Looking for 50 somethings to share stories

lauriejayne813

Hi, I'm 51 and looking to get advice from others that know as you age it gets harder to loose. I have struggled all my life but not I'm insistent that I shed at least 50 lbs.

maryjay51

turning 50 i did the same thing. my goal was to lose 50lbs during my 50th year and i did..then lost 30 more this past year. keep on trucking and do what makes you happy! you can do it..if you can afford a trainer at the gym shop around for one that makes you feel comfortable. i wouldve never lost that weight without one. they do more than just kick your butt at the gym. they also educate you and teach you how to make better choices and have better habits.

ItsTerriC

I turned 50 this year. Losing is absolutely harder now, but it is possible. Find an exercise that you like, don't force yourself to do something because others see results. I prefer more low-key exercises that target everything, like Skinny-Sculpt by Ellen Barrett. Also, don't underestimate the importance of water. It doesn't make me feel full, but it really helps the pounds melt off faster. Be patient with your body, it's had a lot longer to become friends with the fat and it doesn't really like letting go. You can do it, with persistence and patience. I lost 18 pounds last year and could have lost more if I hadn't gotten lazy after I got close to my goal.

rosebarnalice

Lost 72 lbs at age 46; and kept it off for two years. Then I slowly found about 40 of it again over the NEXT two years, so I hit it again at age 50 to try to lose the 40 I gained back. and DAMN, it is a HELL of a lot harder this time-- what a difference 4 years makes! I swear to god the day I turned 50 my metabolism dropped to next to nothing!

Before, I ate ~1400-1800 calories a day and exercised 3X per week (~800 calories each workout) and consistently lost 1.5- 2 lbs per week over 8 months. NOW, I'm eating ~1200-1400 calories and exercising 5 days a week (~600 calories each workout), and averaging about 0.5 lbs per week. UGH!

themommie

I am not quite 50 but will be 49 next month UGgggg. Where did the time go? Anyway I have lost 92 lbs since july 2010. It hasnt been easy but i am determined to reach my original goal of 100 lbs lost, 8 more to go YEAH. We can do this, it may take a bit more work, but we will get there

GentlyLosing

Yep, it can be done! I have lost 27 since July. It is slower and more difficult than in my younger days, but definitely achievable. Hang around this site, make some good friends who will cheer you on, do the same for others and it is a whole lot more enjoyable than trying by yourself. There is so much good advice here; my friends have helped me more than they know. Friend request me if you want!

jan115

I was one of the lucky ones when I was I kid who could eat anything and not gain an ounce. Then came my 20's and the kids. The weight came on gradually, with my being able to lose most after the first and second babies. After the third, I gained about 50 pounds and kept it all. At 50, it's like a switch went on. Menopause probably has something to do with it, but it became a lot tougher to lose pounds or inches. At 56, this past year I have weighed the most I've ever weighed. While I've been able to cut back and exercise in the past and lose, it isn't working that way anymore. I discovered MFP 8 weeks ago, and so far I've had good results. It's SLOW, but the weight has been dropping - about a pound a week. I think at this point in my life, daily exercise is NECESSARY, as well as logging in every single thing I eat. It also helps that my daughter and husband have joined me, and we are all in this together. What works for me is exercise - first thing in the morning. It gets me motivated to watch the calories during the day. Also, I can't stress enough the importance of drinking lots of water. It temporarily fills you, keeps things moving, thereby easing the bloating that can occur. Good luck!

Florawanda

Any over-70s out there? I have similar background - twice before I have lost substantial weight, then it has crept back on - each time the motivation was medical.. this time having broken my leg, I just could not heave myself around on crutches, now it is mending realise I am doing terrible damage to my body and joints carrying such a lot of weight - so now am 16lbs lighter than I was back in October when I broke my leg. MFP is going to help me now keep on the good work I've started, as I know it's going to get tough as the year goes on.

lauriejayne813

Hi All and thanks for the words of encouragement and stories, they really help. One question.....When I enter my food (1200 calorie diet) and then enter my exercise it adds those calories to my available calories for the day. Am I suppose to eat 1200 less the workout of a flat 1200 and the workout burns part of those 1200?

Thoughts...please!

Usbornegal

I'm 55, and since mid October have lost an average of 1/3 pound a day (24.2 pounds). Although it looks more like stairsteps than a gradual decline! I log EVERYTHING in MFP, work out 3 to 6 days a week, and have the help of a trainer to target my weak spots. The hard parts for me are the difficulties from Insulin Resistance and having to listen to my body on injuries and limitations. From October 2010 through May 2011 I ran three half marathons and several 5K's until a torn meniscus in my knee sidelined me, surgery had me stop moving and my weight went back up. I lost that weight and more, and am now faster than before, but not necessarily for as long of a time. If you ever participate or watch a half marathon - take a good look at how many in our age catagory there are! Feel free to friend me.

JipsyJudy

We have a group here called Senior Golden Sneakers. Let me post this now, just to get this thread into My Topics. Then I'll click away from here and get the URL and come back. There are lots of us in our 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80s. I'm 65. I lost 26 pounds last year, ten of that since September when I joined MFP.

JipsyJudy

OK to quickly get to the Senior Golden Slippers Group, and also to see the list of topics there, go here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1265-senior-golden-sneakers

lja20

Hi. I am in exactly the same boat! I'm 51 and want to lose 50 # this year. I am currently at an all time high for my weight and cannot stand how I feel with all this extra weight. I've noticed that I've developed extra fat around the middle--the dreaded 'menopot!' I never had weight problems around the middle when younger--always went to hips/thighs-bad enough! I need to melt this fat off of my waist. My fist goal is to have 30# off by end of June for a trip to Florida. We can do this! Best of luck to you.

JipsyJudy

Also there is this thread, just for women over 50. It gets restarted every month.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/431848-women-ages-50-for-january-2012?page=1#posts-5971010

JipsyJudy

Hi All and thanks for the words of encouragement and stories, they really help. One question.....When I enter my food (1200 calorie diet) and then enter my exercise it adds those calories to my available calories for the day. Am I suppose to eat 1200 less the workout of a flat 1200 and the workout burns part of those 1200?

Thoughts...please!

Your "Net Calories" add the extra calorie you burn (and earn) from exercise to you daily goal, and the total is your LIMIT for the day. If you eat less than that limit, you will lose faster. My daily goal is 1300 calories. If I try to eat only 1300 calories, I feel miserable. I usually burn a minimum of 300 calories a day, sometimes twice that much, just so I can eat more! I lose 1/2 pound a week that way. Slow and steady is the ONLY way to win this raced after 50!

bluebird321

It is possible to lose the weight (I just turned 50). In my case I had to be strict and I had to do a lot of research to figure out what would work for me (everyone has a different metabolic profile). This site certainly helped.

JipsyJudy

I'm 55, and since mid October have lost an average of 1/3 pound a day (24.2 pounds). Although it looks more like stairsteps than a gradual decline! I log EVERYTHING in MFP, work out 3 to 6 days a week, and have the help of a trainer to target my weak spots. The hard parts for me are the difficulties from Insulin Resistance and having to listen to my body on injuries and limitations. From October 2010 through May 2011 I ran three half marathons and several 5K's until a torn meniscus in my knee sidelined me, surgery had me stop moving and my weight went back up. I lost that weight and more, and am now faster than before, but not necessarily for as long of a time. If you ever participate or watch a half marathon - take a good look at how many in our age catagory there are! Feel free to friend me.

We also have a very supportive group here for diabetics and prediabetics.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/529-diabetics-and-prediabetics

lauriejayne813

Hi lja20, go luck. I live in Florida and have always considered it paradise so that is a good goal. I am going to a family reunion in June and would like to loose as much as possible so I can have some fun. Also, water volleyball starts back up Memorial day and although I won't look good in a bathing suit yet, I'll look better than I do now.