Losing weight over 40

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sineadski
sineadski Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hello,
I'm new here, but am doing weight training twice a week with a trainer followed by cardio and a long run (training for half marathon) but cannot shift ANY weight and am not seeing any results in terms of toning. My diet is pretty good, I track it daily on the app. Am I just doomed because of my age?
Any and all suggestions to kickstart this are welcome!
Need some encouragement / ideas to help.
Thanks
Sinead
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Replies

  • SkinnyGirlCarrie
    SkinnyGirlCarrie Posts: 259 Member
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    how long have you been tracking for? are you weighing everything? underestimating what you're eating and overestimating what you're burning for exercise are big culprits.

    otherwise, if it hasn't been too long give it some time. i've gone a couple weeks without losing anything and then it will fall off. plus if you're new to weight training your muscles can be holding onto water.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    It's nothing to do with your age!

    More likely either an inappropriate calorie goal or inaccurate logging - eating more than you think most likely.

    Your diary is private and you haven't revealed how long you have been trying to lose weight. You don't need a kickstart, you need to consistently do the right things.
  • jubinahdi
    jubinahdi Posts: 24 Member
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    Hi,

    Since you use Myfitnesspal, then I assume you control your intake calories (You have a target intake calorie at least and you eat less than or equal to your target). This might happen at any age.

    Being overweight for a major duration of our lives, the body will adopt its system with this extra weight. The problem with this adoption is that now you want your body to CHANGE. And change is always difficult! It takes time.
    However there is some solution to this situation:

    1- Calorie counting is not exact. It's normal to have a difference of 100-200 calorie between what we eat and what we log. Hence I suggest lower your calorie intake target at least 200 calories.

    2- Do Daily 20-30 exercise, preferably HIIT (Hight Intensity Interval Training) It's like jogging outdoors, mark the light posts, do two posts at a slow pace and one post as fast as you can. It's the most basic HIIT. It will burn fat and increase your metabolic rate.

    3- Drink as water as you can but at least 16 glasses of water. An average person needs eight glasses, but you're losing fat, increased metabolic rate requires the aqueous environment to perform, and that's where those eight extra glasses take effect.

    4- Sleep more! During the day you eat less, exercise and drink water but the actual fat burning process takes place when body is recovering for tomorrow... in your sleep!. You must increase your sleep time otherwise body won't lose weight as fast as you might expect.

    5- Review your expectations: I was above 110 kg for the whole last year and above 116kg for the past month. When I started to lose weight, I lost the first few kg very quickly and reduced to 111 pretty fast. Because that was my average last year weight. But I know to break 110 and move below that number I have to wait till my body accepts new standard.

    Regards,
    Jubin
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    or if you arent losing weight then its possible you are eating the same amount of calories you burn therefore maintaining your weight. you get that toned look by losing fat over the muscle. has nothing to do with how good your diet is. if you are eating more than you burn you gain,the same amount you maintain,and less than you burn and you will lose weight. I will be 42 in august and I lose weight,although slowly I still lose some. I weigh everything to be accurate because I know using measuring cups are incorrect most of the time, or eyeballing my portions for me is way off. I also know I can gain weight or not lose if I eat the same amount or too much of ANY food.you can overeat and gain weight whether you are vegetarian,vegan,paleo,etc. there is no such thing as toning,you can get a toned look but if you arent seeing results something is off, could be many factors
  • singletrackmtbr
    singletrackmtbr Posts: 644 Member
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    While it is obviously a more uphill battle after 40, no way are you doomed! I am 45 and dropped 15# and 6% BF in 3 months just working out and counting. I'm nothing special. If I can do it, so can you!
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,987 Member
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    I lost 40 lbs from 198 to 158 and reduced my BF% from 28 to 15% (measured hydro-statically) in 5 months when I was 62 doing a combined diet/cardio/weight lifting program.

    I started gaining weight back after 3 years at 65 and started the the same program again 5 weeks ago and have already lost 16 lbs from 196 to 180. Haven't measured my BF% recently but I'm pretty sure my BF% has already dropped as well.

    Went kinda crazy w/weight loss 3 years ago, so my goal now is only 175, which I expect to reach shortly. So, if I can do it at over 60, there's no reason you can't lose weight at 40. Good luck!
  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
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    It is all about calories in and out. I am 40 and can still lose:). If you eat at. 200 calorie deficit you will lose. Maybe on the scale maybe just inches or maybe both. Be careful with half marathon training. You are burning more calls that the average person. It is just as easy to eat too little and that dooms weight loss too. What is your calorie intake?
  • sineadski
    sineadski Posts: 2 Member
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    I guess to clarify, I have been working out on and off for many years - my body isn't reacting the same way it has in the past to doing the work in either weight or inches. So Yes, although 41 isn't old, my body is behaving differently.
    My calorie intake via my Fitnesspal is 99% below the daily goal and it consistently tells me, if you ate like this every day you'd be (20lbs) lighter in 4 weeks.
    Thanks for the suggestions / encouragement guys and gals!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    As you age your body really reacts the same way - just slower. It took me a year to add 80lbs to my bench press when I decided to get in shape - 30 years ago I could have done that in a few months.
    Recovery speed is markedly slower too. Yes your ultimate genetic potential will obviously reduce too but that's academic to most of us.

    But I still think you have your focus wrong if you are looking for your training to make a big impact on your weight. I'm currently cycling over 100 miles a week and have no difficulty at all in maintaining my weight.

    If you are comfortable opening your diary people may be able to make suggestions, your stats would help too.
    If not then suggest you start making adjustments to your calorie goal based on long term results not estimates.

    Best of luck.

  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
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    I assume you mean eatting 99% of your calorie goal. Keep in mind MFP is an estimate and does not work at those numbers for everyone. I will tell you I can not lose if I eat less than 1600 per day and lose best between 1600-1800 per day which is MORE than MFP allots me. Without an open diary or info on what you eat it is hard to see what may help. Just remember it is 70% diet. The wrong food types/wrong calorie intake will hinder results. Just modify things here and there. You will find the "sweet spot." Good Luck on your journey. Oh yes, and enjoy your half marathon.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
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    My weight doesn't seem to care about how old I am, it stays pretty stable. What I weigh now is about what I weighed at 22 when I worked out an hour a day and had someone feeding me three meals a day. It's gone up with pregnancy and down with stress but it stays in the same range as always.

    What I do notice now is recovery time is longer. If I get hurt, it takes so freakin' long to heal! Which means I am less aggressive with my workouts, which means that things take longer to accomplish. Though I do see progress, it's never quick. I am taking longer than a week on each week of couch-to-5k, for example, as I get back to running post-injury, but am increasing in aerobic capacity as I expect, just likely slower than someone younger. Are you sure you are working out with the same intensity as previously?

    You do need fewer calories as you get older, but that difference is small. Look to your output.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,007 Member
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    I started at 47 and I'm now 48. I've lost 55 pounds and I'm 5 pounds from my goal. You are not doomed because of your age. Are you weighing your food on a digital food scale? If not then it is pretty likely that you are eating more than you think.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    workout_junkee wrote: »
    I assume you mean eatting 99% of your calorie goal. Keep in mind MFP is an estimate and does not work at those numbers for everyone. I will tell you I can not lose if I eat less than 1600 per day and lose best between 1600-1800 per day which is MORE than MFP allots me. Without an open diary or info on what you eat it is hard to see what may help. Just remember it is 70% diet. The wrong food types/wrong calorie intake will hinder results. Just modify things here and there. You will find the "sweet spot." Good Luck on your journey. Oh yes, and enjoy your half marathon.

    there are no wrong food types. what hinders results is eating too much or eating the same amount you are burning,or over estimating your calorie burns and eating all of those back. its all about calories in vs calories out unless you have a health issue then certain foods may cause issues or slow your loss, but its still CICO.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    I bought into that myth about losing weight over 40 and consequently did not even seriously try until I was 60 and found this site. I went on to lose over 1/2 of my current body weight and have kept it off for over 2-1/2 years now. It isn't easy at any age, but I don't believe that age hindered my loss in the least. I did meet with my doctor about my plan and got his approval. I found that I need less calories than younger people, but lost consistently with 1200 calories. On maintenance, now, I eat around 1800/day. I never exercised until I had lost 100#. Remember that weight loss is mostly about eating less calories than you are burning. You can exercise all day, but if you are eating more calories than you are burning you will gain, not lose weight.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,714 Member
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    kathleennf wrote: »
    You are NOT doomed! Between MFP and weight training I have reproportioned my body and stabilized my weight right at my college weight, and all of that after age 45. My birthday present to myself for my 50th birthday was to do "men's" push-ups for the first time ever in my life. I am now 54 and working towards the goal of pull ups. (The exercise, not the diapers haha.) It's a slow process but keep at it! It's totally worth it!

    Haha! Love that! I reached my goal of regular push-ups last year (and still try to do a couple sets every night), but now my goal is pull-ups as well. I have a pull-up bar over my bathroom door so it's right there in my face every day.

    OP, it's probably a matter of eating more than you think. Is your diary open? I haven't checked yet.
  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
    edited June 2016
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    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    workout_junkee wrote: »
    I assume you mean eatting 99% of your calorie goal. Keep in mind MFP is an estimate and does not work at those numbers for everyone. I will tell you I can not lose if I eat less than 1600 per day and lose best between 1600-1800 per day which is MORE than MFP allots me. Without an open diary or info on what you eat it is hard to see what may help. Just remember it is 70% diet. The wrong food types/wrong calorie intake will hinder results. Just modify things here and there. You will find the "sweet spot." Good Luck on your journey. Oh yes, and enjoy your half marathon.

    there are no wrong food types. what hinders results is eating too much or eating the same amount you are burning,or over estimating your calorie burns and eating all of those back. its all about calories in vs calories out unless you have a health issue then certain foods may cause issues or slow your loss, but its still CICO.

    I agree there is no wrong food
    but eating clean gives better results faster than the same calories in pop and junk food (not insinuating this is how anyone eats). Clean eating and moderate exercise go a long way:).
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    edited June 2016
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    It's not age alone but lifestyle that changes as we get older. NEAT tends to downshift as we age. Driving more instead of walking, for example.
    I got pregnant at 42 (I'm 47 now) and post-preg weighed more than I ever had in my life. I've lost it all and then some. I weight train 4x week plus glute days & cardio is walking or hiking. When I got my Fitbit I started moving more. Not just planned exercise but walking places instead of driving, parking farther away from the store.
    Another thing is have your doctor check your thyroid if you really feel something isn't right.

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