Over 40 year old weight loss
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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'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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I'm 54. Lost 145 lbs of fat and added 20 lbs of muscle
It has been about 20 months.
I think you need to be very careful weighing everything. Digital scale and count cooking oil.
Do hard exercise. Not the so called fat burning low intensity stuff. If you can hit it hard... Hot it hard!
Lift weights. Compound lifts are good for you and increase bone density
I exercise hard for any age. Don't let being 40 slow you down.
This was my workout yesterday
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I'm 41 and I'm in the best shape of my life. Didn't start until I was almost 39. It's all about commitment.
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strong_curves wrote: »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.
Sigh...sometimes I wish reading this thread was part of the MFP signup requirements.
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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 started with MFP when I was 40 years and have lost 24.5 lbs. That is the most pounds and the easiest loss I have ever had in the 15 years I have been trying to lose weight. Some people say it is harder as we get older but that has not been my experience.
I just gave MFP my info, logged everything, stuck to my calorie goal and did some moderate exercise.
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When I was 40, I lost a good amount of weight through healthy eating (WW) some cardio. Now at 45, the weight came back and activity slowed down from December '14 - March '15, when I realized my gain. I started activity with doing heaving weights program (like heavy) StrongLifts and cardio.
Although I haven't lost weight as quickly, I am much stronger than before. I pretty much workout 5x a week (heavy weights M,W,F and cardio on T, Th, plus ride bike to and from work). This is the most active I've been ever so I'd like to believe that food portions are my downfall. I truly believe calories in vs. calories out. I just need to take my own advice. 0 -
strong_curves wrote: »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.
This is what you need to read. Speaking from experience. Hypothyroid and still losing weight. Yes and older.0 -
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 started with MFP when I was 40 years and have lost 24.5 lbs. That is the most pounds and the easiest loss I have ever had in the 15 years I have been trying to lose weight. Some people say it is harder as we get older but that has not been my experience.
I just gave MFP my info, logged everything, stuck to my calorie goal and did some moderate exercise.
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Hello...I'm44 yrs old and I am also having problems losing weight. I have read the posts on here and I think I will be increasing my daily exercise. I am only walking right now. 2 miles a day and still no results.0
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Hello...I'm44 yrs old and I am also having problems losing weight. I have read the posts on here and I think I will be increasing my daily exercise. I am only walking right now. 2 miles a day and still no results.strong_curves wrote: »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.
Read this
Then read http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p10
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