Any women who lost their weight after age 50?

I am turning 50 in 2 months and with all the sagging and stretch marks I already know that surgery may be in my future. I'm doing this right this time, eating well and exercising every day but am really seeing the difference in the speed of loss as compared to when I was younger. Any one out there around my age that would be willing to lend some encouragement via their own success story?
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Replies

  • rachmass1
    rachmass1 Posts: 470 Member
    I am 51

    I have lost over 30-pounds since January by walking a lot and sensibly cutting back on my intake, plus weight lifting. It is coming off slowly but it is coming off. Another 20 pounds to goal weight, although I might revise it depending on how my body feels. The last five pounds have taken close to three months. Looking for sustainable weight loss for a good healthy body.
  • Ronij59
    Ronij59 Posts: 191 Member
    Im 53 and have been on MFP for 45 dyas and so far have lost 20 pounds as of two fridays ago. I think I have lost more to date but I only weigh in once every two weeks to keep from getting discouraged. I have health issues and take meds that prevent me from losing the weight I want to lose. But I feel this is the best forum I have found in a long time. Just keep the faith.
  • skinnyme47
    skinnyme47 Posts: 792 Member
    I'm 59. It doesn't come off as quickly, but I try to eat the calories My Fitness Pal set up for me, I watch my sodium, and I try to walk every day. Good Luck. :smile: Add a lot of people on this site as it really helps with motivation. Also there are some Groups for people over 50 as well.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I'm 53 and started in May. I realistically wanted to lose 18 pounds and get down to 170 (I'm 5'10). That's a healthy weight for me and one I hadn't seen for at last 14 years.

    I now weight 163 and am now going for 150.

    My 32nd anniversary is day after tomorrow and I will fit in my wedding dress.

    You can do it. Be persistent.
  • I am almost 53 and have lost 44 pounds from February until September (some before I joined MFP). I have been maintaining since then. I went from a size 10 (soon-to-be 12) and medium in tops to a size 2 petite and extra small. I just limited my calories to 1250-1350 per day and tried to get in about an hour of cardio 4-5 days a week. (Still trying to incorporate some strength training, but it's just not happening for me). The weight actually came off pretty quickly and consistently. I definitely have been left with some loose skin, even though I was not extremely overweight to begin with. I just think skin does not snap back at our age. I hope that with time it will improve, but even with all the sagging, I am so much happier with the way I look (at least with clothes on; without clothes not so much ;-) )

    It's definitely possible. Keep the faith, and good luck!
  • opal24
    opal24 Posts: 205 Member
    63 here and I've lost 61pounds, most of it since the beginning of this year. Not too much in the way of problems with loose/saggy skin although there is a bit of that - and I'm much older than you are! So don't despair, if I can do it you certainly can :smile: Edited to add that I think the key is to just take it as slowly as you can bear to, so you give your skin time to adjust.
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,234 Member
    I am 60, changed my lifestyle to healthy eating and exercise. Lost almost 90lbs and have kept it off since May. You can do this, it takes patience & perserverance! Good luck!
  • HurricaneElaine
    HurricaneElaine Posts: 984 Member
    I'm 52, and in the three months since I joined, I've lost almost thirty pounds.
  • hen1946
    hen1946 Posts: 58 Member
    this past summer I lost 40 + lbs. I am 66 and had four cancer surgeries last year. I moved into a new home (remodel) and the place had been abandoned for 10 years. Since my husband was working 10 hr days 6 days a week I could not ask
    him to landscape and decided to do it myself. I leveled (by hand) and removed rock by wheelbarrow and planted 1 acre of lawn in four stages. That took 6 months. first I could do only 4 hrs max. After a few months I was working 8 hr days with wonderful improvements to show for it. The lawn and flowerbeds took 5 months to complete. Then I built a 150 foot wall (by myself) 7 feet high. Now I am tanned (fading now), toned and feel terrific. Be happy to send you before and after pictures of my place. I never thought I would ever be in this shape again or feel this good again. At 50 you may still have many years ahead of you. Its absolutely worthwhile getting in shape and staying healthy with exercise. and proper diet...... you can do it!!!!
  • larnsperger
    larnsperger Posts: 161 Member
    I'm 53, soon to be 54 and have lost 35lbs. and 24 inches since June 6, 2012. The first week I lost the most, (water weight) however it was enough to kick my butt into gear. There were many weeks I stayed the same. It seems like I am on a lose 2 lbs, stay the same for 10 days, lose some more. It has been SLOW compared to my younger years that's for sure. I LOG everything I eat, even on the bad days. I started out walking 30 minutes per day and have graduated to a trainer twice per week for resistance training and weight lifting. The BEST money I ever spent. I simply cannot get over how quickly my body has responded to the training sessions even at my age. My strength and stamina have improved immensely since I started in early September.

    I consistently stay at 1200 calories or close to that. There are tons of people who think that's nuts, i don't care it was recommended by my cardiologist and it WORKS for me. I get the most for my 1200 calories. There's a lot of food to be had, but theres no real margin for processed or junk food, if you want to be satisfied. I stick to egg whites, cereal, tuna, talapia, salmon, ground turkey, chicken, almonds, fresh spinach and spring mix for salads, and any kind of veggies i like. I try to have a piece of fruit everyday, and I limit the dairy because it doesn't agree with me much. I rarely eat bread or crackers unless it is the whole grain variety. I'm not a huge rice or pasta fan but I have it now and again because my husband loves both. I drink beer and wine if I feel like I want to indulge, and I have sweets when I want them in moderation as well. I drink water (a LOT of it), black coffee. I did give up Diet Coke because it was getting to be a nasty habit I really didn't need and it causes me to crave junk food for some reason. I take Vitamin D (RX very deficient) and that's about it for me.

    You just need to find what works for you and your body. I did Weight Watchers years ago, and I actually worked for them. It is a great diet if it works for you. It worked for me, but I'd rather count calories than points and counting calories on MFP is FREE.

    Best of luck! You really can lose weight after 50!
  • primal7
    primal7 Posts: 151 Member
    HI

    I am 54 and have lost 12 pounds since joining in Sept.
    Seems the saggy skin comes with age and it definitely does not bonce back as it us too.
    I found tracking my food and exercise daily is the key. I make notes each day to document how I am feeling and what successes and challenges I had that day.
    Remember yesterday is past (do not dwell on it), tomorrow is not here ( do not worry about it) and you have today only (to think about). :wink:
  • Thank you for the replies ladies...I am not completely new to losing....my high was 235 and I am at 195 now but most of that was lost a few years back. I see all the success stories of the younger women on here with their amazing pictures(even their stretch marks seem to fade away!) and I know that is not my reality. My main reason for losing this weight is to keep up with my grand kids and lessen the pain of the RA I was diagnosed with a few years back. BUT I am not without a degree of vanity and would like to look better too and wear cute clothes.
    it's nice to hear your stories and know that it WILL happen.
  • Larnsperger...thank you for the input on the calories...I am burning upward of 400 each day at the gym, eat around 1250 and my husband keeps trying to convince me I am not eating enough but I feel satisfied and actually haven't completely cut out the daily treat
  • lois4468
    lois4468 Posts: 166 Member
    I'm over 60 and have now lost over 55 lbs. I wrote a blog if interested in my story. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/lois4468 I have never written before but wanted to share.

    Good luck
  • roxyhourican
    roxyhourican Posts: 16 Member
    I am 47 and have lost almost 20lbs now... I exercise 7 days a week. I run 4 miles mostly every day and lift weights with a trainer 4 times a week...i do find the losing weight proceess slow now than i am in my late 40's but i am enjoying all the clothes than have been hanging in my closet for years now that i am small enough to be able to wear them and that keeps me going everyday.
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
    58 here, have lost almost 70 pounds in 2 years. Great experience being on MFP, it sure helps. Skin will sag, there's no way around it. I try not to focus on that part too much and just get my butt down to the track as often as possible for some real good raise-the-heart-rate cardio. A couple years ago I was in pain while walking at a slow pace, now I'm pain-free and can even jog a bit! I walk my dogs every single day, and do jumping jacks, push ups and crunches fairly regularly. I lose best eating around 1250 cals which I have difficulty with at times, as in the past 3 months, lol. 1400 is so much easier, but I don't lose. Live and learn. Join the fun :)
  • Dallyhi
    Dallyhi Posts: 31 Member
    I'm 65 and have lost 52 pounds. The weight drop has slowed down considerably, but I keep trying. It's never too late to get healthy and fit.
  • annemckee
    annemckee Posts: 170 Member
    I am now 56. Started the campaign summer 2011 and have lost 56lbs, with only one more to lose to reach my goal. I have enjoyed eating a variety of foods, mainly homemade, have controlled portion size and exercised regularly - walking and gym mostly, with a little running more recently. At only 5ft 1 I have had to learn ( rather late in life) that small people can't eat the same amounts as bigger people!
  • Songtothesiren
    Songtothesiren Posts: 388 Member
    Age don't matter - attitude do.

    You've lost 11lbs already - so here's to your first stone.

    I'm 49, I started losing my weight because I was worried about being 50 fat flabby and sad.

    My 50th hits in a few weeks.

    I now look better than I've EVER looked .... and I love it!

    Now go show the world just have damn fine you are!

    Mavi
  • dawnshot
    dawnshot Posts: 137 Member
    I turned 50 back in Feb, but took me till August to realise I needed to lose weight and tone up. Since then I've lost about 18lbs, down to 129lbs and a LOT fitter! I run 3 times per week and do 30DS etc
  • yep, I"m 52, and I've lost 35 lbs....since August....just watching what I eat, and doing walking, cycling, and I'm so excited about this whole fitness thing, that I've even started running, and plan on doing a half marathon next year...good luck, you can do it
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I'm 60 and have lost more than 50lbs since February (9 months). I read a super success story yesterday from a young woman who joined in the same month as me, weighing one pound more and she was posting fabulous pics of herself looking stunning and having lost almost 70lbs in that time. I'm happy to admit that she probably worked a whole lot harder than I have at this weight loss thing, and she was several inches taller than I am, but we can ALL lose weight in a healthy way, no matter what our age! It sounds as though you're doing lots of things right (though I'd suggest you eat a bit more if you exercise a lot - maybe aim for eating half your exercise calories in addition to your daily allowance).

    Good luck!
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    I am 54 years old,5'8" and have lost 43 pounds in 2012.. I reached my goal range (129-135) sometime last summer. I am on the Dukan Diet, but on the forth phase where you basically eat sensibly six days a week and pure protein one day a week. I counted calories the whole time and started using MFP a few months ago. I wear a Nike Fuel band all my waking hours to make sure i get enough exercise/walking/activity in each day.

    Luckily, I have little to know saggy skin or stretch marks... but I attribute this to the high protein and bright and colorful vegetables I eat everyday. I do eat one square of dark chocolate daily as well. My dairy is mostly fat free cottage cheese or greek yogurt. My carbs come from dairy, avocados , bananas and the like these days. I don't eat bread, pasta, rice or potatos anymore. I just can't eat normal portion sizes of those things and stop.

    Oh! and for my core strength - Barre 3...

    I admit it is seems slower to lose the weight, but doing it the healthy way got me where I want to be in about six months, and now I am a healthy lifestyle and MFP junkie!
  • LauriePar
    LauriePar Posts: 257 Member
    I am 54 and have lost a total of 16 pounds since September 1, 2012. I know that does not sound like a lot, but I am a notoriously slow loser. For exercise I am walking/jogging and doing the 30 day shred. I do this 5-6 days a week I do get discouraged sometimes when I see how fast some others lose; but then I realize that they are not me and this is how I do it and who cares if it will take me another 10 months! Good luck on your journey--it really can be done! :laugh:
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    inb4 an extremely long post from californiagirl2012
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I'm 53, soon to be 54 and have lost 35lbs. and 24 inches since June 6, 2012. The first week I lost the most, (water weight) however it was enough to kick my butt into gear. There were many weeks I stayed the same. It seems like I am on a lose 2 lbs, stay the same for 10 days, lose some more. It has been SLOW compared to my younger years that's for sure. I LOG everything I eat, even on the bad days. I started out walking 30 minutes per day and have graduated to a trainer twice per week for resistance training and weight lifting. The BEST money I ever spent. I simply cannot get over how quickly my body has responded to the training sessions even at my age. My strength and stamina have improved immensely since I started in early September.

    I consistently stay at 1200 calories or close to that. There are tons of people who think that's nuts, i don't care it was recommended by my cardiologist and it WORKS for me. I get the most for my 1200 calories. There's a lot of food to be had, but theres no real margin for processed or junk food, if you want to be satisfied. I stick to egg whites, cereal, tuna, talapia, salmon, ground turkey, chicken, almonds, fresh spinach and spring mix for salads, and any kind of veggies i like. I try to have a piece of fruit everyday, and I limit the dairy because it doesn't agree with me much. I rarely eat bread or crackers unless it is the whole grain variety. I'm not a huge rice or pasta fan but I have it now and again because my husband loves both. I drink beer and wine if I feel like I want to indulge, and I have sweets when I want them in moderation as well. I drink water (a LOT of it), black coffee. I did give up Diet Coke because it was getting to be a nasty habit I really didn't need and it causes me to crave junk food for some reason. I take Vitamin D (RX very deficient) and that's about it for me.

    You just need to find what works for you and your body. I did Weight Watchers years ago, and I actually worked for them. It is a great diet if it works for you. It worked for me, but I'd rather count calories than points and counting calories on MFP is FREE.

    Best of luck! You really can lose weight after 50!



    Awesome job
  • dittmarml
    dittmarml Posts: 351 Member
    I've lost 7 pounds and am 55. At 5' 1" I have a chronic connective tissue disorder that results in long periods of relative inactivity and have noticed that when I'm walking regularly the weight comes off better....also I tend to "zig-zag" (up/down) - but the trend is definitely in the right direction. My BMR is around 1100 and my TDEE around 1350 so I eat around 1250 and as a result the weight comes off really slowly. Loose skin - yes; have to be really careful on lifting weight but work at it regularly and for the rest - well, that's what Spanks (and knock offs) are for!

    I really don't care how long it takes; my focus is on eating healthier, becoming fitter and the rest will take care of itself. I promise you, if you are persistent and stick with this, it absolutely will happen. I could use any of the factors listed above as "excuses" but that gets you nowhere. You have already lost 11 pounds - you've already shown that you can do this!!
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    I'll be 34 in a few weeks, but this story isn't about me. My mother, 59, lost 35 pounds from January to July. She followed the WW old Points plan (not to the letter, just a guide, as she is a lifetime member, she didn't use the online tools or go to meetings, just did it herself). The only exercise she did was walk and she started that SLOWLY. See, as of this week she's been in breast cancer remission for 5 years. Chemo, radiation and surgeries SERIOUSLY messed up her body and made her gain tons of weight. January 1st she and I got on the scale and it read 180 (I'm 5'11, she's 5'4). We both realized it was time to get serious. We both reached our goals of 145 in July - she's still 7 pounds heavier than she was when she was diagnosed but looks incredible, she feels like 'her' again and she keeps saying the changes she had to make to lose the weight weren't as bad as she thought they would be (she was convinced with all she had gone through she would be heavy for the rest of her life, she always blamed the medicine, her age, etc on not being able to drop the weight, but the real problem was not wanting to do what had to be done). Now she walks 4 miles, 5 days a week, eats healthy and feels great.

    I feel that if she can do it against all odds, anyone can. Slow and steady always will win the race!
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    57 years old, starting weight 240, current weight 180 or so, (did a bit of a loss before starting here). I've been on MFP with a great team of friends for just over a year. I am fit, slimmer than I've been since 1973 and feeling great. However, I lost the first 20 awfully fast and I looked for awhile like a melting ice cream cone :laugh:

    Good diet and consistent exercise, (I have a busy life so intense exercise 3 days a week as well as around 10k steps and 10 or more flights of stairs most days. Food is a big deal, no "diet" here, it has all been about portion control, I still have all manner of tasty treats, just in moderation. I used to eat half a bag of chips or a half dozen cookies. Now it's all about weighing out a serving, put the rest up on the far side of the kitchen. Candy if it's irrestible goes to my hubby and he gives me one serving if I ask for it, lol. I don't usually have to do that anymore I can generally deal with it or I just don't buy it.

    Get a kitchen balance, it will be your best friend in this fight.

    Exercise will get rid of a lot of the jiggly crap, I am working on it, I still have loose skin to tone so at this point upping my calories and intensifying the workouts with more weight as I try to stem the tide of lean body mass loss caused by a year of retricted calories, we'll see how ti goes :flowerforyou:
  • michladyme
    michladyme Posts: 7 Member
    I am half way into my 50th year and decided I wanted to walk up my stairs without being out of breath when I reached the top. I've been complaining about my weight since I turned 30 and my metabolism died. I never lost the weight I'd gained when pregnant with my son and then added several more. My weight was over 200 lbs. ! I made a bet with a friend, a concert ticket was the prize. I think he's winning, but people say men lose faster. I've been bombarded with advise to try this pill, this diet plan, etc. I joined TOPS and love the support and encouragement I get from this group. I control my portions, no second burger, no seconds of nachos. I still eat most of the same foods, just no longer eat the candy bars, chips, or ice cream. I could do more exercise every day, but still have trouble getting motivated. Keep working every day and the pounds will come off.
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