Menopause

kkaplan1123

So frustrating trying to lose weight after age 60.

AnnPT77

It can be frustrating to lose weight at any age, though reasons differ.

What is frustrating you about it?

I - and others here - lost weight in menopause successfully (at age 59-60 in my case, while also severely hypothyroid if that matters (I think it doesn't)). I'm 68 now, still at a healthy weight, after having been overweight/obese for around 30 years before the loss.

Maybe I or others could help you. I would try to do that, but I don't have a response to something as general as "frustrating to lose weight after age 60". Do you have specific questions or obstacles?

One thing I'd say: It's IMO not worth focusing on age or menopause as such. We can't change those things. Well, some women can use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to manage some menopause symptoms, but I can't (due to history of a hormone-fed cancer). Even with HRT, it's still a matter of countering the symptoms or implications of menopause or aging, not railing at the aging or menopause. The symptoms or side effects can be addressed, but the aging or menopause can't.

Some common things that help in menopause/aging:

* Counting calories, but recognizing that MFP or other sources only give a starting estimate that we may need to adjust, once we have 4-6 weeks of personal loss data to use to sensibly do that.
* Exercise, especially strength challenge, to rebuild muscle mass we may have lost over the years for various reasons, including yo-yo dieting for some of us. This doesn't need to be an extreme thing, just something that's a manageable challenge to our current ability.
* Good overall nutrtition, especially ample protein spread through the day (because we metabolize it less efficiently as we age so spreading it out helps.
* Trying to increase daily life movement, since our lifestyles tend to become gradually and subtly less active over the decades, and that can make a difference of several hundred calories daily all by itself. (There's a thread about that here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1).

Weight loss and fitness improvement (or both) can happen at 60 or older, but it will take commitment and patience. Truly extreme, punitive, or miserable measures shouldn't be necessary.

Best wishes!

pony4us

I will add to the wonderful advice above....be realistic about your goals. Talk to your doctor and make an end goal that you can live with and be happy. I lost my weight in my early 70s, I looked at what would be maintenance for "a healthy normal" weight and it was not going to happen. After talking to my doctor she agreed that I shouldn't try to lose more weight, since all my bloodwork was super, I was active and fit. True I didn't have a major amount to lose (20 lbs) but I had been starting to get less and less active. Now in my mid 70s I feel as fit as I was at 60 when I was running. Not running anymore but still climbing hills.
You can do this!!! But for me to realize that those goals of bikini ready that I had in my 30s and 40s don't matter anymore was so freeing.
BTW for the last 10 pounds I just ate at goal maintenance calories, took longer but made maintaining so much easier.