The #1 Fat-Burning Exercises for People Over 40 to Sculpt a Leaner Body

When it comes to shedding body fat after the age of 40, the right exercises can make all the difference. Your metabolism may naturally slow with age, and factors like hormonal shifts, muscle loss, and increased stress can make fat loss more challenging than it was in your 20s and 30s. But that doesn't mean it's out of reach.

Strategic, high-output movements can help you flip the metabolic switch, primarily when they recruit multiple muscle groups, elevate your heart rate, and build functional strength simultaneously. And for those over 40, the best fat-burning exercises also need to protect your joints, reinforce proper movement patterns, and support long-term performance.

Here are the top fat-burning exercises for your lower body, upper body, and core. Each one was chosen not only for its calorie-burning potential, but also for its ability to help maintain mobility, preserve lean muscle, and improve total-body strength as you age.

Best Lower-Body Fat-Burning Exercise: Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are a powerhouse movement that blends strength training with cardio. They ignite your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, the major muscles of your posterior chain, while keeping your heart rate high. For individuals over 40, swings help reinforce proper hip hinge mechanics, improve posture, and deliver an intense metabolic effect without the pounding associated with high-impact plyometrics.

Muscles Trained: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, core, shoulders

How to Do It:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
Hinge at your hips and grab the handle with both hands, keeping your back flat and core braced.
Hike the kettlebell back between your legs like a football.
Drive your hips forward explosively to swing the kettlebell up to chest height.
Let the kettlebell swing back down naturally as you hinge again, keeping your arms relaxed.
Repeat for smooth, powerful reps.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Complete 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps with 30 to 45 seconds of rest between sets.

Best Variations: Single-arm kettlebell swing, American kettlebell swing, band-resisted swing, double kettlebell swing

Best Upper-Body Fat-Burning Exercise: Push Press

The push press is a full-body lift disguised as a shoulder exercise. By combining a lower-body dip with an upper-body press, you generate force from your legs and transfer it through your core and arms. That kind of total-body effort ramps up calorie burn and lets you handle more weight without placing excessive stress on the joints. It's a smart, scalable lift for anyone over 40 looking to build muscle and melt fat simultaneously.

Muscles Trained: Shoulders, triceps, upper chest, quads, glutes, core

How to Do It:

Stand tall with a barbell or dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows slightly in front of the weights.
Brace your core and keep your heels flat.
Dip slightly by bending your knees—keep it quick and controlled.
Drive through your legs to extend your hips and knees as you press the weight overhead.
Lock out the weight overhead with arms straight and biceps by your ears.
Lower the weight back to your shoulders with control.
Reset and repeat for reps.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps with 60 to 75 seconds of rest between sets.

Best Variations: Dumbbell push press, single-arm push press, landmine push press, kettlebell push press

Best Core Fat-Burning Exercise: Wood Chops

woman doing cable wood chops — Shutterstock

Wood chops train your core the way it's meant to function—in rotation. Unlike basic crunches or planks, chops engage your obliques, hips, and shoulders in a dynamic, athletic way. This exercise also translates to real-world movement patterns, helping improve coordination, balance, and spine health. For those over 40, it's a low-impact way to get your heart pumping and develop rotational strength that carries over into daily life and sport.

Muscles Trained: Obliques, abs, lower back, shoulders, hips

How to Do It:

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a cable handle, resistance band, or dumbbell.
Start with the weight high on one side of your body, just above shoulder height.
Engage your core and rotate through your torso as you pull or swing the weight diagonally across your body.
Finish the movement near your opposite hip, keeping your arms straight and core tight.
Reverse the motion to return to the starting position.
Complete all reps on one side, then switch to the other side.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side with 30 to 45 seconds of rest between rounds.

Best Variations: Cable wood chops, banded chops, medicine ball rotational slam, dumbbell diagonal chop, landmine twist