3 Workout Tricks To Burn Extra Fat In Your 40s, Trainer Says

Many individuals in their 40s have told me it feels much more difficult getting into shape now than it was in their 20s and 30s. Picking up bad habits such as a poor diet can be a major culprit. And if you don't stay active in your 20s and 30s to build and maintain your lean muscle, you lose it, and your metabolism drops with each passing year. Due to these changes, it makes it imperative to strength train and build as much lean muscle as you can. We've rounded up a few workout tricks that will help you burn extra fat in your 40s, so you can get back on track.

With your strength training exercises and workouts, you want to make absolutely sure you're improving your performance each and every week. This means either lifting more weight, completing more reps, or both. By forcing your body to work harder with each session (safely, of course), you'll help it burn extra fat and build more muscle.

And if you're already doing these things and still not getting leaner, there are a couple of tricks you can work into your regimen in order to burn extra fat. Check them out below, and next, be sure to read The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Start your workout with plyometric moves

bench plyometric pushups — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

One trick you can do is perform a plyometric or explosive movement before your strength workout. This will wake up your central nervous system and help you recruit more motor units, which leads to building more muscle. Here are two examples:

Bench Plyo Pushup

Stand a few steps away from a bench, then lower yourself so that your hands are resting on the bench, and your body is forming a straight line from head to toe. Lower your body down toward the bench by bending your elbows so that your chest touches the pad (like a pushup), then explode back up to the standing position as hard as you can so that your hands leave the bench. Land softly with your hands on the bench, then perform another rep. Complete 3 sets of 8 reps.

Jump Squats

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Keeping your core tight, quickly swing your arms back as you lower your hips down into a squat position, then immediately reverse the position by swinging your arms forward as you jump up as high as you can. Land soft in a half-squat position before jumping again. Perform 8 reps.

Perform cardio during your rest period

trainer jumps rope in home gym — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

A great way to increase your calorie burn and keep your heart rate up during your whole workout is by performing an aerobic exercise in between sets. Here are two movements you can do:

Jump Rope

Start by grabbing the rope, and have your hands just outside your hips. Flick the rope with your wrists, and jump up as the rope passes through your feet.

Exercise Bike

Get on your favorite exercise bike, and strap your feet in. Holding the handles, lean forward, and begin peddling hard.

Add a finisher to the end of your workout

It's always a good idea to elevate your heart rate and increase your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), then adding a finisher to the end of your session is a great idea. It could be as simple as a bodyweight conditioner. Here's an example:

Bodyweight Squat

Keep your chest tall and core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your quads are parallel to the ground. Drive through your heels and hips to come back up to standing, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Do 15 reps.

Alternating Reverse Lunge

Start this movement by taking a long stride back with one leg. Have your back knee touch the ground, then come back up. Repeat with the other side. Complete 8 reps on each leg.

Hip Thrust

In the third move in this finisher, place your upper back on a bench or sturdy surface with your feet in front of you. Keep your core tight and chin tucked, lower your hips under control, and then drive through with your heels to raise your hips up until they're almost parallel to the ground. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top, then lower before performing another rep. Complete 15 reps.