I finally gave up yesterday
stit60
Posts: 27 Member
After 7 days of strictly logging 1000-1200 calories, exercising and not an ounce or inch lost, I decided yesterday to ignore logging in calories and just eat. I didn't eat junk. I just ate and enjoyed without being tethered to the calorie counter log which has just enslaved me, not helped me. My body just doesn't want to give up the extra weight. Even though I have a little menopausal pooch, the truth is, it looks like it's here to stay. Some will say, "well, you had too few calories" or say, "maybe you weren't honest about your calories" (trust me when I say I logged EVERY morsel that crossed my lips). I even had some young, in shape girl on here write to me and try to help me. Trust me honey, there's nothing you can do. Once you hit a certain age, old mother nature takes over and won't let you have the body you once had, no matter how hard you work at it. Others will say, you didn't exercise hard enough. It's science folks. Calories in vs. calories out... should work right??? For whatever reason, that rule just doesn't apply to me. I guess I'm just not in my 40's anymore and need to accept that. 
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I feel your pain. It's rough when you're doing everything "right" but not seeing any progress. I have to work out every single day to see progress as well as eating right. I have to work out double hard on my period to just maintain...ugh.
That being said, since you are in your 40s and seeing this kind of resistance, have you spoken to your doctor or a registered and certified nutritionist? I hope you can find something that works!0 -
Don't give up!
Continue to eat clean and exercise to feel good. If you need to eat more calories so be it. Do you have a thyroid that is perhaps under active? Not being able to lose weight despite the effort is one of the signs that something is going wrong with the thyroid.1 -
What are your numbers? Goal weight? Current weight? Age? I'm 52 but last summer had the best body I ever had. I was skinny fat when I was younger, last summer I had muscle. The biggest difference is how hard I have to work at it, and I mean WORK but that's because I'm more sedentary now, less to do with metabolism. If i could pick my last summer body at 52 or my body at 21, I'd chose summer by a long shot. I injured myself and gained 10. Trying to work it off now and it is hard!! Don't give up!!!1
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You are fighting hormones ( or lack there of them). I would see a dr.2
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Diet break time, I think. You sound frustrated and deprived, and that's not good for long-term adherence. I agree that it's tougher for 40+ people to lose weight, but it isn't impossible. (My mom is fifty and doing great!) Find something easy that you love to do for exercise--sometimes all it takes is a little push. Conversely, make it easier for yourself. Buy a FitDesk and exercise while you channel surf or work. Get a smoothie machine so that breakfast is ready in the morning. Good luck!1
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I stopped counting and logging calories and eat high nutrition. You can call it a form of self guilt but somedays it just takes to much time to log everything. We all know what isn't working. I am still trying to figure out the nutrition value of a English muffin, There are many things that aren't bad in calories but don't really have any nutrition. I also gave the ax to ice cream which I don't miss very much and cut what us in the Midwest call seconds. Because the first was so good. Things are moving and I am happy.1
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I'm 55 and find it very difficult to stay fit. I can do it, it simply takes much more effort. We have a boat and I'm in a bathing suit much of the summer so I have incentive to keep at it. For me that means gym at least 4 days a week and a major cut back on wine intake. That helps keep my muffin top from becoming a bundt top.5
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It's very hard. If you didn't control yourself, you know it would be bad for you.0
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I'm older than all of you - I am 70, but I'm doing ok. I'm not trying to be the size I was when I was younger (I'd look a lot older if I tried!). My main goal is to be a healthy BMI weight which for me is around 140-145 lbs (I'm 5'5"), I've lost 5 lbs in the last 5 weeks, not evenly, a couple of weeks I didn't lose anything. I've got another 3-5lbs to lose, I'll gauge the exact figure when I see how I look. Maybe you have an unrealistic goal, because as one gets older muscle declines even if you work very hard and therefore it becomes more difficult to lose weight as you have to eat even less. It also sometimes helps to stop dieting as it can speed up the metabolism bizarrely. There is nothing easy about losing weight and I have to admit that I am often a bit hungry...5
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I am finally having some vety slow progress. I started using Vega all-in-ome as a morning and afternoon snack to help keep my carbs dow, protein up and ensure my nutrition is good. I think my body was hanging on to fat because of some nutrient deficits. That said, I am working out Hard and watching my food carefully but losing extremely slowly ... I will be 48 this month.3
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How about your water intake?? Just heard from a friend of mine that it's really helped.0
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I am in my late 50s and having similar results, although eating 1500-1800 calories/day. What I've realized is that no matter what the scale says, I feel better when I am eating clean and getting some exercise. No - I will never have the body I had in my teens, 20s, 30s or even 40s, but that's okay. For me, tracking food has increased my awareness of what I'm putting in my mouth. At times it helps me make better choices (sometimes, not so much). You are the only one that knows what drives you. Be kind to yourself and enjoy the journey. You've got this!!!2
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Can 1 meal really do this? I know not but I just need to vent. I needed a quick meal and had some burgers in the freezer so I heated them and picked up some onion rings to go with them. I wanted to test out if you could heat these rings on a cookie cooling rack and make them crisp like in one of those air fryers. So I am up a pound this morning. I am guessing water. I know on no level are onion rings good for you. Why does the TV keep making us think that we need these non nutrition foods. I know these are small step backs and I will recover. It really shows up when you are eating clean. My insides don't feel really good this morning so I will not be repeating this meal. Back to eating clean.
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I need to find a workout buddy. I also have a question for you all. What coookbook do you cook out of. I get really bored cooking every night. When I look at some of the e-mails I get they all want to sell you shakes. How many of us are drinking our meals? I think I need to check Jillian's meal plan again0
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Hey - don't give up. For whatever reason, I have to stick with it all a god 6 weeks solid - then all the sudden I will start dropping weight. Make sure to take your measurements once a week too as well as weight. Also - some people won't lose weight if they aren't getting enough sleep and water. (bio-chemically, you have to have enough water for your body for the chemical process to burn fat.) One last thing. Get your thyroid checked. And by a holistic healthcare practitioner, not a Western DR. A regular DR will let you suffer saying 'its not bad enough.' A holistic Dr. is interested in how you feel and keeping your T3/T4 and an optimum level. Stick in there - drink lots of water. Maybe try a basic detox tea as well. Good luck and let me know how you do.1
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@lynnbaum Onion rings? That's salt weight and it will come off in two days. You're better off making your own--they're tastier and less caloric that way. I don't cook out of cookbooks; I create my own recipes based on my own basic cooking knowledge and whatever's in the pantry. It forces me to use what I have. When I get a winner, I write it down and put it in a file folder; if it's meh or bad I don't make it again. If you want all-week meals, stew and soup cook up and freeze well. Fish fillets are easy to pan-sear in 10 mins or so. And you can chop and prep veggies in advance, freeze and cook to make the cooking process easier. (I do like smoothies, though...I really do...)1
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Without knowing your vitals, 1000-1200 calories per day sounds awfully low. Not eating enough could affect your metabolism because your body needs energy to process what you eat. Try adding high-metabolism foods such as ground flax seed or whole eggs, which are chock full of nutrients and "good" cholestoral. Get back on that wagon and go get 'em!0
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I've put on 1lb this week but I guess it is not surprising as I was staying with a friend over Easter and I won't bore you all with the chocolate we ate! I think I'm lucky it is only 1lb -I hope I lose it this week...0
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I encourage you to give it a little bit more time. 7 days isn't very long to see results. Some people don't see any results for a month. It's a matter of what kind of foods you're consuming, and how your body deals with the change in caloric intake. Take heart! And, I wish you the best of luck!0
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7 days? You gave up after 7 days? Yes, it is a lot harder to lose as you get older, but it can be done. It takes months of dedication. Stick with it and you will see results... Eventually.0
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