weight loss and age

Selina_Kyle_60
Selina_Kyle_60 Posts: 41 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
do you think a persons age has an effect on how they lose weight? Im thinking it might have been easier when I was younger. I am 34 now but maybe it was that I was more disciplined back then. I cant remember exactly how things were years ago but I do remember I used to go running and I was covered in sweat. Now I use the elliptical because I have an ankle problem but the work out is not as intense. So those are all factors of course but does age also have something to do with it? My dad keeps telling me that the older you get the harder it is to lose weight. Is there any truth to that?

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    You burn fewer calories as you age, yes, but it's not that large of a difference from year to year.

    I'm the same age as you, and I lost 60 pounds in fifteen months. No problem. I logged my food accurately, I did a bit of exercise (mostly walking and lifting). Find that discipline you had before.
  • wrharvill
    wrharvill Posts: 60 Member
    I used the think that because I'm older, 48, and in surgically induced menopause that losing weight would be more difficult if not impossible; but, the reality of it is that as long as I have a calorie deficit I'm dropping weight at a good rate, around 1-2 pounds a week. I don't know yet if maintence will be more difficult when I get there because I'm older etc but *that's* the kind of "problem" I'm looking forward to. Good luck!
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    I'm 33 and lost 87 lbs easily (while weighing food and exercising)
  • Mystical64
    Mystical64 Posts: 108 Member
    Whatever you believe, your mind can overcome.....

    Your body maybe telling you no you can't, but your mind knows you can! Just believe in yourself.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited June 2016
    For me it was easier to lose in my 20's than now in my 40's, but when I started here in 2012 at 43 I knew I had to find something that worked for me and stop the yo yo dieting. Losing 20lbs in my 20s took around 3 months, in my 40's it took a year (I chose to lose at 0.5lb a week approx to avoid that being on a low cal diet feeling)

    MFP helped me become aware of how important calorie intake and fitness was and how both contribute to weight loss.

    Our metabolism slows down with each decade but we can improve on that by just becoming more active. Strength training really helps ramp up the metabolism imo.

    I am maintaining my goal weight range for 3+ years now yet I'm eating more than I did pre MFP when I was fat. The difference is I'm now really active.
  • afatpersonwholikesfood
    afatpersonwholikesfood Posts: 577 Member
    I'm 30 and have lost weight at the same rate I did at 19.
  • cmtristani
    cmtristani Posts: 117 Member
    I turned 50 a couple of months ago. If you average it out, I lost 3/4 of a pound every week for about 70 weeks, starting 17 months ago. I worked hard, but don't think it was any harder than trying to lose weight in my early 30's. My workouts now are just as intense. The only thing I have noticed that seems to be age related, it takes me more time to recover from an intense workout than it did before.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I did have a lot of trouble gaining weight when younger, it didn't really matter what I ate or did. But no it's not difficult to stay thin when older, or not yet anyway - not through the menopause yet so not sure what effect that will have.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,195 Member
    I'm finding it easier to lose in my late 40's than I did in my 20's. I think that it is partly because I always did restrictive diets back then and couldn't stick with it. Plus now that my kids are out of the house I have more time for exercise and I do better with my meal planning than I did when they were home. I guess in a way I am more focused on me and what I need to be healthy than I was when I was busy chauffeuring the kids around and eating concession stand food because we were so busy.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    No.
  • Zipp237
    Zipp237 Posts: 255 Member
    Weight loss gets harder as we age, especially for women, but you're not that old. Don't worry about whether or not it's harder, just keep going. Stick with it and you can do it!
  • carrieloveshk
    carrieloveshk Posts: 128 Member
    Maybe we try so many crash diets and crap? Our body doesn't respond as well maybe? I lost weight quickly and easily 10 years ago and I started thinking about it the other day. I was disappointed because lately it hasn't been an easy but I had completely dropped processed sugar and dairy from my diet before. I don't think I've been so disciplined lately so I'm trying to quit junk food and processed foods. Good luck!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    It was harder for me at 50 and going through perimenopause while losing weight. But at 34 it was pretty easy.
  • KetoTeacher
    KetoTeacher Posts: 163 Member
    edited June 2016
    wrharvill wrote: »
    I used the think that because I'm older, 48, and in surgically induced menopause that losing weight would be more difficult if not impossible; but, the reality of it is that as long as I have a calorie deficit I'm dropping weight at a good rate, around 1-2 pounds a week. I don't know yet if maintence will be more difficult when I get there because I'm older etc but *that's* the kind of "problem" I'm looking forward to. Good luck!

    This is my story, too. 48 in August, complete hysterectomy at 38, no current hormones, but have lost 21 lbs of 86 in 68 days. I hope maintenance is also doable :smile:

    I'm finding that I want it now.
  • southhamptonmike
    southhamptonmike Posts: 61 Member
    If a 70 year old man and his 18 year old grandson, both 200 lbs were stranded on a deserted island for 3 weeks with plenty of water buy very little food. What do you think their weight loss would be after they were rescued.
    I think it would be about the same for both which I believe would indicate that age has nothing to do with weight loss and only calories and activity. If the 18 year old loss more weight it might be due to the higher level of activity he was able to do. I'm just curious. What do you think?



  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,672 Member
    edited June 2016
    I didn't have any particular trouble losing 60+ pounds in less than a year, at age 59/60 (and I'm hypothyroid, besides). Some people seem to have trouble, some don't. Some think age (or menopausal status, or what-have-you) makes a difference, some don't. Probably they're all correct. ;)
  • catlynnl
    catlynnl Posts: 8 Member
    edited June 2016
    I think hormones might play a role. I'm not sure if they play a role in making you more hungry or not, though. But it was VERY easy to put on weight when I was pregnant... ;-)

    edit: And i feel that for most people, hormone levels in your 20s might be different than hormone levels in your 30s or 50s...
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    OP you're still a spring chooken :lol: I maintained my weight my whole life and never had to worry about what or how much i was eating. It's when I hit 40 that the weight slowly started to creep on. I was probably at my thinnest between the age of 30-35.
  • SarahPeters3
    SarahPeters3 Posts: 100 Member
    Zipp237 wrote: »
    Weight loss gets harder as we age, especially for women, but you're not that old. Don't worry about whether or not it's harder, just keep going. Stick with it and you can do it!

    Do you have anything to back this up because I'd love to read it! I don't think that's the case until you hit menopause our metabolisms don't really change either we just get less active as we age hence why we gain weight and think it's due to our metabolisms. Most people were much more active at 20 than they are now and don't realize that's why they need to eat less to lose weight.
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