Older women success stories please!

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  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
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    I'm 54. I've maintained a decent weight for a most of my adult life. But the last decade even though my weight stayed the same my body looked different...soft, squishy, thick in the middle ewwww. I was losing lean muscle mass due to hormones and aging. I thought I was too old to make any significant changes. Wrong!! Strength training, weight lifting and body weight exercises has helped reshape my body. So the best advice I can give an 'older' woman is lift weights, heavy weights that challenge you. If you read the 'New rules of lifting for women' it has a lot of great information in there. It's never to late to look great ladies! Keep giving it your all!

    :heart:
  • pusheen12
    pusheen12 Posts: 192 Member
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    This is a really good thread; feel free to add me. 51, maintaining a 37 lb. loss. Want to lose about app. 15lb. more but not in a rush. Have added weight to my regime and must say that is the way to go girl friends. Muscle eats calories and we lose muscle as we age...so build more muscle right? makes sense to me and to top it off it feels great to be stronger and my balance and stamina is really good now.
  • pusheen12
    pusheen12 Posts: 192 Member
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    If I can do it at 51, so can you.
  • mrshunt3
    mrshunt3 Posts: 13 Member
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    I've just turned 63, retired on June 1 from a job where I sat all day long. Needless to say, it wore me out and I did not exercise when I got home from work..too pooped! I've never been much of an exerciser, so that helped contribute to the obesity.
    I was determined to get this weight off once I retired and with the encouragement of my son who lost 85 pounds last year being on MFP, I signed up with MFP and have had a really great result. I do have to say that I strayed from the program for about a month during the move-we moved to a new state the end of June-but I went right back on this past week and as of today I've lost a total of 18 lbs! I haven't lost that much in over 8 years. I exercise 6 days a week-my day of rest is Sunday-and I am feeling great!
    I'm not interested in looking like I did or weighing what I did when I was 20, that's just not realistic. I've been over 200 lbs-highest 275-for so many years that I know I have to be reasonable with my goal weight. I set it at 175 and hope to maintain that weight for at least one year. If, after that time, my Dr. and I decide I need to lose more, I'll be back on MFP program. I'll also use it for maintenance.
    I've also found that having a positive attitude about myself and what I am trying to do is helpful. There are those who are going to rain on your parade. They will discourage you and try to enable you to stay obese…you're not doing this for them-it's for you! Sure, I want some pretty clothes that don't have a 2 at the beginning of the size on the label, and yes, I want to buy a bathing suit and go to the beach once again, but most of all, I want to be healthy, live well and enjoy my family. I will do it…and so can all of us! Do it for you!
  • BEVERLYSTEEN
    BEVERLYSTEEN Posts: 106 Member
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    Just turned 54 and started AGAIN on June 1st, 2014. I lost weight when I was younger following the Weight Watchers plan counting calories but when they switched to their programs I couldn't get my mind around them and gave up.

    Finding MFP and being 'Ready' to change my eating habits has helped me gain control because I can do the calorie counting again. There are two co-workers that had been loosing weight and that also helped motivate me.

    I log into MFP daily and read the Message Boards to help me see that I am not alone and we can do this together, no matter what our age we are all here for the same reason.

    Good Luck everyone and happy loosing,.
  • jharwell58
    jharwell58 Posts: 30 Member
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    I am 56 years old and have lost 35 pounds since January. I only recently found MFP and am thrilled to use the tools! A very good freind of mine was diagnosed with diabetes last year....a great wake-up call. I decided that I did NOT want to age one more day without doing something good for myself, so I went on a quest to count calories, change my habits, and stick with it. It's been hard but OH, so worth it! My "empty nest challenge" has grown in to an "empty nest lifestyle." Now my kids call wondering where I am and what I'm doing, and they usually find that I am out riding my bike or gardening....or anything else that keeps me active.
    I will never look like a 20-something again, but I feel great and don't worry about being the best 60-something I can be! In fact, I'm rather looking forward to it!
  • Outwardlycalm
    Outwardlycalm Posts: 75 Member
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    Really slacked off logging my food, didn't gain any weight, but didn't lose any either. I've been saying for years, "I need to get healthy." I was going to drop 30 lbs before my daughters graduation, nope. I was going to lose the weight before my son graduated, nope. Now it is literally 4 years later and my daughter will be graduating college. Guess what I said? You got it! "I need to drop the weight before her graduation in May." Boy, talk about a broken record!
    Now, medical things happen, blah, blah, blah. Just found out BP is 160/110. Now I need medication. I just feel that if I would have put in a little bit of effort I could have avoided this. Yes, I have back and knee problems but I know that has been an excuse. If my back hurts when I don't work out, then I can deal with it hurting while I work out.
    Been working out in the pool and that is great, but I don't know what I'm going to do besides walking on the treadmill in winter.
    Thought about getting some resistance bands and giving that a try.
    Any suggestions?
  • Outwardlycalm
    Outwardlycalm Posts: 75 Member
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    I'm here. I am 67 and have been a couch potato for 24 yrs. I have wasted all my muscle and couldn't sit in a Jacuzzi because I float to the top...can't even sit..*sigh.

    So, I was 233 lbs. 6 months ago. Right now, I am 171. I didn't think it was possible. I got inspired and decided to get my brain out of the nonsense of only younger people can do it. I had to convince myself that it was possible. I didn't exercise for 4 months because I couldn't. I could only do x5 min on a treadmill. So I decided to wait it out...till I got to about 180 to start. I still don't do that much but I can over an hr on the treadmill now...walking.

    I drastically had to cut my calories to get where I am. Nothing else will work for me. Not ready for strength yet due to I want to lose fat first. I mess around with some equip. but have no idea what I am doing. I sorta play at it. I can't afford a trainer.

    Don't be fooled or mislead by the myths of "can't be done after menopause"...tell them to "Stick it". Sure my loss would have been quicker if I were younger but I am a perfect example of weight loss in seniors. I was using a scooter and then a cane till 6 months ago. If I did it, anyone can. People said it was unrealistic. My doctor said "No" also. Well, I'm glad I'm doing this and I am shocked at the results.


    Haha! Love that about the floating in the Spa. I thought I was the only one. I can float in the pool for hours LOL! Who needs a raft!
    Keep up the good work!
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
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    I am 52 and have lost almost 60 since January.
  • chachadeb
    chachadeb Posts: 275 Member
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    54 here and feeling great about the changes to my body following MFP. Getting great support here from the Over 50 group.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/22731-over-50-women-s-club
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
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    Its never too late, ill be 54 in oct and my goal is to do one unassisted pull up by then. I am finally comfortable in my body for the first time ever in my life.
  • jennifurballs
    jennifurballs Posts: 247 Member
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    Don't give up, dcglobal! I'm 47, started at 362 and now I'm 297. Still have a ways to go but even we old broads can get fit. As far as looking older, I don't give a crap about that as long as I'm healthy and happy. However, so far I've been told I look younger.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    <
    Over 45. Fitbit user. Dropped about 40 pounds before having a hysterectomy, mostly from walking and reducing calories. Have kept it off for over a year. Now into barbell strength training, Krav Maga, and occasionally something off the wall like hula hoop dancing. I eat all the foods, including ice cream and gelato pretty often. Lots of restaurant foods in the mix, because I'm busy. So far, so good... Mostly I really, really love being able to be more active than I've been in 25 years or so.

    Oh, as to the original question about looking older... I look younger now than I did when I was overweight a decade or so ago. A couple of friends have told me I look like a high school or college kid, which is pushing it, but I do enjoy dressing a bit like one sometimes. :bigsmile:
  • DonaGail
    DonaGail Posts: 190 Member
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    I like this thread! Im 54 and just jumped back on the wagon after losing 65lbs then re-gaining it. I wont bore you with the details but I am finally coming out of the grieving process that threw me off track. Its nice to read stories similar to mine regarding weight loss.
  • lamarten
    lamarten Posts: 1 Member
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    If you can keep up with those 20 somethings in class, they should be impressed with you. One thing to keep in mind, if you're using the preset goals, you might have to change them. I went by that for 6 weeks & got nowhere. Then a personal trainer increased calories, decreased carbs & fat & increased protein. I lost 6 lbs in the next 6 weeks.
  • GlynnisSapsfordHey
    GlynnisSapsfordHey Posts: 23 Member
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    Don't give up , it took time put on the pounds and it will take time to get them off again I am 54 and want to lose 88lbs and so far I have lost 23lbs but I had to work at it. I plan on having this weight of in one year or so Good Luck to you
  • Outwardlycalm
    Outwardlycalm Posts: 75 Member
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    I'm 54. I've maintained a decent weight for a most of my adult life. But the last decade even though my weight stayed the same my body looked different...soft, squishy, thick in the middle ewwww. I was losing lean muscle mass due to hormones and aging. I thought I was too old to make any significant changes. Wrong!! Strength training, weight lifting and body weight exercises has helped reshape my body. So the best advice I can give an 'older' woman is lift weights, heavy weights that challenge you. If you read the 'New rules of lifting for women' it has a lot of great information in there. It's never to late to look great ladies! Keep giving it your all!

    :heart:

    " But the last decade even though my weight stayed the same my body looked different...soft, squishy, thick in the middle ewwww. I was losing lean muscle mass due to hormones and aging."

    Totally agree with this. My weight has been within 10 pounds for the last 20 years but I look a lot heavier.

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