The Fitness Confessional

Redha Zertal
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Fitness
  • Updated weekly

The Fitness Confessional: What Really Works After 40 is a straight-talk podcast about fitness, health, and strength training for men over 40.Hosted by experienced strength coach Redha Zertal, this show cuts through the noise of extreme diets, unrealistic workout plans, and confusing fitness advice that simply doesn’t work once you hit your 40s and beyond.If you’re a busy professional, business owner, or dad trying to balance work, family, stress, and your health, this podcast will show you how to build a stronger, leaner, more energised body without living in the gym. Inside each episode you’ll discover: • How to build muscle after 40 • Smart strategies for losing fat and improving metabolism • Strength training for longevity and joint health• Simple nutrition habits that support energy, focus and recovery • The biggest mistakes men make with fitness after 40 • Real stories and lessons from coaching hundreds of men Redha shares practical, science-backed advice in a relatable way, helping you create a fitness routine that actually fits around a demanding lifestyle.No gimmicks. No extreme diets. No nonsense.Just what really works for staying strong, lean, and energised after 40.If you want to take back control of your health and build a body that supports your life and career, The Fitness Confessional is the podcast for you

  1. 8 Oct

    Stop Doing More. Do This Instead

    Redha challenges traditional fitness culture by urging listeners over 40 to stop obsessing over what supplements, foods, or punishing routines to add, and instead ask what they need to eliminate. Reflecting on his own battles with extreme dieting and burnout, he argues that chronic exhaustion stems from eating complex meals that overburden digestion, advocating instead for a radical shift toward consuming simple sugars (like fruit, juice, and sweetened coffee) during the day and saving a single, gut-friendly meal for the evening 5 Key Takeaways Instead of asking what extra foods, supplements, or workouts to add to your plan, real progress comes from identifying what you need to cut out. Forcing your body through extreme dietary suffering and exhaustive protocols ruins overall quality of life and leads to burnout. You know your body better than outside coaches or online nutrition protocols, meaning you must be your own guide rather than blindly following generic advice. Consuming fast-acting sugars like fruit and sweetened drinks sustains daytime energy and recovery without triggering the sluggishness and bloating caused by heavy daytime meals. Confining solid food to an easy-to-digest evening dinner (such as rice and fish) aligns eating with true hunger rather than rigid, traditional meal schedules 5 Key Quotes "It's not about what do I need to add... in fact, it's the opposite way. It's basically, what do I need to get rid of?” "If the cost of getting these results is so high and it's so painful... why do I have to do it?" "There is nobody else on earth knows what diet you need to follow except you." "I listen to my body. I become the best friend of myself." "There is no such a thing like breakfast, lunch, and tea. No, there is something we called it, listen to yourself: you are hungry, eat; you are not hungry, stop." HOST BIO Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: • Strength training for longevity • Sustainable fat loss and nutrition • Building muscle after 40 • Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. LINKS: Website:    https://rzfitness.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

    Stop Doing More. Do This Instead

  2. 1 Oct

    Show Up When You Don’t Feel Like It: The Real Secret to Results

    In this episode, strength coach RedHa delivers a powerful reality check about why so many people abandon their health goals after just a few weeks. With 15 years of experience coaching clients over 40, he explains that initial motivation is fleeting and that relying on it inevitably leads to failure and excuses.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Motivation is a Trap: High expectations and initial enthusiasm are great for starting out, but motivation is temporary and will never sustain long-term fitness habits. Excuses Sabotage Success: When people inevitably lose their motivation, they often place the blame on external factors like work, kids, or a lack of time instead of taking personal responsibility for dropping off. Systems Over Feelings: To succeed, you must build a realistic system that accommodates your lifestyle—such as committing to just three gym sessions a week—and stick to it regardless of how you feel. The Hard Days Count the Most: Champion mindsets are built by pushing through resistance; the days you are least motivated to train are the days that yield the most significant difference in your long-term results. Become Your Own Savior: Lasting change requires you to stop waiting for a coach, a partner, or perfect circumstances to keep you accountable and start saving yourself. BEST MOMENTS "...what happens, and this is the thing that people don't understand, which is motivation doesn't last." "All of them excuse 'oh you know what I got kids, wife, family, work...' anything but not themselves. Everything is like it's somebody's else fault." "Create a system, create something that suits your routine and you can stick with it... you have to be realistic with yourself." "The day when you are motivated, it's not them days who gonna make different. It's the days where you are not motivated. This is when you gonna the difference gonna happen." "I'm going to be responsible. I'm not gonna be a victim waiting for someone to save me, I gonna save myself." HOST BIO Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: • Strength training for longevity • Sustainable fat loss and nutrition • Building muscle after 40 • Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. LINKS: Website:    https://rzfitness.co.uk/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

    Show Up When You Don’t Feel Like It: The Real Secret to Results

  3. 24 Sept

    The Story Behind My Podcast

    In this episode, strength coach Redha Zartal pulls back the curtain on why he started his coaching journey and podcast. Moving beyond standard workouts and fad diets, Redha addresses the unique challenges busy men face after 40, from juggling career and family pressures to navigating overwhelming, unrealistic fitness advice.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Generic Fitness Advice Fails Busy Men: Most mainstream fitness programs are designed for people with unlimited time, not busy men over 40 balancing careers, businesses, and families. It's a Strategy Problem, Not a Discipline Problem: Men struggling with health after 40 often possess high discipline in work and life, but are sidelined by confusing and contradictory advice. Simplicity Beats Complexity: Achieving long-term health and strength requires clear, realistic, and sustainable strategies rather than extreme diets or living in the gym. Physical Health Elevates Every Area of Life: Building physical strength and energy directly impacts how men handle stress, perform at work, and show up for their loved ones. Your Best Years Are Still Ahead: Turning 40 isn't the start of physical decline; with a smart, structured approach, your strongest and healthiest years can still be ahead of you. BEST MOMENTS "Behind every coach, every program, and every podcast, I believe there is usually a story." "Why do some people stay strong and healthy as they get older, while others slowly lose their energy, their confidence, and their health?" "The fitness advice they saw online simply didn't fit their reality. It was built for people with unlimited time... but that's not the reality for most men over 40." "When a man feels physically strong and healthy, I believe it doesn't just affect the gym—it affects how he shows up at work and, most importantly, how he shows up for his family." "Building a strong body after 40 doesn't need to be extreme. It just needs to be smart, structured, and sustainable." HOST BIO Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: • Strength training for longevity • Sustainable fat loss and nutrition • Building muscle after 40 • Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. LINKS: Website:    https://rzfitness.co.uk/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

    The Story Behind My Podcast

  4. 17 Sept

    It’s Not Your Metabolism It’s Your Hormones

    In this episode, Redha debunks one of the most common myths held by men over 40: the idea that their metabolism is fundamentally "broken." If you’ve found that fat is harder to lose, energy levels are lower, and standard gym routines no longer deliver results, Redha clarifies that your body isn't failing it is simply adapting to shifts in your daily environment. KEY TAKEAWAYS Your metabolism isn't broken: Aging typically brings quiet shifts in muscle mass, daily movement, and stress levels; your metabolism is simply adapting to these changed inputs. Muscle drives calorie burn: Muscle tissue is metabolically active and burns calories even at rest. Preserving and building muscle through strength training is the most effective way to keep your metabolic rate high. Severe calorie cuts backfire: Prolonged extreme fasting or aggressive calorie restrictions force your body into energy-preservation mode—causing you to eat less, burn less, and feel constantly fatigued. Daily movement outweighs gym time: Sitting for long periods at a desk or driving lowers your overall daily energy output. Simple habits like a 30-to-40-minute brisk walk make a significant impact beyond structured workouts. Sleep restores hormone balance: Quality sleep and stress control reset key hormones that regulate appetite, energy, and fat storage, making recovery just as critical as training. BEST MOMENTS "Your metabolism isn't broken... What has changed is the environment your body is operating in." "Muscle is metabolically active tissue. That means it burns energy even when you are not exercising." "When the body receives too little energy for a long period of time, it adapts by conserving energy. You eat less, and you burn less." "Strength training is one of the most powerful tools for supporting metabolism... and you don't need much time in the gym." "Don't listen to rules you have to force yourself to stick to—listen to your body. Whatever suits you best, stick with it." HOST BIO Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: • Strength training for longevity • Sustainable fat loss and nutrition • Building muscle after 40 • Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. LINKS: Website:    https://rzfitness.co.uk/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

    It’s Not Your Metabolism It’s Your Hormones

  5. 9 Sept

    How To Improve Your Results FAST

    Redha delivers a hard-hitting reality check on why so many people fail to achieve the health and fitness results they desire in midlife. Shifting away from training techniques and diet plans, he focuses entirely on the mindset of extreme personal responsibility, challenging listeners to stop making excuses, drop the victim mentality, and take full ownership of their choices to finally see lasting change. 5 Key Takeaways A lack of fitness progress is almost always rooted in blaming external circumstances—like time constraints, work, or family—rather than taking personal responsibility. Playing the victim generates negative energy that drains your ability to achieve goals and alienates those who are trying to support you. Coaches and trainers can provide advice, programming, and guidance, but they cannot do the work for you or force you to execute daily habits. True progress in health, business, and relationships requires honest self-evaluation to determine if you are genuinely making an effort or just relying on excuses. Achieving long-term success means joining the "winners club," a mindset reserved exclusively for those who hold themselves strictly accountable for their own outcomes. 5 Key Quotes "You are blaming others for your results. This is why you are not happy." "The word helps people who are responsible. People who are victims or play victims, it's like basically they are completely neglected." "Whatever you face, whatever you create, it's you who gonna face it." "If you want to improve your lifestyle, if you want to improve your health, if you want to improve your fitness, if you want to improve your business, you need to start improving your relationship with yourself." "Stop being a loser and enjoy the winners club. Because at the end of the day, nobody cares about if you are a loser or you are a winner." Host Bio Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: Strength training for longevity Sustainable fat loss and nutrition Building muscle after 40 Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. Links Website: https://rzfitness.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

  6. 27 Aug

    You Don’t Need Brutal Workouts to Lose Weight

    Redha busts the myth that you need extreme diets or daily, gruelling gym sessions to lose weight in midlife. Explaining how metabolism and hormones shift after 40, he advocates for an effortless, sustainable approach centred on intermittent fasting 3 to 4 times a week and listening to your body's true needs. By skipping breakfast and lunch, fuelling with easily digestible carbohydrates and healthy fats at dinner, and treating workouts as a celebration of strength rather than a weight-loss punishment, you can shed excess fat, eliminate fatigue, and regain lasting energy. 5 Key Takeaways Weight loss after 40 is driven primarily by nutrition and fasting rather than exhausting daily gym workouts. Fasting 3 to 4 times a week—skipping breakfast and lunch until dinner—allows the body to tap into stored fat reserves and rebalance hormones. When breaking a fast, prioritise easily digestible, gut-friendly carbohydrates like fresh or dried fruit rather than heavy meals or excessive protein. Water intake should be dictated by natural thirst rather than rigid, arbitrary rules. Exercise should be pursued for strength, mobility, and personal enjoyment rather than as a tool to burn off calories. 5 Key Quotes "You don't need to work out every day to lose weight." "Your body doesn't cope in the same way like you used to years and years ago or when you were in your twenties, and you have to accept it." "Give your body what your body needs, not what you want." "Losing weight has to do straight, is connected with food you eat." "If you want then to go to the gym or fancy any physical activity, you can do it out of joy." HOST BIO Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: • Strength training for longevity • Sustainable fat loss and nutrition • Building muscle after 40 • Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. LINKS: Website:    https://rzfitness.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

    You Don’t Need Brutal Workouts to Lose Weight

  7. 20 Aug

    Forget Perfect. Build a Routine You Can Repeat

    Stop waiting for the “perfect time” or a flawless fitness plan—if you are over 40 with a career, family, and endless responsibilities, extreme diets and unsustainable gym routines simply will not stick. In this episode of The Fitness Confessional, Redha breaks down why relying on short bursts of motivation always leads to burnout and reveals the real secret to lifelong health: building an enjoyable, repeatable routine that seamlessly integrates with your actual lifestyle. 5 Key Takeaways Consistency beats perfection, meaning a simple routine you can repeat will always outperform a complex plan you cannot maintain. Waiting for life to calm down before prioritizing your health is a trap because the "perfect week" rarely arrives for busy adults over 40. Relying purely on motivation leads to extreme efforts followed by inevitable drop-offs and burnout. Choosing physical activities you genuinely enjoy—such as social sports or regular walks—makes consistency effortless without adding extra stress. Long-term vitality across decades comes from establishing sustainable daily habits around movement and nutrition rather than chasing quick fixes. 5 Key Quotes "You don't need a perfect plan; you need a routine you can repeat." "For most people over 40, that perfect week rarely comes." "Motivation comes and goes... You start hard, and a few weeks later you start feeling drained." "It's not a sprint; it's a long run, it's a marathon." "Don't ask, 'What is the perfect plan to start?' Ask yourself, 'What routine can I repeat?'" HOST BIO Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: • Strength training for longevity • Sustainable fat loss and nutrition • Building muscle after 40 • Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. LINKS: Website:    https://rzfitness.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

    Forget Perfect. Build a Routine You Can Repeat

  8. 6 Aug

    Over 40? Stop Blaming Sugar

    In this episode, Redha tackles the widespread myth that sugar is the ultimate villain of health and weight loss. Redha reveals why simple sugars and carbohydrates are actually essential sources of fuel for your body and brain after 40, and explains how poor digestion, rather than sugar consumption, is often the real cause behind blood sugar spikes, bloating, and stubborn weight gain.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Sugar Is Fuel, Not the Enemy: Your body and brain rely on glucose and oxygen for energy; cutting out sugar entirely can drain your energy and hinder physical performance. Digestion Dictates Blood Sugar: Blood sugar spikes often stem from slow or impaired digestion of hard-to-digest foods, rather than sugar consumption alone. Rest Your Digestive Tract: Implementing fasting or leaving longer gaps between meals allows your digestive tract to rest, recover, and naturally clean itself. Prioritize Gut-Friendly Foods: Focus on easily digestible proteins and reliable carbs over foods that cause gut stress. Use Sugar Strategically: Simple sugars from sources like dates, bananas, raisins, honey, or even a touch of sugar in your coffee can provide safe, efficient energy boosts in the morning, midday, or prior to workouts. BEST MOMENTS "Sugar is not your enemy. The real problem is not sugar; the real problem is how we use sugar." "Even when you eat something that doesn't have any sugar in it... your blood sugar goes high and lasts a long time... because that food hasn't been digested." "Our brain gets fed from sugar and oxygen... You got sugar, you feel awake, you feel full of energy, you feel focused." "Eating sugar doesn't mean your blood sugar is going to go high. It's completely the opposite—that means your cells are going to get fed properly." "Fast, feed yourself sugar at the right time, and you're going to be healthy and you don't have to worry." HOST BIO Redha Zertal is a strength coach and fitness educator who specialises in helping men over 40 rebuild their strength, energy, and confidence. With over a decade of coaching experience, Redha has worked with hundreds of busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and fathers who want to lose fat, build muscle, and improve their health without extreme training programmes or restrictive diets. As the founder of RZ Fitness in Formby, UK, Redha became known for his practical, results-driven approach to strength training and sustainable fitness for men in midlife. Through The Fitness Confessional podcast, Redha shares the lessons he has learned from years of coaching men navigating the realities of life after 40 — including stress, demanding careers, family responsibilities, and changing metabolism. His mission is simple: To help men build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and healthier lives long into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Redha’s coaching philosophy focuses on: • Strength training for longevity • Sustainable fat loss and nutrition • Building muscle after 40 • Improving energy, focus, and resilience His message is clear: fitness after 40 isn’t about extremes — it’s about consistency and smart training. LINKS: Website:    https://rzfitness.co.uk/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RZFitnessFormby  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rzfitness_formby/  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@rzfitness

    Over 40? Stop Blaming Sugar
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9 Ratings

About

The Fitness Confessional: What Really Works After 40 is a straight-talk podcast about fitness, health, and strength training for men over 40.Hosted by experienced strength coach Redha Zertal, this show cuts through the noise of extreme diets, unrealistic workout plans, and confusing fitness advice that simply doesn’t work once you hit your 40s and beyond.If you’re a busy professional, business owner, or dad trying to balance work, family, stress, and your health, this podcast will show you how to build a stronger, leaner, more energised body without living in the gym. Inside each episode you’ll discover: • How to build muscle after 40 • Smart strategies for losing fat and improving metabolism • Strength training for longevity and joint health• Simple nutrition habits that support energy, focus and recovery • The biggest mistakes men make with fitness after 40 • Real stories and lessons from coaching hundreds of men Redha shares practical, science-backed advice in a relatable way, helping you create a fitness routine that actually fits around a demanding lifestyle.No gimmicks. No extreme diets. No nonsense.Just what really works for staying strong, lean, and energised after 40.If you want to take back control of your health and build a body that supports your life and career, The Fitness Confessional is the podcast for you

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