Work it out!

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heatherluuu
heatherluuu Posts: 58 Member
I have found that after 40 my metabolism is saying, "no ma'am" to weight loss. I am adding resistance training to build muscle and hopefully make my body a calorie burning machine. What do you do for exercise?

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  • akbryan22
    akbryan22 Posts: 13 Member
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    I've experienced the same things in my few years since turning 40. I had my twins at 40 so I didn't do much exercise the first year but lately I've been doing cardio and a home based circuit training plan. I'm hoping to add weights in the next few weeks.
  • MonicaAnn50
    MonicaAnn50 Posts: 16 Member
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    I have found that after 40 my metabolism is saying, "no ma'am" to weight loss. I am adding resistance training to build muscle and hopefully make my body a calorie burning machine. What do you do for exercise?

    Yes, my metabolism has slowed down tremendously. I am 46. I have run marathons and ultra marathons this past year and still no change. Frustrating. I added strength training this past year which has been somewhat helpful and I am looking to add core exercises. And of course, I have cut calories. Good luck to you!!
  • DaFibble
    DaFibble Posts: 152 Member
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    So, if weight loss from exercise starts to diminish after 40, what about simple calorie budgeting? Does the baseline calorie burning the body does slow down that much?
  • JamesAztec
    JamesAztec Posts: 524 Member
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    Have to cut down on refined carbohydrates and processed foods in general. Animals dont get fat because they don't eat that junk.
  • yurika975
    yurika975 Posts: 71 Member
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    Now I don't feel so alone....It is so much harder dropping pounds at 40 years old :(
  • lkaoki
    lkaoki Posts: 51 Member
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    I lost the most weight taking up kickboxing and focusing on nutrition.
  • TnTWalter
    TnTWalter Posts: 345 Member
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    I do a boot camp type class weights and cardio mixed. It's great. Also keto diet. Hard but working.

    Late 40s 22-27 lbs to lose
    5'2"

    Trish
  • managematics
    managematics Posts: 27 Member
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    I see this was an old discussion, but new here so thought I would add my thoughts.

    Resistance training will give the biggest benefit to weight loss if you focus on the larger muscles. Quads, abs, back, etc... Building up small muscles like biceps won't do much. But getting a bit more muscle in the large ones will increase your overall calorie burn throughout the day, even once you're done exercising.
  • VeronicaA76
    VeronicaA76 Posts: 1,116 Member
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    I do cardio and a lot of weight lifting. It's weird, as in just 5 months I've been told "you look younger!" more than a couple times. Being a little older sometimes my knees are just not happy running, but years of hauling kids, groceries, scrubbing the house....weight lifting comes easy.

    Also, weight training helps build bone density, not that much, but anything to help with dealing with osteoporosis is worth it.
  • Valsgoals
    Valsgoals Posts: 132 Member
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    I relate so much to this! Calorie cutting doesn't quite cut it. It drives me up the wall when people tell me that it IS that simple. I can eat my baseline-weigh my food, not eat back my exercise calories and the scale may or may not budge.

    I did notice that when I do two workouts a day, even if neither are major burners...say a couple hundred calories per session I will lose at a better rate. I am guessing this is because I keep re-igniting my metabolism.

    If I stick with one workout a day and burn the same amount of calories (in the 400 range or more) I'm stuck at that minimal loss. Metabolism is only firing up once a day.

    This is very different from how my losses happened as recently as when I was in my 30's. It's been a trial and error to find how my body wants to lose nowadays. I'm not even in menopause yet so I wonder how much more it'll change when that happens.
  • JamesAztec
    JamesAztec Posts: 524 Member
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    @Valsgoals I think just MOVING throughout day is really important. Even if you're not strenuously working out. Get those steps in!
  • Valsgoals
    Valsgoals Posts: 132 Member
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    @Aztec, I do get moving. Like you, I have lost a tremendous amount of weight. Congratulations to you by the way. I've lost over a hundred pounds myself (127). I went through a bunch of crap (divorce, injury, etc) a few years ago and regained some back. I've bounced back, got the negatives out of my head and am back at it only to find I'm not losing the same way as I did before. All while doing much the same things with food, calorie levels, and exercise. Besides my age, the only other difference is that I'm now stronger than I was from the first time I was losing.

    After trial and error for the past year the only thing that seemed to get the scale moving (still slower than before but faster than a year ago) is breaking my workouts into 2 separate sessions. I do one midday, another at night. I recently ran into another injury but am still losing weight. This time I have not stopped my 2-a-day workouts, and keep within my calorie levels.

    I'm sure you know from your experience of losing that much weight, sometimes you need to find what is or isn't working for your body. This is what works for me now that is different from when I was in my 30's, early 40's.
  • Demed70
    Demed70 Posts: 28 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Oh man, Where do I start....lol After I turned 40, my metabolism slowed way down. I'm 47 now. I adapted :) You have to change the quality of the food you consume. If you eat bad food (Processed and fatty) it'll reflect in your weight, mood, and appearance. I learned it the hard way.

    Now on to working out, my FAV :). I love cycling. I'm a certified Spinning instructor and teach four times a week. I'm also working on my Personal Training certification. I workout with a small group and we do HIIT and Bootcamps. I just love working out and helping those that want to work out. I'm not looking to train individuals, but to run small group fitness classes such as HIIT and Bootcamps. I did Crossfit for 3 months until I developed tendinitis in my Elbows (Tennis Elbow). That's when I found a great group that does HIIT and bootcamps.
  • RacerX_14
    RacerX_14 Posts: 578 Member
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    @heatherluuu I know what you mean about the slowing metabolism!!! Mine really started slowing after 40. I'm 46 now, but I've helped speed it back up some by keeping moving as much as possible. Hiking, bike riding, anything to keep busy on my feet and out of the recliner! I do body weight exercises too like pushups, situps, and pullups too.

    Good luck! You got this!