55 years old female - just started (again) any tips?

CPAmommy

I NEED to lose at least 10 lbs. I know that might not sound like much to some peeps, but its not easy.
I started 2 weeks ago with a low carb approach. 1200 calories, 90gm carbs a day.
I do exercise, cardo & weights 4 times a week for an hour. - I already feel stuck and its only been 11 days. Any advice.

ChaplainHeavin

I'll be 55 in a month, so I hear ya sister. Just be patient, consistent, and you'll get there.

AmyRhubarb

With that level of exercise, I'd be willing to bet you should be eating more than 1200 calories. Are you eating back exercise cals?

Sometimes the last 10lbs can be slow going, but it's worth it. Eat the proper number of cals (if you set your weekly loss goal to 2lbs a week, change it to 1/2 lb - much more realistic and easier to stick to), drink water, exercise, take rest days, get good sleep, and be patient.

You can do it!

Great info here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1187899-in-place-of-a-roadmap-short-n-sweet-reposted

simsburyjet

I read a book called younger next year.. Once you hit 50 you need to exercise 6x a week.. Weights and cardio.
Step up your exercise and you will see a change.. Also do push ups, planks I think they are the quickest way to
change your body.

4x a week is maybe maintenance at best.

rosebette

I'm also 55 and trying to lost 10 lbs. I joined a weight loss/fitness program at my workplace and so far, lost only 2 lbs. in a month's time, while many heavier people, especially guys, lost between 6-8 lbs. If you have less to lose it does take longer because you're pretty close to what you should way.. I just think because we are smaller (I'm only 5'1.5") and older, it takes longer to lose the weight because our metabolism is lower . The calories to maintain our weight are not that high. My maintenance is around 1500-1600, and to lose lb. a week, I'd need a 500 deficit, but that would put my net at around 1000, which is considered too low. 1200 is only about 300 less than my maintenance, so I'd probably lose maybe 1/2 a lb. a week. However, I did lose nearly 1% body fat in a month, which is just as important as losing weight. I could be happy staying the same or losing only a few lbs., but having less body fat and a leaner, fitter body.

margannmks

I read a book called younger next year.. Once you hit 50 you need to exercise 6x a week.. Weights and cardio.
Step up your exercise and you will see a change.. Also do push ups, planks I think they are the quickest way to
change your body.

4x a week is maybe maintenance at best.

Exactly . Ive been doing 5 days aweek 1 hour strength/cardio and have " maintained" my weight now for 3 months ill have to add more to lose that last ten cause i cant eat less calorie wise. But i look and feel so much better so this is my now my lifestyle.

terrainstar

plateaus happen when we have the same routine day in and out. Make some changes to your eating plan and your exercise plan.

if you normally eat tuna 3 days a week switch to hard boiled eggs or a different protein. If you do cardio on sat and sun switch to thurs and friday.

I know it works i lost 134 pounds in less than a year and never hit a single plateau because i changed up my routine every 6 weeks

I also like to remove one food i eat every day for a week usually i will stop using any breads and this will punch up my weight loss for that week by 2 pounds.

rosebette

The tough thing about getting older is that you have to work twice has hard to lose half as much. It's very easy to say step up the intensity of your workouts and work out 6 X a week, but at 55, you can't do what you could do at 25 or even 35! I do something everyday (walking, stationary bike, yoga, strength training, sometimes zumba or a light kickboxing class), but many of the things I did when I was 30 or 40 are simply not possible for me anymore. For instance, I can't do high impact stuff -- classes that are mostly jumping jacks, jumping on and off a step, etc., because my joints won't take it. If I do burpees, I can do only half as many as a younger person because it takes longer to get up and down, and I also get light=headed going from upright to a low position if I do them too fast. And I'm not someone who is 200 lbs., just a 122-125 lb. gal. There's no excuse for doing nothing, but "stepping it up" is not always in the cards for some of us. The aging process is indeed a cruel one, since we are forced to work harder to stay fit, yet we become less able to do many of the things we used to. There's a good thread somewhere else that says age isn't an excuse, but it certainly is the reason that some of us put on a few lbs.

CPAmommy

Why change my goal to 1/2 lb per week? I just started, so this is my first 10lbs. ty for the response

rosebette

The person who said to change your goal to .5 a pound a week probably said that because then you would be allowed more calories a day. I'm set to .5 a pound a week because I'm small and my maintenance calories are low, only around 1500, so a 500 calorie deficit would put me into starvation mode because you're not supposed to go below 1200. But if you're a bigger person, your maintenance would be higher, so you could cut by 500 or more calories a day. MFP will figure out what you need for calorie deficit, but it won't put you below 1200 calories.

margannmks

I am 53 have arthritis in most of my joints,knees,wrist,hands, neck, three bulging disc in neck and degenerative disc disease. I wear a wrist support and sometimes a knee support and i do box jumps,burpees, squat jumps etc. I am in pain most days just from my arthritis and im going to do this till i cant. I dont move well in the am but have a standup job so by evening im much more flexible so thats when i work out i could never do it in the am. As i say to new people at bootcamp " it dosent get easier you just get better at it". Theres also a 64 yr old man with bad knees and shoulder that is also at class every nite. Yea were slower getting up and down off floor than the younger ones but we are both the inspiration for most of the newbies in the class.

AmyRhubarb

Why change my goal to 1/2 lb per week? I just started, so this is my first 10lbs. ty for the response

Because unless you have 75-100lbs to lose, 2lbs a week is too aggressive a goal. With around 10 lbs to lose, weight loss is naturally slower and you need a smaller deficit and lose at a healthy rate. A 1/2 lb loss goal equals smaller deficit which equals more calories, and a better chance of sticking with it and keeping the weight off.

amy8400

CPAmommy, I'm soon to be 53 and started working out and logging my food about 5 months ago. I was terribly frustrated at first because nothing really started to happen for the first 3 weeks. I lost 3 pounds in the first month and I was working out 4-5 days a week. I really expected that I would drop weight quicker at the beginning but found that it really didn't kick in until after that first month. I lose about 1 pound a week and I've adjusted my workouts (cardio and weights) to 5-6 days a week and upped the intensity. I remember how hard it was the first few weeks not seeing the scale go down day after day. It's hard to tell yourself that you're building muscle ; ) Don't give up--stay focused and log everything you do. The weight will come off.

jmkmomm

It's an individual journey for each and every one. What works for one may not work for another. But get up and move. Also there is a great, no fantastic forum here called Women ages 50+. Right now the word March is behind that but that changes pretty quickly. We are a very active, chatty group who just want to support that really sticky age of women over 50. We have different problems than young people have, hormones different, different medical problems. So come on over and join us. All you have to do is post and you are one of us.

CPAmommy

thank you for the encouragement! I don't know if everyone reads this who responded, but I APPRECIATE each and every post. I want to stay on track so now I understand lowering my expectations.
I also like the idea of changing the workout every 5 weeks or so.

Love the post about the first 3-4 weeks you had a slow go - perhaps me too.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart

est4

The posts in this string really helped me as well. Thanks everyone who responded. I'm on my 12th week of a weight loss/behavior modification group and the weight has been coming off so slowly. 9 lbs so far at a 1200/day calorie intake and workout 5x a week. I'm 55 and 5'4" with 30 more lbsto lose. Weight loss slow Especially compared to the participants but I am the only one in their 50s so realize more difficult for me. FYI : my gyn said women over 50 should be working out 7 days a week. I do boot camp 2x a week and run (hobble) 3x a week. Now that the weathers turning - plan to get on my bike and increase to 7 days.

rosebette

Actually 9 lbs. in 3 months is pretty good. I wish I could do that, then I'd be done and at my goal weight. I'm losing maybe a 1.5 a month.

eileen0515

I am 55, and the proud loser, of 70 pounds. For me the key to my weight loss, was honest, accurate weighing of my food, and of course logging it as well. My mindset was and is, weight loss happens in the kitchen. I do exercise, and have become a runner at 55. However my running mindset, is fitness, for quality of life, not weigh loss per se. I will use exercise to gain some leeway for a special meal.

I did not find being older, harder to lose weight. For me it actually made it easier, as I was not dealing with monthly hormonal swings.

deksgrl

Why change my goal to 1/2 lb per week? I just started, so this is my first 10lbs. ty for the response

Because you do not have a lot of weight to lose, you cannot take an aggressive calorie deficit, it is not healthy. Weight loss goes slower when you have less to lose, because your body does not have a lot of fat stores for reserve.

Set it to half a pound a week. Be careful to make sure you are measuring your food and logging everything because you don't have a lot of room for errors with a smaller calorie deficit. Get enough protein/carbs/fat (you need all three for proper functions).

Be patient. The good news is, because you will have a small calorie deficit, you can eat that way without feeling too restricted, and it is sustainable long term. If you eat only 1200 calories, you will likely feel the effects and you will fall off the wagon and create a yo-yo diet situation.