40 year old women and older who has lost 40 or more lbs - HOW THE HECK DID YOU DO IT???

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Replies

  • Shurmenator
    Shurmenator Posts: 23 Member

    I'm still coming back daily b/c you folks are so dang motivating. Whether you've made your goal, still working on it or just started all of your stories really relate with me and reconfirm that ... I CAN DO IT!!!!
  • luvwords1996
    luvwords1996 Posts: 90 Member
    This thread is so encouraging! Great job, everyone!
  • amos481
    amos481 Posts: 92 Member
    Good job ladies!!
  • jbmom91
    jbmom91 Posts: 6 Member
    I love these stories.
  • Jesea
    Jesea Posts: 376 Member
    I'm 44, have lost 50+ pounds since January 2012, although this year has been more about maintenance than I'd like, I still want to lose 15 more. I've played around with a variety of plans since starting, but what has really worked for me is keeping calories low (around 1200, I'm short) and working out 4-5 times a week. I found that I feel much better when I skip gluten, although I've never had an official diagnosis. I went from wearing a size 16 (almost 18) to a 6, from XL/XXL shirts to S/M.

    The most important thing for me has been MFP and my supportive friends. When I see them posting workouts, it reminds me that I need to get mine done. They are there when I'm doing well and there when I want to eat all the cookies. They are my inspiration!
  • Wow! Bump. This is fabulous
  • agbmom556
    agbmom556 Posts: 694 Member
    bump....bump :D
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    I'm still coming back daily b/c you folks are so dang motivating. Whether you've made your goal, still working on it or just started all of your stories really relate with me and reconfirm that ... I CAN DO IT!!!!
    I second this! I am so happy that my MFP family was generous enough to share their testimonies and victories!!!! I swear a burst of motivation and hope exudes every time I read a post in this thread.
  • _nicole_jane
    _nicole_jane Posts: 17 Member
    Thank you all for sharing. I'm 45 and 237 pounds. I've been a member of MFP for a while, but have never committed to it consistently. Your stories and advice are so inspiring that I'm making my shopping list now and am ready to do this! Thanks, again!
  • vicky1947mfp
    vicky1947mfp Posts: 1,518 Member
    NH_1970 wrote: »
    I had a health issue happen, where it was either lose weight or go on medication. I chose lose weight.

    So learning what worked and what I am supposed to be doing for calories on MFP helped me, tracking helps me when I do it, but I've been tracking long enough now to learn about how much I should be eating or not eating.

    I drink a lot of water - avoid colas any kind of colas unless I have a headache and then the doc said tylenol and a coke (ick) and that solves it, and stay hydrated, avoid salts, sugars and processed foods as much as possible. Do I still have them? sometimes but not like when I was gaining weight.

    I eat now when I am hungry or I start to feel on edge because sometimes my stomach doesn't send the pangs out or the empty feeling out but what does is my mood/feeling which isn't originating in my stomach. When I feel edgy it's either too much sugar, so I check and see if I've had too much sugar, if not am I hydrated enough? if I am then I check and see if I'm menstrual or premenstrual if I am I take that into account, eat just a couple of tablespoons of protein food with a veg, wait and see if it's really hunger and my mood has changed or if it's pms/menses. If it's hunger what happens is my stomach will actually then I dunno wake up and be like okay that's what it is and my mood is mildly satiated until I prepare a balanced meal.
    If it's hunger than I eat something balanced and a full meal until I feel comfortable, I don't over eat or binge. I don't get that feeling of dis ease within my body or from being too full anymore.

    I also prayed for help because I couldn't stop over eating especially when I was emotional, on my own. I posted "Is it about the void? Fill it with something else" on my fridge. I started to recognize when I was mindlessly eating, or if I was eating because something in my brain was bothering me like being angry at someone, being uncomfortable with what someone had told me, or acted towards me, I started paying attention to what was going into my body.

    I got active - I walk, I lift mild free weights, I sometimes belly dance or do yoga or dance, I sometimes do tai chi or cardio workouts.

    I eat a lot less, I realized it's okay to eat a lot less, because before I was slowly killing myself with food and my body reacted by giving me a major health signal. Which was confirmed by doctors.

    I write notes to myself weekly or when I have time but especially weekly in the beginning about "Why I want to lose weight?" and was honest since no one but me was going to see them anyways.

    I read on here about setting mini goals instead of one big one, so I do those on my weight loss ticker and when I hit one I am so darn proud of myself. Reaching a goal also releases good chemicals in the brain, and who can't use good chemicals?

    I continue to ask for help from the deity I pray to. I also bless my food that it may be of the highest vibration to me, and recognize where it came from. The earth grew it or sustained it at one point, I thank the earth, I thank the plant or animal that gave it to me. I moved spirituality into my eating.

    Oh but I also got educated about carbs/proteins/fats like I'm sure anyone who has tried to lose weight or gain health in the past has done, so I had to 'learn' how to eat healthy, and not just crap.

    Oh and I'm not in a rush, I'm just consistently losing.

    44 and 40 lbs lost so far.

    Great post.
  • 2manyhats
    2manyhats Posts: 1,190 Member
    Love these successes! You ALL rock!
  • DorisSilver50
    DorisSilver50 Posts: 98 Member
    I am 50 years old and in January 2015 my husband and I went on vacation with me weighing in at 171# (5'4"); after seeing pics of myself I was shocked at the rolls around my middle. Clothes were tight at size 10 but I refused to buy anything bigger. I was down to only 5 pairs of pants that I could wear to work! I have been a yo-yo dieter my entire life. Weight was a critical factor in my poor self-image. I remember weighing 95# in third grade, 122# in 5th grade, up to 165# in 8th grade. In January I weighed more then I ever had (not pregnant). Between 1991-1999 I had 5 children and went down a size (due to stress in the marriage) with each child until the last when I put on 52# during the pregnancy (different marriage). I lost all of that when I took a stressful job as Administrator of a Nursing Home (and smoking 1/2 pack a day). I left that job (and smoking) and ballooned up to the 171#. I have arthritis (from many injuries over the years...total klutz) in my hips, knees and neck. Walking after sitting was painful and I had to decide whether I wanted to continue on that path and likely need a wheelchair by 60 or do something about it...I chose to do something about it and have not looked back since!

    I currently weigh 131.5# and allow myself to fluctuate between 130-135#. Wearing size 4. I did Nutrisystem for 5 months and working out daily until reaching goal then switched to MFP while still working out daily. I had a bad fracture of my wrist July 4 (I did mention I was a total klutz...right? lol) which resulted in surgery a week later, off work for 7 weeks (no working out during any of this) but I managed to maintain my weight. I am still not completely back to working out regularly but my dietary habits have become a way of life. I don't prohibit myself from eating/drinking anything, just do so with an eye towards total caloric intake. Never thought I could lose weight so quickly and keep it off despite having a "real life":) I am in awe of the folks I have met on MFP and you all inspire me every day!
  • vicky1947mfp
    vicky1947mfp Posts: 1,518 Member
    I am 50 years old and in January 2015 my husband and I went on vacation with me weighing in at 171# (5'4"); after seeing pics of myself I was shocked at the rolls around my middle. Clothes were tight at size 10 but I refused to buy anything bigger. I was down to only 5 pairs of pants that I could wear to work! I have been a yo-yo dieter my entire life. Weight was a critical factor in my poor self-image. I remember weighing 95# in third grade, 122# in 5th grade, up to 165# in 8th grade. In January I weighed more then I ever had (not pregnant). Between 1991-1999 I had 5 children and went down a size (due to stress in the marriage) with each child until the last when I put on 52# during the pregnancy (different marriage). I lost all of that when I took a stressful job as Administrator of a Nursing Home (and smoking 1/2 pack a day). I left that job (and smoking) and ballooned up to the 171#. I have arthritis (from many injuries over the years...total klutz) in my hips, knees and neck. Walking after sitting was painful and I had to decide whether I wanted to continue on that path and likely need a wheelchair by 60 or do something about it...I chose to do something about it and have not looked back since!

    I currently weigh 131.5# and allow myself to fluctuate between 130-135#. Wearing size 4. I did Nutrisystem for 5 months and working out daily until reaching goal then switched to MFP while still working out daily. I had a bad fracture of my wrist July 4 (I did mention I was a total klutz...right? lol) which resulted in surgery a week later, off work for 7 weeks (no working out during any of this) but I managed to maintain my weight. I am still not completely back to working out regularly but my dietary habits have become a way of life. I don't prohibit myself from eating/drinking anything, just do so with an eye towards total caloric intake. Never thought I could lose weight so quickly and keep it off despite having a "real life":) I am in awe of the folks I have met on MFP and you all inspire me every day!

    Congrats. Love your story and your success.
  • odirish
    odirish Posts: 73 Member

    mvogtle wrote: »
    Hey! I am 50 yrs old and have been doing MFP for a long time with no results. When I keep it at the limit of 1200 calories I never lose any weight! I have started a great program called Isagenix which helped me drop 15 last year, but broke my foot and gained it back. I am starting fresh tomorrow and need to lose 60 or more lbs!! I am going to continue with my Fitness pal at 1200 calories.. Hopefully I can lose!!

  • odirish
    odirish Posts: 73 Member
    You need to raise your calories if you are not losing anything. Try 1500. Or there is also another site that you can incorporate with MFP. It's called IIFYM.com Once you fill out the calculator, it will give you your macros. Go back to goals in MFP and edit them to reflect these new numbers. I use 35% Carbs, 35% fats and 30% Protein. I have talked to 2 different personal trainers and this is what they use. You can eat what you want (but try to make decent choices) just stay with those macros. I have just started doing this also.
  • vicky1947mfp
    vicky1947mfp Posts: 1,518 Member
    amflautist wrote: »
    I'm 74 and I've lost 65 pounds in the past 4 years. I did it because I wanted to be healthy. I was lucky to have a small group of mfp friends - all dedicated and all rigorous about logging and walking every day. Open diaries count! Exercise works! I lost 50# in the first year. I'm still working on the last 10#. I will get there!

    One of my favorite mfp friends during the journey is 15 years older than I am! Anyone of any age can do this. It's your attitude that counts, not your age.

    Love your story.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    I am 44, and have lost 38 pounds. 2 shy of what you asked for, but that was all I had to lose. I am now at a BMI of 21, and weigh ~131 lbs at 5'7.

    I did it through calorie counting (with a food scale), making food choices that allowed me to not be hungry (so looking at the calories in food and choosing foods that would fill me without high calories), and listening to all the so called 'meanies' here. I learned a lot from them.

    I've now been in maintenance for 7 months, and that is it's own adventure :D
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    Every time I come in this thread I am blown away. I really thank you all for sharing your story. It means so much toe and apparently other posters that are reading your story. They always say that your story, isn't just "your story" it's ither people's story and it helps free them!!!!
  • rockstar53
    rockstar53 Posts: 215 Member
    Bookmarked this thread. It keeps me going! Thank you to everyone who have posted their stories!!
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    njtm wrote: »
    Thank you all for sharing. I'm 45 and 237 pounds. I've been a member of MFP for a while, but have never committed to it consistently. Your stories and advice are so inspiring that I'm making my shopping list now and am ready to do this! Thanks, again!

    How awesome!!!! We can do it!
  • vicky1947mfp
    vicky1947mfp Posts: 1,518 Member
    Batlady49 wrote: »
    I am the oldest of the group! I am almost 67 and I have lost 78 Pounds. I am still working on my last 50. Then it will have lost 128 pounds. I am going to complete this!

    Not quite the oldest. I am 68 and have lost 40 lbs and started an excercise program all after 65. I walk so fast now I start jogging for about 10 min intervals and have never been "athletic " in my life.

    Feel so much healthier now.
  • zichab
    zichab Posts: 1,493 Member
    I'm going to be 63 in December and I have lost 101 pounds in the last 2 years. Calorie counting, walking, and weights were all that I did, but I did buy a Garmin Vivofit and I log into that every day as well as MFP!

    I am a foodie, so looking up new recipes and then changing some ingredients to get the calories down is how I focused on the days the scale refused to budge! Lord I HATE plateaus!!!!! :laugh: I decided that I needed to focus on food because trying to not eat it got my weight up to 235 pounds! :noway: Oddly, when I made friends with food, the pounds started to come off.

    Being older is not a problem for weight loss in and of itself. I really learned that the 40, 50 & 60 year old me cannot have a sedentary job and eat like the 20 & 30 year old me could. I love the job, so I needed to get healthier. I cannot tell you how many aches and pains that I thought were part of "aging" were really part of carrying around 100 pounds of stuff! My knees, back and feet love to work out now and cause me no discomfort at all! Who knew???? :blush:

    Anyone can do this-it just takes dedication, patience and following a few simple rules, CICO, exercise for cardio vascular health, life weights for functional fitness and do not sweat the small stuff. At 63, I may not have the time left to do anything that is too complicated! I gain a few lose a few all the time-I think they call it maintenance? :smile:



  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    Hi, everyone! 66 here (this month) and I've lost 50 pounds over the last 1 1/2+ years. Age is no excuse -- it's totally doable. It takes time, patience, calories in / calories out, and making the decision to do it, no matter what. You have to wrap your head around the idea that your food and exercise are important in maintaining your health in every decade of life. For some of us (me) that means calorie counting forever along with staying active. There's just no other way. Balancing both keeps you healthy, wealthy, and wise.
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