mid-to-late 20s?

i crossed over into the dreaded mid-to-lates this past december. i hear this is where it gets a bit harder to lose the pounds gained from being too fun (read: binge drinking & eating pizza for breakfast) in the early 20s. any truth to that? thoughts? tips?

Replies

  • phinphanbill26
    phinphanbill26 Posts: 574 Member
    As we age our metabolism gradually slows, making it more difficult lose weight. Also, for men in particular, we start losing muscle mass at an alarming rate...this leads to weight gain, also. Just be sure to watch what you eat and make exercise a part of your daily regimen...even if you only have 15-30 minutes to exercise.

    Feel free to add me for support if needed.
  • k2charmed4u
    k2charmed4u Posts: 282
    Hello I know what you mean i'm 24 and needing to lose 112 lbs. It's alot harder than a few years ago but i'm not going to let it get me down :happy:

    Feel free to add me too if you want some extra support :smile:
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    that's silly and absolutely no truth to that.
  • Cyphio
    Cyphio Posts: 20
    The metabolism might be true but I have found it is more about lifestyle. When I was younger (I am 28 now) it was easier to be active because sports and "playing" were built into the day. Now with my career and other responsibilities, I find that I have to be more intentional with trying to be active.It can be hard but it is never too late to start focusing on your health. Feel free to add me. :)
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    I'm just going to say that a few of the woman on here who've lost 150 lbs or more... have been in their 30s or older. JUST SAYIN'. :happy: Tamtastic, Bellinachuchina (I think she's CLOSE to 30) and some others
  • ericachristie85
    ericachristie85 Posts: 69 Member
    It is true you are losing muscle as you age. But Muscle is the fountain of youth. Lift heavy and you'll get your young metabolism back. Muscle burns fat bottom line.
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    Almost 30 and it takes me eating over 2000 calories a day just to maintain.
  • CherylGardner
    CherylGardner Posts: 75 Member
    The metabolism might be true but I have found it is more about lifestyle. When I was younger (I am 28 now) it was easier to be active because sports and "playing" were built into the day. Now with my career and other responsibilities, I find that I have to be more intentional with trying to be active.It can be hard but it is never too late to start focusing on your health. Feel free to add me. :)

    Yep.
  • lelstar
    lelstar Posts: 374 Member
    I don't know that it has made a difference. I hurt my nack when I was 20 so that was my initial weight gain but I didn't even think about changing my habits until my allergies when I was 22 and didn't do serious changed until 2010/2011 (25/26). One of the things that helped - didn't make me put on weight but made it bloody hard to get rid of it - was getting off my contraceptive.
  • angieleighbyrd
    angieleighbyrd Posts: 989 Member
    I'm in my late 20's and haven't had any issues.
  • SweetSammie
    SweetSammie Posts: 391 Member
    I think it IS harder, then again, my own abuse of my metabolism might be why. In my late teens and early 20s, I would starve to fit into a skirt or outfit for a certain event. I would not eat all day then eat only a basket of french fries (regularly). I lost and gained weight quickly and frequently.
    Eventually the starvation yo-yo just stopped working. For about six months I ate 600-800 calories a day and lost NOTHING. My doctor told me to eat more, and gave me a meal plan, which I followed... for awhile. For a few years I gave up, and I did gain 20 lbs, but then the gain stopped and I maintained there. I was eating whole foods, but too much, and a little too much homemade bread and butter (YUM), dessert, ect. It was almost like an unintentional "reset" in the lingo of the "eat more to weigh less" crowd.
    Slow, steady weight loss IS working. I did plateau for the first time a couple of weeks ago, but I've lost .5 lb since then, so hopefully that is done).
    In fact, this is the most painless weight loss I have experienced, mostly due to a mindset of self-love rather than self-loathing. Accepting that it's okay if it takes a while is a good thing, too. Patience, perseverance, and self forgiveness will get you there.
  • I don't think its true. im 27 and lost over 160 pounds. just make a commitment to get the weight off and at any age it can be done. good luck!
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    I think the numbers aren't that terribly bad. You lose your metabolism by like 10% between the age of 25-40 or something like that. Its not that bad that you can blame your age alone for your weight gain. You can always boost your metabolism via working out.

    The reason 10% doesn't sound incorrect and many of us will say that in my teenage years I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain an ounce. Well, most of us used to walk EVERYWHERE. We did alot of physical activity also.
  • ashreynolds09
    ashreynolds09 Posts: 257 Member
    Uhm, I have nothing to say about the truth of this, but I am 25, gonna be 26 this August and am freaking out about the same thing!
  • BrandiH2007
    BrandiH2007 Posts: 40 Member
    Glad to hear you are doing it the healthy way this time!

    I think age does have an effect, but for many different reasons. Yes your metabolism slows, but that is mostly due to our own neglect. The hard part is not letting "life" get in the way of our health. Having a full time job, significant other, children all that stuff, even school (when you don't play sports) makes it hard to make physical activity a priority, especially if it isn't something you look forward too.

    Find what works for you and stick with it until it doesn't work, then find something else. We all change as we grow older and even as the seasons change. Just stick with it! You can do it!
  • Katie3784
    Katie3784 Posts: 543
    I am 28 and had my kids at 21 and 25. Since losing the weight from my two year old, it has been quite easy to keep it off. I workout a lot, but I also eat just about whatever I want, in moderation. I will say that when I was 18 I weighed about 8lbs less and worked out less and ate more, so I'm sure there is a lot of truth to what you are saying. Having kids also changes the way your body looks. You can be the same weight as you were pre baby, but look totally different. I think that it really gets harder to lose wieght once you are in your mid thirties. Under thirty is still pretty young.
  • Truth is, everything else being the same, it is harder to lose wieght in your late 20's than early 20's. Many people have already hit the reason right on the head so wont discuss the reason further.

    Being in the same boat (27) I can tell you how i started viewing it though. It is harder than if i had did it in my early 20's, yes, but thats not an option (very much enjoyed the pizza and booze diet you reference). But it is EASIER to lose weight THIS YEAR, RIGHT NOW then it will ever be for the rest of your life. It doesnt get easier to lose wieght in your 30's or 40's or beyond.

    So if you want to lose weight, no matter what your age is, TODAY is the best day you can start, it will never be easier to lose weight than it is today. So why wait? You dont want to be in your 30's talking about how much easier it would of been in your late 20's.

    So grab the diet and workout program by the horns and get'er done!

    Feel free to add for support if you want as I am rocking the same boat as you right now!
  • Everyone is correct about your metabolism decreasing with age due to neglect. The Truth is that after the age of 25, you will lose 1 or more pounds of muscle every two years if you are not doing any kind of resistance training program. Muscle is actually the ONLY way to permanently increase your metabolism. If you really want to lose the weight this time and keep it off, you will need to have a good resistance/strength training program. Let me know if you have any other questions.
  • KatyMalkin
    KatyMalkin Posts: 57
    Feel free to add me :)

    I am 24 in August, unfortunately this started happening to me around 21! Have to be careful about what I eat now, until I was 21 I could eat ANYTHING and be a beanpole!
  • felicia8604
    felicia8604 Posts: 274 Member
    I think its mainly lifestyle. I think that as some people get older they just give up. As for me im 26 and im hoping to have a btter body than before kids. Meaning more toned. Anyone can lose weight if they put their minds to it. Good luck and dont give up when u hit rough patches.
  • Ekoria
    Ekoria Posts: 262 Member
    I haven't read every one elses posts but I think the older I have got the more I have struggled to loose weight . I am 27 this July, maybe I am just less active though and that probably doesnt help lol.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    According to my college PE teacher (graduate student in PE), your metabolism slows down and you can begin to lose muscle mass around 28. I have noticed that I have to work harder now (early 30s) than I did in my mid 20s. That said, it's not an excuse to give up. This teacher also showed up a picture of an 80 year old man in better shape than most 18 year olds. It was weird.

    You can get better, you just have to try harder.
  • naija1983
    naija1983 Posts: 10
    29 here - OMG almost 30! LOL

    I did notice that pics of me at the same weight several years ago show me as much leaner. I think I've definitely gained more fat and lost some of the muscle I had. Back to lifting weights to preseve them!
  • senyosmom
    senyosmom Posts: 613 Member
    Its all true honey! - unless you are blessed with a kick a** metabolism. Id say at 25 I noticed I had to go to the gym in order to keep eating like I was and not gain. Then at about 27 I had to keep going to the gym but stop eating the way I was. And then at 28 I had a kid and oh my goodness its so much work to get just a tiny result!!

    If you are asking then it must not have happened to you at this point. Start teaching your body healthy living now and you may skip right on by that awful harsh reality that slaps you in the face at 25. :)
  • queenofgrey
    queenofgrey Posts: 70 Member
    thanks for all of the replies, y'all. at lot of very helpful information. i'm watching what i eat & kicking my butt in the gym & seeing results pretty quickly. good to know age isn't as much of a factor as i thought, so long as the effort is there.
  • annak84
    annak84 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm 27 and still struggling with the last 14lbs. I started after my second child was born and she is nearly four!
    Like someone said if I don't get there now it's only going to get more tricky!

    The thing is it hasn't got harder to lose. I just never stay in the right mind set long enough to lose the last stone.
    After joining this site I have realized that losing the weight is not the hardest part, the real work will be toning up!