55-65 year old women's success?

Trina2040

Still here and still counting. Up a bit from my original 49 lb loss. Logging in everyday, staying active and now trying to drop the 9 lbs I gained. Five years and counting.

AnnPT77

Still here, still logging/counting most days. Mostly in maintenance since losing from obese to healthy weight in 2015 at age 59-60, but had my weight slowly drift up from 120s (lbs) to mid/high 130s, so back in October started intentionally drifting it back down veerrrrrryyyy slowly, like half a pound a week or less, intentionally. Have lost 9-10 pounds since then (depending on the day ), now sitting at about 129 at 5'5", at age 64.

Pandemic shutdowns made my eating plan work a bit more consistently since March, having removed routine temptations of restaurant meals and craft beer at the brewpub!

Bummed out that rowing club is still limited access, so I haven't been doing my regular on-water rowing this summer, nor my previous twice-weekly spin classes at the Y. Truthfully, my exercise schedule has had ups and downs since WInter, but the last few weeks I've been pretty consistent with a steady state short, pretty easy (UT2/aerobic) rowing machine workout 6 days a week, and 3 days of irrationally supersetting weight lifting. It'll have to do: Better than nothing.

cosafe1

I am a 65 year old female with weight to lose and I would like to join this group and make friends here so that I read what others are doing. I don't like to exercise so need motivation and I like learning new things that other people are doing to help them on their fitness journey. Feel free to add me as a friend as I will be looking to find people I can also add as a friend since I am newly returning to MFP. I want to stick with it and make a change in my fitness this time. I believe there is a quote: "Half measures avails nothing." Wishing everyone the best!

seamonster99

Hi, I'm new to this thread. So much inspiration here, thanks to all of YOU! I'm 56, 5'8, currently 187lbs. Finally in meno as of spring! Stepped on a scale June 6, 2020 and was horrified to see it kissing 200, 198.6 to be exact. I've been logging/counting every day since and making some headway. Long term goal weight is 140, short term is ~182 by the end of Aug. Harder to lose weight now, but intermittent fasting seems to help, am finding a 'new to me' rhythm. Primarily walking and some moderate hikes, some weights and light workouts. Am learning a lot. . .

charmmeth

This is a great thread: thank you for all the inspiration. I too am 56, hit 88kg/195lb in lockdown and am working to get it off again. Nearly half way there now... (and nearly back to my pre-Easter egg weight!). Doing workouts most days; I find the low impact workouts at Bodyfit by Amy and at Scottish Ballet for 55+ suit me very well.

cherys

I'm 56 and a month ago started working out with a personal trainer four times a week. Started feeling stronger and more energetic but saw no weight loss. So I came back to MFP to log the calories and have lost 3lbs in 10 days. Really glad to have found this thread. My current mindset is do what you can - anything is better than nothing. A short walk is better than the sofa. A long walk is better than a short one. Water is better than endless cups of black tea with milk etc. I want to lose 35lbs in total. To keep it off means an overhaul of entire lifestyle not a diet then back to normal. I need to build a new normal. That's what I'm aiming to do right now.

springlering62

58, 5’7”, SW 222+, current weight 131.

I was thin up til having kids but this is the best shape I’ve ever been in. I gots muscles peeping out.

DiabeticDer

I am 58 year old Type 2 diabetic. Started low-carb lifestyle in April 2018. Have lost 86 lbs!! SW = 212, CW = 125.8, GW = 119. It can be done!!

Tejaco

Hello PianoRun,
I am fifty-eight and was never more than ten pounds overweight until menopause. I ballooned up to around 165 at menopause. I don't really know my top weight because I stopped getting on the scale, you know how that is? I didn't diet because I'd heard all these awful things about yo-yo-ing and gaining the weight back. I used MFP to log what I ate for a couple of weeks and I tried to cut back, but nothing changed. So I lived with it until I learned about the Whole Food Plant Based diet/lifestyle. The emphasis was all on health, with lots of science behind it. I was interested in their info about reversing heart disease and diabetes and preventing cancer and Alzheimer's. I studied it for months, "transitioning", and then I went all in on my birthday. The pounds starting dropping as swiftly as they had piled on at menopause. I don't even exercise, though I intend to get better about that. I've now plateau'd with about ten pounds more to lose. Maybe exercise will kick those last ten pounds. But even more importantly, my cholesterol dropped from 270 to 193, my skin cleared up, my hair and nails improved, I got more energy, my sleep improved, my mood improved and I stopped getting recurrent UTIs. I love knowing how healthy I'm eating and that I'm impacting climate change and not requiring the deaths of animals for me to live. If I'm stuck with these ten pounds going forward, I'm no worse off than I was before menopause, so I'm good with it.

Good luck with your goals! I hope you find what works for you. I'm so relieved that I have.

Age: 58, Height: 5'3", SW: ~165lbs, CW: 133lbs, GW: 123lbs.

nwaslosky

Hello all. New to the thread but already optimistic that I can have the same success that others have shared. I'm 5'4", 58, and I have jumped to 153#. It seemed like I gained 15# overnight after menopause. I think my weight gain is due to stress and not having a program where I am accountable on my diet and exercise. My goal weight is 135# and I am going to track the food and schedule the workouts. Hearing your successes will help me work towards making my own.

HeidiCooksSupper

I'm 69 and retired. The thing I find different about losing weight now than when I was younger is that I know more now and have more control over my own emotions and therefore my own decisions of how to behave. I get to decide how much I get to eat based on good information rather than emotion.

I weigh 38 pounds less today than I did at 55 y.o. If I keep track of calories through daily logging and eat at a calorie deficit, I lose weight. When I'm not paying attention I head back up but not all the way back up. When I resumed paying attention 90 days ago, eating at a reasonable number of calories and exercising between 150 and 200 minutes/week, I lost just over 23 pounds. I still have about 100 pounds to go and am working to get my blood sugar under control.

I have a goal of reaching ONEderland (199.9 lbs) by my 70th birthday and may make it. It will be a near thing. But it does mean I'll weigh less than 200 pounds for the first time since the mid-1980s! Then it's on another 60-or-so pounds after that to be at a fairly healthy level -- still an overweight BMI but just a little. That's the plan and THE ONLY THING STANDING IN MY WAY IS ME. I'm getting old enough to know how to handle ME.

jeannemarie333

Hi, and thanks for the great topic. I agree wholeheartedly that life as a 50-60 year old woman is so very different than when we were young - for so many reasons and on so many levels. I am 59 and I started here in 2013 and so far have lost 32 pounds. It has been very hard and I have remained consistent through a back and hip injury. I feel that my whole lifestyle has changed, exercise is a part of my daily life to include walking, Yoga, gardening and I just got a recumbant bike - yay! I'm committed to losing more weight. I am so glad to have found MFP and please send a friend request if you would like to share stories and support. God bless!! Jeanne

Annie42019

59 years old 5 foot 5.5. Started July 2018 at 210 was 135 May 2019. Have maintained since then at 135. Did 1200 tracked calories with a Weight Watchers-like twist of not tracking most vegetables ( only tracked potatoes)

Leezy55

Annie42019 wrote: »

59 years old 5 foot 5.5. Started July 2018 at 210 was 135 May 2019. Have maintained since then at 135. Did 1200 tracked calories with a Weight Watchers-like twist of not tracking most vegetables ( only tracked potatoes)

You look fantastic! Did you do 1200 calories to loose weight or for maintenance?

Leezy55

And you look great for 59!

Leezy55

DiabeticDer wrote: »

I am 58 year old Type 2 diabetic. Started low-carb lifestyle in April 2018. Have lost 86 lbs!! SW = 212, CW = 125.8, GW = 119. It can be done!!

Congratulations! How low were your carbs! Approximating how many calories per day while dieting and how many now? How much do you exercise and how tall are you.

Annie42019

Leezy55 wrote: »

You look fantastic! Did you do 1200 calories to loose weight or for maintenance?

Thank you! In maintenance I do the same 1200 (plus veggies....probably another 50- 100 calories) that I did to lose but only 5 days a week with a Saturday night “ cheat” of more like 2200+ calories! Then on Sundays I do a 500-600 calorie day which helps me “ reset” for the week. I know this won’t work for everyone but it does for me.

Leezy55

Annie42019 wrote: »

Leezy55 wrote: »

You look fantastic! Did you do 1200 calories to loose weight or for maintenance?

Thank you! In maintenance I do the same 1200 (plus veggies....probably another 50- 100 calories) that I did to lose but only 5 days a week with a Saturday night “ cheat” of more like 2200+ calories! Then on Sundays I do a 500-600 calorie day which helps me “ reset” for the week. I know this won’t work for everyone but it does for me.

Thank you for the info. I am so stuck right now. Have to figure a new routine.

jjlbrick

Hi it’s been a rough August been gone Monday we had 100 mph winds. Tree fell on sons garage so my cycling mileage is down but the alternative chainsaw running raking, dragging wood to curb. I was terrified to weigh myself but yippee I lost. Down 25 lbs since May 5 2020

numedownunder

Hi, I am 66 and recently began tracking food and trying to exercise every day. I am on my way down but still a long country mile to go before I hit my ( should be) weight. Glad I flipped through the message boards and found this site, so very nice to know lots of us here, not just to loose weight but to live healthier lifestyle. So a big hello to everyone and I will come here for my inspiration to keep going.

ellent124

I'm 65 and have struggled mightily. I think the answer is sticking to my 1200-1400 cal plan, keeping track on MFP, continuing with my training 3x/week. So much stress in our lives with family issues right now and my little doxie broke his leg last week. Had surgery on Monday, so now a very long recovery. Trying to keep a positive attitude and not medicate with food! Today was not a good day, but tomorrow, I plan for success. In Sept, I might add walking as the weather gets nicer. I plan to see a 5 lb change over the next month.

catmama256

Wow! I'm glad I must be in the minority. At 55 (and menopausal) I've NEVER had a single menopausal symptom ever. Im as active, flexible and can workout harder and better than I did in my 30's. I feel better than in my 20's!

springlering62

Same here @catmama256

Down 91 pounds at age 58, exercising like a crazy woman, simply because I enjoy it!. I am in way better shape than at any other time in my life, even when I was a stick in my twenties. No menopausal symptoms unless you count being mean as a snake once in a while. (Leastwise, I hope it’s only once in a while!)

Life is wonderful, and I am so very grateful I did this for myself.

I’m gonna go out for a walk to celebrate.

If I could encourage you, gentle readers, to set your mind to it to do the same, I promise you’ll feel the same once that extra hooman is off your hips.

nancyleereilly1946

I am 73 soon to be 74 and have lost 136 pounds without surgery or pills. I began using this site about halfway through my journey. I have held steady for 3 years and am now working on another goal of 30 pounds. We can all do it. I have started doing resistance band training for seniors on You Tube and it is helping. Good luck everyone. Nancy R.

walk4today

Glad to see another person in her 70's on here so I figure I can join in, if that's OK. I am 75 and soon to be 76 and have lost about 5 lbs since the beginning of August. Just have to be careful not to celebrate a loss with food! I have about 90 more to lose but am trying to view it in 5 lb increments so I don't get too overwhelmed. I love all the success stories and before and after pics...they are so inspiring! Thank goodness for MFP.

sas202554

I am starting with my fitness pal this week. I am 65 years old and weigh 315 pounds. I am 5’5”. My goal is to lose 50 pounds by my 66th birthday. It is so hood to see other people here my age. I want to be successful!!

sas202554

My 66th birthday is in May.

cambiel2015

Hello, I'm very happy to see a group for the more mature ladies. I'm 61and restarted my weight loss journey in July when I was 205lb. Two and a bit months on and I'm now 181lb. I joined a facebook group called Team RH. Is anyone else familiar with it?
The biggest difference I have made is to get walking. I started on 5k steps a day and now manage 10k steps and more most days. The good weather has helped! I want to make space for a treadmill so I can keep going through the winter months. I don't mind the cold at all, but don't fancy long walks in the pouring rain.
With dodgy knees I am a bit scared of doing things like a full body workout, so walking is the best option for me right now I feel. What do you all do to try and get fitter?

charmmeth

cambiel2015 wrote: »

With dodgy knees I am a bit scared of doing things like a full body workout, so walking is the best option for me right now I feel. What do you all do to try and get fitter?

Walking is great, but if you want to explore other options, then I would recommend the low impact and beginners videos at Bodyfit by Amy which have been great for getting my dodgy knees moving and stronger. They are are definitely a bit less dodgy than they were. I started with her 10 min beginners cardio and 10 mins beginners abs and even though I mw now doing some of her longer / higher intensity ones, I still use these two a lot in between. Her low impacts legs workout is also really good, and gives you options you can use in other workouts if squats or lunges are a problem (that's on p. 2 from the link below). Amy has low impact versions for all her workouts and some great advice on how to work out even if your knees (or abs, or whatever) aren't in brilliant shape.

You can find them here: https://bodyfitbyamy.com/beginner-low-impact-workouts/

Usually I swim a lot which I also find helps my knees, but since the pool has been shut I have bought a rowing machine which is also great for my knees, provided I keep the pace moderate: it exercises my knees (and legs, arms and back) without having all my weight on them.

I am 56, by the way.

lorrieannoberry

Hey everyone. I am 53 and hope it is ok to be in group. I hit full menopause early and i already was having a time losing with my faithlessness to trying over a day at a time. I am doing much better now and it helps to hear others doing well and keeping at it. Thanks for the advice and support. You all are inspiring.