Straight talk needed! Do rules change after 50?

CeeBeeSlim

Hi All. I'm a bit confused and dismayed and just need some advice. I was 131.4 on 1/15. Today 135.2. I know it's not fat given the whole how much you have to eat to that weight to really be fat. BUT I was taking the advice not to only eat 1200 calories daily as I was, especially since I was working out two hours a day (not the norm, was just trying out a lot of new gym classes to determine which ones I'd stick to). So I upped calories to 1400, didn't treat carbs as the devil (as I was) so started to eat brown rice, black beans, sprouted bread, lots of veggies - but I watched portions and still under 1400. Additionally, I'm very sore from the workouts and learning about water retention and muscles from doms. I'm wondering whether to just to take a deep breath and realize this is all new carbs, doms, and it will settle out; OR is it possible that that being over 50, and petite, (stats:51, 5'3, GW 123-125), I just may have to do 1200 calories and low carb? I was stalled at 132 for forever which is why I figured the upping would work. To now be 10 lbs from goal weight than 6 is disheartening.

vivmom2014

Weight fluctuates. That's just reality.

I am over 50 and don't do low carb or 1200, and I lost just fine. (I'm afraid I wouldn't last five minutes on 1200 calories, but that's beside the point.) When you say you "watch portions" - do you weigh your food? Doing so will give you more accuracy and peace of mind if scale fluctuations are bothering you.

PaytraB

I'm over 50, don't watch my carbs or sugars, exercise reasonably, stay within calorie limits. As long as I do that, I can & do either lose weight or maintain. I've gained a few pounds recently but that's from overeating, not being over 50.
Weight fluctuates by as much as 5 lbs by the day for some. There are many factors, including sodium intake and water retention. Keep doing what you're doing. The weight will come off.

ETA: another thing to remember is that weight loss isn't linear. You can do all the right things and sometimes the scales go up or stay the same for awhile, then start to drop again. As long as the long term trend for your weight is moving downward, you're doing it right.

kshama2001

I'll be 50 later this year. When I started lifting weights again last fall, my weight shot up seven pounds. This all (plus more) came off over a few weeks.

One age related thing I do know - I'm a lot less strong than I was 11 years ago when I was a full time yoga teacher. Having more muscle does make it easier to lose weight. I plan to keep up the strength training / bodyweight exercises forever.

MelaniaTrump

It almost sounds like you are just gaining muscle.

WalkingAlong

If you go from low carb to not-low-carb and/or do 2-hour workouts, you're going to see some water weight gain. Ignore it.

kristen6350

JanetYellen wrote: »

It almost sounds like you are just gaining muscle.

No, not gaining muscle while eating 1200 calories.

It's more than likely water retention.

cross2bear

I am well over 50, and the formula CICO works just fine for me as I have been consistently losing since October last year. Your experience is one of the many reasons I do not weigh myself every day - actually, I only weigh maybe every 4-6 weeks. There are too many influences for me to feel confident that a daily weigh in is an accurate reflection of whats really going on inside.

MostlyWater

I would say Yes and No.

It's still calorie in calorie out, to a certain extent, but our metabolism changes as we age. It's definitely harder!

cross2bear

Another perspective on age (and other things) and metabolism:
http://www.fitmole.org/8-ridiculous-myths-everyone-believes-about-their-metabolism/

Pawsforme

I'd take a deep breath and stick to what you're doing for a few weeks and see what happens. If your muscles are sore then you no doubt have some fluid retention.

But . . . I wouldn't rule out that at your age and size you may indeed need to cut calories a bit more if you want more than very, very slow weight loss. I'm 53 and have lost 25 pounds in the past few months, but most of the time I was eating around 1200 calories a day. But also note that I'm shorter than you (4'10") and lighter than you (CW 114). But I'd give it at least a couple of weeks and see what happens.

slimzandra

I'm in a similar boat. 54 and petite, (stats:54, 5'1, GW 120).
Ditto what @PaytraB wrote: "I've gained a few pounds recently but that's from overeating, not being over 50."
I don't think there is a rule change w/"50". However, In my case, post-menopause did effect hormone levels, so there was a lot of flux going on with how the body stores and burns fat. It did have some impact on moods, energy levels, ability to keep focused and diligent. The biggest factor for weight loss was eating at a healthy deficit, maintaining muscle stregth. Yea, take a deep breath, keep experimenting and you will find what works for you over the long term. Sounds like you are on the right track, finding out what you can live with long term.

High carbs, working out, cardio will retain water weight as everyone has already said. The 200 calorie difference isn't going to matter given the 2 hrs of working out. With intense levels of exercise you will need more carbs, fats and proteins to keep your energy levels up. I prefer the extra protein for workouts, I find I feel more energy per calorie. Continue to accurately track macros, adjust as needed. (weigh food, don't subtract out workout calories since people tend to overestimate that.)
I just came off a plateau of 6 weeks (which I know seems like "forever"). I think of it as my re-composition phase.

wandamarie64ws624

I need some pointers ! I'm 51 and it's harder than it use to be ! My son died in a car crash two years ago and I have put on 45 pounds since then ! Help please !

Need2Exerc1se

Losing weight at 50 was much different for me than losing when I was younger. Partially due to lifestyle changes and partially due to hormonal fluctuations. Fat loss will always be about calories, but that doesn't mean calories is the only factor to consider.

Regular cardio exercise was the biggest help to me. It helped control hormone fluctuations and water weight. I have lost about 30 lbs. but it wasn't as easy as when I was younger. Not at all.

Sued0nim

CeeBeeSlim wrote: »

Hi All. I'm a bit confused and dismayed and just need some advice. I was 131.4 on 1/15. Today 135.2. I know it's not fat given the whole how much you have to eat to that weight to really be fat. BUT I was taking the advice not to only eat 1200 calories daily as I was, especially since I was working out two hours a day (not the norm, was just trying out a lot of new gym classes to determine which ones I'd stick to). So I upped calories to 1400, didn't treat carbs as the devil (as I was) so started to eat brown rice, black beans, sprouted bread, lots of veggies - but I watched portions and still under 1400. Additionally, I'm very sore from the workouts and learning about water retention and muscles from doms. I'm wondering whether to just to take a deep breath and realize this is all new carbs, doms, and it will settle out; OR is it possible that that being over 50, and petite, (stats:51, 5'3, GW 123-125), I just may have to do 1200 calories and low carb? I was stalled at 132 for forever which is why I figured the upping would work. To now be 10 lbs from goal weight than 6 is disheartening.

It is absolutely water weight ...from carbs, replenishing glycerol in liver, from change up in exercise...ride it out, I'm surprised it's such a small increase to be honest . Give it a week and do not reduce or low carb again

JanetYellen wrote: »

It almost sounds like you are just gaining muscle.

Oh will you stop

rainbowbow

It sounds to me like water weight. Probably from re-introducing carbs and DOMS from training.

¡Cálmate!

sijomial

Losing weight weight was easier in my 50's - the tools are so much better.
Gaining fitness, strength and muscle is slower than it used to be.

Low carb or not is personal preference unless you have a medical conditon and nothing to do with age. I would hate it.

Think you need to work on your patience to be honest, results don't come in the timeframe you are expecting.

sheermomentum

Short answer: No, the rules do not change.

You burn fewer calories as you lose muscle mass. Most people lose muscle mass as they age purely as the result of not using their muscles much over decades. Even people who are very active in their teens and 20's often get less active as they get older. But gain muscle mass, and that "metabolism slows down" thing pretty much goes away.

Changes in hormone levels do affect your metabolism to a some degree. There is some evidence that the loss of estrogen does make it harder to lose fat in the abdomen (but not anywhere else; sucks, right?), and that higher estrogen also help women build muscle a little more easily. HOWEVER, neither of these effects is strong enough to account for the inability to break down fat or build muscle with the same kind of diet and exercise that a younger woman would use. You might just end up with a skinnier butt and a little tummy, though. Or, as alot of the women here can proudly show you, you might not.

For me, the biggest challenge with being 50 is the little aches and pains that make me feel like not moving, or like curling up and eating comfort food. But, I also know that more I move and the better I control my weight, the better all those little things are going to feel.

vivmom2014

wandamarie64ws624 wrote: »

I need some pointers ! I'm 51 and it's harder than it use to be ! My son died in a car crash two years ago and I have put on 45 pounds since then ! Help please !

Very sorry to hear about your son. It would be wise to start your own thread and ask away, rather than "derail" this one.

rsclause

This is why I like my Aria WiFi logging scale from FitBit. I just step on every morning and boom, I see my weight and body fat %. It is logged and uploaded so I can look at the week, month, quarter or year as numbers or graph. It really helped me to see the effect of a weekend of over eating or slacking of my running. I don't stress over the daily fluctuation but the trends are eye opening.

CeeBeeSlim

Thank you all for the advice. I will stick it out for a few more weeks. Sorry to hear about your son vivmom2014. I'll have to get a bit more tech-savvy and learn how to reply directly. Onward and downward, I hope.