Many men and women notice that losing weight becomes more difficult after age 40. While lifestyle habits are still incredibly important, they’re often only one piece of the puzzle.

If you feel like you’re doing everything “right”—eating healthier, exercising more, cutting calories—and the scale still isn’t moving, you’re not alone. Weight loss is often treated like a simple equation: eat less and move more. But for many people, the reality is much more complex. Your body is influenced by hormones, metabolism, sleep, stress, nutrition, body composition, digestion, and other internal factors that can make losing weight more difficult—even when you’re putt