40+, WITH 40+ TO LOSE!

Sparkymel

40+, with 40+ to lose? Me too! I am a 42 year old, single Mom. If I am being honest, I have around 70lbs to lose. This struggle is real and hard! Growing up, I was an average size and very healthy kid. In my 20's, I was obsessed with health and fitness. In my 30's, I started the yo-yo adventure and never stopped! I had my son at 37 years old and weigh more now, than when he was born.

At 42, I am just over it! I am tired of feeling tired, insecure and unhappy in my own skin. I don't want to completely fall 'Off the wagon', just because I had bad day of eating anymore. I am realizing that we're all human and we will all make mistakes on this journey. This journey is full of rocks and bumps, but I want to stop detouring. I am ready to be healthy and strong and feel like myself again. I want to live a long and healthy life, with my son. I am ready to stop yo-yo'ing and focus on living healthy. I have been logging my food daily, for a week now. So far so good.

We all have a different story. What's your story?What motivates you and keeps you going? What are you doing to reach your goals and how are you overcoming the struggles?

1mumrevolution

I think you are in a great place mentally and will do awesome in your journey. I have lost 43lbs and just turned 48. My plan now is to loose a few vanity pounds and drop body fat.

twosillycats

Hi! I've been looking for people similar in age to me and with similar weight loss goals. I'm 48 and my current goal is to lose 2 pounds per week (avg.) and get down to 158 by June 10. I weigh 198 now. I used MFP for a while last year, lost about 7 lbs. and then quit. I do t know why....just got lazy or discouraged or....(?) Over the holidays I overdid it and tried to make myself think I didn't care but I realized I have to lose weight and exercise more to be healthy and feel better about myself. I'm tired of being afraid of cameras, getting nervous about work presentations , not because of having to speak but because I don't want people to look at me, and most of all, I'm tired of hearing people ask me when I'm due or make what they think are friendly comments about me being pregnant when I'm not. My belly is where I hold most of my weight. I have 2 kids--a 16 yr old son and 12 year old daughter, and a husband. Despite probably sounding down, I'm actually quite a positive thinker and happy with my life! I'm just really struggling with body image and weight loss. It's hard to talk to family and friends because I feel like the thin ones don't understand and others might get tired of hearing about it or think, 'she's been down this road before...what's different this time?" I really want this time to be different and will try hard to reach my goal. I would love to find a few online MFP friends to join forces and support each other!

trevnik3bys

This is the place to be girl. You can do it. I'm 40, 3 kiddos in high school and have had a very stressful career that helped me pack on 40 pounds over the last few years. I said good bye to the stress and now want to say goodbye to the weight. 2 weeks in and feeling great!!! Loving the food.......now my kids...not so much. ☺️

Sparkymel

Thank you!! Congratulations on your weight loss! How did you do it? @1mumrevolution

Sparkymel

@twosillycats I can totally relate. Sounds like we are going through very similar struggles. Thank you for sharing.

Sparkymel

Thank you @trevnik3bys! We got this! My family is actually loving that I am cooking more and trying new recipes.

JennieMaeK

I turned 40 in October. I've lost 60 lbs last year. Have about 35 lbs more to go. Feel free to add me

twosillycats

thanks Sparkymel! Sorry but I'm kinda clueless how the group's on here work! Do we just add to this post or join a specific group?

CindyWitter

Hi there, I'm in a similar boat. 43 yrs old with two young kids (8 & 6). Dedicated everything to my career for too many years and wracked up the pounds. Lost my job in Oct due to corp restructuring and it was a wake up call to not be so focused on work and lose focus on myself and family. Blessed to be at home with my kids right now and want to get healthier for myself and to be there in the long term for my kids and husband. Would love to connect with those in similar age and struggles. I started 2 weeks ago exercising and tracking meals again after about 18 month hiatus. I know it works when I do it. My initial goal is 22 lb loss mainly to breakup the goals. Overall goal is 45 lbs. Let's do this ladies!! Feel free to add me! Cindy

midwest_siren

I turned 40 in June and I'm just starting on this adventure. I'm new to MFP and grateful for any pointers I can pick up. Weight Watchers worked well for me over a decade ago but I never found success in that "groove" again after the first time. I have 45-50 lbs to lose this time around.

Sparkymel

Congrats on an amazing weight loss @JennieMaeK! That is amazing! Any tips?

Sparkymel

@CindyWitter I am so glad to have this group, to help motivate each other. I am sorry to hear about your job. That is always hard. When one door closes....

Sparkymel

I am basically trying to stay under 1,300 calories. @midwest_siren I am making a lot of Weight Watchers meals and drinking Limu Lean. Hopefully this will continue to work.

hjlund

Add me, I turn 40 next month and have about 89 to lose. Let's do it together.

bianca616

I am 40 with a toddler and a teenager at home. Both equally difficult! Just like many mothers my focus fell on my kids and I "let myself go". I am finally making myself a priority and am working on losing 50 pounds. MFP has been great in helping me stay accountable for everything I eat and how many calories I am consuming. I have only been using it for a week but hope to stick with it and am looking for friends who can keep me motivated and offer support. Good luck to you @sparkymel !

Sparkymel

So glad to have you @hjlund

Sparkymel

@bianca616 Making ourselves a priority is so hard to do, when we have kids. I am realizing that being truly happy with ourselves, helps us to be even better parents. There are so many things that I have avoided going to, because of my weight. My son has even missed some friends birthday parties because of my own insecurities. I have decided not to let that interfere with his activities again.

CindyWitter

Sparkymel wrote: »

@CindyWitter I am so glad to have this group, to help motivate each other. I am sorry to hear about your job. That is always hard. When one door closes....

Thanks @Sparkymel, it's all good and I know this was the path for me! Now on to losing weight!!

greeneyes998

Thank you so much @sparkymel ! I am 44, with well over 40lbs to lose, more like in the range of 55lbs. I've lost up to 70lbs in the past, and am moving beyond beating myself over it putting most of it back on. Today I am going to log everything I eat in MFP and do 30min of cardio. Small changes that I'm willing and able to do today.
Achieving your fitness and weight loss goal IS achievable, and sharing it is a great place to start!

87chell

....same boat! I'm 43 with a 19,18, and 2 year old. I have a very stressful job, but I love it and a marriage on the rocks. I need to lose 30 more pounds with 6 of it being pounds I gained back over the holidays. I was doing so good and lost 34 lbs before the holidays. I just seem to have lost my gumption or groove. I've started back walking and logging calories, but I still need to find my drive . I find I'm just try to even out instead of losing since the holidays.

9bars

Hi all I'm 46, I lost over a 100lbs with mfp a while back and felt amazing, but lapsed and put so much back on I have 60lb to lose. Our hols are booked for the beginning of July so I'm feeling very motivated to do the best I can before then and fit into my summer clothes. I lurked last time, but would like to make some friends this time. I'm not really into going to the gym, but walk as much as I can and have a puppy that keeps me busy

midwest_siren

I hadn't thought about upcoming events and mini goals for those. Thanks @9bars! My niece gets hitched in CA in May. Vacation to New Orleans in July. Good timeframes for goal setting. 1-2 lb/week is what I am shooting for. @Sparkymel are you shooting for 1300 or less regardless of activity? Or when you add activity, will you eat some of the calories earned back?

ssmith661

I'm 45 and feel like my life is out of control. My solution? I pay the babysitter's assistant a few extra bucks to take my kids home for me, so I can go to the gym at least twice a week and they're not home alone too long. (Hubby works nights.) My biggest weight loss challenge is to stop being part of the 'clean plate club.' My parents grew up post-depression, and we had to finish everything on our plates. I have to train myself to listen when my stomach tells my brain I'm full. Having good results so far, but it's too soon to be a habit.

latineyes2

Hello!! 42 as well and a single mom of a beautiful 16-yr old. She's been hearing me complaining for years about needing to lose weight and I've done nothing about it. I wasn't at all over weight until she was around 2 and I got a car (didn't have 1 for 3-years). Then the weight piled on. I sat comfortably at a size 14 for many years with my waist line slowly expanding to a 16. I adjusted my clothes, instead of my mind. I've tried WW & had success - dropped back to a 14, but I don't want to count points. A couple years ago I tried meal replacement supplement drinks... That was a bust! Then I lost my job in 2013 and went into a deep depression. My waistline expanded to a size 18. I've ignored it for a couple of years until recently... We had a family reunion and I saw myself with my cousins and was completely disgusted with myself. The maternity shirt I was wearing (yup, I haven't been pregos in 17-years and bought a maternity shirt) looked absolutely horrifying on me!!! I looked awful and barely recognized myself. Then a month later my Dr told me, what I was suspecting... I was boarderline diabetic! I had a feeling it was going that route cause of how carbs and food made me feel after I ate.

I decided then that I MUST do something! It was Do or Die!!!!

I waited a couple weeks after New Years to avoid the "New Year, New You" bandwagon, as I believe the is just "Starting New"... Today is the end of week 1 and I feel great!!! I'm changing my eating habits, logging everything and exercising. It feels great too!!!

My journey will include about 80+/- lbs. I've decided that when I get to a size 8, I'll be satisfied. That was my pre- baby size. I don't think I can go much smaller, as the last time I was smaller than a 8 was Jr High. Our bodies run a bit thicker and denser in my family. So initially it will be about weight loss, but the end result will be about health, body image and how I look in clothes!!!

Look forward to encouraging interchange!!!

ElizabethOakes2

46, with 50 lbs to lose (well, 48 now!). We got this! Just gotta keep working and supporting each other and we'll get there!

tweetsmom

I'm 44, and have about 40 lbs. to lose. I've always struggled with weight. I have several medical conditions that make it difficult to lose weight but oh-so-easy to gain it! Ugh! I am starting my 3rd week of exercise (4 times a week for at least 30 minutes AND striving to get 10,000 steps per day, which is not easy with a desk job!) and have been eating better and logging what I eat for the past two weeks as well. The scale has not moved, except for the cruel game of up 1, down 1, up 1 again, but I am starting to see a difference in my shape, so I'm happy with that. It's a long, hard struggle and we all need to support each other! Feel free to add me! The more the merrier!

momlb05

Hi everyone! I'm 48 and I have 100+ to lose. I joined WW in October, and I'm down 15 pounds since then. I'm a teacher and a mom of 4 kids ages 10-26 (yes, they all live at home, haha). My 16 year old has a chronic non-healing wound from pilinidal disease, and I feel like much of my free time is spent with her, trying to motivate her to walk a bit, taking her to doctors, etc. It is hard to focus on me, but I need to. I can't stay this weight any longer! I'd love to be a part of your group.

Sparkymel

@greeneyes998 I agree. Small changes can do great things!

Sparkymel

The holidays do make it harder @87chell congratulations on losing weight! I am finding my groove right now also. Staying focused seems easier with a support team.

Sparkymel

@9bars my brother is getting married in May, also. Definately a huge motivator.