does anyone else have the problem

llvernonmom
llvernonmom Posts: 5 Member
edited October 5 in Introduce Yourself
As I get older I am having more and more trouble losing weight. I would like to drop 60lbs. When I orignally started losing weight I had reached my top weight of 196lbs. It has taken some time because I went through some major life changes at the time I was working on my weight. A divorce, children growing up and moving out. I now have at the minimum 50 lbs to lose. I am short at only 4'11 and am now 168lbs. But now as I have gotten older I am finding the things that used to work don't work anymore. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Replies

  • dirtbikegirl5
    dirtbikegirl5 Posts: 391 Member
    Hey, girl:

    I recently turned 40 and, yes, I can honestly say that it is harder to lose weight/stay in shape. Feel free to add me so we can offer each other support.
    Eating healthy and exercising has to be a lifestyle change, so if I could give you any advice at all, that would be what others have told me.
    Good luck on your journey.
  • koolmamasan
    koolmamasan Posts: 10
    I am 50 years old and I have been watching my calories for about 2 months now and exercising 2-3 times a week and I have dropped 18 lbs. I have not been this weight since before I had kids. It has been fun actually trying to keep my calorie count at what they recommend or below and you will get there with patience and don't beat yourself up if you eat more calories than they recommend, just get on track the next day. Just make sure you log everything and you will get there :happy:

    Good luck!
  • Jmayhem69
    Jmayhem69 Posts: 36
    you MUST read "4 Hour Body" by TIm Ferriss! The how and why of your issue is fully explained.
    In short, I'd say you could benefit from logging everything you eat for a week, taking pictures before it goes in your mouth.
    sleep less than 7 hours per day, drink 16oz of water immediately upon waking and eat 2 eggs within 30 mins of getting up.

    that's a good start, read the book for the rest. email me if you want it for free.
    jason@delta9vt.com
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    An adult body has a naturally slower metabolism than a child, and as a female your metabolism will take a significant turn for the worse when you reach/near menopause. Prior to that the drop in metabolism is most likely due to not exercising as much as when you were younger. You can boost it through regular exercise. The problem I've always had is finding time for that regular exercise.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    I'm 58 and I have lost 16 lbs. I have found that if I am working out and logging my food I have had no problem losing weight. And if you follow the guidelines on this site you can do it without going hungry, its been great.
  • midwifekelley2350
    midwifekelley2350 Posts: 337 Member
    i am 46 and working my *kitten* off to just maintain! it just gets harder as we get older due to loss of muscle mass with aging. i refuse to let it happen to me without a fight so i try to always keep my body guessing at the gym...i don't do the same thing at the same pace every day.
  • lemieux135
    lemieux135 Posts: 4
    You are right as you get older the harder it is to lose weight - but don't use that as an excuse. I'm in my early 50's and I have tried every diet / pills / magic potion / you can think of over the years. This summer I hit my heaviest weight ever and was horrified. I started back at the gym and got moving again - slowly, it wasn't easy and the muscle aches and pains were real. I wasn't really watching what I ate until the gym started a 10 week weight loss challenge ($600 prize). I work out 6 days a week and stick to 1200 calories or less daily, 8 - 12 cups of water a day is a must. This week is week 6 of the challenge and I have lost 16 pounds. It's not easy and some days are really really tough - but I keep telling myself " I can eat what I want or wear what I want" the choice is mine
  • Shawn_Marie
    Shawn_Marie Posts: 307 Member
    I turned 45 recently and can totally relate to this issue. At age 37-38, I dropped 85 pounds. It didn't happen overnight, but it was kind of like what you see on biggest loser. The first week I lost 15 pounds, then I would have a small number and so on. This time around I am averaging 1 pound a week if I am lucky. I worked out 5 days a week until I was in a car accident (rear-ended) that caused me to have a cervical spinal fusion, then my son comitted suicide and from there I gained back 83 pounds before I came to my senses and stopped the vicious cycle of gaining and losing. Food was not my friend but it took 83 pounds to figure that out.

    This time around I am making a lifestyle change, I'm not on a diet; I make different and better food choices and can only work out 3 - 5 days a week due to the spinal injury. All I can say is stay with it, don't lose focus and be happy with any lose. As we age our BMR (basal metabolic rate) drops, my dr told me if I do cardio I will lose weight but adding in weight training will build muscle thus increasing my BMR.
  • RagtimeLady
    RagtimeLady Posts: 172 Member
    Read my profile! Getting older totally sux for weight loss.
  • midwifekelley2350
    midwifekelley2350 Posts: 337 Member
    I turned 45 recently and can totally relate to this issue. At age 37-38, I dropped 85 pounds. It didn't happen overnight, but it was kind of like what you see on biggest loser. The first week I lost 15 pounds, then I would have a small number and so on. This time around I am averaging 1 pound a week if I am lucky. I worked out 5 days a week until I was in a car accident (rear-ended) that caused me to have a cervical spinal fusion, then my son comitted suicide and from there I gained back 83 pounds before I came to my senses and stopped the vicious cycle of gaining and losing. Food was not my friend but it took 83 pounds to figure that out.

    This time around I am making a lifestyle change, I'm not on a diet; I make different and better food choices and can only work out 3 - 5 days a week due to the spinal injury. All I can say is stay with it, don't lose focus and be happy with any lose. As we age our BMR (basal metabolic rate) drops, my dr told me if I do cardio I will lose weight but adding in weight training will build muscle thus increasing my BMR.

    i agree with your doctor and i am so sorry about your son
  • llvernonmom
    llvernonmom Posts: 5 Member
    Thank you all so much, its good to know others have issues with the age an weight change too. And really awesome to know we can all help each other.
  • Cathleenr
    Cathleenr Posts: 332
    you MUST read "4 Hour Body" by TIm Ferriss! The how and why of your issue is fully explained.
    In short, I'd say you could benefit from logging everything you eat for a week, taking pictures before it goes in your mouth.
    sleep less than 7 hours per day, drink 16oz of water immediately upon waking and eat 2 eggs within 30 mins of getting up.

    that's a good start, read the book for the rest. email me if you want it for free.
    jason@delta9vt.com

    huh? sleep less than 7 hours a day? for what reason on earth? don't you know the metaboloc processes are engaged when the body rests? sheesh.
    and why do you HAVE to eat 2 eggs when you get up?> there is NO scientific reasoning to support this.
    are you Tim Ferisssss in disguise or something?
  • NewberryNutrition
    NewberryNutrition Posts: 1
    Hello,

    Do you drink coffee/caffeine (or have for several years)? If so, I'd recommend trying to cut it out of your diet completely. Caffeine can damage your adrenal glands, which regulates some of our hormones, including cortisol (stress hormone). Read the following paragraph "Caffeine cries wolf to the stress response"

    http://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalhealth/caffeine-stress-adrenalfatigue.aspx
  • Jmayhem69
    Jmayhem69 Posts: 36
    you MUST read "4 Hour Body" by TIm Ferriss! The how and why of your issue is fully explained.
    In short, I'd say you could benefit from logging everything you eat for a week, taking pictures before it goes in your mouth.
    sleep less than 7 hours per day, drink 16oz of water immediately upon waking and eat 2 eggs within 30 mins of getting up.

    that's a good start, read the book for the rest. email me if you want it for free.
    jason@delta9vt.com

    huh? sleep less than 7 hours a day? for what reason on earth? don't you know the metaboloc processes are engaged when the body rests? sheesh.
    and why do you HAVE to eat 2 eggs when you get up?> there is NO scientific reasoning to support this.
    are you Tim Ferisssss in disguise or something?

    well, the thing is that the OP was asking for help and advice. I am offering what I know and what is working for me. I am not a doctor although I am a microbiologist with good understanding in chemistry. Obviously there are more than one way to increase the amount of calories you burn in a day. One of my favorites is increase the time I am awake by 8% by never getting more than 7 hours sleep. This is not gospel, it's what is working for me. "Metabolic processes engaged" is not the same as metabolic processes OPTIMIZED. Eating a high protein breakfast insures I am not hungry, replaces the American carb-heavy breakfast and it's tasty.
    I am not Tim Ferriss, I just believe in his research....I have been given the book by my trainer who is certified and well versed in nutrition and fitness and so far I like how I feel, how I am looking and therefore I vouch for his book. I offer it freely, no gimmicks.

    Sorry if I came off preachy, or all righteous, that was unintended. It does work if you work it tho.

    peace n chicken grease people!
  • RoadkingDavid
    RoadkingDavid Posts: 143 Member
    I'm 50, and absolutely. Even as a man, who is supposed to drop weight faster according to all the hoo hah if you believe it, i had a heck of a time dropping weight. I have dropped 104 lbs over the past 19 months, though, and i credit My Fitness Pal and my workouts as critical to my success.
  • Hopingforchange
    Hopingforchange Posts: 108
    I am also right there. My co-workers are dumfounded when they watch me every day go out for a walk/run on my lunch hour and report the next week that I lost nothing!
    I am hoping that by really honestly tracking the calories that something will happen. I only need to lose 15-20 pounds so its tough when you have that little to lose, but at 4'10", EVERY pound shows! Feel free to add me!
  • auntteeny39
    auntteeny39 Posts: 2
    I totally understand that problem. I'm turning 40 next month. I've always had a problem with losing weight. I've gone thru the same thing a divorce, kid, he's now 17, having alot of medical problems, the meds i'm on and i'm a walking pharmacy, have literally screwed up my body inside and out. If you want you can add me as a friend we can go thru this together
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