55-65 year old women's success?

lilianhill · January 2015

I'm 57 and hoping to be post-menopausal soon (just a few more months without a period and I'll be there). I joined MFP in January 2014 and lost 20 pounds by May. I have regained a few through laziness. My goal for 2015 is1) to get back to where I was (145 lbs.) and perhaps go a little further (140 lbs.), and 2) increase my exercise. While I enjoy viewing before and after photos from all age groups, it is more meaningful and motivational to talk to women who share similar concerns.

PianoRun · January 2015

sodakat wrote: »

I'm not much of a cheerleader so probably not the best "friend" to have on MFP, but I definitely wish everyone well!

I have never posted in the message pages before, and I thrilled that so many women (who I can identify with) have responded. To reply to everyone individually, it would take up too much space and more time than I have.

Ladies, your reading about your success -- and where you've had trouble --inspires me to keep on going. Thank you.

sodakat · January 2015

Maybe we can just keep this thread going, instead of worrying about a group. I know there are several threads that continue from month to month on MFP. I joined an age specific group last year and it wasn't long before it fizzled out. I think it was because the membership was limited and quite a few people lost their drive to lose weight so stopped posting.

@middlehaitch - thanks for the great inspiration!!!
-

middlehaitch · January 2015

Sodakat, I am all for keeping the thread going.
Heck, I have been on MFP since 2010 and only just discovered the forums this past September, I just used it for food and fitness tracking, so have no idea how groups work.
Just wondering, do any of us 'well experienced women' lift heavy?
I play with the idea a lot, not sure if that is just how this forum pushes it, but just can't see myself with a barbell balanced on my shoulders - the bar itself is almost half my weight so how would I ever start!
I do do body weight, hand weights, and gym machines, but barbells- just can't get there.

Cheers, h.
Ps. It is my before pic that inspires me- I don't ever want to look like that again, and am willing to work on it.

zebszee · January 2015

Hello ladies, I have just turned sixty, passing through menopause in my mid fifties. I lost 12kg during 2013 with the aid of a trainer and MFP, have put 10kg back on through 2014 due to injuries, laziness and apathy. Weighing currently 72kg, my aim is to get back to 62kg....lovely to meet you all

bonnieh1638 · January 2015

kathygolean wrote: »

Hi PianoRun (I'm guessing you play piano I'm female, 56 and post menopausal. Last year I lost 30 lbs between January and September. I tried to be faithful to log my caloric intake on MFP and workout out on my eliptical trainer while watching a show on Netflix - approximately 45 minutes. (A distraction is a MUST!) I'm 5'1" and have to stay at or below 1200 calories to lose. It's hard, but it can be done! I gained back 20 between mid September and the end of December ... how is that possible!!!???? So....gotta keep at it or it does return AND IN A HURRY! I had gotten lazy and wasn't logging. I've taken off 5 of that already, and plan to get the rest off and not gain it back AGAIN....UGH! Hangeth thou in there! You can do it...just takes discipline and the realization that its just the way it is at this stage of life. Stinks huh? Be thankful for the wisdom we have now, but miss the bodies and metabolism we once had. The tradeoff I guess!

Your story could be identical to mine. I'll be 55 this month and I am 5'1" - at least that's what my drivers' license shows. From August 2013 to November 2013 I lost 17lbs by just walking each day for 45 minutes and cutting out snacks and eating healthier foods. Then came the holidays. I gained 11lbs of the 17 back and the innertube around my belly so now I am on MFP to make myself more accountable and see if I can make positive changes and stick to them!

lovesretirement · January 2015

Hi there! I am 62 and have struggled a lifetime being overweight. I have lost/ gained and spent a ton of money doing it. I started MFP June 2013. I lost about 20 pounds very slowly and stopped logging June 2014. For 6 months, I ate with abandon and gained 8 pounds in the process. Had I not been going to the pool every other day, it would have been more.

Anyway, I started back tracking mid December and started strength training with a personal trainer. I'm in for the long haul...not number focused, but health focused. I will have to log food for the duration of my life if I want to remain healthy. For me, weight loss and good health begins in the kitchen...You cannot out-excercise a bad diet! I am doing the 1:1:1 strategy... one carb, one protein, and one fat at 3 meals and 2 snacks. It's working well for me so and I am not deprived of any food group.

I would love to be a part of this thread or a group. Maybe being connected to others was what was missing for me when I first started on this site.

Connie

luluinca · January 2015

I've bookmarked this page so I can keep coming back here and read or participate. It's interesting so many of us have the same issues.

@ middlehaitch, I'm almost ready to begin with barbells. I've increased my squats and DL with either dumbells or Kettlebells to the point that the only thing left is the barbell. I learned bench presses the other day with just the 45 lb bar and no added weight but will probably be adding weight this coming week already as long as I have the technique down. I've been progressing slowly with strength training for quite awhile and have a trainer who's challenging me but not pushing me to do something I'm ready to do yet. We'll see how it goes.

I had a hip flexor injury last year that slowed my progression down but it's resolved now and I'm ready to go.

I weigh more than you and might be taller at 5'7" so I'm not really too worried about the bar.............YET!

JNALTBK · January 2015

Hi ... I'm a little older than the rest of you (just turned 69). I originally lost 45 lbs. on MFP and then gained about 25 of it back over the last year or so. Stopped logging and got lazy with my exercising and the weight slowly started climbing back. Recently started back on MFP and am determined to lose those extra 25 lbs and then 15 more after that. Yes, it is more difficult to lose weight as you get older, but it can still be done with determination and effort. Good luck to all of you on your weight loss journey

middlehaitch · January 2015

Luluinca, thank you so much for detailing your progression. Yes, you and most people are bigger than me, I must have been a pixie in my past life.
It is the size of me that worries me, my age a bit, but I think I am approaching it correctly by working up to it, while still challenging myself, I just get a bit thrown by all the lift heavy, start with SL 5x5 etc. Heavy to me is 20 lb. it's all relative I suppose, and one has to acknowledge ones starting point and limitations.

What a great group we have here!
Even though I am maintaining, I still empathize with all who are losing, and the thread will help keep me focused on the exercise side of things- I really don't want to be a 'fall and can't get up' nana.

Cheers, h.

SbetaK · January 2015

I am 60, and have had a few changes in my life recently (job change, income change, etc.) I have lost 61 pounds (17 before joining MFP). I'm a hearty eater with a fairly active lifestyle, and have successfully lost weight before but never kept it off. I have to realize that this an entire lifestyle change, not something with an end goal that I can reach, relax, and then revert to old habits. Diabetes runs in my family and I want to keep it at bay. I am losing VERY slowly, but surely! I am now in Onderland for the first time in over 22 years, and over the holidays I was able to buy clothes in a normal women's section. Overwhelming! I slip here and there, but it is not devastating as I just get back on track the next day. I feel wonderful, energetic, and better than I have in years. I vigorously exercise at least 5 times a week, and have embraced the over-used phrase of "use it or lose it". Only slacker part of my day is sitting in front of this computer reading the forums!

middlehaitch · January 2015

Congratulations in reaching onederland SbetaK!
Slips and indulgences are what make it a lifestyle, plan for them if you can; if not, move past it (like you have).
Shopping must have been a great experience.

Cheers, h.

47Jacqueline · January 2015

I'm not sure what you do want to hear about. I'm 67 and lost 30lb. It took me a year, eating 1450kcal/day and quote out at a vigorous level 5-6 days a week (1-2 classes of Zumba/cardiokickboxing/BodyPump, etc). I've maintained for 2 years except for breaking a leg in October and gaining 4lb, which I am halfway through losing.

I have a lot of energy and if my metabolism has slowed down, it has been intimidated by my drive. lol In my journey, I've searched out others who are also active and found quite a few women who are continuing to live an active lifestyle as they age. I've made wonderful friendships on MFP.

I sympathize with people my age who are less active and hope that those who start this process will do well. I know that a lot of people struggle with taking the first step and also with staying with developing a new way of life - which is what is necessary for success.

During my maintenance journey, I became a personal trainer, working with a senior population, obese women and people with arthritis. It's most inspiring when someone is already motivated to do something for themselves, but it's also great to watch someone go from precontemplation of doing something to actually taking a first step. A current client is morbidly obese at 250lb and when I see her experiencing success at something as simple as a wall push up, it's really gratifying.

There is a crisis of overweight in this country that is not getting better. People are more sedentary than ever. The key to living a longer life has been shown to be being physically active. maintaining a healthy weight and continuing to be social. Everytime I hear about someone who has died in their 60s or at 72, it reminds me how fortunate I am and what I have to offer people. Not sugar-coating the effort needed, it's very important to keep going.

46Phil · January 2015

I'm 56 and have 100lbs to lose. I am inspired by all these posts. Please feel free to add me as a friend--just let me know that you saw me in this thread.

luciboring · January 2015

teeseeytopcat wrote: »

Hello PianoRun! I'll be turning 60 in a few months & have lost 30 pounds since joining MFP in April. Slow but steady & even though I see lots of folks reporting incredible amounts of weight loss in short periods of time, I believe us more mature gals experience weight loss at a slower rate & that's perfectly fine with me.

Add me as a friend if you'd like!

All the best.

I definitely agree with you im new at this need to. It waa so much easier to lose weight when I was younger. But I am bound and determined to finally lose this 45 #s. So yes let's please be friends and totally support each other. Luci

luluinca · January 2015

@ Jacqueline, I couldn't agree with you more re exercise. I had a very nasty fall about 8 years ago now and broke my foot very badly and ruptured 3 discs in my back. Before that I'd been very active but had a lot of trouble getting back there again. I gained about 50 pounds from lack of movement primarily but also from not being very careful with my diet.

About a year and a half ago, after all sorts of therapy, shots, medication etc. I finally got frustrated enough to take matters into my own hands and hired a trainer who was also a trained physical therapist. She helped me get stronger where I needed to and really reversed the debilitation and pain from my injury. I'm very grateful I found her.

I'm on my second trainer now, he's a former Marine.....................yikes....and I haven't felt this good in years. I still have about 15 stubborn pounds to get off but I eat to fuel my workouts and lose weight slowly.

@ everyone else, my best advice is keep plugging away at it. I start every morning with a detailed plan of nutrition and exercise and then try to stick to it. Some days are better than others but the progression over time has all been in a positive direction.

Good luck to all of you. If anyone wants to send me a friend request feel free to. I'm pretty active here on MFP and have logged in for almost 500 days straight...........

trina1049 · January 2015

Hi, I'm 65 years old, 5'2.5" and I've been on MFP for almost a year and have lost 40lbs. so far. I lost a few pounds before I found MFP but this site has helped me the most. It's taken me over a year to do so, but its been a steady loss of about 2lbs per month. My starting weight was 179 and I'm now at 139 pounds.

As for exercising, when I started losing, before MFP, I only walked and rode my bike (slowly). After a couple of months I wanted to exercise more so joined a nearby gym and began a heavy cardio routine of two cardio classes five times a week. I kept to this routine for quite a while then went to the Body Pump classes (weight lifting) and really loved lifting weights. I'm not lifting very heavy yet, 15lb squats; 12lb clean and press, etc., but I intend to lift heavier when go on to maintenance after another 10lb. loss. Trying for a goal weight of 129 - 130 pounds.

So my new exercise schedule is weight lifting four times per week for one hour and I include 30 minutes of cardio after weight class three times per week. My body composition has really improved with this schedule even though I'm putting in less time at the gym. I actually have muscles now! Who would have thought!

When I first joined MFP I read all the stickies and began my own research about nutrition -- that's been my single most motivating factor because I don't really interact in the forum much though I read everything.

What's worked for me is a 35% protein, 35% fat, 30% carb micro split. I love carbs but found that my blood sugar kept going up and now that's not happening with watching my carb intake. I weigh and log everything and will probably have to do so forever if I want to keep the weight off. It could be worse. . . I could be fat again in no time if I stop weighing my food and counting calories.

It's been a slow journey but really rewarding. I went from a US size 14/16 to a US size 6/8; I'm actually wearing petite mediums now. Wow.

Best of luck to everyone - stick with it!

luciboring · January 2015

46Phil wrote: »

I'm 56 and have 100lbs to lose. I am inspired by all these posts. Please feel free to add me as a friend--just let me know that you saw me in this thread.

NextPage · January 2015

Hi, I'm 51 and post-menopausal and I can't say that losing weight is harder now since I always found it challenging. I think the biggest adjustment for me was the "shape shift" and lose of muscle tone issues that go with aging. It was odd to look at myself and see that my waist was disappearing. I also decided "batwings" were something I could not live with and I have shifted my focus to lifting while still doing a fair bit of cardio (mainly spinning). On the less vain side I looked around and saw that some of my only slightly older friends were starting to complain about bad knees, poor flexibility etc. and I didn't want to follow in their foot steps. At the end of day the tools for losing weight don't change much as we age but the need for exercise to keep our metabolism fired up and our muscle tone and flexibility maintained/increased becomes paramount. Our quality of life is dependent on fitness as much (perhaps more) than maintaining a healthy weight. Few of us aspire to be thin and frail - we want to be strong and powerful. Personally I want to spend the next ten years working toward looking as hot and sexy as middlehaitch does in her photo standing next to the Christmas tree - in my mind I already have my own little black dress picked out for the occasion!

softblondechick · January 2015

I think women our age need to really focus on fitness aspect, yoga is particularly important to keep tone and flexibility.

As for food, I realize now how quickly I can gain weight. I really need constant vigilance on my eating. I was doing MFP and slacked off and gained 20 pounds. ..

Back on track.

55-65 year old women's success?

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