Weightloss for 50+ women (For my mom)

Maltesers23

This is for my Mom, who will be 50 next year!
My mom was thin but after my sister and I was born, she gained a lot of weight , and ever since then she has battled with obesity.
Her height is 5.3 feet and weight is 78 kg.
Over the years she has tried so many different things like dieting, pills and gym, and through them she did manage to lose 10-15 kg but all of that weight comes back soon she goes to back to her normal routine. She exercises and has a proper low calorie meals but the weight doesn't seem to go, maybe because of Menopause or the stubborn fat.

So any help is welcomed and if you have battled this then please do reply
Also my mom has border-line thyroid.

Branstin

Your mom should rule out any medical issues that could be hindering her weight loss. Secondly, suggest to her to join MFP. It's sweet of you to want to help her but she has to want this on her own.

rosebette

It is much hard to lose as we age. Our metabolism slows, and we require fewer calories. This is a big adjustment for many people. What doesn't seem like a lot of food for a 35 year old is too much for a 50+ year old. Currently, I'm maintaining on around 1200 + exercise calories, which would result in a loss for most people. I'm also short, like your mom, and I just had my body fat % and metabolism evaluation, and my resting metabolism is only 1136, which means if I don't exercise at all, that's all I need to survive, which is even below the MFP minimum of 1200. Your mom probably should consult a doctor or nutritionist for advice on a safe but nutritionally sound diet that will help her lose.

EricsJones1963

Hi I am 50; 51 in 3weeks. I used to be able to reduce calories, work out like a fein, and lost weight easily (but always regained it once "something" got me off track). Anyway, I had blood work drawn and my cholesterol and blood pressure are high. Diabetes not an issue, praise God! Anyway, I have to face my weight problems and give it a go as I have a 7 year old (yes, one of the times I gained back weight after being pregnant at 43) son at home. I switched doctors and my current one actually prescribed me with Belviq. So far, it is wonderful with controlling my hunger. I only take it once a day instead of twice since I drive 6 hours a day for my job and the medicine makes me tired and groggy. The tiredness is great at night as I now sleep through the night which I haven't in years because of menopause. So, taking it in the late afternoon/early evening is a win/win for me especially since night time binging is my main problem with over eating.

I'm embarrassed to say that I am 5'8' and weigh 249. Yikes! How did that happen? I ran a 1/2 marathon at 47 and look what happened? But I have to face it and with God on my side, I will succeed at getting healthy for myself, my son, and serving God in whatever way he tells me too.

geneticsteacher

I am nearer 60 than 50. I never had a weight problem until a pregnancy at 40, quitting smoking, menopause, and then dealing with thyroiditis and pericarditis. If your Mom wants to really lose this time, this is a good site. She should be warned - it is not harder at her age, but it does take longer. She will have to eat less calories than someone in their 20s or 30s. I started with 2 lb. losses for the first 3 weeks, then 1 1/2 lbs. for a few weeks, and now am losing a pound every 7-10 days, without changing calorie goals. It is just a slower process at our age.

SherryTeach

You can't do this for your mom. She should be the one here if she is interested.

Elsieb6

Hi! I'm 52, the same height as your mom, but was blessed with good genes and a healthy metabolism, until getting thyroditis in my late 40's. Ever since then, I've struggled to get back to and maintain my pre-thyroditis weight. Although I'm not considered overweight, I tend to weigh 5-8 lbs more than the weight I'd maintained the previous 20+ years, if I'm not being careful about my diet. I do exercise regularly (5-6 days per week, at a fairly high intensity level, usually for 30-45 min each day).

What has worked for me, in trying to get towards my pre-thyroditis weight, is eating MORE. When I was younger, a 1200 calorie diet worked fine for losing weight. However, as my thyroid and aging have slowed my metabolism, I find I often gain weight when eating 1200 or fewer calories. My body seems to go into "starvation mode" pretty quickly. The "sweet spot" for me, in terms of being able to lose weight, seems to be somewhere in the 1400-1500 calorie range, with regular, slightly longer (45 min -1 hr), decently hard exercise sessions (I do both cardio and weights on alternating days). I also find that logging calories makes a HUGE difference. When I guesstimate in my head, I'm often inaccurate, which means I'm either eating too little or too much. Finally, what you eat matters in being able to lose weight as we age. When I was much younger (and before the low carb craze), I could lose weight eating low fat, high carb, as long as I kept my calorie count in check. At my age now, though, lower carbs and higher protein does work better for losing weight.

We're all different; so what works for me may not work for your mom. Assuming there's nothing medically preventing her from losing the weight, there are lots of diet options available. She should find one that works for her AND that she likes well enough to be able to sustain for several months. Alternatively, she can do a diet on her own (this is a great site with helpful tips), in which case, I would definitely encourage her to log her food as accurately as possible to determine her actual calorie count, as well as logging calories burned during exercise, and to find at what calorie count her weight loss is most effective. I was (pleasantly) surprised to discover I actually needed to up my calorie count a bit, in order to lose weight.

One final note: my husband has struggled to lose weight most of our married life; and one of the difficult realizations for him has been that, if he wants to keep the weight off permanently (he has yo-yo dieted for years), he has to change his eating habits permanently. There is no going back to the old way of eating, once you reach your goal weight. Perhaps you can enjoy a few more treats on occasion and consume slightly more calories on a regular basis, once you've reached your goal. But old habits are typically what cause weight gain in the first place; and they need to be replaced with healthier habits.

Good luck to you and your mom!

GracieB5

I would really say that you should probably, before puting any focus on her losing weight yet, get her involved in a pattern of activity, to get her active and accustomed to being active, physical activity that she can maintain, and that also lifts her spirits.
This can be anything, anything that compliments where she is at this point.
Then progress forward from there.

Liftng4Lis

Why are you doing this for your mother, instead of her doing it for herself?

SherryTeach

We are treating a woman nearing 50 as if she is some elderly nursing home resident that we need to do something about. Geez, I'm almost 60 and I can't imagine my daughters thinking they needed to manage me or get me to do anything!

socalkay

Yes, you can introduce her to the site. Beyond that, it's her journey. Don't nag her about it if she isn't ready to do it.

acogg

I am 53, nearly 54. Trust me, your mother is eating too much for her size. It has nothing to do with pregnancy, children or menopause. Excuses, blame and self-shame are more likely what needs to addressed. She may be depressed because of her age and weight, so be sympathetic, but don't allow her to in denial. Go for a walk with her, shopping, invite her to a healthy for her dinner (without rubbing her nose in it). She has to want it, for you, for grandchildren, for her own self-pride. Whatever the reason, your mother has to want it. All you can do is be supportive.

middlehaitch

Oh, I am so happy to see so many of you taking on your weight loss before you hit menopause.
I only realised the weight was creeping up when I was well into it!
And it was such hard work to try to loose while my mind and body were on their own little journey.
It took close to a year to loose the 30lb I needed to loose and my skin never bounced back fully.
That being said I have managed to maintain at 102-107lb for four years +.

It is totally up to your mum but, please encourage her to start her weight loss journey now while she is still relatively young.
! maintain at 1200- 1375 depending on my workout for the day.
5'1, cw 103, sw 128-30, 61yo.

cheers, h.

(my avitar pic was taken on a trip to Vegas celebrating my 60th birthday)

Maltesers23

Thanks for the inputs!
My mom has been exercising and eating a healthy diet for the past 6-8 months, and is doing so only because she wants it and not because we want her to lose weight.
I just wanted to know that why has it always been so hard for her when some of our family friends (the same age as her) lose weight with ease.

middlehaitch

Maltesers23,
It is just a case of as we get older the body needs less. Just like menopause, it starts at different times for different people.
As others have said counting her calories accurately, unfortunately a healthy diet doesn't always mean it is calorie appropriate, and incorporating regular exercise should help her loose those extra pounds.
She may just have to realise it is a life change, and not a diet, as she has previously lost and gained.
Cheers, h.

Maltesers23

middlehaitch wrote: »

Maltesers23,
It is just a case of as we get older the body needs less. Just like menopause, it starts at different times for different people.
As others have said counting her calories accurately, unfortunately a healthy diet doesn't always mean it is calorie appropriate, and incorporating regular exercise should help her loose those extra pounds.
She may just have to realise it is a life change, and not a diet, as she has previously lost and gained.
Cheers, h.

Hey Middlehaitch,
Thanks the for the help and kudos to you for looking so great at the age of 60...honestly I couldn't believe your post, you look so young