protein) or “backload” another (usually carbs), this is typically a bad recommendation. The reason being, your body needs ALL macronutrients throughout the day. Batching on macro into a certain part of the day can make you lethargic and prevent your body from gaining access to the macros it needs at the moment it needs them. The opposite is best: Aim for an even spread of your daily macros across all the day’s meals, with one key exception (which we’re about to cover).

2. Alter your macros before and after your workouts

Pre- and post-workout meals are essential to maximizing your results from lifting, but you don’t want to treat them like standard meals — your body will typically prioritize digesting fats, but it needs protein and carbs. So limit your fats before and after working out, and spread them between your remaining meals as much as possible. Focus on eating leaner, cleaner pre- and post-workout meals, and save the richer options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus, this way you have room to add extra flavor to your bigger meals with those fats. Working with your body by giving your muscle repair and digestion a leg up is one of the easiest paths to sustaining your energy day to day!

3. Eat early and often

Intermittent fasting has its place, but it’s not building a lean body composition. By delaying your first meal, you rob your body of the macros it needs to build and repair muscle tissue and provide you with the energy to kickstart your day. This is especially true if you work out in the mornings — where is your body getting the nutrition it needs to maximize the results of your workouts? Even a light meal early in the morning will go a long way toward balancing your energy throughout the day. And just remember: You already intermittently fast while you’re sleeping!

Want 1-on-1 support with balancing your macros, improving your energy, and building your dream body composition? Apply to become a WarriorBabe here!

1. All cardio, no strength

The first step is to do as much cardio as you possibly can. Not only will you burn off the fuel your body needs to tone, you’ll release additional stress hormones that cause your body to hold onto more fat stores, solidifying the body composition you already have. You don’t get rid of the old, you don’t welcome the new. Building muscle speeds up your metabolism, allowing you to burn off more pounds — so if you’re trying to ensure you keep the exact body you have and never see more muscle tone than you do right now, doing tons of cardio is a great way to get there!

2. Cut out carbs

Seriously, cut out all of them. Eating carbs lets your body build glycogen, which is a vital tool for building a lean body composition. And especially don’t eat carbs before and after your workouts, when your body wants those carbs to fuel your muscles. You don’t want to build definition, after all — you want to stay exactly where you are, then never, ever use carbs, because they’re crucial for toning. Having no carbs in your system allows your body to feed off of muscle tissue to provide energy for your workouts, which is perfect for guaranteeing you’ll never change your body composition.

3. No rest days

Your body needs rest periods in between workouts, even in between sets, even entire days — the more you ignore this, the easier it is to lock in the body composition you already have. Without time to recover, you can’t build muscle or speed up your metabolism, which makes this the perfect way to stay stuck. In fact, try doing two workouts every day; then you’ll really make sure that you never have the energy to recover and change your body composition! Hit the gym as often as you possibly can without time to catch your breath, then you’ll eliminate any possibility  of accidentally building the life you want for yourself.

Want 1-on-1 support with building your dream body composition (for real this time)? Apply to become a WarriorBabe here!

1. Fuel for your muscles

Ever wonder how your muscles get their energy for your workouts? Ideally, your muscles want to consume glycogen for fuel — a compound made from the carbohydrates your body consumes. That means if you consume little to no carbs, not only will you have no glycogen available, your body will turn to other energy sources... and one of those is your muscle tissue itself! If you’re breaking down muscle to feed muscle, you’re fighting an uphill battle. Your body can learn to burn fat for muscle, which is largely what ketogenic diets rely on, but read the next section before you count on that.

2. Alternative energy sources

Yes, your body can adapt to using fat for fuel, but consider this: Would you give your car a form of fuel it wasn’t designed for simply because someone told you it would still run? Of course not! Besides, how do you know what the cumulative effect will be years down the line? Our bodies are meant to consume protein, fats, and carbs — all are sources of energy, and all of them are essential to our long-term health and optimal function. Lose any one of them and your body will do its best to adapt, but it will never reach its full potential or reward you for it... and your body composition will suffer in the meanwhile.

3. Quick availability

You can take preworkout if you choose, but nothing primes your body for muscle growth like simple carbohydrates. These fast-digesting energy sources are quickly converted into glycogen, meaning you can eat shortly before your workout and get an energy spike you can actually use, instead of one that just leads you to crash later. White bread, white rice, certain fruits, and even refined sugars can all serve this purpose, provided they’re combined with lean proteins — and lean is essential, because your body will prioritize digesting fats FIRST, removing the primary benefit of that quick hit of carbs.

Want 1-on-1 support with using carbs to build your dream body composition? Apply to become a WarriorBabe here!

‍

1. Build & maintain first

Effective cut phases happen not just because of the work you put in during them, but what you do beforehand. If you jump right in without a solid build or maintenance phase, you’ll have no foundation to build on top of. When you’ve already built lean muscle and established a healthy nutritional cadence, your body will respond more readily to the work you put in. Otherwise, your body’s natural response to less food will likely involve conserving calories in fat tissue. So before you start, making sure you’ve been building or maintaining and getting results first, before you even think about starting a cut phase.

2. Cut in stages

In an ambitious cut, you won’t be able to stick to your target macros immediately. Either they won’t work (because your body panics when it’s suddenly getting much less food than it’s used to), or you’ll give up because life becomes miserable all the time. If you’re constantly hungry — not ‘normal’ hungry, but ravenous, all the time — how can you possibly give everything you’ve got to your workouts? Combine that with more frequent, more intense cravings, and toning becomes much harder. So set intermediate targets and adjust your macros toward your desired numbers over time. The journey will be more effective, sustainable, and fun this way!

3. Know when to stop

No one can cut forever. Obviously you can’t reduce your weight indefinitely, but it’s tempting to pursue your desired physique or weight in a single cut. Unless you’ve been effectively transforming your body for years, this is nearly impossible — your body will respond better if your path looks more like: cut, maintain, cut, maintain, build, maintain, cut, maintain, etc. Punctuate cuts with building muscle and teaching your body how to operate healthily on a ‘normal’ day. Once its ready, then you can start the next cut. Simple, effective, but often overlooked — don’t lose sight of the life you want by aiming for quick fixes!

Want 1-on-1 support with your cut phase while you build your dream body composition? Apply to become a WarriorBabe here!

Everyone searches “macro calculator” to find the right protein, fat, and carbs. Smart. But calculators give you a baseline, not a result. Real progress—fat loss, muscle tone, energy—comes from adjustments, accountability, and a plan that respects hormones and metabolism.

That’s why WarriorBabe coaches women 40+ to take the guesswork out of food and training—and turn numbers into a transformation.

What a Macro Calculator Does (and Doesn’t)

A macro calculator estimates:

• Calories (maintenance baseline)
• Macros (grams/day of protein, fats, carbs)

It uses your age, weight, height, and activity level to spit out a starting point. Helpful? Yes. Complete? No.

It doesn’t know your current metabolic state, stress, sleep, thyroid, menopause status, muscle mass, training volume, or fat-loss timeline. That’s why two women with identical numbers get very different results.

Use the Free WarriorBabe Macro Calculator

Enter your stats. Get a baseline for calories and macros. Then keep reading to learn how to adjust.

How to Read Your Results

Calories (Total Caloric Baseline)
This is your estimated maintenance intake—the energy level where weight tends to hold steady. From here you can:

• Create a fat-loss deficit (generally 10–20% below baseline)
• Eat at maintenance (recomposition or metabolic reset)
• Run a slight surplus (build strength/lean mass)

Protein
Your foundation. Women over 40 typically perform best with 0.8–1.0 g per lb bodyweight (or 1.8–2.2 g/kg) depending on training, satiety, and recovery.

Fats
Support hormones, joints, and satiety. Range usually 0.3–0.45 g per lb (0.7–1.0 g/kg). Don’t crash fats too low during menopause.

Carbs
Fuel training, mood, and thyroid conversion. After protein and fats are set, carbs fill the remaining calories. Training days often benefit from more carbs, rest days slightly less.

Adjusting for Your Goal (with Examples)

Fat Loss (12–16 weeks typical)

• Start at ~15% below your baseline calories.
• Keep protein high, fats moderate, and flex carbs around workouts.
• Example (150 lb, moderate activity):
  • Baseline 2,050 kcal → Cut target ≈ 1,740 kcal
  • Protein 150 g (600 kcal)
  • Fat 60 g (540 kcal)
  • Carbs 150 g (600 kcal)

Coach tip: If energy tanks or sleep worsens, pull back to a 10% deficit for two weeks. Results > aggression.

Recomposition / Metabolic Reset (4–8 weeks)

• Eat at maintenance to restore energy, lift heavier, and normalize hunger signals.
• Protein high, carbs centered around training, fats not too low.
• Re-assess photos, strength, and measurements before pushing a cut.

Lean-Mass Focus (8–12 weeks)

• 5–10% surplus with structured strength training.
• Prioritize progressive overload, sleep, and protein timing (20–40 g per meal, 3–4x/day).

The 2-Week Feedback Loop (How to Know It’s Working)

Track these for 14 days:

1. Scale trend (not single days)
2. Measurements/photos (waist, hips, thigh)
3. Energy & sleep
4. Training performance

If fat loss is the goal:

• Down 0.3–0.8% bodyweight/week = on track
• Not moving after 14 days → reduce 75–125 kcal (mostly from carbs) or add 1–2k steps/day
• Feeling flat? Shift 25–40 g carbs toward your strongest training session

If energy or sleep tanks: your deficit is too deep. Reduce the cut or run maintenance for 7–10 days.

Menopause & Macros—What Changes?

• Protein becomes non-negotiable (0.8–1.0 g/lb).
• Carbs drive training performance; plan them pre/post lift days.
• Fats support hormones; avoid going below ~0.3 g/lb for long stretches.
• Stress & sleep can stall fat loss—sometimes the fix is smarter programming, not fewer calories.

This is where a coach prevents you from zig-zagging and wrecking your metabolism with constant cuts.

1-Day Example Menu (150 g protein / 60 g fat / 150 g carbs ≈ 1,740 kcal)

• Breakfast (no crash):
  Greek yogurt (0% 250g), berries (100g), chia (1 tbsp), honey (1 tsp)
  30P / 7F / 35C
• Lunch (fast prep):
  Chicken breast (5 oz), rice (150g cooked), veggies, olive oil (1 tsp)
  40P / 9F / 45C
• Pre-lift snack:
  Protein shake (25g), banana (1 medium)
  25P / 0F / 27C
• Dinner (satisfying):
  Salmon (5 oz), potatoes (200g cooked), asparagus
  40P / 20F / 35C
• Evening:
  Cottage cheese (150g) + cinnamon
  15P / 4F / 8C

Adjust portions to match your targets; swap proteins/carbs you enjoy.

8 Common Mistakes (and Simple Fixes)

1. Using numbers as gospel instead of a starting line → run the 2-week feedback loop.
2. Under-eating protein → set it first; hit it daily.
3. Cutting fats too low → hormones and adherence suffer.
4. Crash-dieting → use 10–20% deficit, not starvation.
5. Weekend wipeouts → plan one flexible meal; keep protein fixed.
6. Ignoring steps → 7–10k/day drives results without crushing recovery.
7. Changing 10 things at once → adjust calories or steps—not both.
8. No accountability → coaching turns intention into execution.

Why WarriorBabe VIP Beats Any Calculator

• 1:1 coaching that adapts macros to your life, not the other way around
• Weekly adjustments based on photos, trend data, and biofeedback
• Strength programming that fits your schedule and joint health
• Mindset coaching to end the “start–stop” cycle
• Community of 3,000+ women proving age isn’t the limit

A calculator gives you a number. Coaching gives you a transformation.

Want step-by-step macros that actually work?

Get the Macro Guide (timing, menopause adjustments, 14-day menus)

FAQs

What’s the best free macro calculator?
Any reputable tool that collects age, weight, height, and activity will give a baseline. The magic is in how you adjust it over time.

Are macro calculators accurate?
They are estimates. Accuracy comes from feedback: scale trend, photos, measurements, energy, and strength—then tweaking.

What macro split is best for fat loss after 40?
High protein, moderate fats, and carbs targeted around training. The exact ratio is personal—which is why coaching helps.

Do macros matter during menopause?
Yes. Hormonal shifts change how your body uses carbs and fat. Smart macro timing + strength training is a game-changer.

Final Word. Numbers Don’t Create Change. Action Does.

Your macros today are the starting line. You win with a plan, accountability, and adjustments that match your body.

Want step-by-step macros that actually work?

Get the Macro Guide (timing, menopause adjustments, 14-day menus)

1. Meat

The most obvious protein choice in most people’s minds! Meat has tons of great micronutrients, varying widely between different animals. In general, the healthiest options for land & sky meats are lean, as their fats are heavy in omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fat. Fatty fish is much healthier and is heavier in essential omega-3s, which have a wide range of benefits you don’t want to miss out on. Just make sure to account for this in your macros — lean and fatty meats have very different caloric values, which is a critical factor to consider when planning out your plans for toning!

2. Dairy & eggs

Egg whites. Nonfat Greek yogurt. Whey protein powder. Whole eggs, if you want the added fats and your daily dose of choline. There are tons of ways to get your fill of protein from these two animal products, and they make it simple to get plenty of protein on a vegetarian diet! You can eat any of them at any time of day, of course, but one thing to note: Generally, you’ll want to avoid Greek yogurt around your workouts. Its protein comes from casein, which is slow-digesting, rather than the fast-digesting protein in whey protein powder. If you want to stay fuller for longer (and you’re not eating near a workout), then casein-heavy foods like Greek yogurt are a great choice!

3. Plant sources

Everyone knows about tofu. If you’re not gluten-sensitive, maybe you’ve tried seitan before. But while the ‘protein-heavy’ plant sources get all the buzz, there’s a bigger world of plant proteins most women never think about: the protein found in nearly all plants. Everything from tomatoes to zucchini to beans to rice has at least a small amount of protein, and many sources contain a lot! Once you know how to ballpark the protein content of your favorite healthy plants, it’s a lot easier to hit your daily protein targets and fit your favorite foods into your macros. Over the course of a day, “a gram here, a gram there” adds up to more protein than you might expect.

Want 1-on-1 support with dialing in your protein and building your dream body composition? Apply to become a WarriorBabe here!