My 60lb weight loss success story, at 51 years old.
californiagirl2012
Posts: 2,625 Member
I’m Bobbie and I’ve been an athlete inside all my life but it was just covered in a layer of fat. I am currently 51 years old and I started my fitness quest when I was 19 years old. I took an aerobics class and the instructor was 50 years old but had the body of a strong and fit teenager. I vowed I would be like her when I was 50. Over the years I ran and lifted weights, I practiced martial arts, ran marathons, hiked, skied, and biked. Over the decades the weight piled on. I kept on working out harder and harder thinking I would lose the weight but it kept growing. I tried diets, lost, then gained, lost, then gained, the typical yo-yo story. At age 48 I finally reached my peak of 171 lbs at 5’1″. I had chronic back pain and thyroid and adrenal fatigue. I kept working out and running one marathon after the next thinking maybe this time it will work. Nope, the weight stayed on. Everyone told me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I never gave up.
The problem is we eat too much. Our society has an overabundance of food and the smaller you are the less you need to eat. I’m small. I never realized how small until I finally lost the weight. I had the muscle and I always thought I had big bones because of my size but when I lost the weight I learned this is not true. I have strong bones from lifting and a healthy diet, but they are not necessarily “bigâ€.
It took me two years to lose 60 lbs. The secret; eat less and move more. It is not easy but it is simple and sustainable and it works. I have found I need MyFitnessPal to help me walk the fine line in maintenance, to eat enough to be health yet not too much as to go back to what I once was.
I've been using myfitnesspal since January but just now am making friends here and participating in the forums. I am LOVING it here.
The problem is we eat too much. Our society has an overabundance of food and the smaller you are the less you need to eat. I’m small. I never realized how small until I finally lost the weight. I had the muscle and I always thought I had big bones because of my size but when I lost the weight I learned this is not true. I have strong bones from lifting and a healthy diet, but they are not necessarily “bigâ€.
It took me two years to lose 60 lbs. The secret; eat less and move more. It is not easy but it is simple and sustainable and it works. I have found I need MyFitnessPal to help me walk the fine line in maintenance, to eat enough to be health yet not too much as to go back to what I once was.
I've been using myfitnesspal since January but just now am making friends here and participating in the forums. I am LOVING it here.
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Replies
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Thats awesome! If thats you in your picture then I really want to look like you when I'm 50. Keep up the good work.0
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Good for you!!
Who is the model in your avatar?0 -
You are an inspiration my beautiful friend!!! *HUGS*0
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californiagirl2012, you look terrific, hats off to you. If you don't mind saying. whats the rough calorie range you eat a day?
I know you do lift, do you also do cardio?0 -
NM on cardio, I see running for 120 min in your Profile Exercise log. Helps to look
So What is your average workout days roughly
How many days a week lifting
How many days a week cardio?0 -
It's me in the picture. My first fitness model photo shoot ever! It really is me. I just entered the pictures in a contest.0
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MFP has me at 1200 calories a day. I ignore the extra workout calories. I ate a little less to lean out for my photo shoot at a slow calorie deficit since January and the picture shoot was 3 weeks ago. Now I'm back up to maintenance calories per MFP. The exercises I log, I put weight training in with cardio on here because entering the reps in a pain.
I workout 60-90 minutes with weights, 5-6 days a week, taking breaks whenever needed. I run 5-6 miles 4 times a week, some of that includes 24 minutes of HIIT, some days just an easy run. On the alternate days for cardio I do the stair-master at an easy pace for 30 minutes (I like the tall escalator type machine where you actually take steps up).0 -
You look amazing! I would never guess in a million years you were 50! I totally want to be like you! You rock!0
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Anyone can do what I did. It's just eating the right amount of calories for YOU to maintain or lose, and keep moving doing what you love with exercise.
I LOVE running and working out. It is my passion.0 -
Do you have any before photos?0
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I am speechless.AMAZING...I am so happy i have been weight lifting since September...If this is what is possible i cant wait!0
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WOW a true inspiration and motivation for all us all regardless of age! Your photos are amazing and your muscle definition is remarkable. Thank you for mentioning some of the tips that worked for you…. Every bit of information is helpful!
~Sonya
P.S. Friend request sent!! :happy:0 -
I will attach a couple of before photos to my gallery on my profile. Not sure how to do it here. I avoided the camera when I was overweight, but I happen to have some NOT IN BIKINI though!!! LOL0
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>><<0
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Ok I attached two before pictures to my profile gallery. I will also try and see if I can attach them to my post.0
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You are my new HERO! I am 48 now and want to be at my goal weight before my 50th birthday. That means 40 pounds in 18 months. You are proof that I can get there. I started using MFP March 3rd and am totally addicted to this website. Thanks for the inspiration and keep up the fantastic work!0
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we are all so proud of you - you are an inspiration to us all!0
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Thank you for your post! Your story and pictures proves to me that I can do this at my age. You look awesome!0
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you look fantastic!! very inspirational to me!0
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Thanks for posting your story. I just recently turned 53 and have been overweight for about 25 years. Like you, diet tried etc. to no avail. Even though I'm a doctor, I couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing weight. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (a form of hypothyroid) so I blamed my lack of weight loss on that and age. Have been working out for 1 1/2 years to lose only 7 lbs. My two wonderful Zumba instructors helped me realize that I had to watch my diet and that weight loss is 70-80% diet related. I've been using this site, Zumba, bike riding, weight lifting and using The Eat Clean Diet and since February I've lost an additional 7 lbs. I have been thinking back to my childhood and realized how much eating has changed in this country. McDonald's, Burger King etc were 'treats' for us when we were kids, now a days it's a normal diet for most. I just never really realized how much fat, calories etc was in all that type of food. Now, like you, I am eating so much less and feeling a lot better. My body doesn't have to use extra energy to digest and store that extra food. My goal is to lose another 79 lbs and have muscle definition. Well I better go! Need to do my weight lifting routine since I didn't get to it this morning. Keep up the great work ladies. It WILL be worth it!0
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Thanks for posting your story and pic's. I am 56 in years but I am currently on a quest to "turn back the clock." Besides participating in MFP I recently began P90X. I am a shorty and you are right about how much is the right amount to eat. I am a former marathon runner(Big Sur, Boston and New York) and could pretty much not concern myself with what I ate. That was then and this is now. So my goal for the rest of my life is to be as fit and healthy as I can be. Also I broke my leg last summer so going through the 8 month recovery was a total wake up call. So here's to super fitness for everyone of all ages!0
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DANG! That is awesome!!0
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Flipping hell! I thought you had a motivational photo as your user pic... then I checked out your profile! You're amazing!0
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Wow, I almost cried when I read your story, this is exactly how I feel inside. I have been done marathons, half marathon, 5K and 10K and cannot shed a pound. At this point I am not concerned with the weight but more with toning. By the way, we are the same age. Can you share some suggestions for toning and shaping? Not trying to look like you (and probably do not have the body structure) but I know it could look much better. Currently I go to the gym and do the elliptical machine for 30 minutes, and do the machine with weights, run/walk a three days a week, spinning class once a week, aqua aerobics twice a week, Zumba once a week. The problem is I am not doing enough weight training since I do not know how or where to start. YOU ARE AN AMAZING INSPIRATION! Thank you for just reading my post.0
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So glad you thought enough of all of us to share your story! Your story will help many..including me! Funny thing is that I let MFP hold me accountable when my co-workers and family are continuing to make bad choices right in front of me! MFP might just be a website but it might as well be a personal trainer with a whip! I do not want to let it down! If I am having a bad day I can come here and get encouragement from total stangers but for whatever I feel like they are my close personal friends! Thanks again for sharing!0
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OMG you look amazing!!!0
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bump for later0
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Wow, I almost cried when I read your story, this is exactly how I feel inside. I have been done marathons, half marathon, 5K and 10K and cannot shed a pound. At this point I am not concerned with the weight but more with toning. By the way, we are the same age. Can you share some suggestions for toning and shaping? Not trying to look like you (and probably do not have the body structure) but I know it could look much better. Currently I go to the gym and do the elliptical machine for 30 minutes, and do the machine with weights, run/walk a three days a week, spinning class once a week, aqua aerobics twice a week, Zumba once a week. The problem is I am not doing enough weight training since I do not know how or where to start. YOU ARE AN AMAZING INSPIRATION! Thank you for just reading my post.
if you are lost on weight training you could look at www.bodybuilding.com and try Jamie Eason LiveFit thats a great learning curve for getting into weight training.0 -
I hope you can see my pictures:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/photos/view/16440072
I added a couple of BEFORE pictures there at the end.
I also have pictures at this website:
http://s1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj492/californiagirl_bobbie/0
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