I think this is true for most of us. I did some research and found that adding strength training will certainly help to boost metabolism. I am not as limber as I used to be and also have some knee problems, I have a new found love for Yoga. It is very calming, energizing, and the poses stretch and strengthen at the same time without being boring (like my free weights routine.....it's like pulling teeth). If you are interested, check out Sarah Beth Yoga on Youtube. She has everything from beginner to advanced and from 5 to 30 minutes or even more.

I'm have that problem, but I am aware of what derails my diet and I am finally putting it together.

I can't say I can blame it on age. If anything I know my body better now than in previous years. But I find that if I track honestly and consistently and I get my workouts in the rest just falls into place. I do a lot of resistance training though so I'm sure that has something to do with it.

What kind of workouts are you doing?

There was a study a few years ago about menopausal women and resistance training. The conclusion was that resistance training was very effective in reducing fat (especially abdominal!) and increasing lean body mass in menopausal women. HRT helped to preserve lean body mass, but resistance training led to a significant increase in lean mass whether or not the woman was on HRT. As resistance training also helps to preserve bone density, it's a really good thing for 40-something women to be doing whether or not they are menopausal. I am 12 weeks into a very simple full body program using machines. It took about six weeks to see any real movement on the scale, but the weight is coming off very steadily now. I'm about four inches smaller around my abdomen. I plan to transition to more free weights in the near future, but just a simple machine routine that takes about a half hour twice a week has had a lot of impact. If you don't have access to machines or free weights, body weight and resistance band workouts are also effective.

I also hike and walk. I try to get in a 5+ mile hike every week and walk or hike a shorter distance a couple of other times during the week, but I don't do it intending it to be a cardio routine or on any particular schedule. I just like to get out in the sun and nature.

I am also having a hard time losing weight that I give up but then return when more weight pile up and my body starts reacting in ways I don't want it to. What I think I need is a fitness buddy to keep each other encouraged and accountable. My husband is great but he simply refuses to see the extra pounds always telling me I am beautiful in any size. And as much as I like that he accepts me, he fails to understand that it isn't really about beauty per se, but about being healthy. I need to drop 20lbs and yes, at 43 I can't help but think my age makes it harder.

Resistance training is exercise that relies on resistance - weights, body weight, or resistance bands, for example. HRT is hormone replacement therapy.

47 here. I sit 11+ hours a day between a desk job and commute. I'm not an expert, but I'll share what worked for me: 3 weight days (push/pull/legs) with 2 cardio days each week (35 min, 85% max HR). I'm seldom in they gym more than an hour a day, I have active weekends. If you're on a 1k a day deficit including cardio or HIIT each day can help give you extra calories to eat. Use an HRM for the first year or so. All these online tools are just estimates, you need to adjust until you see scale movement and continue to adjust calories within reason all the way to goal weight. If you're starving yourself you're doing it wrong. You may also want to consider that you're on a deficit and beating your 40 year old self up doing brutal workouts - so think about refueling accordingly.

Maintaining as much lean muscle as you can while on a deficit is really important. Weights, keeping your protein count up, not crashing your calorie count will all help. The more muscle you keep, the higher metabolism you're going to have. I highly recommend doing some research regarding the subject, there's lots of articles.

Lovoya12 wrote: »

Just got my hormone levels checked and everything is normal, so I cannot use that as my excuse anymore. Cleaned up my diet this week, but can't seem to fit in a workout due to my schedule. Will start again on Monday. I hate cardio so I am going to do a 3 cardio/ 2 strength training week to see how I manage. My five year old will be back from summer break with my parents and she keeps me really busy.

I had a nurse tell me that the trick sometimes is to break up your workouts into 10 minute bites. Try 10 minutes in the morning of exercise before you hit the shower, put in 10 mins of walking or something active at lunch, and 10 minutes in the evening. It gets easier as the results start to show, and suddenly you find you actually have time to exercise if you do it that way. I did abdominal exercises (8 minutes on YouTube and it started to whittle my waist away. The P4P also have other exercises that are geared to tone other parts of your body, also broken into bite sized pieces. Great way to add workouts to your day without feeling overwhelmed.

mhooge wrote: »

I'm 43 and struggling so bad with losing weight. I'm always tracking my food and exercising 4 times a week but not seeing results. Frustrating.

Are you really only trying to lose 3 pounds? If so, those last pounds take a while.

Me! I'm in the process of doing a metabolism reset. I need to find my TDEE and then letting my metabolism repair to do a cut. I was eating at too big of a deficit I found out; and my body adapted to it, and it wouldn't let me lose. It hung on to everything and even gained. I will be doing 3 days of strength training and minimal cardio. Strength training and protein is the key from what I am hearing.