Calling successful female slimmers over 40 - help!!

TriedEverything

Hi,

I'm 47yrs old, and I'm really struggling to lose weight as fast as I'd like to - infact, many weeks it just doesn't move at all! I also seem to gain weight at the drop of a hat if I have a couple of days off for a special occasion.

Just wondering if anyone in my age bracket has any tips to share which have worked for them?

I know I am probably not always giving this 100%, but I stay under my calorie allowance for usually 6 days a week (tend to have a bit of "cheat" day on Saturdays) and I try to exercise most days, but possibly not as much as I should be (average about 30 mins of walking or aerobic-type exercises). I just can't help thinking that if I ate "normally" all the time, I would be the size of a house within weeks, as I seem to have such a sluggish metabolism! :frown:

I've put this question out to middle-aged females, because I really believe age and gender have a lot to do with how efficiently you burn calories. I say this, because when I was younger, it seemed easier to lose weight (and I always had a cheat day then too! Also I did very little formal exercise in those days).

I think another thing which goes against me is that I work night shifts - 3 nights over a fortnight, with no set pattern.

I don't want to do anything ridiculously extreme, but I am definitely going to have to change something. I tried cutting back my carbs & upping my protein a little while ago, and it seemed to work really well for the first week, but not the 2nd or 3rd week (then I gave up!!:ohwell: ).

Anyway, if any middle-aged ladies would care to share what is working for them, I'd be most grateful!

TriedEverything

PS: I should have said that I have about 4 stone (56lbs) to lose!

Treadmillmom1st

'...but I stay under my calorie allowance for usually 6 days a week...'

This one statement show's where you are going wrong.

If you do not excersise EAT YOUR CALORIE ALLOWANCE.

If you do excersise EAT YOUR CALORIE ALLOWANCE AND THE CALORIE'S LOST THROUGH EXCERCISE.

Kellysmom78

Girl I feel your pain! I'm 53 and need to lose 35 lbs. I've been at this now for two months and have lost only 3 lbs..(4 if you count the one pound that I continually lose and gain back!). I stay under my calorie count and still manage to gain. Tracking what I eat is a real eye opener, I always thought I didn't really eat that much, but when I started this....BOY, WAS I SURPRISED, But I feel pretty sure if we manage to keep with it we will manage a break through! I know sometimes I feel like I'm the only one not successful at this...but were not alone. I will be looking forward to any helpful tips also. Good luck and don't give up, we can do this!:happy:

NK203

Hi, I checked your diary, and you are only logging half the time! Please give this program a chance and log everything you eat, every day, including your cheat days. What are you eating on those other days? If you log everything, you will probably find out where the problem is. I am 49, and I have lost at least a pound every week since Jan. 3. I sympathize with the slower metabolism, but this is do-able. Exercise is key for me. I do it first thing in the morning because I am just too tired after work. And, I get plenty of rest. With your night shift job, you may not be getting enough sleep. That is another important factor. Finally, try to eat a few more delicious greens and fresh foods, for both the nutrition and the satisfaction of enjoying "good eats.". Best of luck to you! You can do this!
PS - there is no reason to take a couple of days off for a special occasion. I can think of only four single special occasion days per year that warrant a day off: for me, they are Easter, my own birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Otherwise, virtually every graduation, wedding, shower, birthday, Saturday, etc. would be a "special occasion," and we won't lose weight that way!

indrani1947

Try to up your exercise and log all your calories and eat those calories back. Average your allowance out over the week (google zigzaging calories)
Exercising more and zigzagging has allowed me to have a couple of high calorie days a week as long as I balance it with a couple of low calorie days. 9 months ago when I joined a weight loss challenge I never thought I would manage to lose even 20 lbs I have now lost 36 lbs and I am looking for another 5.
I have slowed down to almost maintenance so know the importance of moving about to up my calorie burn ( a few dance, zumba or squats - waiting for dinner to cook or the kettle to boil).
I will always have to do some walking or exercise to eat at the level I do (hubby loves cooking and we eat very well).
look at the group eat more to weigh less, it has some very interesting pointers... GOOD LUCK

TriedEverything

Thanks everyone - I appreciate you all taking the trouble to reply

The only times I don't log are the nights when I'm working (partly due to lack of time, and partly because I feel embarrassed logging 4 meals - in the 24 hr period - as well as snacks! Even though I still try to stay within the cals - it just looks like a lot!) and I also tend not to log on my cheat days (again, due to embarrassment! :embarassed: ) But I do keep a rough tally in my own head.

I think I am probably eating too much over the week as a whole (I have never bothered to check my weekly totals up to now!) and I think I will need to find a way of upping the exercise.

Indrani - little bursts of exercise at random times sounds like a good idea (in addition to proper exercise sessions). I have always been put off that by reading somewhere that it was a waste of time to do less than about 20 mins exercise in one go (can't remember where I read that!) , but I guess it all adds up. I must admit, when I'm not at work, I'm very sedentary - sitting with the laptop, or in front of the TV, or reading! Obviously I do the neccessary housework, but I'm not fanatical about it, if you know what I mean!!

Re the special occasions - I don't know how you get round that one. I find it really hard if we are eating out, or getting together with friends/relatives - how can you possibly know how many cals you're eating if someone else prepares it? :huh: And if alcohol enters the equation - no chance!! But thankfully we don't do things like that too often.

Kelly'smom78 - sorry to hear that you're struggling too (although it's kind of comforting to know I'm not the only one!). We sound quite similar!

Thanks again everyone :flowerforyou:

orchidsand

I am 64 and have found if I log in ALL my exercose & ALL my food, even the milk I add to coffee or tea & are truthful to the amounts I am consuming & drink at least 8 glasses of water/day, I consistently lose 1#/wk. I was stuck at a plateau for more than 4 months & just could not get over it. Once I started with MFP & logged EVEWRYTHING I could see the numbers and adjust my intake accordingly and increased my exercise. It took me quite a long time to lose wgt without MFP. If I had started with it sooner, I would have lost sooner. I am at my goal and trying to loose about 2 more to have some slack, but if I see myself beginning to creap up I begin logging religiously, then it comes right off again. I have my settings to lose 1 #/wk. Serious exercise helps the #s roll off it you tend to your diet. :flowerforyou:

TriedEverything

Thanks Orchidsand

...And congratulations on reaching your goal!

I appreciate your advice - one thing I need to do is drink more water. I've always been a bit unclear about WHY the water is supposed to help, but so many people say it, that it must be true!

I think I do need to be a bit more accurate with my weighing & measuring too - lots of things that need tweaking! But I feel determined to move things up a gear. Hopefully I will get there in the end! x

imaginaryplaces

It's harder, for sure. I'm 56 and have lost 62lbs over the past 2 years; 26 lbs since joining MFP four months ago.

Here are some things that have helped me. Your mileage may vary. :-)

I log *everything*. It helps that my husband and I prepare most of our meals from scratch, so I have control over ingredients and quantities and can measure everything. During the week, I generally do not eat back my exercise calories, saving them up for one nice restaurant meal on the weekend, which I do log in my diary. (I do eat back some of my exercise calories if I have a *really* active day - like an 8-mile hike in the mountains, but not for a routine half-hour workout).

When estimating the calories for a restaurant meal, I always assume worst case - I assume that it contains twice the calories if I had prepared it myself.

I've cut down on, but not eliminated, alcohol. Not only does it have a lot of calories, but more importantly for me, it lowers my self-control and I find myself eating more than I intended. But no way am I completely eliminating wine :-)

For me, tracking my calories has been an eye-opening experience. Sometimes it's been painful to document, but I feel like I have finally gotten a handle on what it takes to power me through the day without over-doing it.

Another thing that I think has helped, is to plan my meals in advance as much as possible. I try to log in each day ahead of time, so that I don't find myself at dinner without any calories left.

I've found regular exercise, whether working out at the gym or just going for a walk, to be really important to me. I feel better and it helps me stay focused. I spend a lot of time working in front of a computer, so I purchased an inexpensive balance board which I keep near my computer and take mini-breaks on, and also use when watching TV.

I record estimated calories burned for cardio workouts and long walks, but use that info only as a tool for tracking my level of effort, since calorie estimates for exercise tend to be notoriously bad. It's my personal opinion, that all movement is a good thing - even if it's only 10 minutes at a time.

Water is interesting - personally I think it's overemphasized. Try drinking more and see if you notice a difference. If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

I think that consistency and patience (two qualities I often find hard to come by!) are keys to being successful. Good luck!

Kellysmom78

yes ma,am....... we do sound an awful lot alike!! lol thinking for me its gonna be tough but if everyone one here is able to succeed...then...why not us too??? good luck, cant wait to see your weight lose posts!

itgeekwoman

I'm 42 and I've been on here since January. I did learn that hormones play a large part in my life with regards to chemical balance and weight loss. I have lost quite a bit of weight since I started working out and slimming down last August. To date since I incorporated all natural foods into my diet I have lost about 15 lbs and over 30 inches .. that's in about 3 months. I'm losing a pretty steady 1-1.5 lbs a week working out no more than 3x a week. I also maintain somewhere around a 1300 calorie /day intake depending on the day of the week.

Feel free to add me as a friend if you want ideas or just plain ol support!

beckylawrence70

I'm 41, might not be the best person to ask b/c I've always been relatively thin, what's most important is your diet and working out often, cardio and weights at least 4 days a week, no cheat days, eating in moderation, no fast food(although I do here and there but I don't need to lose weight). Do you smoke? Do you drink? Can't do those things, walking is good but really not enough in my opinion, I wish you sucess!

mignon83

Hi, I will be 47 next Sunday and it is hard. But I do log all what I put in my mouth to the T. Just have patient and just think it just didn't happen overnight so it going to take a litttle time for it to come off. So that's why we here for to help you a long the way. You can add me as a friend. Me and my hubby just purchase some bikes the other day and we is riding together and exercise and watching what we eat also.

bcattoes

I'm 50. It definitely is harder to lose and maintain now than when I was younger. I think exercise becomes even more important since it's natural to lose muscle with age. I don't have a lot of time so I try to make my exercise as intense as possible while keeping enjoyable enough that I'll stick with it. I do Zumba, running (just getting back into it with c25k after many years), free step (sometimes with a weighted vest) and strength training (mostly calisthenics, but also soemtimes resistance bands and dumbells).

I try to cook most of my meals using fresh healthy foods, but I also have my treats and days where I go over my calories. I think MFP has pretty good goals. I try not to eat when not hungry and not to overeat when I eat. I lost most of my weight before joining this site but once I started logging I found that I was pretty close to their recommendations on average.

I really believe exercise is the key for me, though.

2dayirun4me

I'm 43 and this is what I don't do,

1st and foremost I dint give up because when you give up you just have to start over again and who likes to start over not me!!

I don't have cheat meals or cheat days this is just me I don't want to hurt what has been working for me.
I don't eat fast food.
I don't count my housecleaning or sex as exercise this is already included in your lifestyle.
I don't eat back all of my exercise calories.
I don't eat foods that contain sugar for at least 2 hrs after my workout.
I don't reward myself with food.

And lastly I don't give up....Never give up !!

kathym59

Hi, I am 52 and agree it's much harder to lose weight as you get older. We eat out at friends quite often, and I always log everything, overestimating more often than not. Don't worry about eating three meals a day, it's your total that matters. Try and eat healthily, but don't beat yourself up if you don't always manage it. I try and keep within my daily limit, but if I go over, I cut back a little each day, so my weekly total is on target. Friend me if you need more support and someone watching your daily log
Kathy

lizziebeth1028

Logging everything down to the last tic tac is very important. No need to be embarrassed!! You can keep your diary set to private so only you can see what your eating (mine is private too:blushing: ) What's the point of not logging it anyway...end the end it's going to show up..on the hips. Be true to yourself!

Also.......this time in our lives (I'm 53) is the most difficult for weight loss and 'weight shifting' lol. Are hormones are all over the map. Menopause sucks! But the good news is it is still possible to reach your goals!

1 - log LOG LOG everything and accurately
2 - stay as consistent as possible with your diet (within your calorie limits) and eat back your exercise calories
3 - change up your exercise routine from time to time
4 - add strength training
5 - make sure your cardio is kick butt. walking is wonderful I do a lot of it. but I know that I also have to have the big sweaty calorie burns

lizziebeth1028

Also...on 'cheat days'. Sunday's are mine Fun Food eat whatever I want day. So I disagree with 'there are no cheat days' and no drinking. That sounds very sad indeed. Food is not the enemy. Everything in moderation. Stay within your calorie limits. And kick back with a glass of wine every once in awhile it's good for the soul :drinker:

TriedEverything

Thank you very much everyone - I have read all your replies. Some good ideas, but quite a bit of conflicting advice in places!! :laugh:

To answer a question, I don't smoke, and only normally drink alcohol once a week (usually on a Saturday night) - don't fancy giving it up completely, but I agree that it is empty cals, and that it contributes to loss of control over food intake! :blushing:

Exercise seems to be one of the main things you all swear by - I will give some thought to that. I live in the countryside, miles from any exercise facilities - so I normally just walk, or do an exercise DVD in the house. But I could maybe look into buying some kind of exercise machine, or even a bicycle. Not quite sure yet!

Anyway, thanks again :flowerforyou:

ladyraven68

I don't call myself a success yet, as I'm only a third of the way towards my goal, but I'l join in anyway.

I'm 44, 4ft 11, and currently 169lbs.

I eat as close as possible to my 1600 calories, and when I exercise I eat a bit more.

I have my macros set at 40C, 30F, 30P, and aim to get as close to 100g of protein as I can.

I try to plan the main meals the day before, and check the macros using the pie chart on the phone app to see what I am short of for my snacks. i.e if I'm short on fats I have nuts, short on protein I have greek yogurt, short of carbs have some fruit...

Exercise wise, I do some bodyweight strength exercises at home, press-ups, squats, lungs, planks etc, and I try to run 3 times a week.

I still enjoy meals out with friends and family, but I don't stress if I go over the calories on those days.

I don't eat *diet* meals, I try to eat a wide variety of tasy food in the right portions, that fit in with our family. There is no way I could do this if I was cooking separately for myself.

And yes, I still eat chocolate now and again, and still drink wine, as long as they fit my macros - those aren't things I intend to ever give up.

The only other thing I can say, is have patience. I set myself a realistic goal of 1lb a week, knowing it would take me most of the year to get to goal. I am ahead of that at the moment, but it's bound to slow down eventually.

Good Luck