30kg to lose, 40 years old - Can it be done?

lilspider · May 2020

Hi all,

I am looking to buddy up with YOU!

I am not new to this site and I have started now 3 times, but lets see if I will stick to it this time.
In fact, this time I MUST.
Reason I must is because I really want to have another baby still, but being 40 and overweight means my chances are very small.
I have read so many success stories on how people have managed to get pregnant after losing the excess weight so I that is my number one motivation right now.

I was always really skinny when growing up so when I turned 30 and my metabolism basically stopped, I realized that I was very lazy and needed to do something to keep the kilos off.
At first I did great, I loved walks and I even went to a fitness bootcamp for 3 months. Then I got pregnant, gained a lot of weight, sleep deprivation took all my energy for at least a year and BOOOOFFF 3 years later I was 30 kg heavier!

I have wardrobe full of clothes that don't fit me and I hate my photo taken. When I see myself in videos I don't recognize myself because I am so fat now.

I used MyFitnessPal before very successfully so I hope I can do this again, this time I have a LOT more to lose (and a LOT more to gain) though.

I would really like to get some friends so we can support each other. Even if you are far, the messages are so encouraging always.

Lets do this!

Tanja

yirara · May 2020

Totally possible. You just need consistency, weight all your food and use proper database entries, and use a realistic level of weightloss so you don't go hungry and as a result don't start to binge, feel miserable and give up. Stick to it, eat enough, but still in a calorie deficit and the weight will come off.

lilspider · May 2020

I know consistency really is the key! I think I always do great for like a week and then little by little life starts to take over. But I figured, since I can't exactly do anything, this would be the best time to try to stay on the wagon.
I have been making some AMAZING salads (I know "Amazing" and "Salad" would normally never go to the same sentence!) that I could eat all day and I have made sure I get my 10k steps a day and I can already say I feel much better. I used to eat whatever I wanted and move on most days max 4000 steps... so no wonder I was gaining weight.

Like... Yesterday we had enchiladas for dinner. I had one. It was roughly 520 cals and then the rest of my plate was full of salad. One enchilada is TINY and before I started adding these down again, I could easily eat 2 or even 3 for dinner. 3!!!! That is 1560 cals!!!! Like whattttttttttttt! I had a crazy portion of yummy grilled chicken salad (andthe I mean CRAZY amount) and it was 328 cals. I feel great after eating it too.

I think for me, I just need to get some hard facts thrown at my face to see that what I have been doing is not very good or smart.

Another example, I had a portion of crisps yesterday while watching TV. This was 30grams of my favorite crisps that the "OMG I NEED TO LOSE WEIGH - headless chicken me" would have banned from the food library for the 2 weeks I was able to diet that time. But I had it with the knowledge that I was well below my calories thanks for the evening run I did and aahhh they tasted so nice and savory! Did I want more crisps once the 30 g was up? HELL YES, but I quickly went to brush my teeth to stop me from doing something I would regret. Also, the rest of the bag was already tucked away in the kitchen cupboard so walking down there to get more would have been the biggest walk of shame!

ANYWAY, I am very motivated and especially now that I know I have already lost 2kg in 10 days. Best feeling ever.

Stay awesome

and add me to your friends.

taragrasshopper · June 2020

Hey Tanja, I'm a similar age with a similar amount to lose so I'd love to following your journey for motivation

How have you been doing the past couple of weeks?

HeidiCooksSupper · June 2020

Changing how you eat is going to take work. You need to ascertain how many calories you should be eating per day and develop eating habits that will work for you. Perhaps those enchiladas, being so calorie heavy, don't work for you. Perhaps there is something else you can eat instead that will satisfy you. If fewer chips make you feel deprived, swap out chips for something more satisfying.

If I have one cookie, I want the whole box. I'm avoiding cookies right now because they don't do to me what I want to have done -- which is to satisfy my hunger with a small, measured amount. I often have two ounces of deluxe mixed nuts after supper. I eat them slowly and I feel sated. I don't need more. Something sweet like a cookie and I want to chew the drapes.

Only you will know what will work for you and you will only find it out through trial and error. Listen carefully to what your appetite is telling you. It's not guilting you. It's saying either "I'm still ravenous" or "I'm satisfied."

age_is_just_a_number · June 2020

You can do this!
Welcome back to MFP.
Track, monitor and adjust.
It is a lifestyle journey.

age_is_just_a_number · June 2020

I just saw another similar thread from someone who sounds very similar to you. You might want to look at that thread. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10799131/looking-to-reboot-and-lose-50lb-support-needed-please#latest

hipari · June 2020

Welcome! Yep, it can be done, and nope, your metabolism didn’t stop. When it stops, you die.

BTW, Tanja, sounds Finnish. Did I guess right? Asking as a (fellow) Finnish lady losing weight to help future pregnancies

add me if you want to!