Men over 40 - lose 50lbs are more.

larryp713

Hi all,

I'm Larry and have struggled with being overweight most of my adult life. My problems really got bad after a knee surgery when I was 40, which also included the diagnosis of osteoarthritis and loss of cartilage in my knee that finally limited my favorite sports to play, especially basketball and tennis. Since then, I have balooned to an average weight in the 270s (I am 5' 11''), and though I have had some success with previous diets, I have never been able to put anything together for long term success.

At 47, I am finally ready to deal with the primary causes of my unhealthy weight. I love processed carbs and use high food carbs to treat periodic depression, boredom, whatever. I am a very impulsive eater when I am not on a diet.

Through the last few years, I have made some healthy changes. I have eliminated soda, alcohol, and other sugary drinks. I have recently quit eating chips and crackers. I know the breads, pastas, rice are going to need to be restricted. I want to lose 60 lbs by Feb 2019, and I am looking for others who are on this journey or have had success after 40. Thanks! Larry

sliderkb2

Hey Larry - Im Kevin. Dealing with similar issues. I just turned 40 in May and wanting to make a positive change. Id like to lose 40lbs and get down to about 179 (where I was in high school). My biggest issue is drinking and the eating that comes from it. I drink / eat out of boredom and some mild depression. Ill get on this ride for a few weeks then slowly sink back into the normal routine but Id really - REALLY - like to have that change this time. I know that change will only come from me and what better time than now right.

AnvilHead

I lost 74 pounds starting at age 53, and didn't cut anything out of my diet. I eat all the things I've always eaten - just more of some and less of others. I've been maintaining at my goal weight and around 15% bodyfat for nearly a year now, using that exact same method.

All that's required for weight loss is to consistently consume less calories than you expend. The only reason to cut carbs (or any other food) from your diet is if you have difficulty moderating your consumption of it and find that it's consistently causing you to exceed your calorie goals, or that you're eating so much of it that you're crowding out essential nutrients.

Weight loss isn't easy, but it is simple. No need to starve yourself, deprive yourself of foods you enjoy or suffer through it. In fact, the people who try to "white knuckle" it through an overly restrictive diet often have the highest failure rates because they can't/won't stick to it for the long term. And the long term is what matters - you didn't gain it all in a month, you're not going to lose it all in a month. And if you go back to eating like you did before, you'll gain it all right back. It's not a temporary thing.

larryp713

Thanks for the replies, guys.
Kevin - I completely understand about the drinking and all the unhealthy impulsive things that go along with it. I am an alcoholic in recovery, 3.5 years sober, so I had to eliminate drinking completely in order to accomplish anything else with my life. You are probably not an alcoholic - so I think the key for you will be moderation. Good luck on your journey.

That is awesome AnvilHead! I have finally come to the understanding that it is a life time commitment I need to make to obtain and maintain a healthy weight. I never overeat fruits, veggies, or meats. I just stop eating those when I am full. But breads, pastas, etc... I can and often do overeat those. The worst is when I eat something because its there, or crave something sugary. I used to always want a coke with pizza, then I would eat more pizza because I still had some coke left. It was insanity. I am abstaining from the pastas, breads, pizzas, rice while I am trying to lose weight. When I get down to a target weight, I want to bring some of those foods back in, but really focus on portion control. I think I am finally ready to be consistent with food choices. Thanks for sharing your story.