Free advice for the younger crowd
AriesGal329
Posts: 236 Member
The older you get the harder it is. You've probably heard that, but it's REALLY harder to lose weight once you get to be 50, especially if you're a woman past menopause. When I was in my 20's and 30's, even my 40's losing weight wasn't that hard as long as I kept to my calorie count and worked out a couple times a week. Now even when I do that I don't lose. So..I have to work out more often and cut the calories back even further. My advice is get the weight off now before you are middle aged because it's a b*tch.
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And middle age comes faster than you can imagine. The years slip by, and before you can turn around, you're wondering where the time went.11
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Carriehelene wrote: »And middle age comes faster than you can imagine. The years slip by, and before you can turn around, you're wondering where the time went.
Amen to that!0 -
This isn't so much the age factor itself, but the fact that often older folks do not upkeep muscle which then lowers the necessary calories needed to sustain the body.
So the moral of the story is use it or you lose it. Strength training is not only important in maintaining muscle while losing weight, but it's important as you age for reasons such as muscle retention, maintaining strength in the bones, etc.19 -
Thank you. Currently in my 30's and appreciate the motivation to not let the time slip by before doing something. Just wanted you to know your advice does not fall on deaf ears.7
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I'm 49, peri-menopausal, and have lost 80 lbs since April 2015 and hit goal.
Unless 50 is some sort of magic number, CICO works at any age.12 -
lauragreenbaum148 wrote: »The older you get the harder it is. You've probably heard that, but it's REALLY harder to lose weight once you get to be 50, especially if you're a woman past menopause. When I was in my 20's and 30's, even my 40's losing weight wasn't that hard as long as I kept to my calorie count and worked out a couple times a week. Now even when I do that I don't lose. So..I have to work out more often and cut the calories back even further. My advice is get the weight off now before you are middle aged because it's a b*tch.
It's because you're more sedentary and have lost muscle mass ...that is why TDEE diminishes by about 100 calories per decade ..you also have more disposable income so more likely to consume more calories ..good food and fine wine
It's easily resolved by progressive resistance to avoid muscle loss / build lost muscle and not becoming a couch potato
It is not harder to lose weight due to hormones if calorie intake is appropriate, it might be harder to stick with the defecit due to hormonal affects on appetite but it's still about adherence
You can lose the weight at any stage in life if you choose to ...IMHO it's always harder when it's "now" ..there's always some excuse about your life "right now"12 -
thank you for the advice. I am 44 and trying to get this weight off for the last time and keep it off. I tend to find, the older I get the harder it is to loose it.1
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I haven't found age to be a problem.
I lost a LOT of weight when I was 25. That was incredibly hard. I lost about half that much a year ago (when I was 52) and found it to be much easier. I think the differences are that my appetite is less now and that I have more time to focus on myself than I did then, and in general my life is less stressful now. Experience and increased patience also helped.3 -
I am 30...and wish I would of done this younger1
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I'm 49, peri-menopausal, and have lost 80 lbs since April 2015 and hit goal.
Unless 50 is some sort of magic number, CICO works at any age.
Congrats on your great success! A point-I did not say it doesn't work...I said it's harder. I was encouraging younger people to get the weight off now and try to keep it off.2 -
I can't eat as much volume like I used to, but it's still CICO. As mentioned, many people as they age become less active too. I've kept up activity, so I've not had to drastically reduce. If I didn't want to reduce, then I'd have to exercise more to help offset it.
Age shouldn't be much of a deterrence though.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Good thing I'm 23 then I guess...Lol1
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lauragreenbaum148 wrote: »The older you get the harder it is. You've probably heard that, but it's REALLY harder to lose weight once you get to be 50, especially if you're a woman past menopause. When I was in my 20's and 30's, even my 40's losing weight wasn't that hard as long as I kept to my calorie count and worked out a couple times a week. Now even when I do that I don't lose. So..I have to work out more often and cut the calories back even further. My advice is get the weight off now before you are middle aged because it's a b*tch.
This is a great post. I'd agree. The sooner you figure all this stuff out, the better. Learn to eat for a lifetime NOW.
And yes, it's a well researched FACT that menopause brings on insulin resistance in many women. Many otherwise healthy women, which can, of course, make it harder to keep the weight off and lose weight.5 -
lauragreenbaum148 wrote: »The older you get the harder it is. You've probably heard that, but it's REALLY harder to lose weight once you get to be 50, especially if you're a woman past menopause. When I was in my 20's and 30's, even my 40's losing weight wasn't that hard as long as I kept to my calorie count and worked out a couple times a week. Now even when I do that I don't lose. So..I have to work out more often and cut the calories back even further. My advice is get the weight off now before you are middle aged because it's a b*tch.
What do you feel stopped you from maintaining your weight in your 20's, 30's and 40's? What are you doing differently this time besides working out more and cutting more? Is the amount you have to lose about the same as in the past? Do you feel that you will be more likely to sustain your weight loss this time?
I'm 42 and have been losing and regaining since my mid 20's. It has actually seemed much easier to lose now that I am older. I think I am more balance, patient and have healthier goals.
When I was younger I didn't know how many calories I needed. I wasn't counting calories or doing sustainable things at all. I exercised to punish myself. I lost faster maybe because I did more extreme things but couldn't sustain them. I was impatient and frustrated a lot.4 -
There is a slowdown and I agree with your advice. I wish I had kept up my fitness through grad school and the first 8 years of my career. That said, we all can still lose weight and get very fit in our 40s, 50s, and beyond.1
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I agree that it is harder, but mainly because of the tendency to become more sedentary and lose muscle, as @Sued0nim stated. I started my program post-menopausal in February of this year. I found that the biggest thing that was holding me back was my lack of strength. I was pretty sedentary and constantly injuring myself when I tried to start exercising. I did PT-type exercises for about 5 weeks and THEN I was able to work the program as I should. I lost exactly one pound per week like clockwork. So I would say to the whippersnappers out there, don't stop moving when you get older!1
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thank you for the advice. I am 44 and trying to get this weight off for the last time and keep it off. I tend to find, the older I get the harder it is to loose it.
I'm 47, and have now lost just under/over 80 lbs (I fluctuate a pound or two every couple days)....it's hard work, and it takes patience and commitment, but it's very doable....I find the hardest part is just making my brain convince my *kitten* to move some days! That part is harder now than it was in my 20's and 30's!!0 -
I haven't found age to be a problem.
I lost a LOT of weight when I was 25. That was incredibly hard. I lost about half that much a year ago (when I was 52) and found it to be much easier. I think the differences are that my appetite is less now and that I have more time to focus on myself than I did then, and in general my life is less stressful now. Experience and increased patience also helped.
This, exactly...kids are all moved out, us mama's got more time to focus on ourselves, finally!3 -
CorneliusPhoton wrote: »I agree that it is harder, but mainly because of the tendency to become more sedentary and lose muscle, as @Sued0nim stated. I started my program post-menopausal in February of this year. I found that the biggest thing that was holding me back was my lack of strength. I was pretty sedentary and constantly injuring myself when I tried to start exercising. I did PT-type exercises for about 5 weeks and THEN I was able to work the program as I should. I lost exactly one pound per week like clockwork. So I would say to the whippersnappers out there, don't stop moving when you get older!
Thanks for having an open diary. I see you're doing some IF, and you're lower carb. Do you think either of those help?
I ask, because I am lower (not low) carb, and as menopause hit, I incorporated IF to help me maintain. (I've been in maintenance for 14 years, and hanging on to it by a thread with menopause lol). Does the lower carb, IF approach assist you, do you think? I think it does for me.
And YES! I love this comment! "Don't stop moving". I think the key is finding a way to move that you LIKE. And when/if you get bored, find another one. if you're lifting and get bored, find another weight bearing exercise.1 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »CorneliusPhoton wrote: »I agree that it is harder, but mainly because of the tendency to become more sedentary and lose muscle, as @Sued0nim stated. I started my program post-menopausal in February of this year. I found that the biggest thing that was holding me back was my lack of strength. I was pretty sedentary and constantly injuring myself when I tried to start exercising. I did PT-type exercises for about 5 weeks and THEN I was able to work the program as I should. I lost exactly one pound per week like clockwork. So I would say to the whippersnappers out there, don't stop moving when you get older!
Thanks for having an open diary. I see you're doing some IF, and you're lower carb. Do you think either of those help?
I ask, because I am lower (not low) carb, and as menopause hit, I incorporated IF to help me maintain. (I've been in maintenance for 14 years, and hanging on to it by a thread with menopause lol). Does the lower carb, IF approach assist you, do you think? I think it does for me.
And YES! I love this comment! "Don't stop moving". I think the key is finding a way to move that you LIKE. And when/if you get bored, find another one. if you're lifting and get bored, find another weight bearing exercise.
Congratulations on 14 years of successful maintenance! I think that both lower carb and IF have helped me hugely.
Lowering carbs helps me to fast without being hungry or weak and shaky. I can easily exercise in a fasted state (whereas I used to get weak and shaky if I even did it a few hours after breakfast). Lower carb (with adequate protein, fiber, and fat) helps me to get through my whole day without cravings.
Fasting helps me to maintain a deficit super easy. I am not fasting this morning, but on a typical day, I can eat two very nice ~700 calorie meals (as long as I get a little exercise in). For about a month, I was barely even logging anything, just fasting and watching my portions, and found that I could maintain my weight just by doing that (even with the occasional pig out). I could go on about fasting. How good and alert I feel... but one huge thing is that I believe I have recently experienced one of the touted health benefits. My blood pressure fell into the normal range, where it has never been for all of my adult life. It happened a couple of weeks after I started IF (and was just maintaining weight). I can't wait until I get my next lipid test to see if and by how much it has improved.
Regarding the open diary, why do so many people hide it, anyway? I have used the "pig out" entry in the database more than once
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I'm "only" 34 but I honestly find it so much easier now. I've accepted the basic science, I've accepted it's a lifetime thing. And i like myself a lot more than when I was 20 which is hugely helpful I think to long term success.
It's also easier because we have tools and technology that take all of the effort out of it. Trackers so we know how active we are, MFP so we can calculate calories without books, or packaging, or calculators. Online calculators to give us an idea of TDEE. Forums to help us when we hit a bump, find support, discover what we never knew about fitness.
I think the only thing that makes it harder is true if you're 20 or 80 and that's the psychology.3 -
I'm 49, peri-menopausal, and have lost 80 lbs since April 2015 and hit goal.
Unless 50 is some sort of magic number, CICO works at any age.
I agree. I'm 48 and lost 60 and recently moved to maintenance. It seemed easier for me this time because I didn't restrict anything but calories.1 -
I also think that having my kids out of the house has made it easier. I can focus more on what I need and actually take time for my activities.0
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CorneliusPhoton wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »CorneliusPhoton wrote: »I agree that it is harder, but mainly because of the tendency to become more sedentary and lose muscle, as @Sued0nim stated. I started my program post-menopausal in February of this year. I found that the biggest thing that was holding me back was my lack of strength. I was pretty sedentary and constantly injuring myself when I tried to start exercising. I did PT-type exercises for about 5 weeks and THEN I was able to work the program as I should. I lost exactly one pound per week like clockwork. So I would say to the whippersnappers out there, don't stop moving when you get older!
Thanks for having an open diary. I see you're doing some IF, and you're lower carb. Do you think either of those help?
I ask, because I am lower (not low) carb, and as menopause hit, I incorporated IF to help me maintain. (I've been in maintenance for 14 years, and hanging on to it by a thread with menopause lol). Does the lower carb, IF approach assist you, do you think? I think it does for me.
And YES! I love this comment! "Don't stop moving". I think the key is finding a way to move that you LIKE. And when/if you get bored, find another one. if you're lifting and get bored, find another weight bearing exercise.
Congratulations on 14 years of successful maintenance! I think that both lower carb and IF have helped me hugely.
Lowering carbs helps me to fast without being hungry or weak and shaky. I can easily exercise in a fasted state (whereas I used to get weak and shaky if I even did it a few hours after breakfast). Lower carb (with adequate protein, fiber, and fat) helps me to get through my whole day without cravings.
Fasting helps me to maintain a deficit super easy. I am not fasting this morning, but on a typical day, I can eat two very nice ~700 calorie meals (as long as I get a little exercise in). For about a month, I was barely even logging anything, just fasting and watching my portions, and found that I could maintain my weight just by doing that (even with the occasional pig out). I could go on about fasting. How good and alert I feel... but one huge thing is that I believe I have recently experienced one of the touted health benefits. My blood pressure fell into the normal range, where it has never been for all of my adult life. It happened a couple of weeks after I started IF (and was just maintaining weight). I can't wait until I get my next lipid test to see if and by how much it has improved.
Regarding the open diary, why do so many people hide it, anyway? I have used the "pig out" entry in the database more than once
I keep mine closed. Because I don't really use it. I got a lot of "what do you know, you don't even log" comments.
Thanks for the reply. I agree on both fronts!0 -
A bit about my story ...
I was slender and fit and very active most of my life. Then in my mid-40s my activity level dropped off for various reasons and I gained weight. For a little while, I figured that because I was in perimenopause, that was it. I would be "dumpy" for the rest of my life.
But I really missed doing the long distance cycling events I used to do.
And I didn't want to be old and dumpy.
So mid-Feb 2015 (47 going on 48) I joined MFP and put in a solid effort ... lost the weight ... dropped to what I used to be back in 2004 (and also my high school weight) by about mid-Nov 2015.
At the same time, increased my activity level and started cycling longer and longer distances. So far this year (my 48-49 year), I have cycled two 200K randonnees, a 300K randonnee, and a 400K randonnee. It feels SO good to be back again.
So it probably helped to be fit and active when I was a young adult and to maintain that up till my early 40s. But all is not lost, we can regain that again! The only difference between then and now that I'm noticing is that recovery after the events takes a little bit longer.
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I'm 42 and I haven't found the losing part to be any more difficult, but the end result is not what it was when I was younger. I mean, I only lost 30 pounds and I have loose skin?!? Not cool, body! Not cool!
Also, I spend way more time trying to avoid people's kids than actively seeking them out. I don't like to touch strangers. I don't like strangers to touch me. But I also know Americans have a slightly larger circle of "personal space" than a lot of other cultures, so I try not to follow my first instincts when someone gets too close.1 -
I remember people marveling at two things: my level of physical fitness and how much I ate.
That free ride ended about age 23, and the weight began it's slow creep upward.
After losing 110 pounds and reaching my weight goals at age 50, I decided to sharpen the saw.
By this December I will weigh what I weighed at age 22.
Back then I ate whatever whenever, and today every calorie must be accounted for. At day's end this is harder as we age, but I sure appreciate my results much, much more!
I'll never take health and fitness for granted again...
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I'm only 18 and after a few years of feeling terrible about myself, I realized what changes needed to be made. I actually started learning about calorie counting, water weight, and cardio/strength training around 14. Although I learned early on, I never made it a conscious day to day task until recently. Hopefully learning early will give me a leg up.
I even told my mom about how I wanted to lose weight, even though she doesn't push anything. My main reason besides self confidence is one day when I do have children and when I do turn 40 and the weight comes from nowhere, I can learn to maintain my weight from a healthy lifestyle.4 -
Get the weight off and improve your fitness when you are young, so you can enjoy the rest of your life and help prevent all the diseases, conditions, aches, and pain that obesity can bring. That is the reason to do it, not just because it might be harder to lose weight as you get older.5
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