How does age effect weight loss?

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AnnieintheN0rth
AnnieintheN0rth Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

I have a question about age and losing weight. When I was 30 I went on a diet and lost over 100lbs. I lost about 3-4 lbs a week on a 1,400 cal and 30-40 min step aerobics workout a day. That was 3.5 years ago and I'm back on a diet after some weight gain. It's pretty much the same diet plan I was on before and while my workout is less intensive(knee injury) it's a lot longer but my weight lost is sooooo much slower. It's basically half of what it was. It's so frustrating to put in the same amount of work and get half the results. My goal weight is now twice as long away as I thought. :(

My partner suggested maybe things have slowed down cos I'm in my mid thirties now so it's harder to shift the weight. Is there any truth to that? Should I keep tinkering with my diet and exercise until I get back up with the weekly weight loss I'm used to or just accept that I'm an old crone now?! XD

Anyone else have the experience of results changing like that after only 3-4 years?

Thanks,
Ani
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Replies

  • Lesscookies12
    Lesscookies12 Posts: 140 Member
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    I'm not really I started losing weight in 2015 in my early 20s now I'm in my mid 20s, and I'm still able to lose weight.
  • AnnieintheN0rth
    AnnieintheN0rth Posts: 33 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    Probably the biggest impact that you had your metabolic rate was your aggressive weight loss plan, which didn't seem to include weight training and more likely didn't include adequate protein. This is why too often people gain weight back very easily and long term dieting can be such a problem. When you rebound you gain most of the fat back, but not the muscle, which makes you start out with a lower metabolic rate the next time you do it.

    You should slow down your weight loss, increase your protein (~100 to 125g/day) and follow some resistance training to improve your overall physique.

    You're right about the protein, I don't eat meat or milk, and didn't the last time I lost weight either so getting enough protein takes some management. I never did any resistance training. Gotta look into that, thanks!

    I didn't start out with the plan of aggressive 4lb per week weight loss. I plugged into MFP that I wanted to lose 2lb a week and followed the guidelines they gave and lost 3-4lbs. Figured I was just lucky.

  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Age is irrelevant to weightloss and there is no secret to how to do it.

    To lose weight, you just need to eat less and exercise more. Same rule applies regardless of age.

    FWIW, five years ago, I lost 36# at age 62. Got injured and had some medical issues to deal w/and gained the weight back over the next 3 yrs. Then I got back on track at age 65 and lost 40# and have maintained the loss for the past 2 years.

    While I am inspired by your turn around, I don't think it's entirely accurate to say that age has no effect on weight loss. It certainly has no effect on CICO, so if that's what you meant, do forgive me and I withdraw my complaint, but as others have pointed out, there can be some lean mass loss directly attributable to the aging process, as well as those things that aren't the result of age, but closely correlated, like slipping naturally into a more sedentary lifestyle as we all have a tendency to do crossing from our twenties to the later years. Note of course that neither I nor anyone who knows what they're talking about would suggest that age itself is a barrier to weight loss using CICO, but its more realistic to point out the ways in which age can effect how you might adjust the math as you age to account for the variables.
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
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    AnnieintheN0rth wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Probably the biggest impact that you had your metabolic rate was your aggressive weight loss plan, which didn't seem to include weight training and more likely didn't include adequate protein. This is why too often people gain weight back very easily and long term dieting can be such a problem. When you rebound you gain most of the fat back, but not the muscle, which makes you start out with a lower metabolic rate the next time you do it.

    You should slow down your weight loss, increase your protein (~100 to 125g/day) and follow some resistance training to improve your overall physique.

    You're right about the protein, I don't eat meat or milk, and didn't the last time I lost weight either so getting enough protein takes some management. I never did any resistance training. Gotta look into that, thanks!

    I didn't start out with the plan of aggressive 4lb per week weight loss. I plugged into MFP that I wanted to lose 2lb a week and followed the guidelines they gave and lost 3-4lbs. Figured I was just lucky.

    Highly suggest and second the suggestion of resistance or strength training. Regardless of the wonderful benefits it has for the actual math of losing weight, I have to say the way it makes you feel ALONE is enough reason to do it. When I was losing the first time I didn't incorporate it at all and I had no idea what I was missing out on. It just takes all the lethargy of a caloric deficit and crushes it. It's wonderful.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    The biggest effect that age has on weight management is that typically people go from being more active to less active. Another issue is losing a lot of muscle mass which can down turn your metabolism...but I'd say in most cases it has far more to do with activity than anything else.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    My base calories now are a few hundred less a day than they were at 20, I’m almost 40 now. It’s not a huge difference but I notice it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    SCoil123 wrote: »
    My base calories now are a few hundred less a day than they were at 20, I’m almost 40 now. It’s not a huge difference but I notice it.

    My basal calories are actually slightly more at 43 than they were at 23...when I was 23, I was about 140 Lbs soaking wet and basically a bean pole. I put on a decent amount of muscle mass over 20 years which likely is what is making up the difference from aging...and I weigh 40 Lbs more. I'm about 180 in my profile pic and about 15% BF...I was leaner when I was 23, but also lacked much in the way of muscle mass.
  • Tblackdogs
    Tblackdogs Posts: 324 Member
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    I find it much easier to lose weight now that I'm older. When I was young, I ate whatever, I drank more alcohol and I was much less disciplined in general. Now I find it very easy to lose weight if I follow the rules!
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
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    The MStJ formula for TDEE subtracts 6-10 kcal for every year of age (5kcals * activity_factor). Just one more indignity we must endure as we get older. That's not very significant at the OPs age, but it adds up!

    But, losing 3-4 pounds a week for any extended period is totally insane. That is equivalent a daily calorie deficit of 1500-2000kcals, which is unhealthy. If you are only mildly overweight, shoot for and accept a 1lb/week loss. Keep exercisign while you do it!

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