Women over 40- Let's lose 20 pounds!
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Hi, can I join you all? I am 40, trying to lose about 20lbs. I have been "trying" for a long time, haha! Finally I am resorting to counting calories again since it has worked in the past (when I was younger
) for me. I also have been Intermittent Fasting (for months) biking every day, and doing a few other random workouts. I weigh 143 right now and 125 would be lovely. I'm 5ft2, mom of 3.
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Hey, ladies! I'm 42, going on 43. I'm at 209 right now (at 5'8") and I want to get down to 164. 164 because that was the weight I was stable at for YEARS (like 7, seriously) before medical school hit. Let me tell you about med school--you sit motionless and read books. I also started the infamous olanzapine/Zyprexa during this time, and forget about it--I suddenly gained a ton.
I'm trying to not only count calories, but also to eat unprocessed food--that way I'll hopefully have more vim and vigor in addition to losing weight.
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Hey ladies! Hope everyone is doing ok.
AF is finally almost gone and with it, the bloat I gain from it.
Was 182 this morning. Yay. It's not down a whole lot, but it's still down a little
I've also been exercising somewhat consistently. It's not much, but right now I'm just trying to get my butt up to do something instead of making lame excuses not to.
Also been doing a lot of deep breathing the last couple of days and thankfully it's been helping A LOT with my stress.
Do plan on having some adult beverages this weekend, so weight will go up a little, but it should come back off quick.2 -
Do plan on having some adult beverages this weekend, so weight will go up a little, but it should come back off quick.
And what is life without adult beverages?! We actually have a dangerous delivery service here in Boston that will bring beer to your house even in non-pandemic times.
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Hello new members! Some of you have posted some really awesome weight loss already! It has taken me a while to accept that everyone's journey is different. I see that some people post mini-goals of how much weight they want to lose in 2 weeks/a month/etc.. My body has been a mystery to me for several years due to health conditions, so my mini-goals have been to be consistent with calories and walking, increasing my water intake, and commit to 3 months solid. I am happy to say that I have been meeting those goals! Within my current 66 day "streak", I have lost 8 pounds. So, I have on average lost less than a pound a week. In the past, I would have quit and given up on my body. I had a re-start of MFP back in January and gave up after two months of not seeing the scale move as I had expected it to do. While I wish I had a little more weight loss to show, I learned more about my BMR and TDE, I can now walk four miles in an hour and four minutes, and I am drinking half my weight in water daily. So, if anyone 40-something is feeling like I was in January, please, just give your mind and your body some more time! I also found this report (if I can learn how to attach it) on MFP that has helped push me forward when the scale keeps reading the same number day in and day out. I know the loss will come eventually if I just staying the course. Happy journeys!
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Keep on going strong, @BittersweetVita! I think it’s great you can walk that far in an hour, it takes me nearly two hours to walk just five miles! I definitely need to increase my water intake, that’s great you are staying so well hydrated. walking is now the only exercise I do since I’m too worried about the virus to go back to gym or yoga. Maybe in July I’ll add some sit-ups in, also. Good luck with your journey!
SW 149 - 5/12
138 - 6/16
135.9 - 6/18
GW 133 - ???1 -
Any repeat losers here? Meaning I got to my goal weight before (3 years ago), and now I’m trying to get back there again.
Is it harder the second (or third) time around?
I’ve added strength training to my workouts a whole lot sooner than I did the first time. Could this be a reason for the scale not moving very much?
I didn’t take measurements before I started, but I’m feeling like I’m loosing inches (ok maybe centimetres) in my trouble areas, but scale has only went down 3 pounds in the month.
I was in my mid/late 30s last time as well. Could it honestly be age playing a role?1 -
@IDARae I have been up and down over the years. I managed to lose a little more weight after each of my three kids, but my youngest is now 13 and my weight has crept up over the past several years. I lost 20lbs about 3 years ago, but have gained 10 of it back.
I also do a lot of strength training as I want to fight bone loss and to manage back issues...I also like feeling strong I find it is very slow, but if your measurements are changing that counts too! Maybe even more than the number on the scale which may misrepresent the progress you are making.
Trading in muscle for fat is a good thing! The things I have been reading recently say that to lose fat without losing muscle you have to go slow and have a mild calorie defecit (300-400 calories).
I've also read mixed things regarding age, some saying it makes little difference re: metabolism and others saying it is significant. I feel like it's harder than it used to be, but there are so many possible culprits...age, muscle mass/loss, cortisol...I try to remember that if I did it before, I can do it again...even if it is slower now!1 -
Any repeat losers here? Meaning I got to my goal weight before (3 years ago), and now I’m trying to get back there again.
Is it harder the second (or third) time around?
I’ve added strength training to my workouts a whole lot sooner than I did the first time. Could this be a reason for the scale not moving very much?
I didn’t take measurements before I started, but I’m feeling like I’m loosing inches (ok maybe centimetres) in my trouble areas, but scale has only went down 3 pounds in the month.
I was in my mid/late 30s last time as well. Could it honestly be age playing a role?
It's definitely slower for me. Part of that might be age, but most is just life stage & circumstances.
When I first lost a significant amount of weight, I was single and child-free. I worked a busy job, but my evenings and weekends were free to do whatever I wanted, and even getting to and from work allowed a bit of incidental exercise.
Now I have 2 kids that need to be taken to various activities, I work & also volunteer for various things. And we have been doing various renovation projects that have sucked up our weekends for a while now. I have little time for exercise compared to what I used to (and now my gym has shut down permanently, so back to the drawing board there...).
And diet-wise, I am conscious that I want to set my kids up for a healthy relationship with food, so I don't want to have special or tiny meals, or make a big fuss about weight at all.
So, it's slower progress this time, but the small changes do add up.
If you are losing inches, and a bit of weight, then to me you are on the right track - just hang in there.3 -
Any repeat losers here? Meaning I got to my goal weight before (3 years ago), and now I’m trying to get back there again.
Is it harder the second (or third) time around?
I’ve added strength training to my workouts a whole lot sooner than I did the first time. Could this be a reason for the scale not moving very much?
I didn’t take measurements before I started, but I’m feeling like I’m loosing inches (ok maybe centimetres) in my trouble areas, but scale has only went down 3 pounds in the month.
I was in my mid/late 30s last time as well. Could it honestly be age playing a role?
Yes, I first lost 40 lbs (to land on my ideal weight) when I was in my late 20s. Then in my 30s I had three kids. Each time I gained 40 or 50+! But each time I have been back to within 10 lbs of ideal, in about a year. But each time needed more effort.
Now I am 40 and feel like I'm putting in a lot of effort but it's very hard to get under "20 lbs over" where I really want to be.
I am looking for support here. 4 -
How many calories a day are women over 40 (I'm 45yo) eating? I'm lightly active, I have a sendentary computer job but I walk 3-4 miles three-four times per week.
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Anyone else just absolutely frustrated at slow (if any) weight loss?
Lost 60lbs, gained back 30 and now... my weight has been STUCK.
I am trying to reduce stress, but not seeing my efforts (dieting and exercising) result in ANY changes on the scale or measurements is frustrating as hell.3 -
How many calories a day are women over 40 (I'm 45yo) eating? I'm lightly active, I have a sendentary computer job but I walk 3-4 miles three-four times per week.
MFP "assigns" me 1610, but I am 209 lbs., so if you weigh less, it'll be less. I am 42. When I was counting calories at 170 lbs., I believe my allowance was more like 1200.
Doing my best not to "eat back" exercise calories, because in fact I get very little exercise (I am a pathology resident).
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Hi all! I’m 43, have 3 elementary aged children, and work in education. I was at my heaviest about 2.5 years ago, and started using MFP. I lost 20 lbs between April and Nov of that year, but struggled to keep it off while working - I was getting up at 3:30 or 4:00 am to work out, but that kind of schedule was not sustainable for me. Shortly after losing the weight I took a new job (which is incredibly sedentary) and began continuous year round grad classes, which should be done this winter. I gained back 25 lbs, and am back at MFP.
MFP has given me 1620/day, but I consistently eat my exercise calories. I feel like my progress is so much slower this time. I feel like once I turned 40 my metabolism turned off and my hair turned gray. I feel like I look 60. 😩 UGH I can’t wait to start seeing progress.3 -
How many calories a day are women over 40 (I'm 45yo) eating? I'm lightly active, I have a sendentary computer job but I walk 3-4 miles three-four times per week.
I’m 41, trying to lose five more pounds and then maintain at around 135. I’m 5’ 8” and eating a snack and a meal and a small dessert in a short window in the evening (5pm to 8pm). Mfp estimates this intake at 1200 to 1500 calories. I average 8500-12000 steps a day and do no other exercise. How about you?2 -
This could be the group for me. I'm 46 and trying to lose about 12 pounds. Have been going for 3 weeks and have stuck within my calorie goal (more or less!) and been running, walking and doing HIIT workouts almost every day. So far I've lost 3 pounds. It's much harder going trying to lose weight than it was a few years back 😭 but I'm determined 💪5
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How many calories a day are women over 40 (I'm 45yo) eating? I'm lightly active, I have a sendentary computer job but I walk 3-4 miles three-four times per week.
I see a lot of people go all the way down to 1200, but I don't feel like that's setting me up for long term success (note: this is just me and my opinion). I'm keeping myself under 1600, but the weight loss is a lot slower that way. Still, my fitbit says I'm burning around 2600 calories a day, so that's a 1000 cal deficit - more than enough to get this weight loss party started. I'm 5'8" and 182.2 right now, trying to get down to 160-165.2 -
I started with a personal trainer last week. I am 5'4 and 180 pounds. He says if I want to lose 2 pounds a week, I should consume 1500 calories. If I want to lose 1 pound a week, then 1800 calories. I haven't lost any weight lately and I know it's the extra 300 calories a day due to snacking. If I could cut out the snacking (Doritoes) I know my weight would go down. Also,I drink coffee with Hazelnut creamer (sugar free) but it still feels decadent. Maybe I'll switch to half hazelnut creamer and skim milk in my coffee.3
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Anyone else just absolutely frustrated at slow (if any) weight loss?
Lost 60lbs, gained back 30 and now... my weight has been STUCK.
I am trying to reduce stress, but not seeing my efforts (dieting and exercising) result in ANY changes on the scale or measurements is frustrating as hell.
I lost 30 pounds three years ago and gained back 20. It is frustrating. And I'm mad that I let myself gain when it takes so much effort to lose weight. I feel your frustration.3 -
How many calories a day are women over 40 (I'm 45yo) eating? I'm lightly active, I have a sendentary computer job but I walk 3-4 miles three-four times per week.
I see a lot of people go all the way down to 1200, but I don't feel like that's setting me up for long term success (note: this is just me and my opinion). I'm keeping myself under 1600, but the weight loss is a lot slower that way. Still, my fitbit says I'm burning around 2600 calories a day, so that's a 1000 cal deficit - more than enough to get this weight loss party started. I'm 5'8" and 182.2 right now, trying to get down to 160-165.
Mizalmond...our stats and goal are nearly identical! I’ve been working at it for a few weeks now and haven’t seen progress yet, but I’m hopeful! 🤞1 -
RubyRed427 wrote: »Also,I drink coffee with Hazelnut creamer (sugar free) but it still feels decadent. Maybe I'll switch to half hazelnut creamer and skim milk in my coffee.
It's been a while since I compared their stats, but maybe take a look at evaporated skim milk (in the can--I believe all evaporated milk is skim). Better than regular skim in coffee for sure.2 -
Hello! I was excited to find this thread and have been going over the past few pages of comments to read people's mini-bios and journeys! I'm so inspired by all the different walks of life and histories that have brought women here to MFP and to this specific thread.
I'm 42yo and have been on a weight loss/health/fitness journey for the past 15mos. after receiving some scary health information. During the quarantine, I've been focused on fitness and diet, but I joined MFP last month because I was getting discouraged by the lack of results. This past month the calorie tracking has been a significant game changer. However, yesterday I definitely hit a wall of fatigue, and maybe, a little depression thinking about how I still feel one binge away from all these results and habits going away and how crushing it feels to know this way has to be forever.
Anyways, I hope this is an active thread and look forward to reading more!5 -
down 2.5 #.
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This may be the group for me. I've been on-again/off-again with tracking calories over the years. I've fluctuated from my goal weight (around 145), up 20 pounds. I have hypothyroidism, PCOS/Insulin resistance, adrenal fatigue, etc. I'm pretty active, and do my Peloton or go for walks/jogs, etc. Over the years I've done WW, tracked my calories on MFP, HcG, dabbled with keto, done some IF, etc. Ultimately, I believe my best bet is sticking to low carb and managing calories. My biggest downfall/derailer is wine... I love red wine! I also love chips and salsa, but as long as I'm managing my wine intake, I can usually control that.
I just can't seem to stay consistent and I am looking for people like me. Here are my stats:
CW: 162
GW: 145
I believe my caloric goal is around 1500-1600 calories per day depending on my activity level. I say this because I know that my basal metabolic rate is 1420 (meaning this is how many calories my body needs just to function as if I were completely sedentary). I'm told it is NOT safe to go below your BMR for sustained weight loss.
I look forward to sharing accountability!1 -
How many calories a day are women over 40 (I'm 45yo) eating? I'm lightly active, I have a sendentary computer job but I walk 3-4 miles three-four times per week.
So, this is a question I have been struggling with lately. MFP gives me 1200 cals per day (and always has) when I put my goals and stats in. Recently I was looking at Macros Inc. and tried their calculator which gave me a target of 1610 cals and about 135 grams of protein. This was considered a “painful” deficit. I can’t remember the last time that I regularly ate that much without being on vacation. So, I have adjusted my MFP calorie goal to 1350 to see if a little less stress on my system actually makes a difference. It makes me very nervous though. And I find it so hard to get all that protein!
Open to ideas and/or thoughts on this. I did read in one article that it is not recommended to consume less than 10X your body weight in calories. Not sure about that either.2 -
WOO BOY. I've decided to try Chloe Ting workouts. I picked the wrong one to start with. I decided to try the core 2 week challenge and... that was a mistake! rofl. I can't do planks. Or well.. proper planks that puts pressure on your wrists so will have to do an easier version. It's only my 2nd day and I can already feel certain body parts becoming sore.
But hey... 2 weeks. I can stick with it for 2 weeks!
Has anyone else tried her workouts before?1 -
mummiecakes wrote: »How many calories a day are women over 40 (I'm 45yo) eating? I'm lightly active, I have a sendentary computer job but I walk 3-4 miles three-four times per week.
So, this is a question I have been struggling with lately. MFP gives me 1200 cals per day (and always has) when I put my goals and stats in. Recently I was looking at Macros Inc. and tried their calculator which gave me a target of 1610 cals and about 135 grams of protein. This was considered a “painful” deficit. I can’t remember the last time that I regularly ate that much without being on vacation. So, I have adjusted my MFP calorie goal to 1350 to see if a little less stress on my system actually makes a difference. It makes me very nervous though. And I find it so hard to get all that protein!
Open to ideas and/or thoughts on this. I did read in one article that it is not recommended to consume less than 10X your body weight in calories. Not sure about that either.
@mummiecakes and @avtlove - I'm brand new to calorie tracking and MFP, and I am also getting confused about what calories per day I should be following!
MFP gave me 1270 calories for 1 lb/week weight loss, but I've looked at 3 other calculators and the range of cals/day that I got for my age/height/weight for weight loss was 1748 to 1800 calories per day. One calculator listed 1300 as the daily calorie allotment for extreme weight loss.
I've read here that MFP doesn't account for exercise, so you can eat back the calories after exercising. But members on the forums seem to be divided on whether to eat back all or some of those calories. Today's exercise increased my daily calorie allowance to about 1600cal., which is still below what the other calorie calculators were indicating I should eat.
Also, how do people eat all their protein grams? I'm a meat eater, so I don't have restrictions, but I still have a limit as to how much animal protein I want to eat daily, and other plant-based proteins still don't get me close to the protein macro goals.
My head is spinning! I find myself more obsessed with food than before! Looking for any MFP veterans to weigh in!0 -
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MFP gave me 1270 calories for 1 lb/week weight loss, but I've looked at 3 other calculators and the range of cals/day that I got for my age/height/weight for weight loss was 1748 to 1800 calories per day. One calculator listed 1300 as the daily calorie allotment for extreme weight loss.
I hate to send you to yet another calculator, but I would try the USDA at https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dri-calculator/. That should be as authoritative as it gets. Gives you protein, vitamins, all that. Then subtract 500 calories from that for one pound a week lost, 1000 calories for two pounds a week lost. (The magic number is 3500 calories per pound of body weight.)
To give you an idea, I weigh 207 lbs. and my MFP goal for a pound a week is 1610. Two pounds is 1200. Back in the day when I was thinner, one pound a week was more like 1200. The heavier you are, the more calories it takes to run the machine.
I am not an exercise physiologist, so I say it with extreme caution, but I believe that the regular person out taking a walk or a moderate-speed bike ride should not "eat back" exercise calories if they want to see results. BUT if you're training hard, swimming for an hour a day, or Lord knows what hard exercise I haven't even dreamt of, then yes, you will need to eat something extra to fuel yourself.
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