it's harder at 50

featchy1

My husband is skinny as a rake and likes to eat or and enjoys spoiling me. That's lovely but we have a problem. I need to lose 15 lbs. I can't get in to any of my favorite clothes and nothing looks good on me. I need help. I started cycling but almost any excuse not to go is good enough for me and often I don't sleep so I'm just too tired. That's always a good one. ....would somebody like to be my accountabilibuddy?

adoud1

featchy1 I can totally relate. I'm 46 and it's been VERY difficult to lose weight this time around. I fully expected to lose about 10lbs a week!! LOL....no joke. I just expected it to fall off. And I'm the type of person that needs results quickly or I give up. So I started "watching" what I ate, and nothing happened. I was discouraged and wanted to quit. My husband kept telling me I had to add exercise or it wasn't going to happen, but I didn't want to exercise. I just wanted to wake up thin. After a few weeks, I got with the program and knew I had to take different steps if I wanted anything to change, so I've been faithful about logging my foods and try desperately to stay within my calorie range. This works for me because it keeps me accountable and helps me to see exactly what I'm eating. When I thought I was eating small amounts or "healthy" foods, I came to realize I wasn't. Then I added walking 30 minutes after my lunch at work. I walk as fast as I can in that 30 minutes and I think I'm up to about 2 miles in 30 minutes now. I also added cardio 2-3 times a week. That can be elliptical, spinning, or more walking. But I try to do that at least twice, maybe 3 times. And I can now say, after 8 wks, I'm down 14 lbs!!! YAY!! I've still got 21 to go, but I know I'm on my way now and I CAN do this, if I stay true to my body.
Nothing will change if nothing changes. Unfortunately, it just gets harder as we age, but we should also work harder as we age to protect our health. I'm happy to help keep you accountable as I myself often want to just be lazy and not work out. Hang in there and don't give up. Slow and steady wins the race!

ninerbuff

Yes it's harder. I have to work a little harder each year if I want to continue playing sports or just plain chasing after my kid at the playground. Hardest thing still is getting up and down off the ground quickly.
But in the end, it's worth it. I've seen so many people at my age that have seemingly lost their vigor for physical activity.
Start easy. Be consistent. You'll get better with repetition.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

schenkm2

I agree and relate so much to this. I am 51 and a diabetic. I am trying to loose weight. I have lost a lot so far, but the last 25 I want to loose seem to not want to go despite my best efforts. When I was in my 20's if I wanted to loose weight, I just did..it seemed effortless.

pscarolina

I'm 47 & I don't think it's ever been easy! But...I started logging consistently last September & have been pretty happy with the results. I didn't expect quick weight loss as it's never really been that way for me. I'm smaller now than I've been since I had my daughter...who is 20 years old.

Cardio doesn't do much for me when it comes to weight loss. I can eat all those calories back (& more) in a couple of bites. I basically followed the advice on the "so you want a nice stomach" thread on here, which is similar advice to "how to lose weight" article on bodybuilding.com.

snoringcat

I'm 52. Started last June counting calories and started running via the Couch to 5K (C25K) program last July. Happy to report that I've met & exceeded my target weight loss (lost 43lb altogether) and been successfully maintaining for the last 4 months. I still run 3 times a week (doing around 4-5 miles each run).

It's not been easy, but it's not been overly hard either - it's just a question of sticking to it!

brentopia

I'm 57. Everything seems more difficult the older we get, doesn't it? Lol. But its all about the calorie deficit. Eating well and exercising is great for our health and fitness - and I do both - but the only requirement for weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. I started a couple of months ago and have lose 10lbs and probably need to lose almost that much again. Simple weight lifting and regular brisk walks have made a world of difference for me - both for strength gain and feeling good. Friend me if you wish - I enjoy the camaraderie/support of this website and providing support to others. Good luck to you in your journey!

p.s. What pscarolina said above - the thread "so you want a nice stomach" is a great thread to read.

elmh64

I agree...
Im 51 and until i realized my diseases (fibro, bone disease, etc) were due to eating... i needed to get serious for my own health.
It was a slow process and it starts with the way we have been trained to eat. A few months now i am eating a lot. Whole foods not any processed food has lost me 25 pounds so now i am riding a bicycle and walking daily. I dance to music and wouldn't be able to without the changes ive made.

Let's b here to encourage one another. The body was created by a terrific Creator and He will help each one.
Did you know The Bible says what to eat or not?
Best to all!

CSARdiver

It's rougher, but that just makes the personal victories all the more glorious.

One of my personal motivators is a long time friend - retired Senior Chief who is over 60 and can run most of us into the ground - all the while puffing on a cigar

47Jacqueline

It may be a bit harder due to a slowing metabolism, but that's easily addressed by increasing your activity. The problem with most people is they are not as active as they think they are. A recent study I read reported that the average person in the U.S. does about 30 minutes of moderate exercise a week. And over 50% are flat out sedentary.

The American College of Sports Medicine's basic recommendation for just being physically active (that doesn't include being physically fit) is 150 minutes of moderate activity (walking, gardening, etc.) a week. That's hardly anything. Another 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous exercise will eventually lead to physical fitness - that's not even 4% of your life.

Everything else includes eating at a reasonable deficit.