By Will Duru, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, Award-winning Personal Trainer with over 10 years of experience in strength training and optimising recovery
You’re in your 30s now. You look in the mirror, and you notice it. The weight is creeping on, especially around your middle. Your jeans are getting tighter. You’re developing what people politely call a “dad bod.” So you do what everyone tells you to do: you start spending hours on the treadmill. You’re running, cycling, sweating buckets. But after weeks of this, the scale hasn’t moved. The belly is still there. What the hell is going on?
I see this all the time in my work as a personal trainer. Men in their 30s come to me frustrated and exhausted from endless cardio sessions that haven’t delivered any real results. And I have to tell them the truth: the idea that the best way to lose weight is to do tons of cardio is an outdated myth. Cardio has its place, but it’s a terrible strategy for long-term fat loss, especially for men over 30.
The approach that actually works is a powerful, two-pronged strategy: strength training combined with a sustainable nutrition plan. This is your metabolic reset. And the 12reps app is the perfect tool to guide you through this journey.
Why Strength Training is the King of Fat Loss
The key to sustainable weight loss is not just burning calories in the moment. It’s about boosting your metabolism so that you burn more calories all day, every day. And the single best way to do that is by building muscle. [1]
Think of your body like a car. Your muscle is your engine. The bigger and more powerful your engine, the more fuel it burns, even when you’re just sitting in traffic. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. That means it burns calories even when you’re at rest. The more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate, and the more calories you burn 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cardio, on the other hand, only burns calories while you’re actually doing it. The moment you step off the treadmill, the calorie burn stops. Strength training builds the engine that keeps burning calories long after you’ve left the gym. It’s the difference between renting a car for a day and owning one outright.
This is why I always tell my clients that muscle building is not a vanity project. It’s the fundamental first step in any serious weight loss plan for a man over 30. If you want to lose fat and keep it off, you have to build muscle.
The 80/20 Rule: Nutrition is King
Here’s a hard truth that a lot of guys don’t want to hear: you can’t out-train a bad diet. You can spend hours in the gym every week, but if you’re eating rubbish, you will not lose weight. Fat loss is won or lost in the kitchen. I live by the 80/20 rule: 80% of your results will come from your diet, and only 20% from your training.
So what does a good fat loss diet look like? It’s not complicated. You just need to follow three golden rules:
- Create a Sustainable Calorie Deficit. To lose fat, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns. This is non-negotiable. But here’s the key: crash dieting is a huge mistake. If you cut your calories too low, your body will go into starvation mode, your metabolism will slow down, and you’ll feel terrible. Aim for a moderate, sustainable deficit of about 300-500 calories per day. This will allow you to lose fat at a steady pace without feeling like you’re starving.
- Prioritise Protein. A high-protein diet is your secret weapon for fat loss. Protein keeps you feeling full for longer, which reduces cravings and makes it easier to stick to your calorie deficit. [2] It also provides the building blocks your body needs to maintain and build muscle while you’re losing fat. I recommend aiming for at least 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight. For an 80kg man, that’s about 128-176 grams of protein per day.
- Focus on Whole Foods. Build your diet around lean proteins (chicken, fish, lean beef), vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats (nuts, avocado, olive oil). Minimise processed junk food, sugary drinks, and excessive alcohol. These foods are calorie-dense but not very filling, which makes it very easy to overeat.
Tracking your food is absolutely key to success. It’s the only way to know for sure that you’re hitting your calorie and protein targets. Use the 12reps app to not only follow a powerful strength training program but also to access nutrition guides that will help you stay on track. Download the 12reps app to get your complete plan.
Putting It All Together: Your Ultimate Fat Loss Week
So, what does a week of training look like when you’re trying to lose fat? Here’s a sample schedule that combines strength trainingand cardio for optimal results:
Strength Training: 2-3 Days Per Week. This is your priority. You should be doing full-body workouts or an upper/lower split. Focus on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows. These exercises recruit the most muscle and give you the biggest bang for your buck.
Cardio: 1-2 Sessions Per Week. Cardio is a useful supplementary tool, but it’s not the main event. Do 20-30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (like a brisk walk, cycling, or swimming) on your non-lifting days or after your strength training session. This will help you burn a few extra calories without interfering with your recovery.
NEAT: Every Single Day. NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. [3] It’s all the movement you do throughout the day that isn’t formal exercise. Things like walking to the shops, taking the stairs, doing housework, or standing instead of sitting. NEAT can account for a huge amount of your total daily calorie burn, often more than your formal workouts. Make a conscious effort to stay active throughout the day.
The 12reps app makes this easy. Its workout tracker allows you to schedule both your strength and cardio sessions, creating a comprehensive plan for maximum fat loss.
Stop Spinning Your Wheels
So, what’s the best way for a man over 30 to lose weight? The answer is clear: prioritize strength training to build your metabolic engine, maintain a slight calorie deficit with a high-protein diet, and use cardio as a supplementary tool, not the main strategy.
Stop spinning your wheels with endless cardio. It’s time to adopt a strategy that delivers lasting results and builds a stronger, leaner body for the long haul.
Are you ready to finally lose the weight and keep it off? Start your free trial of the 12reps app and get your personalised fat loss plan today.
References
- [1] Bacchi, E., Negri, C., Zanolin, M. E., Milanese, C., Faccioli, N., Trombetta, M., … & Moghetti, P. (2012). Metabolic effects of aerobic training and resistance training in type 2 diabetic subjects: a randomized controlled trial (the RAED2 study). Diabetes care, 35(4), 676-682. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3308269/
- [2] Paddon-Jones, D., Westman, E., Mattes, R. D., Wolfe, R. R., Astrup, A., & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. (2008). Protein, weight management, and satiety. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 87(5), 1558S-1561S. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523236643
- [3] Chung, N., Park, M. Y., Kim, J., Park, H. Y., Hwang, H., Lee, C. H., … & Lim, K. (2018). Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): a component of total daily energy expenditure. Journal of exercise nutrition & biochemistry, 22(2), 23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6058072/
