How does age effect weight loss?

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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,227 Member
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    I discovered, from my own personal experience, that I could lose weight just as easily at 48 as I could at 24. :)

    And I don't lose at 3-4 lbs/week ... I prefer to lose somewhere between 1-2 lbs/week.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
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    Once I learned how to do it (at age 54), it was no problem. The laws of physics, chemistry and thermodynamics work on my body too. They better or I'd be some kind of special snowflake.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,891 Member
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    CoffeeNCardio wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Age is irrelevant to weightloss and there is no secret to how to do it.

    To lose weight, you just need to eat less and exercise more. Same rule applies regardless of age.

    FWIW, five years ago, I lost 36# at age 62. Got injured and had some medical issues to deal w/and gained the weight back over the next 3 yrs. Then I got back on track at age 65 and lost 40# and have maintained the loss for the past 2 years.

    While I am inspired by your turn around, I don't think it's entirely accurate to say that age has no effect on weight loss. It certainly has no effect on CICO, so if that's what you meant, do forgive me and I withdraw my complaint, but as others have pointed out, there can be some lean mass loss directly attributable to the aging process, as well as those things that aren't the result of age, but closely correlated, like slipping naturally into a more sedentary lifestyle as we all have a tendency to do crossing from our twenties to the later years. Note of course that neither I nor anyone who knows what they're talking about would suggest that age itself is a barrier to weight loss using CICO, but its more realistic to point out the ways in which age can effect how you might adjust the math as you age to account for the variables.

    But it's not the aging per se (something over which I have no control). It's the muscle loss (over which I don't have complete control, but I do have a *baby-feline* load of influence).

    At 62, I'm more interested in adjusting my lifestyle, and less interested in adjusting the math. My 72-year-old (female) rowing buddy, who's been weight training since her 30s, is stronger and has more muscle mass than most 20-something women. Research has shown people able to build strength and muscle into their 80s, at least.

    But sure, "be realistic", and "adjust the math", if you prefer. It's easier, I guess.
  • h1udd
    h1udd Posts: 623 Member
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    Weightloss has always been slow for me .... up until I started tracking food on this site back in January. Now at 44 I have dropped 10kg this year and hit maintenance for the 1st time ever !

    turns out once you know what your CO is you just make sure your CI is lower and the fat drops off

    but its harder in many respects as when you are older there is a lot more "family" to consider when trying to stay in a deficit .. and a lot more office cakes
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Age is just a number. I was in my 40s before I really tried to lose weight properly - once I grasped the fact I had to eat less than I burn and did just that, weight loss happened.
  • Crafty_camper123
    Crafty_camper123 Posts: 1,440 Member
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    I am noticing that it takes a bit longer to recover from a tough workout in my early 30's then it did in my early 20's. I'm guessing that may have more to do with going from a lightly/moderately active job, to a sedentary desk job over the last 3 years then aging though. I know if I don't maintain what I'm doing now, it'll be harder to get started another 10-20 years from now if I continue to be sedentary and not work out. One thing that drives me nuts is to hear people say " Oh you're young! you can do all that fitness stuff! Just wait till you're in your 60's! I'm waaay to old to even think about that!" Age is really just a number, and while that may mean you may have to start slower initially, it doesn't mean you're to old to get started on being fitter. My dad is coming to this realization, and is starting to workout a bit himself. I was totally having a proud daughter moment when he was telling me that! The only reason most people "can't" is because that's what they have convinced themselves of. Check out "health at any age" compilations on you tube. There are people in their 70's and 80's that could easily kick my squishy little *kitten*! It's really inspiring.
  • brightresolve
    brightresolve Posts: 1,024 Member
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    OP, you did a major 100 lb loss diet on deficit and cardio, no resistance training.

    We all lose muscle on a deficit, but without resistance training of any kind, a higher percent of what we lose is muscle. Muscle burns calories.

    I'd say your "slower" loss rate (still spectacular incidentally, settle back in the saddle and enjoy the ride!) is due to decreased muscle mass compared to the first time around.

    Patience and strength/resistance training so you retain muscle mass, like many above have said :)
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    I'm 67 and lost around 50 lbs. over the past couple of years, and last year began exercising on a regular basis. Like so many above I'm in the best shape of my life!

    It's interesting to look at things from this end of the age spectrum. In my 20's, and always chasing that last 10 lbs., when I thought of being in my 60's I couldn't imagine caring about how much I weighed because that was so old :D

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