Success after 50? Please share!

albamarie61

A lot of women my age (now 66) missed out on team sports in youth: There just weren't many opportunities in the US before Title IX, even had we been inclined. It's not too late. And it's fun! [/quote]

AnnPT77,

That medal is fantastic! Love it.

Somehow it feels sweeter in our older years than in youth to accomplish athletic goals. The dedication and effort requires more from us, but the results are so much more appreciated!

I am going to let the next year play out with more training (and let's hope no more interruptions due to Covid) before making the decision to join the team. It is fun to think about though and that alone is motivating!

Anobono

I'm a 62 year-old male. Due the increasingly bad combination of the consequences of acid reflux and sleep apnea, I had a scary medical episode in early January that finally pushed me to take control of my eating and weight. I started out being 30 pounds over my ideal weight. The worst thing I was doing was eating dessert twice a day (usually ice cream with syrup) and a big snack at night (mostly a big chunk of cheese and crackers), adding up to over 1000 extra calories per day. The second worst thing for me (not for everyone) was drinking coffee because it badly disrupts my stomach acid. So I stopped drinking coffee, cut out desserts and snacks, and got on MFP to set a goal of losing 1.5 pounds per week. I eat a large variety of foods and meet my targets most every today for calories, protein and fiber.

As of today, I have lost 16 pounds and I'm feeling very encouraged by it. I hope that in the coming months it improves my sleep and acid reflux.

3greyhorses

I stepped away for a couple of days and came back to find even more amazing responses! You're all so inspirational! Thank you for sharing

ynsurf

In my early 40's I lost about 194 lbs (Started at 406 lbs). I was doing fine until I took a new job. I am a stress and boredom eater and there was stress and then COVID. I went back up to 339 lbs. I decided to get back on the plan (aka workout and use MFP). Since Sept 2021, I have lost 52 lbs. I am a bit over 1/2 way to my goal. I work out (swim) 3-5 days a week and add in strength training 2-3 days per week. I gave up bread, potatoes, rice, junk food, and other things not good for me ( I do allow bread, rice, and potatoes on vacation, but in moderation). I have added Creatine and Whey Protein to my diet. I am down 2 sizes ( I luckily had kept my "skinny clothes"). I am 56 years old. It can be done. I am reducing my stress and planning my next stage of life and looking forward to being healthy.

nodosa

PJFinSJ wrote: »

I just turned 67. Between the ages of 61-64, I had a personal trainer. I raised my resting metabolic rate from 1771 to 2074, and lost 35 pounds. I maintained my loss for over a year. Then, I moved out of state, the pandemic hit, I stopped working out, and gained 25 pounds. I am starting slowly - doing workouts with Peloton (beginning strength, cycling). For me, consistency is key - tracking and regular workouts. I also didn't think I'd be able to do it being older, but even at my age, I've been able to lose weight and get stronger. You can do it, too!

Just started 7 weeks ago at 68. I'm not doing much exercise but I'm losing 1lb/wk. I'm pretty happy about that because I thought it would be harder at this age. Covid weight gain. I'm also doing a you tube meditation in the morning to get on track before I start the day.

Howes_Emm

I have lost 160 pounds after I turned 50.

springlering62

Howes_Emm wrote: »

I have lost 160 pounds after I turned 50.

Share your story!!!!!

CoastalWanderer

Over 50 (52) Down 94 lbs over a 2-year period. Persistent logging and accountability combined with diet and exercise. Wooooo! If I can do this, you can do this! Keep plugging away at it.

NYPhotographer2021

58 here, started end of August at 214 lbs. Am now at 156, trying to get to 150 but it looks like my body has decided it is perfect right where it is now. And I'm not going to argue with it.

I also had diabetes and was on Metformin. My A1c was 7.2 in October 2021. Not very high, but high enough to be a diabetic. In January 2022, it was 5.3. No more meds. No more checking my blood sugar every day.

It is very doable at the later years. Just have to be consistent and be willing to work it.

RaquelFit2

mrmota70 wrote: »

At 48 in 54X30 size pants with a 4XL shirt.



Yesterday in 30X32 Levi’s trying on a small shirt.. that fit 😳

Will be turning 52 in 3 months.



All done by tracking what goes in and paying a bit of the toll by putting in about 45-60 mins of exercise WO a day. Sundays is easy with a 30 min WO. I think those are the same shoes..

These are the most amazing before and after pictures!

RaquelFit2

I've just begun my "success story." I'm 51. In January, of this year, I decided to get back in shape. In four months: I've lost 9 pounds and gained muscle, stamina and flexibility.

I hope to continue along this path but only time can tell.

martindemarest

In the race no one wants to win - I have you all beat - at 76 it hit me one day that I had let my weight creep up to 296 - and there was simply no way that I would weigh 300 - NONE!! (of course a mini-stroke also factored in) that was May 11, 2021.. and for the next 11 months I followed Noom faithfully, and lost 40 pounds. I have struggled with weight since the end of sports in my youth and yo-yo'd losing anywhere from 40 to 75 pounds in diets of self-denial - which would last up to 5 years and then be lost when the game of weight loss seemed one and I could return to "normal" eating - of course, each time I put hte weight back on and then some. Never did I include exercise in my change, and each diet left me depressed, without energy and unhappy. This time I resolved to accept slow weight loss, still eat what I liked but in moderation and add exercise. I hit a wall at 40 pounds with no change for 4 months.. Noom did it's fast shuffle of a tripling of its' price with a "free" upgrade (and no way back to the lower price). Looking for an alternative I found MyFitnessPal and for a fraction of the price I found a phenomenal answer - easy to use, vast database of food and nutrient info, exhaustive feedback on every aspect of nutrition - projections to provide ongoing motivation - I've broken through and lost 4 pounds in the month since I switched. I love MyFitnessPal - no silly psychological mumbo- jumbo (I'm a psychologist and ever 10 year old knows the lessons they spew), just easy to enter, easy to interpret information - I'm now down to 252.5 (don't' forget the fractions) and on track for my 1 pound a week loss again - increasing my exercise and optimistic.. at 76 you don't get a second chance.. I just opened a box of "Marty's too small jeans" from many years ago and they all (but one) fit easily - The good news is that it is never too late to be healthier , feel better (I can see my shoes)..

poisonesse

I started my journey 10 years ago, at age 60 and 215 pounds. I made goal of 152 a few years ago, maintained until the pandemic hit, then like many others, I regained some of that weight. I'm now 70, and I'm 10 pounds from goal again (I gained 20). So yeah, you can do it regardless of your age.

lacylucy1935

58- always struggled w/ weight. Have been on/off w/ FP for several years. This time seems to click more for me, tracking what I eat I can see what I am eating the most of. Sooooo helpful for me to increase protein! I have finally taken off that last 10 pounds I have struggled with for years and slowly working on maintaining and maybe a few more pounds! Feel so much better when I eat healthy, I also have a low tolerance to sweets, so I have to be careful what and how much I eat for sugar. I am a person that could gain very easily so I have to stay right on track, even when I fall off I get right back on. I also think of my health and not so much the weight, that for me has followed. SLOWLEY!
Stay strong, think before you eat and just keep moving. I also walk , possible yoga at times. Good luck!

KCJen

I am bookmarking this post for future encouragement on the days I will need it. I am 51 and starting again my "diet". I am a yo-yo cycle dieter that will track and exercise until I reach my goal and then stop and then start again once I gain it all back. During the last cycle of my yo-yo diets, I also quit smoking which added more weight, and then covid packed on some more pounds also. So at 51, standing on the front step of menopause ringing its doorbell, and needing to lose 50+ pounds - I am ready to start my diet again - but I am scared that I am too old to pull off the diet this time. I have read and heard all the myths about not being able to lose weight after 50. This post is what I needed to read!!

Luckily I have found a wonderful group on MFP called the Ultimate Accountability Challenge group and they are helping me unlearn my old diet ways and develop a sustainable healthy lifestyle by tracking calories and exercise. I seriously think the UAC is MFP's best-kept secret!

I will bookmark this post and come back to it for encouragement. Thank you to everyone that posted on this post - it has been very encouraging to read. I especially want to thank @AnnPT77 @springlering62 @mrmota70 for your encouraging posts!

TMarieCleg

So glad to see all these success stories at 50! I am back to MFP again...

Batmanswife1

@Springlering62 : You're such an inspiration!! Thank you for the pics and putting it out there for all to admire. I myself will be 56 this year. I'm not in horrible shape but the 50's sure are looking to be a little more difficult to handle than my younger years. I intend on rocking my body by December and that keeps me motivated. We all have the ability to achieve our greatest desires, we also have the ability to remain stagnant. I'm reaching for the stars!!

justlog2day

Going to be 56 real soon. I lost most of my weight when I was 48.

8 years has made a real difference in terms of my energy level and desire for exercise. What I desired to do back then isn't sustainable nor reasonable for me today.

What's also different for me now is a healthier perspective of what I want for myself in terms of a sustainable/reasonable weight. It's not a number - it's a 'feel'.

I'm still very much in a healthy weight range and good bmi. If I never dropped another pound, I'd be OK. That said, I don't have the 'feel' I want and desire to drop about 10-15 pounds.

So, like others, I'm back as well tracking - which is what made my first round successful.

mrmota70

RaquelFit2 wrote: »

mrmota70 wrote: »

At 48 in 54X30 size pants with a 4XL shirt.

Yesterday in 30X32 Levi’s trying on a small shirt.. that fit 😳

Will be turning 52 in 3 months.

All done by tracking what goes in and paying a bit of the toll by putting in about 45-60 mins of exercise WO a day. Sundays is easy with a 30 min WO. I think those are the same shoes..

These are the most amazing before and after pictures!

Ha ha.. I was checking in to look at other folks posts. And got a shock that first to pop up on one of the 32 inch monitors attached to my laptop was the pic of me castigating my poor yeti bucket.. 😆

I easily went beyond its 300lb max capacity it was recommended for then..

I love that bucket.. It toughed it out with unhealthy old me and is now living an easier life with the healthier version of me.

Thanks... for the shock and for the chuckle.... smiley:

unluckyluciano

To the original poster: I'm glad you are back here giving this another shot. Don't let your age discourage you. At 59 years old, using the food and exercise data bases here on MFP, as well as taking in lots of good advice such as: don't have an all-or-nothing attitude (I ate something I "shouldn't have" or "had a 'bad' day/weekend/month" so I might as well just stop trying), don't think of weight loss as linear (there will be fluctuations but over time, if you pay attention to the principles, your weight will trend negative), and exercise because it's good for you, not specifically to lose weight, I lost 40 pounds during Covid lockdown and have kept it off for over a year. All of my bloodwork numbers and BMI reading got to where they should be, so it's really worth it. 40 pounds ago, I told myself a healthy BMI was out of the question, the stuff of fantasy. But as I picked up momentum and saw the possible, it suddenly became not only attainable, but a reality. I also see a lot of people very dear to me, around my age, with health and mobility problems, and they remind me of the value of taking this seriously. Best of luck to you. You can do this.