Older women success stories please!

I am 49, post menopausal and have loss 28 pounds since July 2012. We can do this!

NOOO! No throwing in MFP. Haha just kidding. It is harder the older we get. 5 years ago I lost 50 lbs at twice the speed I am going now. I am 43 and pre-menopausal and doing it. The progress is frustratingly slow but it does happen. I have 59 lbs to go yet, feel free to friend me if you would like.

Next month I will celebrate my 67th birthday. Started last February and have lost about 55 lbs. I should be in One-derland by the end of this month. And, it isn't just the weight. I joined a gym 2 months ago and hired a personal trainer. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I must get ready to go do my strength training! It is never too late! But for all you 40 somethings, my recommendation is to do it now and enjoy your coming years.

@gerripho - Good job Gerri! Keep up the good work!
Kathy

I'm 38 and ive recently hit my 100 milestone. I will say for me I find that my body has reacted better than I expected. My starting weight was over 300 so I was pretty large. While I do have a little sag going on in certain places ie: my arms. The rest has toned up pretty well. But I do weight train as well as do cardiograph. So the weights have made a huge difference. I don't feel like I'm just eh or look eh...lol I feel great and I think that shows. Don't get discouraged you can do it. As long as you feel great the rest will follow!

I am 58 and have been working on this for 10 months and dropped 101 lbs. I still have a long way to go but I am not dieting but making a permanent lifestyle change. Not sure how I will look when it is all said and done since I know I will have sagging skin since I have been heavy since a chiild but I am still doing it. I feel so much better now.

Rebecca

I am here! I am hoping to be a success story. I have gained 35 pounds in the last 2.5 years. I used to be very active, but just got too busy and then too tired. I also ate way too much of the wrong foods. I am 50 years old and it is much harder to keep the weight off. I am having a hard time accepting that I can't eat like I used to in my 30s! Or even my 40s!! You ladies are so inspirational!

I'm 49 and since 2008 have lost 43 lbs. I just started on MFP in October of this year and my goal is to finally lose another 70+ lbs. and to have the best body I've ever had. I know it's possible, because I've seen it time and time again on here and not just 20 and 30 yo's. There are many many women on here that have inspired me from their "before" and "after" pics that are 40's, 50's 60's and then some!! So I know it's possible, and GOSH DARNIT!!! I'M GONNA BE ONE OF THEM TOO!!!

Cardio at least 30 minutes at the very least 4 times a week will help melt the fat, and I highly recommend weightlifting (as heavy as you can) because that will build muscle that will support your bones and make you tone.

Good luck, friend request me and anyone else too, I have lotsa MFP pals my age on here travelling the same road!!!

I found MFP on the 13th of June this year. I really didn't think I was eating "that" much and to prove it to myself, I entered in the foods that I had eaten that day. Boy, was I wrong. The very next day I started using MFP as a monitor for what I ate daily. Since then, I have dropped 45 pounds! For whatever reason, I'm finding it easier losing this weight now than I have ever before. I've tried a number of different weight loss programs and nothing has ever worked as well as tracking here on MFP. Oh, and I'm 60! I've been told that I look better now than I have in 30 years and I feel better about myself too!

I did not do much exercise for the first 3 months or so. My mobility was an issue since I have had both hips replaced and, at my heavier weight, it was much more difficult to do much walking. When I hit the 40# lost mark, I decided to try walking on a treadmill and found I was able to walk much more easily and long enough and fast enough to break a sweat. Stairs and steps had become so much easier too. Just yesterday, I got on my daughter's Gazelle crosstrainer and was able to manage that! I still need to be very careful with my arms - I broke both arms in a car accident in April and have just had a third surgery on my right arm as the bone wasn't healing. Lifting of any kind or anything to do with weight on my arms will still need to wait for a while.

I still have a ways to go but I am more hopeful now than I have ever been that I can get there. I track my food and water honestly every day. I don't take time off from it because, to me, that would be like cheating myself. I deserve to be slim again. If I crave something, I fit it into my day. I eat all the foods that I always have but I control the amounts. I know I can't restrict myself to diet shakes etc. and then hope to be successful when I stop doing them. We have family meals and everyone eats the same things. I just make sure I weigh and measure my portions out so I know what I'm eating. I have had days where I go way over my daily allowance but I still enter everything and try to balance it out with the rest of the week. I really like the weekly summary that I get on my iPod for total calories. It's a good visual tool as are the pie charts there too. I use my iPod a lot to input my foods through the day and then use my laptop in the evening to check specific nutrient values and to read the community posts.

I already feel like I am successful and I intend to continue to be in the future!

I am 50 and have lost 45 lbs since January. Although it may be harder to lose weight due to metabolism, I am more disciplined and more patient than when I was 20. Also more forgiving whe I slip up. Now a bad couple of days are a mistake which I can overcome, not something to derail me altogether.

The women on this post are evidence that weight loss and fitness is achievable post 40. But, like most things in life, you get back what you put in. Californiagirl for example has the body most 20 year olds can only dream off at 52, but she hasn't 't got that body through dreaming and wishing, but because of portion control and appropriate exercise.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's response to this article. I joined MFP 76 days ago, and have lost 25 lbs. My initial goal was to get down to 150lbs, and that still is my goal but ultimately I would like to get down to 125. I am demonstrating a determined effort, and the results are a testimony of that. It is truly inspiring to read about everyone's journey to better health and fitness and I only hope to be the same source of encouragement to others just like "us". Anyone wanting to add me as a pal is more than welcome. We NEED sustained support! You can do this, and you're not alone. Better health to all!

OK...my avatar pic is me about a week ago - I am 44 and nearing my goal weight. We more mature ladies rock!

my mom has lost almost 50 lbs in under 5 mos. from 245 to 197. she is 68 yrs old

I am 45 not a success story yet but I am trying lol. Weight is coming off really slowly even though i am working really hard at it.
We will get there in the end