Over 40 year old weight loss
mhooge
Posts: 42 Member
Hi I'm 43 and struggling so hard with getting the scales to move. I track everything and I'm not seeing results. I picked up a copy of a book called Happy Hormones Slim Belly. Has anyone read it and used it? Or does anyone else over 40 have this problem too?
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Hi I'm 43 and struggling so hard with getting the scales to move. I track everything and I'm not seeing results. I picked up a copy of a book called Happy Hormones Slim Belly. Has anyone read it and used it? Or does anyone else over 40 have this problem too?
I'm 42 and I have been able to lose 31 lbs so far. It took over a year though. I found that I had to be really honest about what I ate and log it accurately. I also started walking a few months back and that helped.0 -
Im 42 and I just recently started my journey. I must say im 3 weeks in and I feel the difference mentally and physically. I watch my calorie intake, walk and exercise.0
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I'm a 43 year old grandmother...I struggled with weight for while with no success...FINALLY, I've lost 10 pounds, and counting. I know it's different for everyone, but I was able to find what worked for me...It can be done, don't give up!
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It shouldn't make much/any difference.
I'm forty and have lost more than 90 pounds, even with severe metabolic issues not related to age.
Start logging carefully, learn what works for your body and go from there. Good luck!0 -
I'm 47. I lost the weight by learning to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly. Logging works.
I followed the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p10 -
I have not read the book you mention but I'm 51 yo and have lost weight several times in my life. Once I got near menopause hormones definitely made thing more challenging. Perimenopause is a b****!! But, I am losing. It's not impossible, just not as easy as it used to be.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Once I got near menopause hormones definitely made thing more challenging. Perimenopause is a b****!! But I am losing. It's not impossible, just not as easy as it used to be.
MFP has a Near- or Post-Menopausal group http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group0 -
53, lost approx. 40lbs from January ... having said that, currently I am the most active I have ever been, so must be going more daft when age progresses0
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Great to hear others success stories. I am just starting my weight loss journey and am logging honestly as you all suggest. Fingers and toes crossed it works. Thanks all.0
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I know people say it doesn't matter, but I did this when I was about 30, and I had no issues.. I tracked calories, and exercised, and without being overly careful, the weight just fell off.
now, 12 years and 3 kids later, and it feels like if I even put an extra morsel in my mouth, I don't loose that week.
I have lost 30ish Lbs this year, and about 10 before this year, so I'm not saying it doesn't work... it does. I just find I have to try MUCH harder to get the same results.0 -
I actually believe it's an excuse. I think for some it's harder to lose because they are less active and have less musculature
The answer is to move more and lift heavy as you eat to a calorie defecit
For others it's actually easier, once you get rid of the noise of the dieting industry and just have that to focus on ...calorie defecit and working on musculature.
<< lost 55lbs (and 20 years, and asthma meds) at 47
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I actually believe it's an excuse. I think for some it's harder to lose because they are less active and have less musculature
The answer is to move more and lift heavy as you eat to a calorie defecit
For others it's actually easier, once you get rid of the noise of the dieting industry and just have that to focus on ...calorie defecit and working on musculature.
<< lost 55lbs (and 20 years, and asthma meds) at 47
Frankly, that seems pretty condescending. First of all, no one in this thread has suggested weight can’t be lost so not sure what excuse you think is being made. If it was easier for you, congratulations on your luck.
Not sure what is meant by "and 20 years". How does one lose years? And why would you want to?0 -
Condescending? Right. I disagree but feel free to read whatever tone you care to into my post.
I was responding to the posters complaining that it is harder because of age ...I don't believe it is...feel free to convince me otherwise
As for the n=1 personal example. I feel, and look, 20 years younger by being fitter, stronger, and yes having a much lower body fat %. To be honest I thought the meaning was pretty clear from the context (now that one was slightly condescending I'll admit
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I actually believe it's an excuse. I think for some it's harder to lose because they are less active and have less musculature
The answer is to move more and lift heavy as you eat to a calorie defecit
For others it's actually easier, once you get rid of the noise of the dieting industry and just have that to focus on ...calorie defecit and working on musculature.
<< lost 55lbs (and 20 years, and asthma meds) at 47
That might very well all be true, but for someone like my mom, who is in her 60s and never did much strength training, it is very difficult to just pick it up. She is not as flexible or limber as she was 30 years ago and she has knee trouble and already has osteoporosis. If she had started in her 40s it might be a different story. She still does a lot of cardio, but her doctor is satisfied as long as she doesn't gain weight, even though she is technically "overweight" right now.0 -
Hormones affect weight loss, that is fact. Many women experience hormonal problems when aging, espeically during perimenopause, and this can affect weight loss. For everyone? Certainly not. But for some? Absolutely.0
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For someone like my mom, who is in her 60s and never did much strength training, it is very difficult to just pick it up. She is not as flexible or limber as she was 30 years ago and she has knee trouble and already has osteoporosis. If she had started in her 40s it might be a different story. She still does a lot of cardio, but her doctor is satisfied as long as she doesn't gain weight, even though she is technically "overweight" right now.
You lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn. Exercise for fitness; log to lose weight. Logging works—at every age.0 -
I actually believe it's an excuse. I think for some it's harder to lose because they are less active and have less musculature
The answer is to move more and lift heavy as you eat to a calorie defecit
For others it's actually easier, once you get rid of the noise of the dieting industry and just have that to focus on ...calorie defecit and working on musculature.
<< lost 55lbs (and 20 years, and asthma meds) at 47
That might very well all be true, but for someone like my mom, who is in her 60s and never did much strength training, it is very difficult to just pick it up. She is not as flexible or limber as she was 30 years ago and she has knee trouble and already has osteoporosis. If she had started in her 40s it might be a different story. She still does a lot of cardio, but her doctor is satisfied as long as she doesn't gain weight, even though she is technically "overweight" right now.
Lifting or any kind of resistance work has only recently become part of the female fitness vocabulary apart from some outliers, to my knowledge, and I think that is a mighty shame. It has been a total relevation to me
I'm pretty sure there are resistance exercises that your mother can learn, from a good med team physio that can still help her ...but if she and her medics are happy with her general health then doing something different would be very much a personal choice0 -
I'm finding it a small bit slower and harder (lose 10 lbs in the first month instead of 13lbs) compared to my early 30's. Part of it may be age, I am probably getting close to perimenopause, and part of it is fitness and time. I was definitely more fit in my 30's. I still gained muscle with very little effort and didn't seem to lose it. Now, muscle gains are slower and if I am less active I can feel how I lose muscles faster now - we lose muscle faster as we get into middle age.
I also had less time. When it was just me and my husband I could focus a LOT more time on me without a problem. Now, with three kids at home all of the time, it is more difficult to focus on me. Not impossible but more difficult.0 -
I agree, if you can add weights into your workouts you will see much better results. Start slowly, and gradually your strength will increase. I am 42, and I had to start out slower and lower than I did at 30, but now I lift as heavy as I can. I struggle with my eating the most, but because of the weights I am really seeing changes in my body.0
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I checked out Happy Hormones Slim Belly on Amazon and want to warn anyone thinking of getting it that there are a ton of reviews saying it's not compatible with Kindle.
Looks like you drastically reduce carbs two days per week and then eat a moderately reduced amount of carbs the other five days? I also saw something about separating carbs from protein for three hours. I think that was on the two "skinny" days. I tried this back in the 90s after Fit for Life came out and this didn't work for me, however my aunt and other people I know like eating like this.
I'm 48 and am having good luck with moderately reducing carbs 5-7 days per week. I'm focusing on protein and veggies/fiber to keep me full. (I didn't need to make any changes to fat cuz I already ate plenty.) I set my macros at 40 % carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein.0 -
Condescending? Right. I disagree but feel free to read whatever tone you care to into my post.
I was responding to the posters complaining that it is harder because of age ...I don't believe it is...feel free to convince me otherwise
As for the n=1 personal example. I feel, and look, 20 years younger by being fitter, stronger, and yes having a much lower body fat %. To be honest I thought the meaning was pretty clear from the context (now that one was slightly condescending I'll admit )
I'm 61. Age makes a difference. There are all sorts of factors that work against you or impede your efforts as you get older. Many will feel the difference in their 40s. Some won't. But trust me, by the time you're in your 60s, you won't think that age is just an excuse.
That's not to say that you can't lose weight as you get older, because you can. You may have to work at it a little harder than you did 10, 20 or 40 years ago, but once you find where your new caloric maintenance level is at and then eat at a moderate deficit, you will lose weight. And if you add exercise to the mix, particularly strength training with heavy weights on compound lifts, you will add strength and muscle mass, reversing some of aging's effects and giving your metabolism a slight boost, allowing you to eat more. Also, I just saw a new study last week showing that men increased their bone density through lifting heavy. Previous studies have shown that bone density loss can be slowed or halted through weight training, but I believe this is the first showing that bone density can be increased. Women were not included in the study but they believe that they will have the same results in a future study that they're planning.
Anyway, to the OP, don't let your age discourage you. You can get yourself in better shape than you are now. And depending on where you're coming from, you may be able to work yourself into better shape than you were in your 20s.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »I checked out Happy Hormones Slim Belly on Amazon.
Looks like you drastically reduce carbs two days per week and then eat a moderately reduced amount of carbs the other five days? I also saw something about separating carbs from protein for three hours. I think that was on the two "skinny" days.
You lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn—period. OP, rather than going on (and eventually off) a diet, make sustainable lifestyle changes. Start by learning to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.
All that matters is how much you eat—not carbs, not food combinations, and not when you eat.0 -
Age itself will not make losing weight more difficult; it's just that habits form and solidify over the years. I'm 44 and have lost the 50 pounds I wanted to since fall 2013.0
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I'm 53 and have lost 21 pounds in 4 months. I have been on a med for hypothyroidism for 20 years and have had 4 children. After 30 years of a very slow weight creep, I weighed 30 pounds more than I wanted and came to MFP after hearing about it. I have nothing to compare this to as I never made anything other serious attempt at losing those pounds, but logging and paying attention to CICO made sense to me.
So, it seems my age has had no effect. I stay in my calorie limits and lose a pound a week (more or less), just as the math said I would.0 -
Condescending? Right. I disagree but feel free to read whatever tone you care to into my post.
I was responding to the posters complaining that it is harder because of age ...I don't believe it is...feel free to convince me otherwise
As for the n=1 personal example. I feel, and look, 20 years younger by being fitter, stronger, and yes having a much lower body fat %. To be honest I thought the meaning was pretty clear from the context (now that one was slightly condescending I'll admit )
I'm 61. Age makes a difference. There are all sorts of factors that work against you or impede your efforts as you get older. Many will feel the difference in their 40s. Some won't. But trust me, by the time you're in your 60s, you won't think that age is just an excuse.
That's not to say that you can't lose weight as you get older, because you can. You may have to work at it a little harder than you did 10, 20 or 40 years ago, but once you find where your new caloric maintenance level is at and then eat at a moderate deficit, you will lose weight. And if you add exercise to the mix, particularly strength training with heavy weights on compound lifts, you will add strength and muscle mass, reversing some of aging's effects and giving your metabolism a slight boost, allowing you to eat more. Also, I just saw a new study last week showing that men increased their bone density through lifting heavy. Previous studies have shown that bone density loss can be slowed or halted through weight training, but I believe this is the first showing that bone density can be increased. Women were not included in the study but they believe that they will have the same results in a future study that they're planning.
Anyway, to the OP, don't let your age discourage you. You can get yourself in better shape than you are now. And depending on where you're coming from, you may be able to work yourself into better shape than you were in your 20s.
I like your post
I do agree with the bit in bold...our activity level and musculature does decline with age...I wonder if a lot of it is down to the very fact that we move less and exercise less...the exercise and resistance work we put in (is this the working harder bit?) counteracts the 100 calorie per decade decline in our TDEE
But as I've aged I've got even more stubborn: I have more time as my children have got a little older and can be left in the house for a couple of hours whilst I hit the gym, I have more disposable income, I'm a better cook and I'm better at committing to things and planning ...I also have more direct experience of the vagaries of aging through watching my parents (my father is in his mid 90s) and so more impetus to regain and preserve my health and fitness as long as possible
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I actually believe it's an excuse. I think for some it's harder to lose because they are less active and have less musculature
The answer is to move more and lift heavy as you eat to a calorie defecit
For others it's actually easier, once you get rid of the noise of the dieting industry and just have that to focus on ...calorie defecit and working on musculature.
<< lost 55lbs (and 20 years, and asthma meds) at 47
That might very well all be true, but for someone like my mom, who is in her 60s and never did much strength training, it is very difficult to just pick it up. She is not as flexible or limber as she was 30 years ago and she has knee trouble and already has osteoporosis. If she had started in her 40s it might be a different story. She still does a lot of cardio, but her doctor is satisfied as long as she doesn't gain weight, even though she is technically "overweight" right now.
Lifting or any kind of resistance work has only recently become part of the female fitness vocabulary apart from some outliers, to my knowledge, and I think that is a mighty shame. It has been a total relevation to me
I'm pretty sure there are resistance exercises that your mother can learn, from a good med team physio that can still help her ...but if she and her medics are happy with her general health then doing something different would be very much a personal choice
Yes, I don't think doctors are nearly aggressive enough conveying the "use it or lose it" message to the aging population. My future mother-in-law is walker and chair-bound due to having lost most of the muscle tone in her legs. There were ample opportunities for intervention when she was younger.
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I'm a 66 year old female and probably one of the saddest cases to begin a weightloss journey! I have Lupus and have taken prednisone for 25 years. The weigtht just kept creeping on and my doctors were discouraging about my ever losing it!
Two years ago, I broke my femur (thigh bone) and had emergency surgery. I weighed 264 lbs. Rehab was a nightmare. I couldn't walk for weeks. Two good things happened from this--I was determined somehow to lose the weight and I found the right tool for me--My Fitness Pal.
I started following the plan MFP set out for me (basically accurately record everything and CI<CO). So far I have lost 86 lbs. It's taken me a long time but so worth it. I've had to compensate slightly for the fact that I got no or little exercise many days.
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I'm a 66 year old female and probably one of the saddest cases to begin a weightloss journey! I have Lupus and have taken prednisone for 25 years. The weigtht just kept creeping on and my doctors were discouraging about my ever losing it!
Two years ago, I broke my femur (thigh bone) and had emergency surgery. I weighed 264 lbs. Rehab was a nightmare. I couldn't walk for weeks. Two good things happened from this--I was determined somehow to lose the weight and I found the right tool for me--My Fitness Pal.
I started following the plan MFP set out for me (basically accurately record everything and CI<CO). So far I have lost 86 lbs. It's taken me a long time but so worth it. I've had to compensate slightly for the fact that I got no or little exercise many days.
Ouch. Congrats on your weight loss and changes! 0 -
When I first got to MFP I read this thread:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
Following the guidelines in the first post I have lost weight.
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I am 55 and going through menopause and immediately started losing weight when I joined MFP and started weighing and logging all my food and watching calories. I have lost about a pound a week consistently. My age has not held me back from losing weight one bit.0
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