Anybody out there 40+ ?

I am 51. Started my journey in January 2010. Goal was to go from 160 down to 138 lbs. I started journaling my food and exercising. Weight started coming off and by summer I was down to 140. Then 2 weeks vacation bumped it up by 7 lbs. Since then, I have had absolutely NO luck with getting back to the 140 mark. I was down 3-4 lbs, then back up. I am now doing cardio 3x/wk for 1 hr each time (2 Zumba classes as well as another Zumba/strength type class), plus other strength training on the other days. Frustrating, but clothes (smaller sized jeans) still fit good so I persevere. I do understand plateaus happen, and I understand that the closer we get to that goal, the harder it seems to get off. Haven't quite figured that one out Let's keep with it, and know that our slower metabolism is not helping us but it can't make it impossible!! Good luck!

I am 42! I have found that I have a good lose and then a gain that stays.....and goes away slowly. I am looking at as lifestyle choices.....It does seem to come off more slowly.....but then my brain is slower too Keep up the good work....it will come off soon! We can and will stick together on this!

I'll be 50 in a few months. Weight is slower to come off as we get older, but it definitely is possible. It takes focus and discipline, but all that is okay as long as the weight shifts.

Our bodies slow down as we get older, therefore, in my opinion, exercise is paramount. If you can walk somewhere instead of using the car, bus, train, do so. If you can cycle instead of using motorised transport, do so. Use the stairs instead of lifts/elevators. If you can walk lunchtime, do it.

Every single little thing counts, the more movement you make, the more calories are used up and this of course, eats away the excess weight.

The trick is to NEVER give up, keep that image in your mind of what you want to end up looking like and don't let it go. When you work out, run, walk, swim, cycle or whatever you do for exercise and you feel as if you cannot continue any longer, get that image in your head of your ideal "goal look" and remember that you are working your butt off for a damn good reason.

When you want to snack or "treat" yourself, think twice, that "treat" is not such a treat when it comes to your weigh-in if it puts on some weight or cancels out all your hard work for the week.

Most of all though, be kind to yourself and when your body is good enough to burn some excess weight away, don't punish it by getting unmotivated and so losing your focus, because it (and you) does not deserve that. xxx

I am 47 and have been a size 8 since high school, however at 45 the hot flashes began, my daughter's father died suddenly of a heart attack, it was the worst year I'd ever had at work - I was very sleep deprived, my diet was terrible and exercise nearly stopped because I had no time and no energy. As a result, my weight started creeping up. For years, I had gotten up early in the morning and ran laps in my kitchen to stay thin (I'm a single parent and couldn't leave my daughter along in the house to go out for a run and couldn't afford to join a gym), but once I started running again after 45, it wasn't as effective and it seemed my metabolism came to an absolute stand still. It's taken me two years to find the right formula - I cleaned up my diet, started weight training and do interval training a couple of times per week. I've started doing the ChaLEAN extreme program now with my daughter and am back down to 24% body fat, aiming for 20%. I think that the biggest element in turning it around is the clean diet and the addition of strength training.

According to Dr. Oz, you love 5% of your muscle mass every year after the age of 35. I've learned that's pretty significant because muscle requires more calories to maintain and keeps the metabolism running higher. As you lose muscle, your metabolism slows. So, if you continue eating the same amount of food on this now slower metabolism, you're going to gain weight. The solution then, is to do whatever you can to maintain your lean muscle mass. Unfortunately, most women shy away from strength training for fear of bulking up - but we just don't have the testosterone to build that kind of muscle. I have been strength training for nearly six months now and I can tell you that it doesn't bulk you up and it has been very significant to reversing the weight gaining trend for me.