At 50 and struggling

RavenGirl4

Hi ,I'm Zana, just turned 50 this year, my goals and progress is going downhill. . out of the blue I gained 5 lbs , then 3 lbs, at the end it was 10lbs all together. I'm seriously trying to drop weight,I cut sugar out, using a fat burner , Golo ,added Cayenne too, calorie deficit and the scale isn't budging. Anyone can relate?

AnnPT77

What's your calorie intake and calorie goal? How consistent/accurate is your logging?

Cutting out sugar, using a fat burner, Golo, cayenne - none of that matters much if at all.

Assuming you do want to use a calorie counting strategy:

Be aware that a calorie goal is just an estimate. Follow it closely (like +/- 50 calories daily on average) for 4-6 weeks, whole menstrual cycle or two if you have those. Then look at average weight change. If you haven't lost weight, drop calories by maybe 250 per day, then go for another 4-6 weeks or menstrual cycle. Repeat until success.

Not everyone's calorie needs match population averages that MFP or other calculators give us as goals. Those estimates are just a starting point, because individuals vary. Once we have enough weeks of data to get a reasonable average trend, that's the basis for adjusting. It can work.

I'm not some blythe 20-something telling you this. I'm 68, at a healthy weight for over 8 years now, after losing 50 pounds in a bit less than a year, after around 30 previous years of overweight/obesity.

If you haven't, you might want to check in with your doctor for blood tests. It isn't super unusual to develop hypothyroidism as we age, especially for women. That's not a huge penalty on calorie needs, but it can be a factor.

Bigger deals as we age are to keep moving (exercise and daily life movement), get overall decent nutrition (especially adequate protein but not just that), and get some strength exercise in the exercise mix. It can work, if a person commits to the process.

Best wishes!