The older you get the harder it becomes!
louisafurley
Posts: 4 Member
I'm finding it hard to burn off fat the older I get. It's depressing. I used to be able to loose at least half a stone in the first couple of weeks on a diet. Any tips or ideas for good fat burning exercises?
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Replies
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Diet is key for weight loss. A pound a week is a good goalYou need to weigh all your food and keep to the calorie allowance MFP sets you. Exercise for fitness and strength. Of course you can earn a few more calories that way.
There are a lot of people on here a lot older than you that are losing weight consistantly using this method.
Keep going, be patient and you will get there. Slow and steady wins this race.
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I am just starting with myfitnesspal, I am a weight watcher and have used that app for years, I can't find a spot for adding steps in my work out section. And I agree with Louisafurley, boy o boy in my mid 50s and can't get under 200lbs~10
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When I first joined MFP I was 58 I lost 32 pounds on here in one year. It can be done.
I then quit smoking and went back to my terrible eating habits and put the weight back on. But I know it can be done no matter what your age.
I am back and I started 1st of Jan and have lost 5.2 pounds and am bang on track for 1 pound a week. So I am confident that I can do this and so can you.
CICO is the answer.
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I’m only 25 but I was thinking how much harder it is now than when I was a teen. But you know what, I don’t think it’s any harder, I just think I’ve gotten lazy. When I was younger I was out every day being active and walking everywhere because none of us ever had money for buses, and I still found time for 40 minutes of cardio at the end of each day.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but personally I believe I’ve just gotten into lazy habits and that I can absolutely make a ton of positive changes to my lifestyle to fix this. Besides, if I just rest on ‘it’s harder now than it was’ I’ll just become defeated and stop trying, or it’ll become an excuse for not trying as hard as I can. I have to believe that it can be easy again, if I can just make the effort in the first place.35 -
I'm 70 and have been on here over 4 years, i intend to stay its a new lifesyle, dieting then going back to how you ate before will not work. good luck to you, you really can do this.27
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i'll be 52 this year, and have been losing for about 23months now, started at 456lbs though and have lost 168lbs in that time (average about 1.8lbs a week) i'm 288lbs now and it seems to have slowed down a bit, but the truth is its a long term proposition.... if you think it took 50yrs to put it on so aiming to lose it over 3 to 4 yrs is pretty good going.
i walk the beach most days, and do HIIT on a crosstrainer (only about 5 to10 mins every couple of days) i lift light weights as i have arthritis, but eat as little processed food as possible and watch the CICO.
i believe the lighter you get the slower it gets, but you could exercise with a weighted vest on, or go for a walk with a heavy back pack....good luck
and weigh yourself once a month so you'll only be dissapointed 12 times a yr!!!
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I think it’s harder if only because you get less food! The first time I ever heard of calorie counting I was in my mid-20s, and the calculator gave me 1350 to lose 2lbs/week. At 37, I have the same amount to lose ONE lb/week. I’d love to have that kind of wiggle room in my diet again, but with each birthday it gets smaller.6
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Thank you everyone it's nice to hear other people's views and advice. Your all doing great1
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I’m only 25 but I was thinking how much harder it is now than when I was a teen. But you know what, I don’t think it’s any harder, I just think I’ve gotten lazy. When I was younger I was out every day being active and walking everywhere because none of us ever had money for buses, and I still found time for 40 minutes of cardio at the end of each day.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but personally I believe I’ve just gotten into lazy habits and that I can absolutely make a ton of positive changes to my lifestyle to fix this. Besides, if I just rest on ‘it’s harder now than it was’ I’ll just become defeated and stop trying, or it’ll become an excuse for not trying as hard as I can. I have to believe that it can be easy again, if I can just make the effort in the first place.
This is probably the reason. The older you get, the more sedentary, and thus the less muscle mass you have, so you burn fewer calories. I'm in my late 50's, and yesterday I had a 300 calorie breakfast, Burger King for lunch, some fruit and vegetable snacks, a protein bar, some chocolate, and pizza for dinner. I still had a 200 calorie deficit. Why? I took the dog on two walks, went grocery shopping, and painted a room.13 -
I agree about making sure you keep moving. I’m 51 and have lost 56 lbs since March. I try to move all day plus get 60 min a day in intentional exercise throughout the day which includes walking that gets my heart rate above 100. It may be a 10 min walks, but it makes my heart pump. I also take the stairs at work when I can. You have to still eat less, but the weight will slowly come off.4
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I was 48 when I joined MFP and lost 25 kg/55 lbs.
Losing it was pretty straightforward. Maintaining it has been a bit more difficult. I have trouble balancing the fuel I need for the amount of exercise I do with what I don't need to be consuming when I'm not in full-fledged training.9 -
Walking is one way to help in your weight loss journey.5
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you lose weight in the kitchen.
you gain fitness in the gym.
aka: you cant out exercise a bad diet.15 -
I'm 62. Age is an excuse, not a reason. I lost my 30 lbs from March to September.12
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bigjonb4116 wrote: »i'll be 52 this year, and have been losing for about 23months now, started at 456lbs though and have lost 168lbs in that time (average about 1.8lbs a week) i'm 288lbs now and it seems to have slowed down a bit, but the truth is its a long term proposition.... if you think it took 50yrs to put it on so aiming to lose it over 3 to 4 yrs is pretty good going.
i walk the beach most days, and do HIIT on a crosstrainer (only about 5 to10 mins every couple of days) i lift light weights as i have arthritis, but eat as little processed food as possible and watch the CICO.
i believe the lighter you get the slower it gets, but you could exercise with a weighted vest on, or go for a walk with a heavy back pack....good luck
and weigh yourself once a month so you'll only be dissapointed 12 times a yr!!!
Congratulations on your 168lb loss!! Epic
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louisafurley wrote: »I'm finding it hard to burn off fat the older I get. It's depressing. I used to be able to loose at least half a stone in the first couple of weeks on a diet. Any tips or ideas for good fat burning exercises?
It can be hard, but it is not impossible. I find what makes harder than age, even though it has to do with age is your life. You may have kids, and they have sports, and school stuff, life stressors and the like. All things you did not have when younger.
I am proof it can be done, I was 41 2 years ago, poor eating habits, no exercise and 320lbs. I am now 43 and 199lbs, eat healthy, exercise everyday (weights and cardio), and feel great.
Keep your head up and be strong you can do it.9 -
Thanks guys great advice!!!2
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Sorry, just re read your post and seen you also asked for some fat burning exercise. The most important factor is your diet. Exercise is needed but it is secondary to your diet. I hate the word diet as diets have an end point. Anyways I started losing just walking and increase the distance or intensity (hills). When the weather turned bad I got to the gym for treadmill or stationary bike, 30-60 mins. I eventually bought my own cardio equipment so no need for the gym now. I prefer outdoor stuff so if the weather is good my cardio is outside. Something else to consider is weight training, muscle burns fat even when not doing much. If you can add a little muscle you will burn a little more fat.
Another note don't worry so much about a number, worry more how your clothes fit, your measurements, and how you feel. I weighed in January 1 at 199lbs, I weighed in last week at 200 lbs. Am I concerned? No because my chest and waist measurements dropped. 2" on my waist and 1" on my chest. That said it appears I have lost fat and gained muscle.
Again you can do it.4 -
louisafurley wrote: »I'm finding it hard to burn off fat the older I get. It's depressing. I used to be able to loose at least half a stone in the first couple of weeks on a diet. Any tips or ideas for good fat burning exercises?
It's not harder to lose weight (burn off fat) as you get older. I started at 64, dropped 50 lbs over 15 months and have been in maintenance ever since (68 years old, 5'2.5" - HW 179, Current WT 128. I finally stopped all the yo-yo dieting when I found MFP which became my post-graduate school university. What worked for me was balancing my calories in with my calories out. I use a Fitbit to help keep my balance by staying active and portion control to eat a reasonable amount of anything I want. On less active days, I eat less. I liken it to balancing my checkbook. Exercise alone won't give you the results you want. Lose slowly, make small changes, and don't kill yourself working out. The weight will come off in time.
I still weigh in everyday, log my food, and stay active even if it's just walking around. Yes, life gets in the way but considering the alternative logging, weighing, and staying active is a small price to pay for better health. You can do this; take one day at a time, learn from your missteps and move forward.14 -
louisafurley wrote: »I'm finding it hard to burn off fat the older I get. It's depressing. I used to be able to loose at least half a stone in the first couple of weeks on a diet. Any tips or ideas for good fat burning exercises?
It's not harder to lose weight (burn off fat) as you get older. I started at 64, dropped 50 lbs over 15 months and have been in maintenance ever since (68 years old, 5'2.5" - HW 179, Current WT 128. I finally stopped all the yo-yo dieting when I found MFP which became my post-graduate school university. What worked for me was balancing my calories in with my calories out. I use a Fitbit to help keep my balance by staying active and portion control to eat a reasonable amount of anything I want. On less active days, I eat less. I liken it to balancing my checkbook. Exercise alone won't give you the results you want. Lose slowly, make small changes, and don't kill yourself working out. The weight will come off in time.
I still weigh in everyday, log my food, and stay active even if it's just walking around. Yes, life gets in the way but considering the alternative logging, weighing, and staying active is a small price to pay for better health. You can do this; take one day at a time, learn from your missteps and move forward.
Basically, everything she said. I'm going to be 56 this summer and have found it easier to lose weight now than when I was younger because I understand the process more and have more reasonable expectations of how the numbers work given my stats (I'm only 5'1" and weigh 122 and would like to lose a few more vanity pounds ... my starting weight was 210).
I also have a Fitbit and conscientiously work to remain as active as possible. It's alarming how sedentary we become as we age. I genuinely like to move around a lot, but it's something that has built upon itself over time. I started out being completely sedentary.12 -
I lost 20 lbs at the age of 39. It is not harder. Be honest about what you eat and you can do it.5
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I have some amazing fitness friends that are 50+ that have lost a lot of weight, have kept it off and have amazing physiques. They give me so much inspiration.
I've been told the weight loss might have been slower compared to when they were in their 20's, but not harder or impossible.
I lost 80 pounds in my mid 30's and now in my early 40's and maintaining nicely. I watch what and how much I eat at each meal. Exercise/move daily. Repeat everyday.
As I get older I'm prepared to make adjustments as needed to continuing keeping my weight under control.
Good luck.9 -
I started on MFP at 50+, because I was started to see blood sugar, BP, and cholesterol numbers that were concerning, and I lost 30 lbs in a bit under four months, by which time my health indicators improved. Since that was my main motivation, I set my weight at that point as a ceiling and focused more on maintenance than losing more. I've maintained for over four years.
I've found it easier and more effective to lose and maintain loss in my 50s counting calories than any "diet" I tried in earlier decades (including trying to count calories in the pre-Internet days, when you had to try to look things up in books if they didn't have a label, and track everything manually).
As for "fat-burning exercise" anything -- any exercise, any movement, any reduction in caloric intake -- that puts you at a moderate deficit is "fat-burning," especially if you get adequate protein and do some resistance training, so that your body gets the message and has the materials to maintain muscles. Exercise that pushes you into an extreme deficit tends to outpace your body's ability to fuel the deficit from fat, and it will be forced to break down lean mass (muscle and, in extreme cases, organs) to make up the additional deficit.
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I agree, and it is extremely easy to regain weight, I will lose a little eating 1200 cal's and regain twice as much eating 1300!
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Whether it's "harder" or not when you're older is irrelevant!
I never really knew how to lose weight until I learned what I needed to really know to lose weight. I was 53 when i learned. Proceeded to lose 50 pounds right on schedule (fluctuations and all) by following the correct concepts of a calorie deficit.
I'll be 55 in 5 weeks.
I'd never really lifted before, but now I have guys half my age at our gym that can't do what I do. Same reason - I learned conceptually how strength training and body composition work. I have a ways to go, but my physique is better than it has ever been and I am stronger than I have ever been.
If I was 30-something, would all of this been easier? Probably. But the fact is, that I am the age I am and I learned when I learned. The bottom line is that I don't care if it's easier or harder.
[Edit] I should add that if anything, I believe it may actually be easier now that I'm older because I am in absolutely no hurry. Rushing things, especially in this arena, is a recipe for bad stuff....13 -
Like many others here, I lost 50+ pounds at age 59-60, 180s to 120s, in just less than a year (and I'm hypothyroid as well as old). Now, at 62, I'm starting into my 3rd year at a healthy weight.
The main difference I'd report is that I was already very active, working out hard 6 days most weeks, and even competing athletically (in rowing), for around 12 years while obese. Exercise is a wonderful thing - I highly recommend it: It feels great to be strong and fit . . . but it's not weight loss magic. Realistically, an hour of intense exercise is a few hundred calories. I can eat that much without blinking, in 10 minutes.
Once I found a way of eating that was sustainable, nutritious, filling and enjoyable for me on the right number of calories, that was weight loss magic. Not always easy, but very simple.
You can do this. Best wishes!14 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »I started on MFP at 50+, because I was started to see blood sugar, BP, and cholesterol numbers that were concerning, and I lost 30 lbs in a bit under four months, by which time my health indicators improved. Since that was my main motivation, I set my weight at that point as a ceiling and focused more on maintenance than losing more. I've maintained for over four years.
I've found it easier and more effective to lose and maintain loss in my 50s counting calories than any "diet" I tried in earlier decades (including trying to count calories in the pre-Internet days, when you had to try to look things up in books if they didn't have a label, and track everything manually).
As for "fat-burning exercise" anything -- any exercise, any movement, any reduction in caloric intake -- that puts you at a moderate deficit is "fat-burning," especially if you get adequate protein and do some resistance training, so that your body gets the message and has the materials to maintain muscles. Exercise that pushes you into an extreme deficit tends to outpace your body's ability to fuel the deficit from fat, and it will be forced to break down lean mass (muscle and, in extreme cases, organs) to make up the additional deficit.
I agree with this. I never counted calories before but had done low carb, Atkins and some other celebrity diets. I would lose usually (up until the last few years when those things DID NOT WORK), but then I'd gain it back once I "got off the diet." There were no plans for maintenance. My weight ballooned in the last 6 years (from 175 to 237) due to stress and eating carbs again after maintaining a lo carb diet for about 7 years.
Anyway, I'm 52 and I thought I couldn't lost anymore but then my doctor told me in June to just start writing down what I eat and that the awareness would probably help. She tried to tell me about calorie counting but I said for the last 4 years I wasn't interested in that. I came to MFP to just record what I was eating, but then I started reading the forums and actually started to FOLLOW the calorie goal that MFP was giving me and I started losing weight! I lost 2 lbs. per week at first, and was also walking and doing some exercise. My SW was 237 at the last week of June 2017, and today I weighed in at 199.8! My goal weight is 137, and I'm set to lose at 1 lb. per week. The amount of calories that I'm eating now, 1610 (not including exercise calories which I eat back), is close to what my maintenance calories will be at my goal weight (1600-1800, depending on the exercise). I do not feel hungry or deprived eating this amount and I think that by the time I get to maintenance I will be fine eating this amount of food.
Using MFP has taught me how much I need to eat and exercise to lose, and also about satiety, and what kinds of foods I can eat to feel full. I've also eaten much more delicious food since every calorie counts and I'm not going to waste them on stuff I do not like!
You can do it!10 -
Just chiming in to sing with the choir. 55 years old and lost 118 pounds 5 years ago. Once I understood CICO and applied it, I lost the weight.8
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Yep, it is harder but not too hard to do it! Focus on your diet and add in exercise when you can to keep your muscle mass up. It only gets harder as you continue to age, so setting your mind to focusing on fitness now will make it easier in the future.6
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I'm 63 & I lost 48lbs in 7 months6
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