Weight gain and aging

Morty90210

I'm 29 and the last year it seems like no matter what i do i can't lose these 5-7lbs. I'll lose some and the minute I eat ONE cheat meal I gain 10. I workout 40 minutes weights and cardio everyday 7 days a week and eat low carb and nothing. Is this normal for my age? I cant possibly eat any less than i do already.

Morty90210

I eat on average 1000 calories a day

kommodevaran

Morty90210 wrote: »

I'm 29 and the last year it seems like no matter what i do i can't lose these 5-7lbs. I'll lose some and the minute I eat ONE cheat meal I gain 10. I workout 40 minutes weights and cardio everyday 7 days a week and eat low carb and nothing. Is this normal for my age? I cant possibly eat any less than i do already.

That's a hell of a cheat meal - a pound of body fat equals 3500 calories.

Morty90210 wrote: »

I eat on average 1000 calories a day

If you truly were eating 1000 calories per day, you'd lose weight rapidly.

I think you can see the pattern. Tighten up your logging, be honest and patient.

toxikon

Age has very little to do with it. I'm turning 30 next month. No problems losing weight when I stick to a calorie deficit and accurately track my intake with a food scale.

I'm only 140lbs (5'7" woman) and I've lost about 5lbs this month with consistent tracking and sticking to my goal.

Grab a digital scale if you don't have one already, they make a world of difference.

vajoseph

1000 calories seem so little. Maybe you aren't getting the nutrients you need and your body is fighting back.

I agree with getting a scale. Also try adding strength training to your routine.

I'm 28 and I've been logging diligently and making sure I have at least a 500 calorie to a 1500 calorie deficit per day. It's working for me (down 8lbs since the 2018 new year)

spzjlb

Morty90210 wrote: »

I'm 29 and the last year it seems like no matter what i do i can't lose these 5-7lbs. I'll lose some and the minute I eat ONE cheat meal I gain 10. I workout 40 minutes weights and cardio everyday 7 days a week and eat low carb and nothing. Is this normal for my age? I cant possibly eat any less than i do already.

I do not think this is normal. There are heaps of people on MPF who have lots weight and they are much older. I was 51 when I lost 30 lbs and have maintained for two years. I am small and aimed for1200 cals per day when losing.

TavistockToad

I think you're confusing water weight fluctuations with fat gain.

Under eating (ie 1000 cals) isn't healthy either

RoxieDawn

29 isn't aging, my age is aging.

Get you a food scale, eat more than 1000, more like .5 pounds rate of loss a week min and be patient..

And weigh and log the cheat meal or do without it all together if you are not logging it.

AmandaEdwards1

i'm 31. and while I understand that we aren't that old. I def see a difference in how easily it used to come off versus how easily the weight comes off now. Or maybe I'm just losing my memory hahah jk

collectingblues

AmandaEdwards1 wrote: »

i'm 31. and while I understand that we aren't that old. I def see a difference in how easily it used to come off versus how easily the weight comes off now. Or maybe I'm just losing my memory hahah jk

Likely the latter, and a solid helping of recall bias.

scarlett_k

I'm nearly 32 and if anything I'm finding it easier to lose weight than when I was younger. That's largely down to environmental factors, though, I think.

inertiastrength

I'm 37 and I have no issue manipulating my weight any way I want. You're probably not eating 1K calories, or you are and then binging every third day because you are. Either way it's obviously not a good method for you.

cmriverside

Twenty. Nine.

Sigh. I lost 70+ pounds at age 54. I just kept good accurate records, and had a little patience. I guess patience comes with even more age, though.

marissafit06

I am 31 and it's more difficult for me to lose weight than it was when I was younger. When I was in my teens I could stop eating chocolate bars and drop 5 pounds just like that. I think it has more to do with activity levels (desk job etc.) and not age.

Edit: is your weight loss goal a healthy BMI? Agree with previous posters that you aren't gaining 10 lbs overnight, but it is possible that 1000 calories is too much if you are targeting an unhealthily low weight.

nowine4me

I’m 52 and 125. I lost fast at 1300, steady at 1700 and maintain at 2000. Sorry, but there’s zero chance that you’re not losing weight on 1000 cals per day. Zero.

fitmom4lifemfp

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

I'm 37 and I have no issue manipulating my weight any way I want. You're probably not eating 1K calories, or you are and then binging every third day because you are. Either way it's obviously not a good method for you.

Wow. Good for you.

inertiastrength

fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

I'm 37 and I have no issue manipulating my weight any way I want. You're probably not eating 1K calories, or you are and then binging every third day because you are. Either way it's obviously not a good method for you.

Wow. Good for you.

Not sure why this is so surprising. My point was it's not your age that makes it difficult; it's not respecting the energy requirements for your activity level and goal.

lutzsher

You are not eating enough so when you do eat a big meal your body is storing it because it doesn't know when you will feed it adequately again. If you bump your calories up to 1200 minimum and use a food scale and measuring cups 100% accurately you will see better results. I had this issue for years and thought by eating low I was doing myself a favor...wrong!!! Im almost 50 and am in the best shape of my life, all by getting in exercise 6 days per week and eating AT LEAST 1200 up to 1350 (on heavy workout days once or twice per week only) calories per day. You are not fueling your body adequately, age has nothing to do with it.

Muscleflex79

lutzsher wrote: »

You are not eating enough so when you do eat a big meal your body is storing it because it doesn't know when you will feed it adequately again. If you bump your calories up to 1200 minimum and use a food scale and measuring cups 100% accurately you will see better results. I had this issue for years and thought by eating low I was doing myself a favor...wrong!!! Im almost 50 and am in the best shape of my life, all by getting in exercise 6 days per week and eating AT LEAST 1200 up to 1350 (on heavy workout days once or twice per week only) calories per day. You are not fueling your body adequately, age has nothing to do with it.

it doesn't work that way. much more likely that she isn't eating 1000 calories per day!

malibu927

lutzsher wrote: »

You are not eating enough so when you do eat a big meal your body is storing it because it doesn't know when you will feed it adequately again. If you bump your calories up to 1200 minimum and use a food scale and measuring cups 100% accurately you will see better results. I had this issue for years and thought by eating low I was doing myself a favor...wrong!!! Im almost 50 and am in the best shape of my life, all by getting in exercise 6 days per week and eating AT LEAST 1200 up to 1350 (on heavy workout days once or twice per week only) calories per day. You are not fueling your body adequately, age has nothing to do with it.

Your body does not store because it isn't getting enough calories.

OP, age has nothing to do with it. I didn't start until I was 32 (I'm 36 now) and had zero issues losing. Log everything as accurately as possible and it will happen.

HoneyBadger302

Age has very little to do with maintaining our weight. Usually, the culprit is found in reduced activity levels - such as getting a desk job vs active jobs, taking the elevator or car more often than walking or bicycling, etc. Basically, getting or being lazier (by choice or career). 40 minutes in the gym, or even 80, doesn't make up for sitting around at a desk all day.

If you're set on losing those pounds, as was said, you need to be more consistent and accurate with logging your food and workouts. Most people and machines tend to way over estimate calorie burn as well. Cheat meals can more than undo an entire week's worth of work if you go all out and add in drinks on top of it.

Get more accurate with your logging, start weighing your food, and get rid of "cheat meals" - instead, build the things you love into your weekly diet (trust me, a hamburger is not going to kill your diet as long as you plan for it).

sgt1372

Age has NOTHING to do w/losing weight.

Lots of "old" folks (a lot older than 29) on MFP who have lost and kept off a lot of weight for years.

In my case, I lost 40# at age 66 and have kept it off for over a year. Lots of better success stories than mine on MFP if you look for them.

There's no secret to weight loss. Diet control (CICO) is all you need to lose/maintain weight.

And exercise (combined w/diet control) is all that you need to increase strength/fitness, burn fat and increase muscle tone and definition beyond just losing weight.

It just takes time, discipline and dedication to get it done.

cwolfman13

AmandaEdwards1 wrote: »

i'm 31. and while I understand that we aren't that old. I def see a difference in how easily it used to come off versus how easily the weight comes off now. Or maybe I'm just losing my memory hahah jk

This is usually a result of decreased activity levels as we age, not aging in and of itself.

At 43, my estimated BMR is 1,840 calories...at 23 my estimated BMR is 1,950 calories...a difference of a mere 136 calories per day just being alive.

Of much more significance is my activity level. When I was 23 I did very little in the way of deliberate exercise...but I was very active. I was in college and walking all over campus most days. I only had a car off and on so my main transportation was my bike and my feet most of the time. In my free time I played frisbee golf and ultimate frisbee with my buddies. In the winter I worked at a retail liquor store and was on my feet and stocking and moving boxes, etc...in the summer I worked landscape construction.

At 43 I have a desk job and have to make deliberate efforts to move. I exercise more than I ever did in my 20s, but it pales in comparison to my overall activity level in my 20s.

A lot of people don't really realize how active they were in their 20s relative to later in life. I had zero issue maintaining a healthy weight without even thinking about it in my 20s and it's not like I was exactly eating that well...in my 40s I have to be a lot more conscious and aware...even with regular exercise, my activity level now pales substantially to my activity level then.

brookesdsu

Aging at 29?? LOL I wish I was 29 again.

mph323

It's not age, it's accuracy. I'm 67, and I lost 50 lbs. over the last 18 months. I'm also small and sedentary, and I was losing steadily at 1200 - 1400 calories a day. You need to tighten up your logging.

edited for spelling

goatg

AmandaEdwards1 wrote: »

i'm 31. and while I understand that we aren't that old. I def see a difference in how easily it used to come off versus how easily the weight comes off now. Or maybe I'm just losing my memory hahah jk

Seriously. I'm just a little younger than you, but I feel like I could literally eat anything and everything 4-5 years ago (and I did, with a 12 pack).

Tacklewasher

brookesdsu wrote: »

Aging at 29?? LOL I wish I was 29 again.

This almost 53 yr old say no *kitten*.

deputy_randolph

So if you eat 1000 calories a day for 6 days a week and then have 1 cheat meal (let's be real...it might end up as a cheat day) of 8000 calories...that's an average of 2000 calories per day.

I'm 38 and in the best shape of my life. I weigh most of my food most of the time...and lift heavy.

ITUSGirl51

In my experience eating low carb messes up your ability to eat carbs. If you are eating ultra low carb all week and then your cheat meal is full of carbs you will gain A LOT of water weight really fast. It’s really weird, but I could gain back 20 lbs in a few weeks after low carb and then eating carbs again. I despise low carb diets because of this.

bbell1985

You are not eating 1000 calories per day and your "cheat" meal is putting you at maintenance. So...get in a deficit and do your thing. You're not "aging". I lost all my weight at 28/29.

elisa123gal

you are not eating enough..the less you eat...the slower your metabolism..the more muscle you lose..the fewer calories you can eat... you're in a vicious cycle.