Metabolism in Your 40's
Options
Replies
-
OMG, I am in this boat. I ate whatever I wanted in my 20's, like for dinner I'd make a cheeseburger with a twice baked potato, and I weighed 40 pounds less than I do now! It SUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS losing weight now. I am 43 and I have been working out with a trainer 3 days a week and following MFP since June, and I've only lost 10 pounds. It is coming off so incredibly slow. Thankfully, my body shape has completely changed and I now have sexy curves, but man, I need to still lose at least 20 pounds and I don't want it to take 2 years. But if it does, it does.0
-
Actually scientifically that's not true. After 70-75 no problems at all because you won't eat anymore that much. You cannot but until then the fight is ours.
>>..And yes each decade it gets worse...Thank goodness we are all in this together!!
[/quote]0 -
I've noticed mine seems to of forgotten it's job or is on strike! I've started doing the 30 day shred and the inches are leaving, but the pounds seem to still be vacationing with my metabolism.
I just picked up a copy of Jillian Michael's book Master your Metabolism...The 3 diet secrets to naturally balancing your hormones for a Hot and Healthy body! I am starting to read it this weekend. She has not led me wrong with her DVD's so I am hoping this book helps! It looks like some doctors help in writing the book as well.
I am thinking I am going to have to put my scale away since I am becoming addicted to weighing myself. SO frustrating to see the same number, or close to it, day after day!
What is keeping me motivated is the fact my jeans that were the only pair I owned that didn't feel like they cut me in half, are falling off my backside, and some coworkers have noticed the difference as well.
Good luck on meeting all your goals!0 -
As we get older weight training become the most important thing, in my humble opinion. We need muscle mass to keep the metabolism high and bone mass to prevent osteo among other things. Weight training improves muscle and bone mass. I see so many people that think lifting will just make them "get big" when in reality weight training or adding muscle is the ffastest way to revving your metabolism and shedding the fat.
Wanted to add thise quote I copied from the Internet :
The metabolic difference between a pound of muscle and a pound of fat is dramatic: Muscle burns at least three times more calories. “A woman who weighs 130 pounds and has a healthy 25 percent body fat will burn about 200 more calories per day than a 130-pound woman with about 40 percent body fat".0 -
I am in my 40s as well and have been on the thinner side all my life. When we think back to our 20's and remember eating whatever we wanted, I don't think that's entirely accurate. The volume I can eat NOW is much more than what I could put away in my 20's. I am much less active now and I have the means to buy more food. I remember having heavier friends as a twenty-something and they ate way more and the foods were much more dressed up. I also remember having overweight friends in their 40's and 50's and man, could they put away the food.0
-
At 37, I had a hysterectomy
I had one when I was 30. I did not get any weight gain. My highest weight was 165 after 3 kids and it stayed there with all the crap I ate. I got down to 135 and that is where I have stayed unless I was running 4 days a week then I got to the scary skinny point an my family was worried. Going through a bad divorce was not helping either hence why all the running. I ran to deal with stress..lol. I was about 115 which is what I weighed in high school. I dont want to be that small again but i want to be around 120. I am a hyper person so I have not see the slow down in my metabolism but I have seen where my body loves to store fat when I eat junk...0 -
I can definitely say since I've turned 40 and have been in menopause for the past 3 years the weight goes on just looking at all those treats i could eat in my 20's and 30's! now cardio isn't the excercise for me, don't get me wrong I LOVE my cardio workouts but results are SO slow, now I find weight training is the way to go, but I just don't enjoy it as much as a good cardio sweat!0
-
I was effortlessly skinny until I hit 40; seriously. I never stepped on scale, didn't exercise and could eat and drink what I wanted.
I went back on the birth control pill around 40 to control my horrendous cramps. I don't care what anyone says; maybe the Pill doesn't make you gain weight, but it sure made it easier for me to gain weight. That and I am sure my metabolism slowed down.
I stayed on the Pill but managed to lose my weight.0 -
I can definitely say since I've turned 40 and have been in menopause for the past 3 years the weight goes on just looking at all those treats i could eat in my 20's and 30's! now cardio isn't the excercise for me, don't get me wrong I LOVE my cardio workouts but results are SO slow, now I find weight training is the way to go, but I just don't enjoy it as much as a good cardio sweat!
I am the same way. I found that the aerotone workouts work well too, like kettlebell or circuit training. I get my sweat on with my ST built in!0 -
Hi I had a hysterectomy in my late 30's and a totoal knee replacement last year. (i'm in my late 40's now). I mentioned to my doctor on a recednt checkup that I was exercising everyday for 30 minutes but not losing very much weight. Then I was just doing WiiFit or EA Active. That was when she enlightened me that women over 40 must exercise everyday for at least 60 minutes to lose weight. Then the holidays came, my balance board broke, and I stopped doing anything. Well with the new year, a new balance board, and a rededication to getting healty I am trying again. I just happened acoss myfitnesspal on my ipad and decided to download it. I am glad that I did. I am exercising everyday, some days I don't get the full 60 minutes in, just tired from work, but I am going to stick it out this time. I have to be selective on my stength and aerobic exercises since I only have one good knee. I have osteoarthritis and I just had the right knee replaced for now. It was the worse of the two.0
-
Right there with you all about being slim and not thinking about weight ... until ... One piece of advice I recently received from my trainer: Eat every 3 hours about 200-300 calories whether you want to or not. Balance this food throughout the whole day to keep your body (metabolism) burning. Also, of course, build muscle, it burns fat.
We don't have to stand by and be victims - let's be victors!
Anyone have more tips on this?0 -
I was the same, slim in my twenties and thirties then I got hit with hypothyroidism and gained 40 lbs. Have tried and not successfully lost some weight to gain it back again. This time, I am trying the Body By Vi and using the fitness pal to really monitor what I put into my body....I am very optimistic!
The 40's seems to the deal breaker when it comes to women packing on weight. Must be hormonal and long-time bad habits finally catching up on us.0 -
I'm coming to realize that technology has a lot to do with things also. I remember back in 20s I had much more energy and never gained any way - but I had to already realize that I didn't have a car, I partied like a rock star whenever I could (loved to dance), I had a small child, and I walked to majority of the places I needed to get to...so without even realizing it, I was burning off the calories that I was eating. Then in my 30s, I started picking up the weight slowly....I got a car, I started parking as close a possible to a store entrance, I stopped partying so much, starting cooking way more because of my family...I slowed down tremendously.
Now approaching 40's door and I'm the biggest I've ever been. I believe I'm being more active than I used to be but it having the hardest time getting the weight off. I am watching my portions too. I know I'm always tired and I am thinking I may be entering the peri-menopausal phase of my life also which will probably add to things.
I'm just hoping that I can get motivated through this website and finding some friends (on here) to help push me and get me back down at least 20-25 lbs lighter. I'm certain if I took that weight off, I'll probably have more energy and feel better overall.0 -
wow i hear ya there, (but i haven't had a hysterectomy) but i can't miss meals or else i feel sick. I try to eat 6 small meals a day to keep my metabolism going but i am not sure if that is working. But I am glad to here i am not the only one. It has been hard and my metabolism is very slow. I started this in Nov. and only lost 14 lbs. Still trying to get to the 15 lb mark but it seems that i either go up or stay where i am at. It has been a struggle but i will get there, just have to stay positive and keep working out.
Hang in there!! 0 -
Yeah...I have always had weight issues, but I have also been active for most of my life. Now that I am getting closer to 50 (EEK), it takes SO MUCH effort to lose weight & get in shape. I have never been rail thin, but I am definitely stronger that I ever have been. And, what happened to getting older & needing LESS food...NOT HAPPENING!!!!0
-
I was effortlessly skinny until I hit 40; seriously. I never stepped on scale, didn't exercise and could eat and drink what I wanted.
I went back on the birth control pill around 40 to control my horrendous cramps. I don't care what anyone says; maybe the Pill doesn't make you gain weight, but it sure made it easier for me to gain weight. That and I am sure my metabolism slowed down.
I stayed on the Pill but managed to lose my weight.
I went on Mirena & it has helped so much with the cramps and heavy flow....0 -
Mirena for me as well. Glorious! Metabolism is a bad joke for those of us aging.0
-
I was a non maintenance skinny girl for a long time and then mid 30's I was on an ssri that ballooned me up 50 pounds. i carried it for years and when i went off the meds it did not come off. I did some pretty consistant wine drinking that helped keep me fat.
My OB/GYN said "Girl, you better get this weigh off before the Menopuase fairy gets here or it will never come off!" I ignored her for the most part.
But being perimenopausal for the last 4 years (BECAUSE of the fat and storing estrogen in the fat cells) and what it hought was a back problem, I joined pilates and strengthened from within and about 2 years into it, I decided I am ready to lose this weight and having the muscle from pilates has been so crucial to the weight loss. I never planned this out it was just a series of events.
My body freaked out in October and the periods stopped and then in December the weight loss stopped and decided to stall me, again my OB after applauding my weight loss said my hormones need to recalculate as well as my metabolism. I tried the plateau breakers, the spike days etc. Not sure what clicked-propbably laying off wine during the week was key and now I am losing everyday.
My point being, I feel ya and at 47 I am trying to get to a weight that I can live with if I am going to reach a point of no return after menopause, it sounds like the end of the metabolism road! That being said....I enjoy being a girl!0 -
My OB/GYN said "Girl, you better get this weigh off before the Menopuase fairy gets here or it will never come off!" I ignored her for the most part.
My point being, I feel ya and at 47 I am trying to get to a weight that I can live with if I am going to reach a point of no return after menopause, it sounds like the end of the metabolism road! That being said....I enjoy being a girl!
Oh my goodness, I wish someone warned me before the slow down. I would have been a little more diligent these past 5 years. It is a matter of figuring out what weight you can live with.
I read the book Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell: Winning Weight Control Strategies for Women Over 35 to Stay Fit Through Menopause and it mentions that the fat on the belly is to compensate making estrogen for us. Thank you fat? She says that your body needs some fat at this point of the transition so you need to come to terms with a weight you can live with, but it probably will be more than high school/college weight, if you know what I mean.
The good news, I heard anyway, is that once you are through menopause, if you continue with good workouts, especially muscle building, you do have a chance to lose those pesky pounds. Your body at this point doesn't need the estrogen, so you can burn that extra fat off. I hope this is right!
Here's to kicking that menopause fairy's butt! ;O) LOL!0 -
I turned 40 last November and decided it was time to change my life. I can't say my metabolism had slowed but my motivation had.................through my entire 30's. I've lost around 50 lbs since last November. For me it just a matter of ambition and motivation vs the lack of.
I agree! Losing weight definitely has taken more motivation and time out of me. Turning 40 hit me like a ton of bricks. Seemed like everything was changing. I'll be 42 this year and this is the year I plan on looking and feeling the best that I ever have, I'm so much more motivated and determined then ever. It is a challange though with a job and kids that demand so much of my time but it'll be worth it to feel healthy and to show my kids what to takes to be healthy and stay that way.0
