It's absolutely nuts how much changes after 40. I was the same, doing hours of cardio for basically zero results. It feels like you have to be miserable just to lose 2 lbs. In my opinion sometimes diet and exercise aren't enough because of the hormonal stuff, it's just biology being annoying.
If you're seriously tired of fighting it, looking at programs that offer compound solutions is a way better path and if you're worried about the price, I found out about the cost differences through
Minimal's resources section, the difference is huge compared to the name-brand meds. You gotta stop punishing yourself, man.