Women over 40

aduck2016 wrote: »

Anyone other women over 40 feeling like overly reducing calories (1200-1400) just keeps you at a plateau? I used to be able to drop weight no problem, but in the last year or two it actually takes effort to drop or maintain. I've read a little about fat storing over 40 if calories are too low. Getting older is so frustrating!

I'll be 50 later this year and when I am accurate with my food intake and exercise burns, I lose as scheduled. I eat way more than 1400 calories.

Overly reducing calories isn't why you'd plateau. You may have read a misguided article about starvation mode. See this http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

I maintain on anywhere from 2000 to 2600 depends on activity aka time of year.

I'm in my mid-40s. MFP currently recommends mid-1600s for me to lose 1 pound a week (more if I exercise and don't eat back all those calories), and so for that has held true. So that's what I'll stick with. No need to go lower before I have to!

I turned 40 this year and starting from when I was 38, it seems that what used to work no longer does. The weight has slowly crept up on me. What I've noticed is that I'm naturally less hungry (drop in metabolism I suspect), and when I do calculate my caloric intake I find that it's typically less than my daily requirement. I haven't tried logging consistently, though, because I'm sure it will require me to eat more on days when I exercise. I might try it, but right now, although I am heavier, I am alert, active, and happy. And I simply cannot see myself forcing food down my throat to test the waters in attaining a "more attractive figure". But there is also the increase in back/hip pain I am experiencing with the extra weight. So, I'm on the sidelines of whether I want to at least give it a go and log consistently for 3 months or just let my body do what it does naturally.

Oddly enough, I never lost when I was in my 30's. I'm 41 now and have lost steadily since starting mfp in January. Granted, only when I was logging correctly. When I got sloppy with logging, I gained. Weigh everything.

One other thing to consider is muscle mass loss. I've read we women lose a percentage (small) every year past age 30 (honmones--less testosterone). If you're not actively building lean body mass, you're losing it. Less LBM means fewer calories needed to sustain you. That could be one of the reasons women 40+ can find it harder to lose weight.

Psychgrrl wrote: »

One other thing to consider is muscle mass loss. I've read we women lose a percentage (small) every year past age 30 (honmones--less testosterone). If you're not actively building lean body mass, you're losing it. Less LBM means fewer calories needed to sustain you. That could be one of the reasons women 40+ can find it harder to lose weight.

Ya, muscle mass loss is small per year, but adds up.

Aging Well Through Exercise

Is physical frailty inevitable as we grow older? That question preoccupies scientists and the middle-aged, particularly when they become the same people. Until recently, the evidence was disheartening. A large number of studies in the past few years showed that after age 40, people typically lose 8 percent or more of their muscle mass each decade, a process that accelerates significantly after age 70. Less muscle mass generally means less strength, mobility and among the elderly, independence. It also has been linked with premature mortality.

But a growing body of newer science suggests that such decline may not be inexorable. Exercise, the thinking goes, and you might be able to rewrite the future for your muscles.

Read more: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/aging-well-through-exercise/

44 here. I eat about 18,000 calories per week to maintain. 5'4" and 142 pounds. But I am very active and I began lifting weights in my 20's. I'm very glad I never worried about bulking or gaining too much muscle like some women do.

I am,47 and I have battled with weight my whole life. My whole career I've worked long hours and no,physical activity. I love food and I love to cook the "bad for you food". I have tried the,crash diets they have worked but I would always gain it all,back plus some. I went to a weight doctor and,that has really helped she gave me pills which speed up,my metabolism and help with the cravings. So far I'm twenty three pounds down but still have twenty five more to go. Since I have turned forty I've noticed my body has really changed and I have a difficult time losing weight. The doctor told me my weight loss was great but now I need to start incorporating strength training and cardio into my journey so I would not lose anymore lean,muscle mass. I have started my exercise routine I hope this works. I like logging my food it helps me so much. Sometimes I have good days and sometimes bad. I don't eat as often as I should then when I do I eat to much even though it's healthy food. So happy to have my fitness pal and,happy and feeling much better since I've gotten the weight off that I have. It got to the point where it hurt being over weight. I had no energy. Glad to be here.

queenliz99 wrote: »

I'm 56 and am now at goal weight. I had no trouble losing but I got accurate with calorie counting. Eyeballing was my nemesis.

+1

My serving sizes were at least half again if not double what a normal serving size is meant to be. Using the food scale that has been sitting on my counter for years was eye-opening.