i'm over 40. is it impossible?

Nope - not impossible. You have the wisdom of your years on your side. I didn't start really losing weight till I was 53. I've hit a wall for now - but lost 40 pounds before hitting it and I can buy cheap bras at Target now! I try not to beat myself up if I only get in a 30 minute walk a day - it's okay - maybe tomorrow I'll wake up early and get an extra cardio work out in. Once in a while I'll have a cupcake - that's okay too. It's a lifestyle change - so yes - you have to eat this way for the rest of your life - but it's not prison. There are ton's of foods that are delicious and are good for you as well. It's okay to have a treat once in a while - just read your labels and have a portion - not half the box. What finally motivated me to lose was a scary report from my doctor. I don't want to leave my daughter too soon - I want to be that senior that says outrageous things to the waiters and embarrasses her grand kids.

I'm 46 and have lost 28 lbs in about 5 months but.. and this is huge.. I'm not trying to do it quickly. I finally understand that small changes are lasting changes and that it's more about how I feel and how I look then a number on the scale. I'm eating cleaner, healthier food, exercising in ways I enjoy rather than dread and enjoying most every minute of it! We still do the things we've always done - eat out a lot, bake, etc. - I just make better choices!

I've decided that rather than think of my age as a disadvantage, I'll remember all of those times I tried to do this when I was younger and failed! Now, at 46, I have the wisdom and patience to do it, do it right, and enjoy the journey!

Bump to read later!

40 is young!! And the hottest people i've seen on this site are over 40 or close. I think you can definitely do it!

i hope not. and if it is, please dont tell me, I am not ready to give up.

I cannot believe how hard weight loss has become since I hit my 40s. I remember people telling me when I was younger "wait till you're 40" They were right. I feel like in order to lose weight nowadays, I can't eat ANYTHING and I have to work out like a maniac. It's so depressing. I don't want to live like that for the rest of my life but I sure don't want to be a fatty either!

Anyone else out there experiencing this sucky realization? Any advice?

It doesn't have to be so hard. There is no need to deprive yourself, the key is moderation. There is no reason to starve yourself either, I typically eat at about 1800 calories a day and wouldn't have it any other way. This is about making small changes, about being healthier. Eat clean, give up the garbage fast food and processed crap. Eat real food and measure, measure, measure! Do not let the scale be the end all, it doesn't tell the whole story. Girl if I can do this, anyone can. Read my profile for more tips. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

I cannot believe how hard weight loss has become since I hit my 40s. I remember people telling me when I was younger "wait till you're 40" They were right. I feel like in order to lose weight nowadays, I can't eat ANYTHING and I have to work out like a maniac. It's so depressing. I don't want to live like that for the rest of my life but I sure don't want to be a fatty either!

Anyone else out there experiencing this sucky realization? Any advice?

Hey, I'm 65 and I've lost over 50 pounds in the last three years. There's no doubt about the fact that it is harder past 45 or so, especially for women. One of the reasons is that because ovulation stops somewhere between 35 and 40, progesterone production more or less stops. That means that estrogen, which continues longer (and is also put out by fat cells) runs unopposed. Estrogen is a "fat hording" hormone because it makes thyroid hormone less effective at a cellular level. Progesterone provides the balance because it makes thyroid more effective at the cellular level. That is why many, many women experience weight gain (not all, for sure) while on the birth control pill (don't believe the pharmaceutical companies on this one--women know their own bodies). Because the birth control pill stops ovulation, it stops a woman's own natural progesterone supply that peaks at ovulation each month. Even though they use synthetic progestins in the pill, there is a lot of evidence that synthetic progestins do not supply the same benefits as natural progesterone.

Anyway, back to the "aging female and weight loss". There are ways to combat the problem but it requires a bit of knowledge. One mistake that older women make is that they do cardio-cardio-cardio, thinking that will make their bodies burn more fat. What actually happens in the older woman's body is that, since cardio is "catabolistic" (i.e. it breaks down tissue, and even though what we hope is that it will break down fat, under the influence of estrogen, what gets broken down is muscle :sad:) To counter this effect, weight training must be employed. Because, extra muscle actually supplies a bit of testosterone to a woman's system, this testosterone strongly opposes the estrogen in her body and the lean body mass that she builds, will burn way more calories in a 24-7 pattern than she could possibly burn in 6 hours of cardio a week. Some exercise physiologists feel that older women should limit their cardio to about two hours per week and up their weight training to at least an hour per week for much better results. Many women also feel that they have been helped a great deal by employing a small amount of bio-identical progesterone supplementation in a pattern that mimics a woman's natural progesterone pattern. A woman who is having sexual dysfunction as well, may be helped by the introduction of a tiny amount of testosterone in addition to the progesterone. Very few docs are up to speed on this but a number of endocrinologists know about it. They are also aware of the additional problem of xenoestrogens in the environment. There are a number of pollutants that we take in (in tiny amounts, mind you) from our water, food and air, which are strongly "estrogenic" in the body. It is thought to be the reason for declining sperm rates in men and early pubescence for girls, and may be responsible for a number of hormonal effects that affect fertility in women as well.

Even when you're young, losing that last ten pounds is hard.

I'm 41 and I don't think it's harder. Don't let age be a barrier to your success! I think it's more a matter of finding what works for you than anything else.

My mother (who I am obsessivly proud of), started losing weight when she was 52. She have just turned 56 and has lost over 100lbs. She is 5.3" , does weight training and cardio 5 days a week, plus eat approx 2000 cal everyday of clean foods. She now weighs a healthy 115lbs. She has taken it slowly and learned how to eat right in the process, and I believe this is why she was successful.

It's possible!

I'm 43, and before the holidays last year, i lost 38 pounds. Since the holidays, i have gained almost 10 pounds, but have kept my weight pretty steady. The main thing to do is keep being persistent with your logging on here, eating mostly clean, and also keeping within your calorie range. But if you decide to have a cheat meal or day, try to log that so you can keep yourself honest.

Yes, it makes it harder, but it isn't impossible. I'm 47, and have lost 117.4 pounds.

I started gaining in my 50's and just let it creep on....Now in my 70's and finally serious about losing weight with a goal and a plan....WE CAN DO IT

It is definitely possible! I am 42, will be 43 in April. I started doing Medifast last year in mid-May and to date have lost a total of 108 lbs! I am currently just trying to maintain and concentrate more on cardio/toning than on losing anymore weight, but I know that as I get stronger more weight will probably come off.
I was a yo-yo dieter for most of my adult life, so I know that had to have slowed my metabolism down somewhat, but I lost weight like "crazy" fast on Medifast.
However you choose to do it, just commit 100% and don't reward yourself with food. Make it a lifestyle choice, not a "diet".
I eat ALL the time now, seriously! I just eat more frequent small meals every 2-3 hours. That keeps the metabolism "revved" up. I can eat ALOT and still maintain, so even though I went on a low-calorie diet with MF, it didn't mess wth my metabolism too much, like some people assume it will.
( Just to give you an idea of how many calories MFP says I can have per day to maintain with 1 hour of elliptical and 30 minutes of light/moderate calisthenics- slightly over 3000! That is flippin' crazy!- don't plan on eating that many, but it is there if I feel the "need")