Life after 40!! HEEEELP!

beachgirl667
beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
edited September 25 in Introduce Yourself
Hi Everyone,

I am in need of some serious encouragement and fitness ideas! They really were not kidding when they said how hard it would be to lose weight after 40:-( I am eating right, exercising and my body does NOT want to let anything go!! ANY advice would be wonderful. Thanks:)
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Replies

  • SheliaN1960
    SheliaN1960 Posts: 454 Member
    HI and welcome to the place that you are looking for! This site holds all of the motivation and support to help you carry yourself through this journey! If you need a friend I will be there. Take a look at the exercise and the diaries!! Best wishes!! i wish I were still in the 40 range!1 :)
  • DivaDLB
    DivaDLB Posts: 85 Member
    It seems when I hit 40 everything I ate stuck around a little longer. You WILL find your motivation here. Be encouraged Life after 40 will be FABULOUS!
  • breakingthecycle
    breakingthecycle Posts: 225 Member
    Hey there, I am right there with ya! I am 40 also and it does seem harder to lose the weight and stay motivated to do so. One thing is for certain, we didnt gain it overnight and we surely wont lose it overnight. :-)

    However, I do agree that this is definitely the place to be for inspiration and motivation. I look around this site and see people who's struggles are way beyond mine. They have a lot more weight to lose and they aren't griping about it and in essence 'just do it'.

    In that, I say "HEY, if they can do it I KNOW I can!"

    Keep your head up and hang in there! Again I am right there with ya!

    ETA, I dont have any fitness ideas but this site does have a wealth of information and if you do a search of the message boards things will just leap out at ya! Good luck. :happy:
  • jewelzz
    jewelzz Posts: 326 Member
    I am 42 and yes its harder to loose at this age,however its worth the extra effort and push.I have never felt so good.good luck and be encouraged that your not alone!!:bigsmile:
  • beachgirl667
    beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
    Thank you!!! I really hope so:smile:
  • beachgirl667
    beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
    Lol! i know that's right! I def didnt gain it over night! But just losing a little something would b nice. Thank you for the encouragement:smile: I am really excited!!
  • 6Alsmom
    6Alsmom Posts: 40
    For me it seemed at first that one or 2 pounds a week wasn't enough. But then as you go on, being fit, eating right, the pounds just keep coming off and before you know it, you're a new person. I had my only child when I was 39 and after that I got really messed up hormonally and emotionally. So yes, being in the 40's can be a struggle but hang in there. It takes a little work but you'll get there!!!!!
  • beachgirl667
    beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
    LOL! Thanks! and I gave up candy for Lent, so I'm good there.
  • WMFD
    WMFD Posts: 2
    Hi and hang in there. If you have been excercising for a while you may need to mix up the variety and intensity of your workouts. Very often your body will plataue if you keep the same regime each time you work out. This doesnt mean you need to hit the gym for 3 hours 7days a week but be realistic in what to expect from your excercises. For example a moderately paced walk several times a week may work well at first but after a period of time your body gets used to that work load and will adjust. THink of trying to confuse your body keep it guessing. Mix up your routines with a combination of things at various intensities and as long as you are getting your nutrition from healthy sources your body will respond. Make the committment ot variety and to make it fun!
  • kimiel
    kimiel Posts: 108
    Feel free to friend me. I know exactly what you are going through! :smile:
  • beachgirl667
    beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
    Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! Can't wait to start losing! I know it's going to be a life style change.
  • beachgirl667
    beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
    Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! Can't wait to start losing! I know it's going to be a life style change.
  • sbwood888
    sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
    I am 43 and I soooo feel your pain!
  • I completely understand how you feel. I will be 44 in June and am having to go through it myself. It did seem easier to get rid of the weight and keep it off when I was in my twenties (of course I think I was much more active then as well lol). Hang in there and lean on people for the support. If it wasn't for my family, I'm not sure I would be doing it right now. Feel free to add me if you would like.
  • Cut out all grains, cut down alcohol, increase cardio...try a spinning class, lift weights. If you think 40's are bad....wait until life after 50!!!
  • It is harder after 40, you're quite right! I'm 42, have yo-yo'ed in weight for years and finally want to get it off and keep it off. And it's so tough!

    Half the battle is the mindset though to want to do it, and you're there, so get those trainers on, go for a power-walk and remember you're not alone.

    Good luck!
  • emyback68
    emyback68 Posts: 89
    Welcome! You will find the support you need here. There are so many of us in the same boat. It can be very frustrating, especially when it seems like you are doing everything right. The scale is a lot harder to budge (and for me, that would be the excuse to just go eat crap because eating well didnt help). But stick around, there is a lot of support here. If you want to add me as a friend, send a request. I could always use more support myself!
  • mk820
    mk820 Posts: 137 Member
    I'm 54 and thought it was too late for me. Not so! Pay attention to how the site says to lose weight. Make sure you eat all the way up to your limit. I do 1200 cal. and thought if I did 900 I'd lose faster. It backfired on me. I don't do any exercise other than heavy gardening. Ineed to do more for sstrength, but you can lose at any age. I'm losing as fast as I did when I was younger, but feel healthier.
  • dbower18
    dbower18 Posts: 40 Member
    Ever notice how we turn 21 but hit 40? Well I'm about to slam headfirst into 60 and I have lost about 40 pounds since October 2010. I did it by counting calories, and religiously working out every morning and sometimes, it there is time in the afternoon.

    This is a great site for calculation, motivation, tracking calories and exercise and getting ideas about both. Remember if you eat it, taste it or lick it record it.
  • breakingthecycle
    breakingthecycle Posts: 225 Member
    Lol! i know that's right! I def didnt gain it over night! But just losing a little something would b nice. Thank you for the encouragement:smile: I am really excited!!

    No prob and thanks for the add!
  • Sonnut
    Sonnut Posts: 57 Member
    I'm 42 and for the first time since my early 30's, I'm trying to loose weight. If I can do it, you can too! Just stick with it and eat the calories MFP says to, you'll do great!
  • loro1971
    loro1971 Posts: 135
    oh nooooooooooooo 39 is hard enough!!! my goal is to lose 40 lbs before i turn 40 in september! im halfway there.... eating verrrrrrrry healthy, exercising regularly. i started walking/hiking and plan to do a 5k in may! stating away from white breads/pastas/ sugars. eating red meat only once every two weeks...and cheating one day a week to get rid of cravings. my hardest things to give up are peanut butter and my every day iced coffees but im doing good. hubby is exercising with me and eating what i cook and has lost 25 lbs.im down around 20.....we are looooooooooving the wiifit and its fun too. good luck!
  • beachgirl667
    beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
    LOl!!! Gee thanks. I have pretty much done all those, with the exception of grains. And need to definately start lifting weights.
  • chermom
    chermom Posts: 9 Member
    I'm 45 and having the same problem. Just can't seem to get those last few pounds off. Try working out for 1 hour six days a week and switch it up with strength training and cardio. I also keep my total days worth of carbs under 75. We can do it! - Good Luck!
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
    Im 43yo and I know losing weight wasn't going to be easy but geesh!! I had tried everything to lose five lousy pounds and nothing really worked. (I used to log in my food on index cards; it was time consuming and not nearly as good as MFP.) Ive only been on MFP for a little over a month and have already met my goal. I cannot say enough good things about this site!! It has really helped me a great deal in keeping my diet the priority, being honest about what I eat (A lot of times, since I was logging on index cards, I never logged in the entire day's daily intake so it really wasn't accurate/helpful after all.) and making the necessary tweeks in my diet AND exercise program that made the difference. This is really a wonderful tool! I hope that you find it as helpful in meeting your goals as well!! Good luck!!
  • melanie_mtl
    melanie_mtl Posts: 2 Member
    You can do it! I'm in the same boat - will turn 43 next week and have 15 stubborn lbs to lose. I've tried to get rid of them since my daughter was born 21/2 yrs ago...much harder now than when I was in my 20s!

    I'm just getting back into a regular exercise routine - aiming for a mix of walking, Turbojam aerobics, beginner yoga, free weight and resistance band workouts for now. Hoping to bring an exercise bike or treadmill into our home very soon. Would any of those be new to your routine?

    When I asked my slender neighbour what she does to stay fit she laughed and said she puts on her favourite music and dances like crazy all over the house, that's it LOL. That said, I know she goes for regular walks and does alot of garden work from spring to fall. I like the dancing idea, though. Just think - we can crank the songs of our youth and feel 20 something instead of 40+!

    We can do it! :happy:
  • Yeah, I am in the "Life after 40" group and am also new to MYP (my 1st day at this website)..

    I discovered the MYP application on the Android Market quite by accident and am glad to see lots of inspirational folks and wisdom here from people who have successfully lost weight. Hey, I am motivated just by looking at the lbs you have already shed.

    I am also happy to see that I will have peers who are also starting out in our battle against the bulge!

    Stride on!
  • candirw
    candirw Posts: 22
    Not quite 40, but I can tell you that at 39, my body didn't let go of any pounds until after a month! Keep it up! It will come off!
  • I'm 41 and do the typical winter weight gain every year. (I live in Wisconsin so there's not much to do but eat and drink beer in the winter). But - I've always managed to get the weight off by the first day of Spring every year. It does take a little more work and paying a LOT of attention to the calorie intake once you hit the 40's. But not impossible. And every time I post something like this I typically have someone tell me that it's easier for a guy. I honestly don't think so. But I could be wrong. It's happened a couple times. LOL

    But don't get discouraged. Use this site and if you have an app type phone (Android or **ugh** iPhone), get the app!! It is excellent and a very quick and easy way to keep track of your day.
  • beachgirl667
    beachgirl667 Posts: 55 Member
    Thank you:smile:
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