Anyone Lost Over 30 and kept it off for more than 5 years, who doesn't work in the fitness industry

durhammfp

I have never worked in fitness, and never plan to. I sit at a desk all day.

I am in my 50s.

I originally lost 49 lbs a few years ago (2018-2019) but, due to a COVID injury, stopped exercising and gained 23 pounds back, stabilizing at 176, which, I have to say, does not feel unhealthy to me.

According to this BMI calculator my BMI is 26, https://halls.md/body-mass-index-calculator/.

I'm beginning to lose weight again but eating more healthily is the key driver these days. Also I started walking more and just that makes me feel pretty great.

I was able to keep 26 lbs off all these years despite a couple injuries and some life situations that were difficult. So, not over 30 lbs. Sorry! Is that a success? A failure? I feel physically pretty good and my blood work remains much better than it was before I started losing weight in 2018 so I am pretty happy where I am, though I always want to improve myself further.

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From the OP: "It seems like most of the people who keep it off work in fitness. I hope I'm wrong."

Well that may be where their motivation comes from. Mine comes from seeing too many of my relatives with T2D and/or Alzheimer's slowly and painfully lose more and more functioning over a decade (or longer) before they die. I'm trying to do everything I can to avoid the same fate.

As far as exercise, I think that is a better help for keeping weight off. Losing weight initially, for me, had to start with limiting my calories.

KarinSanden

DonM46 wrote: »

I will be 76 in November.
Retired engineer.
I lost 39 pounds in 2011.
I've been +/- four pounds since then, almost 11 years, & still log my food every day. Currently, I have a 3,107-day streak going.

Do you track cals to have a sense of what you eat to maintain your new weight?

ThomasMProctor

Yep! in 2011 I lost 95 pounds. I was 255 lbs. in January, and by August I was down to 160. I was never athletic. All I did was use this app to track my food and exercise, which consisted solely of walking 3-5 miles per day. Since then, I've summited several alpine peaks in the Cascades (Adams, St. Helens, Baker, Sisters, etc.), and learned that I love to run, which I do 5 days a week, now. I've had a few ups and downs over the years, but am at 164 today (2024).

springlering62

I’m happy to say that this month is five years keeping it off for me.

I do not work in fitness, never have. Most exercise I ever got was climbing under a desk to do the standard IT fix of unplug it all and replug it back in. 🙄

I was retired when I started losing weight. I maintain by still counting calories religiously.

I lost 97, it was too much and I looked awful, so intentionally regained about 20. I’m happy where I am.

We are currently traveling, and a week of our trip has been a serious food tour. Including a ton of home baked breads, homemade cheeses and sausages, fresh honey from the hive, the richest homemade yogurt you can imagine, and I swear I’ve eaten an acre of tomato vines. Best tomatoes EVER. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tasted like watermelon. We even picked and ate fruits right off the trees as we walked.

I fully expect to be up 5-7 pounds when we return, but the food tour is over and at this moment we are chilling in a courtyard and eating a 285 calorie Greek salad from a local grocery. We’re already reeling it in. Saving calories for a famed local handfood and to then plan to return for dinner to a local restaurant we ate at with our small group. I will have no problems returning to MFP habits.

I went slow, and took the time tor read here and learn as I went. I am very grateful for all the “slow loss is best” advice I got from other members. It’s very true.

I am very grateful for the help I got here on MFP.

Adventurista

@springlering62 - wow wow! Congrats! Wonderful milestone - thank you for sharing your journey here, it helps, encourages and inspires us

isabelle596

So helpful. Thank you for the question and all the answers. I realize that I have to change my goal from “lose X lbs of weight” to “maintain daily eating, moving, and food logging habits to lose X lbs of weight and keep them off for 5+ years”.

So logically simple and yet, such a different mindset.

Shifts from future-focused, before and after goal weight behaviors (ie. Doing this until I lose the weight) vs… daily behaviors and long-term sustainable habits. Phew.

Already #27 down with more to lose but a very needed correction of my mindset. This is not a change for the next 6-9 months to reach my goal. It’s a behavioral change for the 5-10 years and beyond.

Let’s begin again.

F8Cone8

I lost 40 pounds using SparkPeople in 2006 going from 220 to 180. I have kept it off for about 16 years. I find now that I have gained 3 pounds back and want to lose more. I'm only 5'3" so I am carrying much more weight than I should.

gelatojo

I've NEVER worked in fitness/health. Lost 50 pounds at age 50, went from pretty unhealthy and a pharmacy regular to now - Age 60, physically fit, NO pharmacist in my life, and other than childhood, probably the healthiest I've been in my entire life. NO gimmicks, no purchases, just CLEAN eating, intentional movement, lifting heavy things. IMO, diets to not work - it was a lifestyle change. You'll find no crappy oils or ingredients in my cupboards. I did hire a coach that changed my life. Paleo-"ish" eating style, Crossfit types of exercise (always changing never boring, constantly working on strength, balance, endurance, flexibility, accuracy, agility, coordination, stamina, etc)

Being a bit "long in the tooth" I thought caloric deficits and avoiding fats/cholesterol, etc was the "right" way. I eat more nutrient dense foods now with healthy fats, whole eggs, natural meats, etc, and proof is in the bloodwork. I feel like I found the fountain of youth. Since age 50, some firsts are learning new sports, learning to snow ski, setting a deadlift state record, running my first 5k's, and not bragging, but I'm the lady that's called to help move kids into dorms! Ha! This isn't the only way to reclaim your health, but it's the one that keeps my personality on track.

I cannot imagine my life without this gift of health. I "impossibly" defeated Grave's disease, for the last 7 years no longer dependent on thyroid drugs, or hypertension drugs, never went on the statin prescribed.

YOU CAN DO THIS TOO!!! I wish you all the very best on your journey's.

aprilmerritt434

I've been down 85lbs for about 15 years now. So yea its possible though, I am up about 8-10lbs from the lowest point for a couple years now, but its muscle because I started lifting.

Its possible. I have a desk job. It takes work and you have to find a fitness program you love and make real diet changes, but yes, its totally possible.

terence_laoshi

Delighted to report ...
I reduced from 97kgs (213lbs) in 2018 to 82-85kgs (180-187lbs) from 2019 onwards.
Key reasons ...

1. Tracking
Being able to track my eating and calories and exercise on myfitnesspal.
Having a record has really kept me on track and often motivated me
to get off the chair and go for a long walk, or to get my hand out of the refrigerator.

2. Lifestyle change
Instead of placing all the emphasis on changing food and exercise habits,
I changed my approach to life. The habits followed automatically.
"When you come to an obstacle in life, throw your heart over first.
Your body is sure to follow."

Adventurista

Really inspiring to meet people who are and who have, ty!