Fit, fat, female, forty-four and feeling frustrated...forethought?
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OP, am I understanding right that you are currently 185 with a goal of 155 and that you are 5'7"? I went back through the posts and that is what I have gleaned. What is your activity level like--both outside of exercise and what kind of exercise do you do?0
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open your diary1
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OP, am I understanding right that you are currently 185 with a goal of 155 and that you are 5'7"? I went back through the posts and that is what I have gleaned. What is your activity level like--both outside of exercise and what kind of exercise do you do?
I am 185ish yes. I mostly have a desk job, with some days more active than others as I'm in the field once or twice a week. I classified myself as sedentary though. I do 30 minute HIIT classes 5 times a week with a 60 minute spin once a week. I walk the dog, chase a 4 year old and maintain a house and garden, solo. I try to do push ups and squats and dips regularly usually while watching good ole Netflix. I hope to start training soon for paddling race that I compete in annually. I was much thinner before having a baby at the age of 40. ☺3 -
you got this!, focus, willpower, strength! GO!3
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I think it would be worth getting a physical if you haven't had one recently. If your doctor doesn't turn anything up, it might be useful to see a registered dietitian (RD or RDN).
If you can find a lab that does testing, it might also be worth getting your resting metabolic rate estimated--while still not perfect, lab estimates tend to be more accurate than estimates based on standardized formulas.1 -
OP, am I understanding right that you are currently 185 with a goal of 155 and that you are 5'7"? I went back through the posts and that is what I have gleaned. What is your activity level like--both outside of exercise and what kind of exercise do you do?
I am 185ish yes. I mostly have a desk job, with some days more active than others as I'm in the field once or twice a week. I classified myself as sedentary though. I do 30 minute HIIT classes 5 times a week with a 60 minute spin once a week. I walk the dog, chase a 4 year old and maintain a house and garden, solo. I try to do push ups and squats and dips regularly usually while watching good ole Netflix. I hope to start training soon for paddling race that I compete in annually. I was much thinner before having a baby at the age of 40. ☺
I do the same thing while watching TV - squats, lunges, dumbbell exercises of all kinds, wall sits, leg lifts, calf raises. Before you know it you've got a strength workout on the books!
Have you thought about having a body fat analysis? (a real one, not just a scale provided one) With that level of activity you might have more muscle and less fat than you think. At 5'7" a muscular 185 isn't that far out of the range of normal.
And the possibility of entering peri-menopause being part of the issue is highly likely. Once the ovaries slow down on estrogen production, the fat cells start to fill that roll in the body. When I hit mid 40's my heretofore flat stomach started to get fluffy and the girls grew 2 cup sizes almost overnight. It's a real thing. If you end up at the doctor to check thyroid you might also ask for a blood test to check your levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and other hormones. At least that could be factored in (or out) of the equation.2 -
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RaeBeeBaby wrote: »OP, am I understanding right that you are currently 185 with a goal of 155 and that you are 5'7"? I went back through the posts and that is what I have gleaned. What is your activity level like--both outside of exercise and what kind of exercise do you do?
I am 185ish yes. I mostly have a desk job, with some days more active than others as I'm in the field once or twice a week. I classified myself as sedentary though. I do 30 minute HIIT classes 5 times a week with a 60 minute spin once a week. I walk the dog, chase a 4 year old and maintain a house and garden, solo. I try to do push ups and squats and dips regularly usually while watching good ole Netflix. I hope to start training soon for paddling race that I compete in annually. I was much thinner before having a baby at the age of 40. ☺
I do the same thing while watching TV - squats, lunges, dumbbell exercises of all kinds, wall sits, leg lifts, calf raises. Before you know it you've got a strength workout on the books!
Have you thought about having a body fat analysis? (a real one, not just a scale provided one) With that level of activity you might have more muscle and less fat than you think. At 5'7" a muscular 185 isn't that far out of the range of normal.
And the possibility of entering peri-menopause being part of the issue is highly likely. Once the ovaries slow down on estrogen production, the fat cells start to fill that roll in the body. When I hit mid 40's my heretofore flat stomach started to get fluffy and the girls grew 2 cup sizes almost overnight. It's a real thing. If you end up at the doctor to check thyroid you might also ask for a blood test to check your levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and other hormones. At least that could be factored in (or out) of the equation.
Thank you for this. I will check both.1 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
Yes, we are all human. As I said, I am here for support not negativity or criticism. I have my diary open to friends if you would like to add me. I am very open to insightful advice.1 -
The scale is not my friend. It does not track my progress reliably. I did figure it out, though. I weighed myself daily over thirty days and found that I lost all my weight once a month; shortly after my period started.
So MY pattern is to hold, hold, hold on to the weight and then let it all go in one big whoosh. That is, if I kept to a diligent deficit through the month.
My weight also goes up temporarily when I increase salt intake, increase carbs, or increase exercise.
It's water weight.
Expect your weight to fluctuate up and down about five pounds.
Trust your logging more and call it a good week if you stayed within your limits. The weight will come off eventually.5 -
OP, based on all your feedback in addition to your original post, you are doing the things you need to do. Reduction in NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) in response to calorie deficit is definitely a thing, so finding the "sweet spot" of calorie intake to support your exercise and activity level is important. I was fully post-menopausal by age 44 and experienced the body changes mentioned above. Looking back over the last 22 years since, committing to healthy eating and exercise in my 40s was really important in maintaining my health now despite the fact that in these 22 years I have taken better care of myself at some times than at others.1
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Especially being female, weight can fluctuate a lot day to day and week to week. By at least a few pounds.
And if you are not significantly obese, don't expect quick weight loss.
Also- no ridiculously "clean" diet is necessary to lose weight. Dairy (particularly cottage cheese and low-fat greek yogurt) is a very calorie-efficient (and $$-efficient) way to get protein in, so not something I would ever opt to cut out without an actual good reason to do so. (Personally, I would probably find it difficult to meet my protein goal without dairy).0 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
Yes, we are all human. As I said, I am here for support not negativity or criticism. I have my diary open to friends if you would like to add me. I am very open to insightful advice.
You say that but when others tried to illuminate you on the myth of starvation mode you pushed back negatively. Others helping to provide information and teach you is not "negativity or criticism" if its not what you want to hear.
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Thanks so much everyone. I am down 1.5 today from 3 days ago, so the cleanse maybe the reason for the fluctuation. I'm going to stick with the 1430 calorie goal and the daily workouts and see what happens. Thanks again.
Its so frustrating!
Im 44 and feel its so much harder to shed the weight and so easy to gain!!
Im also sticking around 1400-1600 cals
GOOD LUCK kim1 -
I was once so constipated that when it resolved fully over a few days, I dropped five pounds.2
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I love all the comments, from both sides. I am truly not a negative person and I appreciate the supportive advice. I have decided to share my diary, but please only constructive criticism and advice. I am still learning how to log properly, but I do actually weigh everything to the gram and eat almost entirely homemade, organic, locally-sourced food. Yes, I had a small slice of chocolate cheesecake for Thanksgiving dinner, it was also homemade. ☺ Thanks for your help and support!0
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Hi there - I took a look back at your diary entries the past few days and noticed that not everything was weighed (i.e. 1 vegetarian sausage link) and that you are also using measurements like 1 cup, .13 cup, etc. Please get a digital food scale if you don't already have one. Weigh ALL solids, measure all liquids. Don't scan the barcode for prepackaged foods because they can be ~20% off. Do all of this and continue with your exercise and you will get results.
PS: Where in Canada do you live? I'm moving there soon.1
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