is it possible after 40 ???

I'm 42 and lost 17 pounds between early December and the end of February. I've been at maintenance since then, focusing on longer-term fitness goals. If anything, I think it's easier now than when I was younger. I've become much more disciplined and have a better handle on my strengths and weaknesses. I think it's important to keep an open mind. Try to identify what hasn't worked previously, keep learning, and be willing to try new things.

Improving your health, level of fitness, and in turn quality of life, is NEVER a waste of time.....regardless of pant size, number on scale, etc. Keep going....it will get better.

I'm 46. I've lost 57 pounds since January 3rd. I didn't start MFP until two months ago and it's been a huge help.

My advice is:

Exercise: You have to light weights twice a week. Do some light cardio every day (I do a 2.5 mile walk at about 3.5 mph with my wife every day). Do some intense cardio twice a week. When you exercise, be focused and be intense. Get pumped. If you're going to invest the time, get the absolute most out of it that you can, and then get on with your day. Lolly gagging through workouts just wastes your time. It's like a placebo... If you're heart isn't pumping and you're not breaking a sweat, you're probably not giving your best effort. Push yourself. Write down the quantities of what you did and every time you work out, try to top what you did the last time, even if it's just by a little bit. Burn one more calorie on the treadmill. Shave 10 seconds off your time on your walk, do one more rep than you did the last time you lifted.

Control your quantity and type of calories.

I usually take in about 1500-1800 calories per day, and burn 600-800 in exercise. I try to strike a 40/40/20 balance of Protein/Carbs/Fat in my diet. I spend Sunday cooking our lunch and dinner for the week. I usually make a poultry based dish I can make in quantity and portion out each day, like turkey chili, chicken parm, chicken cacciatore, etc. I make sure I get healthy vegetables in my meals like onions, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, etc.

I have one bad thing every day (a weight watcher's chocolate chip cookie dough sundae). I eat the same thing for breakfast every day (Raisin bran w/2% milk, glass of orange juice). I try to eat one salad every day.

I take one day off where I eat whatever I want. One day. Not two, not Friday through Sunday. It's usually Friday. If I know I have a social event on the weekend where bad food is inevitable, I rotate my free day to that day. If I get cravings during the week (which mostly happened in the first two months), I count the number of days until my free day and say "I can wait."

Stress: For most people with eating problems, stress is a killer. Confront the stresses in your life. Ignoring them, letting them pile up, is a killer. It leads to comfort eating, skipped workouts, lack of sleep, etc.

Sleep: Get a minimum of 7 hours per day, preferably 8. When I miss sleep, I have less focus, less willpower, and I am much more susceptible to having lapses in judgement.

It is absolutely possible after 40. Take some tips from the people here, pick one or two things, focus on doing them methodically and doing them well, and gradually expand until you've changed your lifestyle and become the person you envision. Change is possible and there are thousands of people on here who are living proof of it.

I'm 42 and let me tell you, anything is possible if you want it bad enough! I'm doing things I've never done before, wearing things I could never wear in my 20's or 30's... Life is great in my 40's and only getting better!

yuppers!

I'm 62 and yes, I have lost around 30 pounds so far this year.

The main enemy is not recording everything. You only cheat yourself, if you don't weigh and count.

Exercise as well, about 400 calories' worth, on top of eating 500 calories less than your body needs. Then it drops off and you stay (and gain) the shape you want to be.

I think it depends on how hard your working - are you doing 30 min. on the treadmill and not breaking a sweat? If you're not getting your heart rate up and breaking a sweat, you may not see the results you're wanting. I'd suggest an exercise class, like Zumba or working directly on strength training with a personal trainer - good to learn proper form and learn how to lift heavy weights (no barbie -5 lb weights allowed)

It can be done.

I am 47 and have lost about 25 pounds since January. It is also worth noting that it feels like many people say the last fifteen are the hardest and that is the amount you need to lose. Still you might want to join the group Fabulous Forty Something Ladies for support: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/2379-fabulous-40-something-ladies. I'd also second looking into whether you are actually eating enough given how much you are working out. Someone pointed you to one of the many threads on this site about why it is important to "eat back the calories you burn."

In any case, your consistency in working out is what MFPers would call a NSV (a non-scale victory) and those are as important as the scale.
Keep going!

I'm 44, down 7 pounds since joining MFP 55 days ago, 12 pounds since starting to diet and exercise. Starting Insanity program next week, just waiting for it to get here. You say you are exercising and that is freaking awesome. If you are not drinking water primarily I would recommend starting, track your meals and try to eat clean unprocessed foods, and lift some weights if you are not. If that sounds overwhelming pick one of those things to add to your regimen. Once that becomes habit, add another. We didn't go from sedentary to eating a good healthy diet, etc, overnight, but in stages. Keep working at it, keep reading on here and from other sources, and you can definitely make the changes you want.

Yes, it is possible. I am 43 , just keep plugging at it, it does take time. Good luck!

An overwhelming YES is my answer. I turn 56 today and within the last year have lost 93 lb and am now maintaining - so you can do it! You just need to take it slowly and be patient

You can do it! I turned 50 in march and gained 25 pounds when I moved here to Kansas. I thought being older that I'd have to fight and claw to lose any weight. I'm so happy to find this working and that i was wrong about it being a horrible struggle. I've lost 16 pounds since starting! I did research with the fat2fit and fitness frog calcutors, set my calories higher than what MFP recommended, am easing into exercise, purchased some great tools - scale, body fat monitor and fitbit. I love this site and would welcome more wonderful friends. I've got a long way to go but I can do it! We all can!

I'm 44 and I strive to get in better shape every year and I succeed! Never give up, and it's never too late! I'm in much better shape and fitness level than I ever was as a teenager or in my 20s!

I am 43, I will say it is true that losing weight comes off slower once youve past the big 40, but like most have said, its trial and error for your own personal body. Experiment with food, for me my carbs being diabetic had to be really closely watched and balanced during my day, no slips, secondly a mere 30 min cardio session wasnt gonna cut it at all, I workout 6 days a week, every day I do some form of cardio, walking at a fast pace, elliptical, power 90 dvds, leslie sansone dvds, I also do the power 90 sculpt (weights) every other day. My workouts are at least no less than an hour and a half to 2 hrs a day. I have lost almost 10 lbs and total overall 6 inches in the last 5 weeks where I had been stalled for 8 months because of all the things I was trying to do to figure it out, its going to be a little difference for everyone but overall it can happen and be done. Yes I eat back the majority of my exercise calories unless I am not 100% sure of them ,like if I go to a non chain restaurant and dont know the exact calories so any time guessing is involved I wont eat those all back to give me room for error. Sadly I do feel I have to put in twice the effort and work now than I would of had to do in my 20s or 30s to accomplish the same results I am finally getting. But I am worth it and so are you, you can do it!

I'm 47, and agree with wftiger. Only thing that helps me lose weight is a calorie deficit. I work out all the time, but experience no weight loss unless I watch what I eat very carefully. Once I get to the weight I want, I can maintain with exercise but I won't lose a pound with just exercise.