Over 50 ladies - how did you finally lose the weight?

124»

Replies

  • peggymunsell
    peggymunsell Posts: 124 Member
    He was under the impression that I didn't like his advice because he's a man - and maybe I mistakenly gave him that impression. I was not discounting what he said because he wasn't a 50 year old woman. That's the arguing that I am talking about.

    You clearly told him "You are clearly not a woman over 50." As you said, maybe you mistakenly gave him that impression. I'd say anyone being told you are clearly not a woman over 50 would get that impression.

    Anyhow. Good luck to you.
  • NextPage
    NextPage Posts: 609 Member
    I am 51 and the same tactics that work for others, exercise and logging and watching calories, work. However, your metabolism does slow down so you may find that you have to lower your calorie target to lose weight. Also, lifting weights helps immensely with metabolism as well as maintaining strength (and let us not forget "hotness").

    The hardest part for me is adjusting my mind set about what I should look like and realizing that weight comes off faster in some places and slower than others compared to when I was younger. My waist is slower to respond but my hips are getting slim quickly. On the plus size, I no longer have periods that make me want to eat everything in sight. (The change, of course, may not have the same affect on you).

    In reading MFP posts I have seen/read inspiring success stories with pics from women who have disabilities or who recently had children. My point is that we all have challenges that require hard work and creativity in order to be successfully in losing weight and reshaping our body. Challenges are not excuses. Obstacles are what make success all the more sweet!

    Sharon Stone in a recent interview in Shape magazine stated “This idea that being youthful is the only thing that’s beautiful or attractive simply isn’t true. I don’t want to be an ‘ageless beauty.’ I want to be a woman who is the best I can be at my age.” All women over 50 can't look like Sharon but we certainly can adopt her attitude.
  • mrsgoodwine
    mrsgoodwine Posts: 468 Member
    I am 51 and the same tactics that work for others, exercise and logging and watching calories, work. However, your metabolism does slow down so you may find that you have to lower your calorie target to lose weight. Also, lifting weights helps immensely with metabolism as well as maintaining strength (and let us not forget "hotness").

    The hardest part for me is adjusting my mind set about what I should look like and realizing that weight comes off faster in some places and slower than others compared to when I was younger. My waist is slower to respond but my hips are getting slim quickly. On the plus size, I no longer have periods that make me want to eat everything in sight. (The change, of course, may not have the same affect on you).

    In reading MFP posts I have seen/read inspiring success stories with pics from women who have disabilities or who recently had children. My point is that we all have challenges that require hard work and creativity in order to be successfully in losing weight and reshaping our body. Challenges are not excuses. Obstacles are what make success all the more sweet!

    Sharon Stone in a recent interview in Shape magazine stated “This idea that being youthful is the only thing that’s beautiful or attractive simply isn’t true. I don’t want to be an ‘ageless beauty.’ I want to be a woman who is the best I can be at my age.” All women over 50 can't look like Sharon but we certainly can adopt her attitude.
    Thanks! You are gorgeous by the way.
  • Maddalen101
    Maddalen101 Posts: 307 Member
    I saw a lot of good things here.
    The main item really does have to know your intake and outputs, and eat less than you burn..

    I will add to the "eat real food" suggestion:
    Be aware of how various foods affect your body. Some, even though they are ostensibly "healthy", will set up cravings.
    Example: commercially raised meat and many processed foods do not satisfy my hunger. They leave me hungrier after eating and craving sweets.
    This awareness has been helping me to reduce the proportion of commercially processed foods in my food plan.

    One more suggestion:
    Try not to think of changing how you eat as a "diet." The word "diet" can poison the best of intentions.
    I call it "modifying my food choices." Just feels better.
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    I'm 45 but middle aged is middle aged IMHO. I'm old enough to be a grandma. My diet advice is the same as everyone else's. Burn more than you eat. My exercise advice is always the same: Find a physical activity that entices you! For me it's been Martial Arts. I am always happy to show up for class even if I thought I was too tired when I hopped in the car. There are so many activities to choose from Biking, hiking, dance (very popular lots of types!), yoga etc... I also weight train with my DH to improve my sparring skills. It's so much easier to lift weights with a goal rather than just having it as a chore. Good luck!
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    I've spammed this in hundreds of threads... I figured it was about time to give this info a permanent home.

    1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
    2. Make sure you eat enough.
    3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
    4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
    5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
    6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
    7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
    8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
    9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
    10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
    11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
    12. don't set time restrictions.
    13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
    14 BE PATIENT.
    15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
    16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
    17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
    18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

    pretty much that.

    ...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

    the typical MFP users does this:
    1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
    2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
    3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
    4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
    5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
    6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
    7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
    8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
    9. Argument ensues about who is right.

    Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

    I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

    Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

    Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    ...and here's another approach.

    Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

    From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

    Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

    I love this and I love you!! This is awesome. Thank you so much for posting. I especially like "Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE."
    you know a guy wrote that, right?

    give you two guesses who...

    xFavcfz.gif

    so is it valid advice now? since a guy under 50 wrote it?
    Oh my goodness! Too, too funny. Hiya Peggy!
  • judyde
    judyde Posts: 401 Member
    ... However, your metabolism does slow down so you may find that you have to lower your calorie target to lose weight.

    Just as an FYI, when you enter your info into MFP to set your goals, one of those is your age, so the calorie target you are given already accounts for age. So that's factored in already, and you don't need to lower it further.
  • drosenberg
    drosenberg Posts: 1
    Hi there, I am 51 and could really use some support as I begin to put exercise and low carb eating habits together. I am pretty good at exercising, and love to jog and engage in some resistance exercises, but often I eat too much when I exercise, and alas, I have really been down in the dumps about the whole thing. Worse yet, I stopped exercising regularly, and well you know the rest.

    So I am going to get serious and I haven't reached out before. Could use some support , success stories etc. Trying to figure this posting thing was a challenge but here I am.

    Does posting daily help with accountability and support?:heart:
  • Sf0rza
    Sf0rza Posts: 18 Member
    Logging food daily was a turning point for me - that and reading the various links posted in this discussion. I weigh everything, record everything and am very slowly losing weight. I'm not hungry and it feels pretty sustainable. But it is very slow and it took me 3-4 weeks before I started to see any results whatsoever. I don't post on the site but I do read the threads, ther's some great support here. Good luck :-)
  • LucieOsh
    LucieOsh Posts: 1 Member
    I have the same issue as many others over 50 -- it used to be relatively simple to lose a few extra pounds but that changed after menopause. I put on eight pounds over the last year, without eating any more than I used to, and continuing to exercise an average of 60 minutes every day. Very frustrating! I know I should increase resistance training but I don't enjoy using weights.

Categories