Is it harder to lose weight as you get older

SergeantSausage

Harder to lose? Nope. Not a chance. I don't believe it for a minute.

Easier to gain though - insanely easy to put on 5 pounds a month, right? Never did that when I was 20 (I'm 45 now)

Ideabaker

I don't know if it is technically 'harder' for me (at age 48) to lose weight, but it is more challenging. It's a fact that metabolism rate does tend to slow with each decade (probably due to loss of muscle mass)... and my older MFP friends can attest to that. The hormonal roller coaster of peri-menopause, menopause, and some of the medications given for the side effects of both can be exhausting (making moving around difficult for some) throw the body for a loop in terms of mental state (so the desire to move is not there), and processing of calories.

I agree with the poster who said she wishes MFP were around twenty years ago. It helps to be able to choose friends of a common age group/fitness level/ whatever to share mutual support in meeting specific goals. With them, I achieved my goal weight, and with them, I am maintaining.

Had I started on here 20 years ago, I would have stuck with more heavy weight lifting for that glorious after-calorie burn, stronger muscles and bones, and an overall faster metabolism.

Sued0nim

flatlndr wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

No, IME I think it's an excuse

Find the right programme, stick to it and weight comes off

Older people are possibly more jaded and have more inbuilt excuses though IME ...I spent years thinking why does it matter any more, I'm happy as I am, I'm too old to care, my body is supposed to have changed

But no ...I was making excuses for myself, I was just better at it

^^^ This

I lost 100 lbs in my early 50s, after spending my 40s making excuses for my weight gains.
It's all down to food intake and activity level.

A friend once said to me "you don't get less active because of your age; you age because you get less active"
My extension to that is "you don't get heavier as you get older, you get heavier as you eat more and exercise less over the years"

I like that

kindrabbit

I was told by a guy at the gym that "'at your age' you'll never loose that tummy". Challenge accepted!!

Sued0nim

^^^ great transformation

lauracups

I've had several doctors tell me it's a fools errand at my age. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

sijomial

I found it far easier to lose weight and get fit in my 50's.
Food labelling, calorie counting website, more "me time" now the children are grown up, easy access to quality nutrition and training advice....

There are some genuine factors as you age (injuries, age-related illness, very slight metabolic slowdown...) but I hate it when people use age alone as an excuse.

Sure I can't gain muscle or fitness at the same rate as when I was young but that's a reason for progress to be slower - not a reason why it can't be done.

mudmonkeyonwheels

It is more difficult to lose as you age. As well as reduced metabolic efficiency, hormonal changes as you age cause your fat:muscle ratio to change resulting in less LBM which makes your BMR lower. Although eating well, lifting etc can reduce the influence of these factors, you can't deny biology. But when it comes down to it- CICO rules and it is just a matter of adjusting your calorie intake as you age to compensate for these changes. Most calorie calculators take this into account.

yirara

Thanks all! it's very encouraging to see so many people here who are older than me, yet look so fit

dramaqueen45

mudmonkeyonwheels wrote: »

It is more difficult to lose as you age. As well as reduced metabolic efficiency, hormonal changes as you age cause your fat:muscle ratio to change resulting in less LBM which makes your BMR lower. Although eating well, lifting etc can reduce the influence of these factors, you can't deny biology. But when it comes down to it- CICO rules and it is just a matter of adjusting your calorie intake as you age to compensate for these changes. Most calorie calculators take this into account.

This absolutely- you do change metabolically as you age. I could definitely eat more when I was younger and maintain a low weight. People couldn't believe how thin I was and how much I could eat- and I didn't exercise that much. So yes, it is more difficult, but not impossible.

Sued0nim

mudmonkeyonwheels wrote: »

It is more difficult to lose as you age. As well as reduced metabolic efficiency, hormonal changes as you age cause your fat:muscle ratio to change resulting in less LBM which makes your BMR lower. Although eating well, lifting etc can reduce the influence of these factors, you can't deny biology. But when it comes down to it- CICO rules and it is just a matter of adjusting your calorie intake as you age to compensate for these changes. Most calorie calculators take this into account.

But that's just it

Tell people it's more difficult and they think 'well what's the point?'. How much more difficult is it? Is that offset by the fact people can have more available free time, money, emotional maturity, confidence, stubbornness, will, cooking ability etc

Don't look for the excuses as to why it's harder, look for the reasons that will make you commit to the same equation a 20 year old would - calories in<calories out = weight loss; move more, lift heavy = fitter and stronger

The reduced metabolic efficiency is caused by having less LBM ... surely the answer is build muscle right? BMR is lower - build muscle?

isulo_kura

mudmonkeyonwheels wrote: »

It is more difficult to lose as you age. As well as reduced metabolic efficiency, hormonal changes as you age cause your fat:muscle ratio to change resulting in less LBM which makes your BMR lower. Although eating well, lifting etc can reduce the influence of these factors, you can't deny biology. But when it comes down to it- CICO rules and it is just a matter of adjusting your calorie intake as you age to compensate for these changes. Most calorie calculators take this into account.

You're metabolism only slows down around 100 calories every 10 years so as much as it's slower it's not really significant if you remain active as you point out. Too many people try to use getting older as an excuse when the reality is it's not one

snowflakesav

I'm 51. I do think it is harder to maintain muscle mass.

scarlett31uk

Not sure about it being harder to lose but for me it has been easier to gain. I was always very skinny, actually underweight, struggling to keep up to 7 stone (I'm 5'4"). Anyway, once I was in my 40s it started to creep on. I didn't really notice it until clothes were tighter, so I was horrified to step on the scales and see 11 stone!

I could blame age - I'm 46 - but I think the real culprits were the late night munchies - crisps, chocolate, lumps of cheese. Complacency because I'd always been able to eat whatever I wanted.

Anyway, I saw the problem and decided to do something about it. I started my journey (I won't call it a diet - it's a lifestyle change) on 10th January where I tipped the scales at that horrible (for me) number.

This morning the scales showed me at 125lbs (8 stone 13 lbs) and 20.5% body fat, so I'm getting there. Just need this jelly belly to disappear now, but it's going.

drosebud

I'm 54. I've lost around 50 pounds in the past couple of years, and they had been sticking around for 20 years or so. I've just entered my first half marathon and am training for that. Everybody is different but I have never been as lean, fit or healthy as I am now in my adult life (even in my twenties). As someone said earlier, this may be because I have more time to look after myself now my children have left home, but I'm also a darn site more aware of what *I* want. Getting older has been great for me.

kindrabbit

rabbitjb wrote: »

^^^ great transformation

I must confess to a certain amount of 'sucking it in'! In fairness though, I was probably sucking it in the first pic too!

JPW1990

rabbitjb wrote: »

mudmonkeyonwheels wrote: »

It is more difficult to lose as you age. As well as reduced metabolic efficiency, hormonal changes as you age cause your fat:muscle ratio to change resulting in less LBM which makes your BMR lower. Although eating well, lifting etc can reduce the influence of these factors, you can't deny biology. But when it comes down to it- CICO rules and it is just a matter of adjusting your calorie intake as you age to compensate for these changes. Most calorie calculators take this into account.

But that's just it

Tell people it's more difficult and they think 'well what's the point?'. How much more difficult is it? Is that offset by the fact people can have more available free time, money, emotional maturity, confidence, stubbornness, will, cooking ability etc

Don't look for the excuses as to why it's harder, look for the reasons that will make you commit to the same equation a 20 year old would - calories in<calories out = weight loss; move more, lift heavy = fitter and stronger

The reduced metabolic efficiency is caused by having less LBM ... surely the answer is build muscle right? BMR is lower - build muscle?

Or, they do what a lot of people here have done, start researching, and figure out what specific things they have to do that people younger than them don't have to worry about, like what influences diabetes has on their weight, what to do to work around osteoarthritis pain and still be active, what changes they need to make to offset side-effects of different medications. Why assume everyone is an ignorant pessimist from the start?

farmerpam1

I don't know if it's age or not, but I never had myfitnesspal in the past and this has made all the difference! Also, for me, cutting down on carbs and being aware of my fats and protein intake has been amazing. Don't get me wrong, I also work my butt off, lol, literally! I think sometimes older people become sedentary and think there's nothing that can be done about it. "We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing." It's never too late to become more active is my motto. I love it when I can blow past the youngins' on the uphill bike or run. Not too bad for an old lady, heh-heh:)

Sued0nim

JPW1990 wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

mudmonkeyonwheels wrote: »

It is more difficult to lose as you age. As well as reduced metabolic efficiency, hormonal changes as you age cause your fat:muscle ratio to change resulting in less LBM which makes your BMR lower. Although eating well, lifting etc can reduce the influence of these factors, you can't deny biology. But when it comes down to it- CICO rules and it is just a matter of adjusting your calorie intake as you age to compensate for these changes. Most calorie calculators take this into account.

But that's just it

Tell people it's more difficult and they think 'well what's the point?'. How much more difficult is it? Is that offset by the fact people can have more available free time, money, emotional maturity, confidence, stubbornness, will, cooking ability etc

Don't look for the excuses as to why it's harder, look for the reasons that will make you commit to the same equation a 20 year old would - calories in<calories out = weight loss; move more, lift heavy = fitter and stronger

The reduced metabolic efficiency is caused by having less LBM ... surely the answer is build muscle right? BMR is lower - build muscle?

Or, they do what a lot of people here have done, start researching, and figure out what specific things they have to do that people younger than them don't have to worry about, like what influences diabetes has on their weight, what to do to work around osteoarthritis pain and still be active, what changes they need to make to offset side-effects of different medications. Why assume everyone is an ignorant pessimist from the start?

You're right you know

But most people make excuses that come from being ignorant pessimists who accept bro-science bollocks of tabloid media shows and papers and the multi-million marketing spend of 'diet' companies. And then they start threads like 'I can't lose weight', 'I'm not losing weight' and get people coming on and advising them of the latest fad / diet / cleanse / detox (you know the "you must take this supplement on the top of a hill at midnight whilst stroking a goat")

toofatnomore

Personally I have not been able to LOSE weight until I got older..I struggled through my late 30's and throughout my 40's to drop...at 51 I am down over 40lbs and didn't seem too difficult...so far. There is allot to be said about the accountability MFP assists me with.