Best Foods To Burn Fat

July 09, 2025•7 min read

What Foods Help You Burn Fat?

If you’re like most busy parents over 40 trying to get healthier and leaner, you’ve probably asked some version of this question:

“What foods should I eat to burn body fat?”

And while that’s a totally valid question, I want to be real with you… it’s also kind of the wrong question.

It’s not that certain foods magically burn fat. It’s that the overall strategy behind how much you eat, your lifestyle, and how consistent you are matters way more than any one specific food.

In this post, I’m breaking it all down—calories, food volume, sleep, hormones, and even stress. Because burning fat isn’t just about what’s on your plate. It’s about the whole picture.

Let’s get into it.

Step 1: Understand the Real Driver of Fat Loss—A Calorie Deficit

At the most basic level, you lose body fat when you're in a calorie deficit. That means you’re eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

When that happens, your body turns to stored fat (and unfortunately, sometimes muscle) to make up the difference. That’s how fat loss works.

No matter how many “superfoods” you eat, if you’re not in a deficit… you won’t lose fat.

Think of it like this:

Maintenance = Body stays the same
Surplus = Body stores extra energy as fat and possibly muscle
Deficit = Body burns stored fat and possibly muscle for energy

The key is creating a deficit without tanking your energy, losing a bunch of muscle, or making your life miserable in the process.

Step 2: Prioritize Protein

Once your calories are in check, the next big needle-mover is protein.

Here’s why:

It helps to preserve muscle while you’re losing weight
It keeps you full longer (which makes the deficit easier to stick to)
Your body burns a lot of calories digesting it

So how much should you aim for?

A good rule of thumb: 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

If you’re 160 lbs, you’re probably looking at somewhere between 110–160 grams of protein per day. For most people, this is a lot more than they’re used to… but it makes a massive difference.

Step 3: Strength Train

If you’re not lifting weights while trying to lose fat, you’re setting yourself up to lose the wrong kind of weight.

When people say “I lost 10 pounds,” that could be 10 pounds of fat or a mix of fat AND muscle. But we really don’t want to lose muscle—especially after 40.

Muscle keeps your metabolism humming.
Muscle keeps your joints strong.
Muscle keeps your body looking toned—not “skinny fat.”

That’s why I always pair fat loss nutrition with strength training in the FIT40 program. The goal isn’t just to weigh less. It’s to build a leaner & stronger body that feels and functions better.

Step 4: Manage Sleep and Stress

Let’s be honest—being over 40 comes with stress. Work, family, aging parents, bills, trying to take care of yourself… it adds up.

But here’s the thing most people don’t realize:

Sleep and stress control your hormones.
And your hormones affect your cravings, energy, and fat storage.

If you’re getting 5 hours of sleep and you're stressed out all day, your body is going to fight you every step of the way. You’ll feel hungrier. You’ll move less. You’ll store more fat (especially around your belly).

So here’s your reminder: more hustle isn't always the answer. Sometimes the most powerful fat loss tool is a solid night of sleep and some deep breaths.

Step 5: Be Smart with Booze

I’m not saying you have to give up alcohol forever. But let’s call it what it is: a fat loss killer when not managed.

Here’s what alcohol does:

Slows down fat metabolism (your body prioritizes clearing out alcohol first)
Increases appetite and lowers inhibition (hello, late-night pizza)
Disrupts sleep (which messes with hormones and recovery)

So if you’re wondering why fat loss has stalled, and you’re still drinking multiple times a week? That’s probably part of it.

If you want to see faster progress, try cutting back for a few weeks and see how your body responds. It’s usually dramatic.

Step 6: Eat High-Volume, Low-Calorie Foods

One of the most powerful hacks for staying full in a calorie deficit?

Eat more food volume for fewer calories.

Let me explain.

A pound of watermelon is around 100 calories. A pound of butter is… well, thousands. Same weight. Completely different calorie content.

So when people say “I’m eating more food than ever but still losing weight,” this is what they mean. They're eating more volume, not more calories.

Some high-volume, low-calorie foods to focus on:

Lean meats (chicken breast, turkey, white fish)
Veggies (broccoli, spinach, cucumbers, bell peppers, etc.)
Fruits (berries, watermelon, apples)
Potatoes (baked or roasted—not fried or loaded)
Whole Grains (sprouted breads, whole wheat pasta, high fiber wraps)
Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)
Salad kits, cauliflower rice, etc.

These foods fill your belly, trigger fullness signals to your brain, and keep you satisfied—without blowing your calorie budget.

Step 7: Whole Foods First (But Don’t Fear Processed Ones)

In general, the less processed the food, the better it is for fat loss.

Why?

Whole foods take longer to digest and require more energy to break down. That means you burn more calories just by eating them (due to the thermic effect of food).

But that doesn’t mean you have to be a food snob. Not all processed foods are bad.

For example:

Protein powders are processed—but they’re incredibly useful
High-fiber wraps or frozen veggie blends can make life easier
Pre-cooked grilled chicken strips save time and reduce decision fatigue

The real trick is balance. Aim for 80% whole, minimally processed foods and leave room for 20% soul foods.

Step 8: Leave Room for Soul Food

This part is huge—especially if you want to make fat loss sustainable.

Food isn’t just fuel. Sometimes it’s culture, family, comfort, or memories.

For me, that’s my grandma’s meatballs. Every time I make them, it takes me back to weekends at her house. It’s not “macro-friendly,” but it feeds my soul—and that matters.

That’s why I teach my clients to follow an 80/20 approach:

80% of the time: eat for your goals
20% of the time: eat for your soul

When you build that into your plan, you’re far less likely to binge or feel like you “failed.” You’re just being a human with a life. And that’s okay.

Step 9: Track Your Food (Even Just Temporarily)

You don’t need to track forever. But if you’re not seeing results, tracking what you eat for even a few days can be a game-changer.

Why? Because most people underestimate how much they eat.

That tablespoon of peanut butter might actually be 3.
That “light” drizzle of olive oil is probably 200+ calories.
That “healthy” smoothie? Could be pushing 500-600 calories.
Even that salad you always get at your favorite restaurant can be over 1,000 calories.

When you see the numbers, you gain clarity. And when you have clarity, you can make adjustments that actually move the needle.

Step 10: Focus on Frequency and Consistency

None of this stuff matters if you’re only doing it once in a while.

You don’t get results from eating one salad or hitting one workout. It’s the cumulative effect of doing the right things—consistently.

The mistake I see all the time?

People are perfect Monday through Thursday… and then Friday through Sunday it all falls apart. That’s like hitting the gas for 4 days and slamming the brakes for 3.

Consistency > Perfection.

The results will come when your healthy habits become your norm, not your exception.