50+ Yr Old Members / Low Carb Tips??

vickysanimalrescue

Are you 50 years old or older, and have found a diet plan that works for you? If so, would love to hear about them. I've been on the Keto plan for 2 months now, and have lost 14 lbs, however I've been finding myself in a rut lately not able to lose anymore.

I realize being over 50 sometimes takes on a whole new meaning to losing weight.

Anyway, would greatly appreciate your thoughts/tips/recommendations!

LyndaBSS

Welcome to the community!

If you haven't already, read the stickies at the top of the getting started forum. Very informative and helpful.

You might especially want to read the article about plateaus. You've done very well but plateaus and fluctuations are to be expected.

Do you believe keto is sustainable for you?

Oh, by the way, I'm 61.

ProgressShowing

Plateaus happen in the keto world... just keep doing what your doing. I would also say don't worry about what the scale says, too many variables for accuracy. Instead, take progress pics or measurements to review your work. Personally, I'd rather look and feel better than weigh less any ways! Of course, weighing less is nice too... 😄

BTW, 50+ here too...

vickysanimalrescue

Hi Lynda,

Thank you for the welcome and for your recommendation! I will definitely check into them.

As for Keto, yes, I find it sustainable as long as I take in plenty of fat each day. Many years ago, I use to be on the Atkins plan, managing to lose 30 lbs in 5 months, but found I couldn't lose anymore (still had 10 lbs to go), thus falling off the wagon. Since those days, slowly but surely, I gained all of my weight back ... and then some.

I feel much better doing Keto, though, overall.

I'll be 61 next month.

lgfrie

Mid 50s here. In my 4th month of dieting, ~ 45 lbs lost. Yeah, it's a little harder to lose weight when older, and a lot easier to gain it back.

My diet approach is the classic MFP diet: eat up to and not exceed a calorie target (1600 in my case, which is a comfortable, non-punishing but weight-loss-effective amount of food for me), and do 30 mins of cardio per day. Seems to be working. I've been losing around 2.25 lbs/week - a bit faster than MFP's formulas, but I'm happy with that. I don't find any major differences in sub-age-50 and over-50 dieting, except that the physical activity takes more conscious effort and is sometimes sidelined by injuries. Just gotta keep at it. I don't take cheat/off meals or days; I like to be consistent. My wife and I do 16:8 intermittent fasting - no calories between 7 pm and 11 am, which helps with the food cravings, hunger, and just generally thinking about food all day, and also, having a narrow window to eat all the calories makes the meals larger and more satisfying, which I prefer.

I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea to put more calories toward fat and protein at the expense of carbs but I, personally, don't pay much attention to macros. I just try to eat balanced meals most of the time and let the chips fall where they may. I figure that if I hit my calorie number for the day and get a half hour of exercise, I've done my part and will lose weight, and the rest is just footnotes.

I'm not sure keto is a good idea for 50+. My Dr told me it was a mistake for older people to be on keto, for various health reasons, unless under a doctor's care for something like Type 2 diabetes. You might wanna discuss that with a Dr.

whmscll

My “diet” plan is to weigh/track/measure on MFP to make sure I’m in a calorie deficit, and lift weights in addition to some cardio. I track three macros: protein, fiber and fat. I don’t worry about carbs. Have lost slowly but steadily, without any plateaus, for about 5 months, and am 2.5 pounds from goal.

spiriteagle99

Keto works as long as your calories remain under your goal. I know some people who end up eating so much fat they gain weight.

Being over 50 is only a problem if you are less active. As long as you stay active, it doesn't make losing weight more difficult.

AnnPT77

This is the approach that worked for me to lose about 50 pounds at age 59-60 in less than a year, without materially changing my exercise routine:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/

I did non-keto (at around 150g carbs most days), but the same general thing will work with keto, if that's your preference.

I didn't find age to be an issue, personally . . . or hypothyroidism.

sgt1372

I eat primarily paleo. Few grains/starches and dairy but lots of protein, fats and carbs from meat, seafood, veggies, fruit and nuts. Works for me.

Pamela_Sue

I am a bit confused. On your other recent post, you mentioned you are on Keto following a more intuitive eating regimen and don't want to count calories. You asked how to use MFP without counting calories.
All weight loss, regardless of diet type, comes down to achieving a calorie deficit. MFP is set up to input your gender, age, weight, rate of loss, etc., and then compute a daily recommended calorie deficit.
Without more information, it would be impossible to determine why you are in a rut and not losing anymore.

vickysanimalrescue

pjshawley, you may want to consider researching the Keto way of eating, to know what I mean by not counting calories. Also, look up Keto with Casey on YouTube. I follow her closely. You'll learn a lot from her.

vickysanimalrescue

Yes sgt1372, Paleo is very close to Keto! (or visa versa)

NovusDies

vickysanimalrescue wrote: »

pjshawley, you may want to consider researching the Keto way of eating, to know what I mean by not counting calories. Also, look up Keto with Casey on YouTube. I follow her closely. You'll learn a lot from her.

Many people who do keto do not count calories. Some do.

If you find keto satiating you may not replace all of the calories from the carbs you cut which for some people will create a calorie deficit. That is how keto works without counting calories.

If you are not in a calorie deficit you will not lose weight. If you are in a calorie surplus you will gain weight... even on keto.

So right now either you are just waiting for a body weight fluctuation possibly caused by water retention to subside and the scale to move downward or you are eating too many calories.

You do not have to count calories to be successful. You do have to remain in a calorie deficit which may or may not be the case for you right now. If it is not you will need to exercise some other form of portion control.

Good luck.

vickysanimalrescue

The food list I follow allows certain 'keto foods', like veggies, in moderation. However, we can eat all the meat we want, eggs, bacon and other zero carb foods, just as long as we stop eating when we are satiated. And usually, we all fall under our allowed calorie intake, that's IF we are tracking calories - which I am not - but I do know I am always under my allowed daily calories.

vickysanimalrescue

ProgressShowing wrote: »

Plateaus happen in the keto world... just keep doing what your doing. I would also say don't worry about what the scale says, too many variables for accuracy. Instead, take progress pics or measurements to review your work. Personally, I'd rather look and feel better than weigh less any ways! Of course, weighing less is nice too... 😄

BTW, 50+ here too...

Hello, 50+'er!

I've learned early on the Keto (and formerly Atkins) trail that the scale can be your worst enemy. I try not to weigh myself except once or twice a month. But taking measurements is a good thing. Many of us lose inches faster than dropping pounds on the scale.

Dakar58

Hi all, this is a very good thread

I can’t resist standing on the scales everyday, I wish I could. But seeing my weight daily is the only way I can keep myself in the straight and narrow.

vickysanimalrescue

Dakar58 wrote: »

Hi all, this is a very good thread

I can’t resist standing on the scales everyday, I wish I could. But seeing my weight daily is the only way I can keep myself in the straight and narrow.

Hi!

Are you seeing good, consistent results from your scale? If I were to weigh every day, knowing our weight will always fluctuate, it really discourages me. I know it shouldn't but it does. Gaining even 1 lb throws me out of whack.

Mishilovescolours

Hi Vicki, I am mid fifties doing Keto as well. I have almost done fourteen weeks. And I’ve lost 16 kilos. It was 17 , but I have managed to gain a kilo back-oooops. I am wondering if I am coming to a stall. I think changing things up a bit is a good idea. For me I must drink more water. Keep with it and congratulations on the 14 lbs.

Johnd2000

I’m 56. I lost 33kg, three years ago, and have kept it off since then.

I didn’t need any restrictive fad diet. I just eat less and move more.

kshama2001

NovusDies wrote: »

vickysanimalrescue wrote: »

pjshawley, you may want to consider researching the Keto way of eating, to know what I mean by not counting calories. Also, look up Keto with Casey on YouTube. I follow her closely. You'll learn a lot from her.

Many people who do keto do not count calories. Some do.

If you find keto satiating you may not replace all of the calories from the carbs you cut which for some people will create a calorie deficit. That is how keto works without counting calories.

If you are not in a calorie deficit you will not lose weight. If you are in a calorie surplus you will gain weight... even on keto.

So right now either you are just waiting for a body weight fluctuation possibly caused by water retention to subside and the scale to move downward or you are eating too many calories.

You do not have to count calories to be successful. You do have to remain in a calorie deficit which may or may not be the case for you right now. If it is not you will need to exercise some other form of portion control.

Good luck.

Well said.

@vickysanimalrescue if your plateau continues, it has nothing to do with your age, but is because you are eating more than you think.

lalalacroix

I'm 50 and have lost 54 pounds, most of it this year. I'm now 6 pounds away from a healthy weight. I lost by simply weighing and logging my food, although I have gone back to a plant based diet this year.

I haven't found myself losing any slower due to age. I'm actually more active than I've been maybe my entire adult life and am now pretty healthy despite being obese at the beginning of the year and for the past 10 years. I'm loving watching this change happen within myself.