success stories fro 40 plus for inspiration

jonnyman41

What you did please and how it has worked, either from those making great progress or already there. Sorry should say for not fro!

dym123

I'm 47, started this just over 2 years ago at around 265lbs, maybe higher, I lost 110lb by basically eating less, making better choices and working out. No crazy diets, no pills. Now I'm concentrating on muscle gains so I've put on some weight. Though I can eat more, I still try to make better choices. Even though I weigh more than I did 20 years ago when I was a runner and a triathlete, I feel much better about my body, I'm smaller and leaner. Pick up some weights. They do a body good.

SonyaCele

at 45 years old, i lost 90 pounds in the course of 9 months by learning my calorie level and proper nutrition/macros/exchanges , and eating exactly what i was supposed to, no more no less and no excuses, no whining or complaining. and i went to the gym every day and busted my *kitten* doing cardio and eventually weight lifting. Losing that weight was one of the easiest things i have ever done for myself. super easy, just eat your calorie level forever,

dragonfly123321

I've lost 44 lbs by being more aware of what I'm eating trying to eat to live not living to eat BUT still having things I really like but not to extreme. I really don't want to be extreme & then just freak out thinning I can never do this of the read of my life so I have things I want but try to balance it out. I also work out using body weight ( planks, push ups ... ) and use kettle bells to do squats as well as i found a gym that does functional training and that really helped me

andiechick

Great topic to post Andrea. Will be keeping an eye on this one. I'm hoping to carry on the way I have been with a steady weight loss just as long as I don't have to deny myself anything x

jenniferswooten

I'm 43 and have lost right at 40 pounds so far by staying within my calorie range and adding in light exercise. It is a lifestyle change and not a diet for me. Good luck. Feel free to add me if you would like.

mamadon

I'm 52, I lost 118 pounds counting calories by using this web site. I did light exercise only, mostly walking. It took me about 15 months to lose it. Since I am not a big exerciser, I did 1200 calories for the first six months,then did 1300 for the rest of the time. I had one day a month, where I ate what ever I wanted, but still logged it. I also used a scale for all my food, and measured everything.

mbz0616

I'm 61. Started on MFP around March 2012, counting calories and doing mostly cardio. Started lifting in summer 2012 and found it much less boring. Dropped 35 pounds by year-end 2012 and have kept them off. Now tracking maintenance calories and working out 5 -6 days a week. Before I started this journey, if someone would have told me that I would enjoy exercising, or that people I work with would be asking me about my "weight loss secrets", I would have thought they were nuts.

jonnyman41

Great topic to post Andrea. Will be keeping an eye on this one. I'm hoping to carry on the way I have been with a steady weight loss just as long as I don't have to deny myself anything x

It seems that for most people it is still a slow and steady process that works. For me that has not been working too well but I am seriously coming to the conclusion that I need to drastically cut down on wine (or vodka ) as though I keep it in my calories normally (mostly) I think it is that that is scuppering any losses! Will be worth a try at least

andiechick

I would say the one big difference for me is that I don't drink every week, I can go 2 or even 3 weeks without having any alcohol, don't know if this is what helps x

changing4life

So glad you posted this!!!

cindyfew2

I am 63 and just started The Doctors Diet by Dr. Travis Stork it is perfect for me. Lost 19 pounds so far, feeling great. Heathly stuff.

des10705

I am 49, going to be 50 at the end of the month.
New Years 2013 I gave up Chicken Parm and French Fries as a New Years Resolution.
Never looked back.
Then I joined a gym and started on running on the treadmill 4-5 days a week.
Slow at first, and when the weather got better I went outside.
Its a lot harder running outside, but better sites.
I eat better food, I tell my kids that veggies and fruits are FREE.
Usually my plate at home is 3/4 full with veggies and salad.
Lots of water, cut out diet soda two months ago, now its flavored club soda.
My starting weight was close to 260 and now 18 months later I'm down close to 205.
I was hoping to get below 200 for my 50th, don't know if I'm going to make it by then.
Slow and steady wins the race
Its hard work,
But the pain goes away but the bragging rights last forever!!

SunofaBeach14

I turn 42 this year as does my wife. We lift together, hit our macro and calorie targets, and enjoy great food.

Cranquistador

Calorie deficit and lifting progressively heavier weights.

AllonsYtotheTardis

started at 40. Followed MFP's recommendation of aiming for 1 lb loss per week, ate back exercise calories, took up running and strength training, and never once ate as low as 1200 calories

xMrBunglex

I'm 45.

Started 7 years ago at 237lbs with Nutrisystem, and after 1 month realized I could build my own menu using their nutritional labels as a guide. I continued using Nutrisystem's online food and exercise diaries for tracking.

In 2012 Nutrisystem stopped letting non-members (i.e., people not paying for their food) from using the online trackers. Someone mentioned myfitnesspal.com & I've been here ever since.

Tracking is THE KEY. Every time I stop tracking for a week or two, the laziness ensues & the weight goes up.

I was down to 171 this morning. My wife & I are currently running a 3 days on/ 1 day off exercise routine, alternating Spartacus workouts with 5 mile runs. I also bought Bob Harper's Skinny Meals & we're about to finish Week 2; and I've dropped 9 lbs. He knows his stuff!

MyChocolateDiet

i find this one successful and inspiring.

dcshellz

Thanks for the topic been looking for something similar.

lottylulu1969

brilliant post,bumping this for later as im finding it very difficult at 45 and trying to lose a stone,i seem to be maintaining at 1200 calories and doing 30 day shred everyday and dog walking.

samthepanda

I'm 43, just before 40 I joined Slimming World with the aim of losing 40lb (I was 198lb). I have lost 70 in total, and become a fitness junkie. I started doing Wii Fit at home (curtains closed), then started jogging, and joined a gym when the weather got cold. I have maintained it for 2 years, despite holidays, injuries and a new addition to the family. 2 weeks ago I completed my first sprint triathlon - slow and steady, but I did it (and now I think I might be hooked).

raindawg

I'm 47 and was able to turn it around five years ago. I dropped 40lbs and became a regular exerciser. The hardest part was making it a routine habit because historically I hated exercising. I'd go at it gung ho for a while then burn out. So five years ago I just took it slow. I made myself go to the gym three times a week and at first just went through the motions a bit. Then ratcheted it up a little at a time from there. I didn't over do it. I might not have been maximizing gains but was building it into a habit. It probably took about four months when the switch flipped from something I was making myself do to something I looked forward to doing.

Five years later I actually get a little excited that it's a work out day.

jonnyman41

brilliant post,bumping this for later as im finding it very difficult at 45 and trying to lose a stone,i seem to be maintaining at 1200 calories and doing 30 day shred everyday and dog walking.
[/quote

dog walking seems to be a big feature of what I do too, out of necessity as the dogs always need that walk lol

aka_Kamalevantis

Hi, I'm 40 years old from the UK.... I started on the 12th November 2012, weighing 22st 13lb - 321lb - 145.6kg

Over the last 18 months I have lost 10st 2lb - 142lb - 64.4kg by basically eating less calories (learning over time how to make better food choices to get the best value for my calorific intake) and doing more; I now go to the gym every other day and I go walking, for a swim or out on the bike on the days in between my gym days (I do at least 60 minutes exercise every day).

I favourite exercise machine is the cross trainer, but I am now starting to introduce more strength work as I am only 5lb away from my goal weight and I desperately need to tone my body and change my body composition.

I am a self confessed gym junkie now, which is quite a turn around, because anyone that knows me will tell yu, I was a proper sofa loafer before I started out on this journey.

xXx

jonnyman41

I didn't realise this thread had started up again until someone kindly emailed me. Thanks for responding as there are some really positive stories here.

LoupGarouTFTs

I'm 53 years old. In December 2013, my roommate died. She had diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, and a host of other issues and she was several years younger than me. In April, I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes.

Dana was a wakeup call to me. I knew right off that I had to deal immediately with my diabetes. I also knew that cutting favorite foods out of my diet wouldn't work for me, since I have a hard time coaxing myself to eat sometimes and then will eat too much of the things I like. In the first week of just tracking my food and staying as best I could inside my macros, I lost three pounds. Since beginning MFP, I've managed to keep my carb lower than I've ever eaten before (good for my diabetes) and have managed to keep my sodium and fat mostly in check. I've managed to modify some of my favorite foods so that I can still enjoy them. On May 1 I lowered my carb percentage in my macros, giving myself a bit of a new challenge and working toward a final limit of 30 to 35% carbs.

I'm now 10 pounds lighter than I started and I am *proud* of myself. I know that I am on a long, slow marathon and not a sprint, so I am making all of my changes slowly and gradually. I know it might take me longer to lose weight this way, but I plan to be around for a few decades to enjoy my new weight, so there's no hurry.

Good luck on reaching your goal!

PurpleMomster

I'm 45. Last June I weighed 238lbs and was miserable. I've lost 75lbs between logging everything I eat and keeping within a range, exercise (started with walking, now jogging and some weight lifting) and paying more attention to what I eat. I cut out all soft drinks completely - I won't even touch diet drinks - and what a huge difference that made.

I have 12 or so pounds to go to get to my goal weight but I feel great and hope to keep that going!

1AfroRican

Great Job
Keep up the good work

1AfroRican

Great Job!
Keep up the good work

1AfroRican

Great Job!
Keep up the good work...

1AfroRican

Great Job!
Keep up the good work!