Anyone over 55 and having a hard time?

lorrpb · September 2016

I will repeat this post I just made about 2 messages above this one:
Losing when older IS different. With age we have more maturity and the experience of setting a plan and sticking to it! We have the motivation of health, family, and a longer life, not just a bikini. Lots of older women here have lost tons of weight (literally!). Age is just a number, so don't let anyone convince you differently, especially yourself.

I'm 61. I started shortly after my 59th birthday and losing a dear friend to CHF. I believe at this point in life we have the experience, maturity, and motivation to stick to our commitments. For most of us, it's about far more than looking good in a bikini. It doesn't matter whether its "harder" to lose weight at this age. Menopause doesn't matter. Working, not working, having family, having medical issues, etc. doesn't "matter" for this journey

What matters is that you decide what you want, make a plan, set some good habits, and follow them day in and day out. Don't sit around waiting to "feel motivated." Just act on your plan and follow your new habits, the same way you brush your teeth and take a shower.

I don't think about whether I "feel motivated" before I fix my meal, go on a walk, or go to fitness class. I do it because that is my plan and my decision. I don't want to go back to where I was--I felt awful physically and mentally--and that's enough to keep me on track. It's not easy, but it can be done. I've done it and after 27 months I am only a few pounds from my goal.

My view is that it's not necessarily harder at "our age". If it's a little harder physically, it can be easier mentally. Maybe we are more committed because "doing it for health" means a lot more. We have the life experience to stick with our goals and commitments. What "other people" think doesn't affect us as much. The mental aspect of weight loss is the hard part, and we have lots of skills in that area. Younger women frequently ask me what I've done & how I stay motivated. So it's not like they have it figured out and it's a breeze. Sometimes I feel bad that I'm not faster or stronger in classes, then I have to remind myself that at age 61 I'm often the oldest there and I've made immense progress in 2+ years. In the end, it's my own progress that matters.

Mentally it can be easier to lose as we get older because we've lived with the weight longer, want to get rid of it more badly, know how to commit to a goal, are more aware of the health concerns, and just have more internal motivation. Forget all the chatter about whether or not it's harder. At my small fitness studio, I've earned a lot of respect from many younger people who've been bouncing up and down the same 10 pounds while I've dropped 147.

I'd encourage you not to use age as an excuse. At this point in life we have the experience & maturity to overcome obstacles and reach our goals. Lots of women have done it!

workinonit1956 · September 2016

Amazing post ^^^ thank you.

AnnPT77 · September 2016

Wickglamgirl wrote: »

Hi All - re the subject - I am over 55 and I'm having such a hard time sticking to this - I've only lost 5 lbs in the last month and a bit. I am having such difficulty in losing entirely! - I know that it is possible and can be harder as one ages - BUT- I need some suggestions - anyone?

Set a weight loss goal that you can stick to for the long haul. A slow weight loss plan (like 0.5 pound per week) that you can actually stick to, is better than a super-aggressive plan (like 2 pounds per week) that is painful, causes "slips" by its very nature, and that you simply can't do consistently for the majority of days over a long period of time.

Weight loss should be a time to learn how to eat in a healthier way permanently, so you not only lose the weight, but know exactly how to keep it off, and enjoy life at the same time. Don't do anything while losing weight (other than a manageable calorie deficit) that you aren't willing to keep doing forever.

Just start logging your food, accurately, no matter what you eat, even if it's more than you intended to eat. Don't lie to yourself. Every few days, review your food diary. Which things "cost" more calories than they were worth, in terms of how nutritious, filling or delicious they were? Reduce or eliminate those things, substituting other foods you actually like that better meet your goals. Rinse and repeat - before you know it, you will have made sustainable, satisfying changes in your way of eating.

Don't be afraid to experiment with the timing & composition of your eating, within a healthy range, to figure out what works best for you (what's most satisfying and do-able).

Some people find protein filling, some need more fat to feel full, others do better with plenty of high-volume/low-calorie food (like fibrous veggies).

Some people need a big breakfast, others skip breakfast altogether. People succeed eating anything from 5 small meals daily, to one single big one, and everything in between. Some save calories with a small breakfast/lunch to have a big dinner or evening snacking; some eat their calories more evenly through the day.

Try variations in what & when you eat - see what works for you.

elisa123gal wrote: »

Something I've observed in myself.. is now that I'm older.. i feel at times like I'm just too tired to find the willpower and drive I used to have. it isn't like my body is broken.. i've just done the weight loss thing so many times before..it is sort of old hat. I think many people over 40 blame their age and don't really admit they move less..watch t.v. more..and are happy in their own skin as they get older.

So, in short, so i don't have vanity driving me like I did when i was single and younger. However.. I'm trying to tap into that one last time -- as i really work to get the weight off for good.

Yes to the bolded. The first and biggest thing is that we have to decide we are going to do this.

After that, it's pretty much what @lorrpb said above - just commit, and use those decades of self-knowledge.

And it's so worth it: At age 60, I'm 63 pounds down, at a weight I haven't seen since college. My formerly very high cholesterol & triglycerides are now solidly in the normal range. My pre-hypertensive blood pressure is now on the lower side of normal. (If you care, the actual numbers are on my MFP profile page.)

My bad knees (torn meniscus, arthritis) have gone from always uncomfortable/sometimes really painful, to occasionally uncomfortable. Where I used to lumber, I now darned near scamper. And in some really unspecific way, my overall sense of physical well-being has very noticeably improved . . . maybe it's the reduced inflammation - I really don't know.

You can do this.

lorrpb · September 2016

Listen to @AnnPT77. ^^^

Whitbygramgirl · September 2016

@AnnPT77 and @Lorrpb - thanks so much - wonderful, insightful and just what I needed!

Anyone over 55 and having a hard time?

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