Old folks weight loss

siegela6119

I am 70f and have been using MFP since January 1 of this year. I have lost 24 lbs since then and gone down 2 sizes. Great to be in my favorite summer shorts again. I walk about 15 miles a week and eat 1200 calories a day. I would love to reach my goal (15lbs to go) by New Years 2022, but I am only loosing 1-2 lbs a month now. It seems that each month I spend 3 weeks losing and gaining the same pound and then I’ll settle with a solid loss and the cycle begins again.

What can I do to get into a more productive loss cycle? I feel like I have to change something up. I know that my age losing is more difficult and I am patient, but short of fasting 2 days a week, I can’t think of what to change up.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

skellyc74

I suggest you open your diary and those with more experience will be able to help you out.

SuzySunshine99

With only 15 pounds left to lose, 1-2 pounds per month is actually a sensible rate. It definitely slows down as you get closer to your goal. Keep doing what you're doing and be patient.

AnnPT77

I agree: With 15 pounds to go, half a pound a week is pretty perfect at any age.

That may be extra true - possibly - for people our age. (I'm F, 66 - in weight maintenance now for several years.)

For anyone, any age, when we lose weight fast, it increases risk of muscle loss. Researchers believe we can only metabolize a certain number of calories of body fat daily per pound of fat we have left on our bodies. The implication is that it's health-promoting to slow down weight loss as we get lighter.

The potential extra issues at our age are twofold:

(1) If unnecessarily much muscle loss occurs along the way, that's higher penalty for us. An average person in our demographic tends to have less muscle mass to start with than an equal-activity younger person (though it varies individually with athletic history, of course).

We can re-gain lost muscle loss, sure, even at our age. That's a pretty slow process for anyone, but it's even slower for we older women. Better in all cases to keep as much muscle mass as possible while losing, since muscle is useful in daily life, and coincidentally having more of it does slightly increase our basal metabolic rate (i.e., calories we burn even before doing anything).

(2). I don't know about you, but though I can do most things I could do when younger, one difference I notice with age is that I'm less resilient to overstress. At 20, I could over-exert, stay up all night, eat poorly, and still get some stuff done the next day - some penalty, but still functional. Now, not so much. I need to be a lot more canny and sensible about managing stress and recovery.

Why is this relevant? A calorie deficit - weight loss - is a stress. A bigger calorie deficit is a bigger stress. A bigger calorie deficit when we have less left to lose is also a bigger stress. There can be a piper to pay, at some point, y'know?

Might be fatigue, might be lowered immunity, or one of the many physical problems that can be triggered by too-fast loss at any age (from the minor, like brittle fingernails, to the major - only at true extremes - like heart damage!). This is an individual decision, but I preferred to be conservative, lose slowly when I got to those last 10-20 pounds.

On top of that, as we age we need more protein for best health, and that takes up some calories. That makes further calorie cuts a little more fraught.

I agree with the suggestion of opening your diary so we can take a look. That's not a dig: Calorie counting can be a surprisingly nuanced skill, and some of the old hands here have been doing it for years, have tripped into most of the pitfalls along the way, can maybe help you avoid them.

Beyond that, the interventions I'd consider would be adding some strength training, and making sure you're getting good all-round nutrition, especially adequate protein. Shooting for at least 25g protein per meal is the recommendation of a recent expert study group (Prot-Age Study Group**), which found that protein timing - spreading it through the day - is more important as we age. Protein can support muscle maintenance, but it also requires slightly more calories to metabolize, sort of a tiny bonus.

** https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(13)00326-5/fulltext

On the strength training front, it doesn't need to be some mega-giant weights or something like that, just something that's a mild progressive challenge to your current strength. That can be lifting weights (that are heavy to you, a little - doesn't matter how many pounds/kg), bodyweight exercises, or some other exercise mode that challenges current strength. There's more info in this thread:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

(Despite the title, it does have bodyweight exercise info, not just actual lifting.) Increasing strength has a small metabolic cost, i.e., some extra calories may be burned.

Finally, if you haven't done so already, you might consider how to make the non-exercise parts of your day a little more active. Some of the reason that we need fewer calories as we age is that besides the reduced muscle mass, we've gained habits of subtle inactivity. That can make a contribution. There's a thread about that here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

Not all of those ideas would work for you, I'm sure . . . but there are a lot of ideas from many people. Some of them might be achievable.

I hope you're able to find satisfaction with your path!

siegela6119

I want to thank everyone that responded. I have opened my diary if you want to peruse it. Despite walking I will confess that I am pretty sedentary otherwise. I wonder if I’m eating enough protein. I tend to choose vegetables over protein. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

cmriverside

I wonder why you have such low calories? Are you only logging part of the food you eat?

You're meant to eat ALL the calories, then add purposeful exercise to the Exercise tab and eat MORE on days you exercise. Eat more variety and more plants, too. Your FOOD page is very sparse.

Here's the official explanation:
https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032625391-How-does-MyFitnessPal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

...and also, read all the posts at the top of each subforum that say, "Most Helpful Posts."

Here's the list from the Getting Started subforum:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

siegela6119

I do log everything I eat. My appetite waxes and wanes through the month, so there are days when I don’t reach my calorie goal. I also never eat the extra calories allotted for exercise. I’ve got some serious arthritis in my hips which has kept me from walking as frequently as usual.

skellyc74

I can't see your diary your settings are still on private for me. As an older person the quality of your nutrition is really important. Are you getting enough protein? Collagen? Glycerine? Iron? Nutrient dense food?
You don't want to be thin and frail as you age you really do need to keep yourself strong with good muscle tone this helps keep your bones strong.
Can you incorporate some other form of weight bearing exercise that won't put too much stress on your hips?
Make yourself nutrient dense soups and stews if you find your appetite waning. These are a great way to get a big variety of nutrients in one meal sitting.

AnnPT77

I could see your diary. I know that some petite, inactive women our age truly do need to eat low calories in order to lose weight. (I'm F, 66.) But that's not true for all, and it can be counterproductive. I'm concerned that you're severely under-eating, to the detriment of health as well as weight management, frankly.

I see that you log certain things as "one serving" or use entries that say "homemade". I'd suggest avoiding those, if they're someone else's database entry, not your personal recipe. For example, "Homemade - 2 Scrambled Eggs, 2 eggs": Did you scramble those eggs in a dry pan, no oil or anything like that? If you didn't create that "homemade" entry, you don't know for sure what's in it. (It looks like dry eggs, to me, based on the calories - no oil in pan, no milk added, etc.).

It will be most accurate to weigh everything (when practical), avoid cups/spoons/servings.

If you are over-restricting, doing so for a long period (months) can increase "adaptive thermogenesis", i.e., our bodies down-regulate spontaneous movement (fidgeting and more), may slow hair/nails growth, can lower core body temperature, etc., so that we're burning fewer calories in daily life than we could be at somewhat higher calories. The effect can be subtle, relatively unnoticed. (It can be particularly risky health-wise at our age, too.)

A long period at a calorie deficit can also be enough of a stressor to increase stress hormones (e.g., cortisol), and create creeping increases in water retention. That water retention masks ongoing fat loss on the bodyweight scale. The pattern you report - stall then quick drop - suggests that might be part of the picture for you, IMO.

If I were you, I'd consider a couple of weeks at estimated maintenance, i.e., a diet break, then resume at slightly higher calories (and a bit higher protein). There's more to useful "diet break" than just additional calories, and you can learn more about the science of it in this thread:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

I don't know how tall you are, but if I were you, I'd want more protein, as I mentioned before. That's particularly important for us when aging. I'd point back at the link in my PP for more information:

During loss (at age 59-60), I aimed at 0.6-0.8g protein daily per pound of goal weight, which for me was 75-100g daily. Now, in maintenance, I routinely exceed 100g (even as a vegetarian). As context, I'm 5'5".

Not so much about weight loss, but nutrition: It looks like you're eating very few vegetables or fruits. Getting adequate micronutrients from food can help both increase energy level and decrease appetite, so indirectly make weight loss easier - not to mention the positive effects on general health.

As I mentioned before, one suggestion would be to do at least some exercise that challenges your current strength level, at least a couple of times per week.

Increasing strength (which can happen pretty fast) and increasing muscle mass (much slower) are both beneficial in many ways. The building of muscle consumes a few calories, for a tiny bump in daily burn. Any muscle mass gained burns slightly more calories at rest than does other types of body tissue. When we're stronger, we tend to move more in daily life (burning a few more calories) because it's easier and more fun to move when stronger. Strength exercise is good for our bones, and I'm sure you know that osteoporosis is a risk in our demographic. (Extreme calorie deficits can increase risk of bone degradation, too.) There's no down-side, as long as careful about progression to avoid injury.

I also mentioned daily life movement in my PP, and would underscore that again as a thing to consider working on, if relevant to you.

After having seen your diary as well as your OP, I'm going to include this last link with some trepidation. I'm not reading you as extreme, in the way that this link talks about. But the article does do a good job of explaining the potential of stress from dieting to increase water retention, and potentially lead to a negative cycle of increased restriction. That's why I'm adding it here.

https://bodyrecomposition.com/research/dietary-restraint-cortisol-levels

Best wishes for progress!

briansimpson2

I am 60m seems like things are slowing down in the weight loss area, any suggestions?

siegela6119

OP here. I guess I should have mentioned that I am 5’7” and I weigh 165 now. 1200 calories/day is what MFP recommended. I definitely do not suffer with water retention.

AnnPT77

siegela6119 wrote: »

OP here. I guess I should have mentioned that I am 5’7” and I weigh 165 now. 1200 calories/day is what MFP recommended. I definitely do not suffer with water retention.

MFP didn't really "recommend 1200". You asked for a certain weight loss rate, and MFP gave you a calorie goal based on your request . . . but it won't go lower than 1200 for women. 1200 (plus all exercise calories) was too low for me at 5'5" when in the mid-150s pounds, age 59. It may or may not be too low for you.

Also: Water retention can happen at any weight. How are you certain it isn't a factor? It's not necessarily some kind of grotesque swelling or anything.

From looking at your diary - if you're logging everything - you're eating well below the 1200 quite frequently. If you're not logging everything . . . well, that might be relevant, but no one else would know about that.

I'm not trying to be harsh here, truly - just trying to be clear and frank. I'd love to see you succeed, on a clear, satisfying path forward - sincerely.

cmriverside

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siegela6119 wrote: »

OP here. I guess I should have mentioned that I am 5’7” and I weigh 165 now. 1200 calories/day is what MFP recommended. I definitely do not suffer with water retention.

Yeah, what Ann said.
If you are 5'7", 165 you should be able to lose weight quite easily at higher calories. Since you have 10-15(ish) pounds to lose to reach a normal BMI, set your GOALS page here to "Lose 1/2 pound per week." That's a good safe weight loss rate at your current weight. Eat what it tells you AND eat more on exercise days.

You have some days on your FOOD page that are under 1000 calories and you rarely even get to 1200 (according to your logging.) That's not how it works. I do think you need to be concerned about your complete lack of plants (fruit vegetable) and your very low calorie intake.

There is no way you're not losing weight eating that little. Either your food logging is way off or you need to see your doctor.

PAV8888

siegela6119 wrote: »

but I am only loosing 1-2 lbs a month now. It seems that each month I spend 3 weeks losing and gaining the same pound and then I’ll settle with a solid loss and the cycle begins again. What can I do to get into a more productive loss cycle?

In the generally good advice offered I am wondering if some of our regulars missed part of the above? The OP is NOT "not losing" at her current calories. The OP is losing 1-2lbs a month and wants to lose faster.

I would suggest that a lot of what Ann mentioned may apply after the previous extended dieting and associated loss.

The current slower loss pattern is also associated with increased adaptation and, let's call it increasing resistance, to further loses. i.e. we're past the first 6 months or so and we have some signaling that it is time for some finesse as opposed to just brute strength pushing to power through extra fast losses.

I would like to remind our OP that the goal is NOT reaching goal weight by Christmas to celebrate "I'm at goal in 2022".

The goal is to BE within the normal weight range in 2023. And to continue to be within the normal weight range in 2024. And in 2025. And 2026. And 2027. And...

Being "at goal in 2022" and back to overweight in 2023 and 2024 is NOT the goal!

Instead of looking for ways to lose faster, I would look for ways to lose more *sustainably*.

Sustainably defined as eating closer to how one would plan to continue to eat in 2023 and 2024--at a time when you WON'T be "dieting". How much practice have you had so far in how you're planning to eat when you get to maintaining your weight?

By the way, are you using a weight trend app?

It is eye opening when you're losing slowly and you have trouble seeing your weight reduction reflected on the scale and in your mirror.

I lost 11.1lbs during the course of a full 52 week year I would have sworn I was losing nothing if I had only been relying on the scale and my own eyes. That was the year after I lost 72.5lbs so it's not like I haven't gone through both faster and slower losses.

For me the biggest victory was not just getting to the normal weight range but actually managing to stay within the normal weight range these past six to seven years. And I truly believe that the only reason I managed to achieve this was that slow, I'm losing nothing, oh look, I "only" lost 11.1lbs year.

cmriverside

PAV8888 wrote: »

siegela6119 wrote: »

but I am only loosing 1-2 lbs a month now. It seems that each month I spend 3 weeks losing and gaining the same pound and then I’ll settle with a solid loss and the cycle begins again. What can I do to get into a more productive loss cycle?

In the generally good advice offered I am wondering if some of our regulars missed part of the above? The OP is NOT "not losing" at her current calories. The OP is losing 1-2lbs a month and wants to lose faster.

<snip> for brevity/reference

I assume you're referring to me as "some of the regulars?"

Yeah, I'll admit I mixed up posters in that last sentence of mine.

The rest of my post I stand by.

Set Goal at either Maintain current weight or use no more than, "Lose 1/2 pound per week."

Eat more, is what I continue to say in both my posts. Eat way more than [lower than] 1000 calories like she's been logging.

Eat more on exercise days.

Log all the food. Don't expect to lose 2 pounds per week at your current weight of 165 (5'7")

PAV8888

cmriverside wrote: »

I assume you're referring to me as "some of the regulars?" Yeah, I'll admit I mixed up posters in that last sentence of mine. The rest of my post I stand by. Set Goal at either Maintain current weight or use no more than, "Lose 1/2 pound per week." Eat more, is what I continue to say in both my posts. Eat way more than [lower than] 1000 calories like she's been logging. Eat more on exercise days. Log all the food. Don't expect to lose 2 pounds per week at your current weight of 165 (5'7")

You won't see me disagreeing with anything in this post!

Hollis300

siegela6119 wrote: »

I am 70f and have been using MFP since January 1 of this year. I have lost 24 lbs since then and gone down 2 sizes. Great to be in my favorite summer shorts again. I walk about 15 miles a week and eat 1200 calories a day. I would love to reach my goal (15lbs to go) by New Years 2022, but I am only loosing 1-2 lbs a month now. It seems that each month I spend 3 weeks losing and gaining the same pound and then I’ll settle with a solid loss and the cycle begins again.

What can I do to get into a more productive loss cycle? I feel like I have to change something up. I know that my age losing is more difficult and I am patient, but short of fasting 2 days a week, I can’t think of what to change up.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Note: I haven't read all the comments. Apologies if someone else said something similar.

I would stay with the loss rate you have now. Losing slowly is better for your skin and gives it a chance to catch up.

Also, your walking might be giving you some water weight -- our bodies normally retain fluid to heal tiny tears in the muscles when we exercise. Don't cut down on the walking because it's so good for you.

You're doing well. Maybe think of this as a lifestyle to be healthier and don't worry about the loss rate. It will come in time.

debtay123

I think you are losing great- losing at 1/2 pound a week or even less when it is consistent is great- Also I agree about setting MFP to maintainenece for a few weeks- and THEN set it to lose .05 or 1/2 pound a day and SEE what it says-- You are doing fine- be patient with yourself -
I am 62 and still losing BUT I am mainly trying to eat to keep my blood sugars leveled(BS issues are in my family)- so I loss a little great- if not my main goal is balance in my eating and getting those staple blood sugars