Ep 149: 4 Surprising Ways to Lose That Midlife Belly Fat with Megan Dahlman

Are you grappling with persistent belly fat? Are the hormonal shifts typically experienced by women over 40 posing challenges to your fitness journey?

Today, Philip (@witsandweights) speaks with fitness expert Megan Dahlman, the sought-after trainer for women over 40 who want to feel their physical best for years to come.

We discuss the fun yet frustrating topic of belly fat in women over 40, including the physiological and hormonal changes that affect belly fat and common myths about it, plus 4 surprising, evidence-based strategies to lose fat through better nutrition and strength training over 40.

With a degree in Exercise Science and as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Megan has an uncanny ability to take complicated aspects of your body and make them simple, doable, and actually sustainable.

Through her top 1% podcast, Self Care Simplified, and online training programs and courses, Megan genuinely cares about every woman she interacts with and coaches. Her mission is to empower every woman to feel strong, pain-free, and body-confident, regardless of age.

Get an EXCLUSIVE bonus interview with Megan on the 6 BEST core exercises for women of all stages of life & 3 exercises to avoid if you have a weak core

Today, you’ll learn all about:
2:34 Her philosophy on building muscle
6:31 The gap between the general population and athletes
8:41 Why belly fat is talked about so much
14:32 Hormonal changes during peri and postmenopause on belly fat
17:57 Science behind belly fat accumulation in women over 40
19:55 Belly fat myths
23:48 Sleep and its relation to cortisol and inflammation
26:09 Stress management and the importance of saying "no"
30:20 Nutrition for reducing belly fat
35:02 Tracking and how to eat
39:54 Strength training versus cardio for muscle building
43:31 One question Megan wished Philip had asked her
47:53 Learn more about Megan and her work

Episode resources:

• Self Care Simplified podcast
• @megandahlman on IG
• 5-day Core Tune Up: FREE program that safely strengthens your tired, flabby core muscles and restores proper function to your entire midsection!

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week.

📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40.

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram