Losing weight over 40 is . . . impossible?

There are tons of success stories over 40 in the Success Stories forum and several dedicated threads.

mrack1 wrote: »

I'm so frustrated. I could use some commiseration - maybe a success story? No lectures please on how I'm not trying hard enough or whatever.

When I was in my 30's, I remember eating 1600-1700 cals a day, running a couple miles daily, and easily dropping 2-3 lbs a week. Nowadays I do that and I lose . . . 1/2 lb to 1/4 lb a week? Goodness!

I'm only trying to lose about 15 lbs. I know I could do a few things better - cut back on the light beer, not eat that veggie pizza that I always seem to order mid-week when I'm too tired to cook dinner, but for the most part my eating habits have improved. I don't eat chocolate like I used to - I'm exercising semi-regularly - I run two miles a day with my dogs on most days. I average about 1500-1600 cals a day. The scale does not budge.

I usually go about 6 days exercising and counting every calorie, and then I get so frustrated when the scale either doesn't move or goes UP a pound that I stop keeping track for a few days. I don't really binge or anything, just slack off.

Anyway, does anyone else go through this? I figure I just need to be PATIENT and CONSISTENT. But knowing and doing are two different things.

Hey, don't beat yourself up. Sticking with a diet and exercise plan consistently can be really hard, no matter how motivated you are. I've been on my latest effort for 6 weeks. I've lost 7 lbs. Seriously. I walk, not run, 2 miles every day. I get in all my water, plus. I try not to believe my scale. It lies. It tells me I'm not doing a good job. But I know I am. So, how do your clothes feel? Looser? How's your energy level? Better? Use those markers. Stay off your scale. Measure yourself. Neck, waist, hips. Every two weeks. Your running is fantastic! Keep it up. Your dogs love you for it. Make sure your calorie intake is right for your age, your height, and your bone structure, and your gender. Track, track, track every calorie. Don't give up. Because, hey, we ain't gettin' any younger, so now's the time to do this great thing you're doing for yourself. You are so right. Be PATIENT and CONSISTENT. And I'd love to know how you're doing.

mrack1 wrote: »

Yep, I think I just need to cut back even more. 1200 is super tough.

You don't have to do 1200 ... you can do 1250 or 1350 or some other number. Whatever you want. Plus when you exercise, if you log that at a low/low/slow rate to get a low reasonable calorie burn number, you can eat some of those calories back.

49 and 32lb down since January. Don't use age as an excuse. You need to be focused and expect slow losses, you can't expect to see a loss after 6 days, it takes time, patience and dedication. It is possible ......

I lost all my weight when over 40. Started this journey at 45 - now at 49 at goal weight. Lost (by estimation) 25kg in 3.5 years. Doable just being very patient, being consistent and not giving up

Yes, I went through this (hopefully past tense). (Age 52) 6 months eating at 1250 ish calories and a bit less than .5 lb a week loss. I used to be able to easily lose on 1600 ish. I was so frustrated I wanted scream.

A few suggestions of what you might try.

Dial in on the specifics for one month being consistent. (Weighing, logging etc as best you can possibly do) Aim for that 1500 (or whatever MFP gives you). But, don’t weigh yourself that month. And, if consistency is your ‘I should just quit’ trigger problem - try to view your calories as a weekly pool. That would be 10500. You may be able to have that slice of pizza mid week if you cut out the coffee creamer all week, or if you have a salad for lunch Tuesday and Thursday to save the cslories... Theb weigh yourself at the end of the month. Do math and estimate from that month your actual TDEE and weight loss rate. Once you know that, it might be easier to manage your expectations.

Or maybe you will think you are still losing too little for the effort and restriction. That is when I would look at KETO, IF, IF5:2 etc. Read up on what strategies there are out there that have anecdotal success stories ( these are three that many MFP’ers can share their success with.). But none of these are a magic bullet, you would be incorporating them in addition to calorie restriction to see if they seem to work better for you.

Another suggestion is use MFP or an online calculator to determine your estimated goal weight calorie maintenance and current calorie maintenance and take a maintenance two weeks while you rethink your goals, maybe get a yearly physical with blood work done etc.
(I see this usually recommended as at current weight maintenance- when I did this it was at goal maintenance). This sometimes does a dieter some mental (and maybe - certainly anecdotally some physiological) benefit and the diet seems to work better after the break.

My own story: 6 months at 2-2.5 pound MONTHLY loss on 1200 calories a day. Misery and Frustration. Diet Maintenance break to recover my equilibrium for a month. Return to diet (approx 8400 weekly calories same as before) but this time I added in 5:2 fasting. I’m 3.5 pounds down in 21 days. And I’m no longer unsatisfied, frustrated and miserable. So I’m hopeful I have found a strategy that works for me.)

I found what seems to be working for me. A way I can feel like I still get to ‘live’ while reducing weight. The strategy I use is thought of as extreme and unsustainable by some, but to me it is reasonable and far easier and more sustainable than trying to live on no more than 1400 calories a day would be for the rest of my life. (1400 being my estimated goal weight TDEE).

But the fundamentals are the same. Eat at a caloric deficit level to lose weight. But some individuals do much better restricting carbs, others do well restricting their eating window, others actively incorporate fasting days into their week. And many have success with good old fashioned calorie restriction (with or without) occasional maintenance breaks. And for some, there is a frustrating start - trying to find the thing that works for them and seems psychologically and physiologically sustainable.

Good luck. It is a good thing that you asked for help instead of just giving up. I’m betting you can do this!!

I'm 59- have lost 14 pounds in 11 weeks- 1300 cal a day before any exercise- I log everything and use Happy Scale trending app- be consistent- move more- it really is that simple

Started at 54 and 220 pounds, dropped 60 pounds over the course of about 15 months, on 1750 target food but generally not eating back all my exercise calories (about another 800-1000 per day from cycling)

@estherdragonbat, I can't believe that is you! You are looking marvellous
I do love it when you post the odd update photo.

@mrack1, it's possible at any age. Don't get discouraged.

I took a year to lose 30 lbs. starting with 1lbs a week and by the last 5 lbs I was lucky to lose 1 lbs a month.

Exercise helped with my fitness and body shape, but I ate back all my calories.

I was 54 when I started and had just entered menopause. I am 64 now and still maintaining that loss.

Find a way that will give you a sustainable maintenance long term, don't worry about how long it may take to lose.

(Pic: Me before and after.)

Cheers, h.

I've dropped just shy of 20 pounds in 4 months, (doing 1350 cals a day.) That's over half way to my goal weight.
To do that I have been religious about tracking, and eat back half of my exercise calories. I log in the morning for the entire day, so I can tweak my meals to get the right macro balance.
I'm not exactly known for being PATIENT. Yet I am confident that I will do the right thing from week to week, by this Christmas I will reach my ideal weight.
I have struggled to keep my weight in check my entire life. This is pretty amazing for me.
I think that all you need apart from consistent effort and patience, is ACCEPTANCE that you are the age you are. It is harder now than when you were in your 30's. You need less calories. Our metabolism slows as we age.
So what?... get on with it. You can do it!!!!

No, not impossible. Female, 51. I started at the end of June, and since then have lost 24 lbs. (Three weeks I maintained on vacation). I have a low calorie intake, started at around 1350, now down to 1220. But I increased my exercise and eat about 1500-1700 cals daily. I track on MFP and I'm loving it! I have 76 lbs. to go and I believe I'll hit that goal in late 2018 or early 2019 at the latest.

You don't have much weight to lose so you will have to take it slower to get the results. And true, one can lose faster when young--the body is more resilient and the metabolism usually higher.