Women over 40! Would love to hear from you!

Not out of control but that's because I reclaimed control!

Definitely over 40 though! Add me to your friend's list and I'll be happy to keep you going!

I am almost 42. I thought my life was out of controll, but then I took control. I have 4 kids, a full time job running a 911 center, and a hubby! So I understand busy! 7 months ago I weighed 338 pounds, had no energy, and it was hard to drag myself out of bed every morning. Now I am 238 pounds, I have a ton of energy, and I am once again enjoying my life! It can be done. 40 is not that old! Since I started eating right and working out, I have more energy to do things. I used to be completely wiped out by the time I got home at the end of the day, and still had to do dinner, help kids with homework, etc. But now I do all of that and still fit in time to work out, and still feel good!

Wow this sounds a lot like me, work full-time, keep up the house and the yard and help my son with homework. My husband is working out of state so it's all on me. Some how I come last and that is where my diet and excercise is effected. I am used to being the responsible one and the "go to girl."

45 in a couple of weeks, anyone feel free to add me....I'm on every day!:flowerforyou:

45, work from home, mom of two boys, wife, daughter, d-i-law. 10 pounds to go!!! Sending a friend request.

Heya! I'm just a bit over 40 (41) but my life was out of control until a few years ago when I decided enough was enough. I took charge of it again and haven't looked back. I also have 4 kids and a full time job. Sometimes it's a struggle to work the exercise in. But I have decided i need to take care of myself now so I can be around for them later.

I used to turn to food when I was stressed and now I turn to running. That is now my passion instead of sweets! lol.

Hi.. Turned 45 this week. Did good for awhile. worked hard for 6 months lost 21 pounds. But then I became discouraged. I have 2 girls both looking for work but not finding it. A husband who is bi-polar and it seems like I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. So I gave up and gained all my weight back. I figured no one cares if I am fat so why should I. But I do care I am uncomfortable and unhealthy and I really want to feel good about me. So I am beginning my journey again and can really use the support.

Any women over 40 and have found that your life is spinning out of control. No matter how hard you work to lose weight and be fit all you think about is how tired you are! I am a mom, wife, daughter, teacher and daughter in law I wouldn't change my life for anything but I would love to take to other women who feel the same as I do! We need to support each other as much as we can Have a great and fit day! Be Blessed!

Well you be blessed too! Anyone can do this at any age. There really is no mystery. I used to think my metabolism was broken, low thyroid, adrenal fatigue, menopause, stress (well stress is certainly a factor in managing hunger hormones). I did the frustrating diet yo-yo for 15 years and finally achieved my dream at age 50 and have been maintaining for over a hear now (I'm almost 52). I finally realize thyroid medicine and everything else to address my myriad of age related health issues were not a magic pill. It all comes down to calories for weight loss and exercise for building your lean body mass (especially weight lifting). You cannot out exercise too many calories.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

Lifting weights is KEY. I recently had my DXA scan done and at 51.5 years of age I have the bone density of a super athletic 30 year old. That is a direct result of lifting for over 30 years. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you younger I don't know what is! Also I believe it is why most people think I look much younger than I really am.

Start lifting now, lift heavy and change it up often, find a lot of weight routines with free weights, make it fun, embrace it, make it part of your life. Only 3 days a week is all it would take. Crank up your tunes and learn to love it, because your body will love it and it will make your quality of life better in many ways, especially when you get older like me.

Because of this I don't have to worry about osteoporosis. If you wait until you are older and your bones start to deteriorate it's a bit too late, you can't get back what you lost, you can only start a resistance routine that will prevent further damage.

If you are female you don't have the hormones to get big naturally. I lift heavy and I'm still really tiny. My lean body mass is only 104 lbs and that is fairly heavy for a 5'1" female, and quite a bit of this is due to my having very dense bones from 30 years of lifting, not all muscle, and I'm still quite tiny.

My muscles really are not that big, but they show a lot of definition because I'm quite lean. If I gained some fat then I would have a softer more toned look (which is OKAY too!). Then if I gained more fat I would look bulky and hefty like I did most of my life until last year. YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT. Lean and ripped, soft and toned, or hefty, it all depends on how much fat you leave on your body. Calories are the only thing that changes fat. Exercise is for changing or maintaining your lean body mass only. Lifting weights will give you the best bang for your buck for shaping your body. I finally changed my shape by putting lifting first and cardio 2nd. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

All I can do is share what worked for me. I achieved my goal at age 50 after beating my head against the wall for 15 years. Yeah anyone can do it, but I can tell you that you are up against a lot when you are older and I believe females have some unique issue to face with hormones and such. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better. DO NOT GIVE UP. As I got older and the weight piled on (and I didn't feel I was eating too much!) everyone kept telling me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I'm small, and I didn't realize how small I was until I lost the weight. Everyone said I had big bones. I looked hefty because I worked out. Once I lost the weight I realized how small I really was and that small people don't need to eat as much as big people. HINT: If you are short you are probably small.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

Hi am 41 and felt/ feel just like you. I have 3 kids 2 with special needs a full time job working mainly nights, a husband who tries but really struggles to cope with our hectic life. I rarely get enough sleep and run from one drama to the next. Since losing weight and more importantly working out I am better able to cope with life's stresses, life is still crazy but I have more energy and I am in a good place right now. Add me as a friend and we can encourage each other.

I'm 42, and work full time, have two VERY busy kids, a fabulous husband...and yes, it is hard to find time for me. The last five years, I out ate all the good I did exercising...I'm glad I did exercise or I fear I'd be GINORMOUS. Would love to connect and support other working moms out there...

Helen

Hi there.....I'm 46, a mom of 2 teenagers, have a significant other, I'm a daughter and a friend. Work full time, run a small candy business and take a quilting course. Put in day to day craziness, and I'm a pretty busy gal. Taking control of my life and loving it. I would love to share your journey with you. Feel free to add me as a friend. Take care

Hello!

I'm 41 and like you am a mother (to three girls who are 19, 16 & 13), a wife, a daughter, a friend and a full-time employee for someone else.

I took my life back a couple of years ago in order to protect my health and make sure I'll be around for those who depend on me for many more years. It can be a struggle, but I've learned to make time to exercise and plan my (an my families) nutrition and let go of having a clean house 24/7 and I am much healthier and happier for it!

Michelle

Any women over 40 and have found that your life is spinning out of control. No matter how hard you work to lose weight and be fit all you think about is how tired you are! I am a mom, wife, daughter, teacher and daughter in law I wouldn't change my life for anything but I would love to take to other women who feel the same as I do! We need to support each other as much as we can Have a great and fit day! Be Blessed!

Well you be blessed too! Anyone can do this at any age. There really is no mystery. I used to think my metabolism was broken, low thyroid, adrenal fatigue, menopause, stress (well stress is certainly a factor in managing hunger hormones). I did the frustrating diet yo-yo for 15 years and finally achieved my dream at age 50 and have been maintaining for over a hear now (I'm almost 52). I finally realize thyroid medicine and everything else to address my myriad of age related health issues were not a magic pill. It all comes down to calories for weight loss and exercise for building your lean body mass (especially weight lifting). You cannot out exercise too many calories.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

Lifting weights is KEY. I recently had my DXA scan done and at 51.5 years of age I have the bone density of a super athletic 30 year old. That is a direct result of lifting for over 30 years. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you younger I don't know what is! Also I believe it is why most people think I look much younger than I really am.

Start lifting now, lift heavy and change it up often, find a lot of weight routines with free weights, make it fun, embrace it, make it part of your life. Only 3 days a week is all it would take. Crank up your tunes and learn to love it, because your body will love it and it will make your quality of life better in many ways, especially when you get older like me.

Because of this I don't have to worry about osteoporosis. If you wait until you are older and your bones start to deteriorate it's a bit too late, you can't get back what you lost, you can only start a resistance routine that will prevent further damage.

If you are female you don't have the hormones to get big naturally. I lift heavy and I'm still really tiny. My lean body mass is only 104 lbs and that is fairly heavy for a 5'1" female, and quite a bit of this is due to my having very dense bones from 30 years of lifting, not all muscle, and I'm still quite tiny.

My muscles really are not that big, but they show a lot of definition because I'm quite lean. If I gained some fat then I would have a softer more toned look (which is OKAY too!). Then if I gained more fat I would look bulky and hefty like I did most of my life until last year. YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT. Lean and ripped, soft and toned, or hefty, it all depends on how much fat you leave on your body. Calories are the only thing that changes fat. Exercise is for changing or maintaining your lean body mass only. Lifting weights will give you the best bang for your buck for shaping your body. I finally changed my shape by putting lifting first and cardio 2nd. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

All I can do is share what worked for me. I achieved my goal at age 50 after beating my head against the wall for 15 years. Yeah anyone can do it, but I can tell you that you are up against a lot when you are older and I believe females have some unique issue to face with hormones and such. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better. DO NOT GIVE UP. As I got older and the weight piled on (and I didn't feel I was eating too much!) everyone kept telling me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I'm small, and I didn't realize how small I was until I lost the weight. Everyone said I had big bones. I looked hefty because I worked out. Once I lost the weight I realized how small I really was and that small people don't need to eat as much as big people. HINT: If you are short you are probably small.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

I am going to be 44 next week and I feel the same way. I have really tried to take control back of my life this year and it's been a roller coaster ride for sure, but I'm getting there. After talking to my husband and getting his 100% support i am trying to realize it's only me holding myself back. My issue is my eating. I've got the working out/exercise thing down, but in total denial of my eating habits. I'm working on it now though. I am running my first half marathon on 12/2/12.

Please feel free to friend me, i could use all the support i can muster up and am more than willing to also give support.

43 yr old mother of 5. Working full time. Graduated a year ago with my BS. Lost my husband in 08 to cancer. Doing it alone. Add me if you want I would be glad to support you.