Hard to Lose Weight-PreMeno-Late 40s

J

JT

Cathlete
Tonight, an older woman in my culinary class told me once she turned 45, she had a hard time losing weight. She could maintain it but not lose it.
My question is: How can one lose weight pre-meno? I have begun working out again and am working to eating better post college. I do like to cheat once in awhile.

Any suggestions would be truly appreciated.
 
I'll be 45 in a few months and post menopausal, had mine a little early. I really don't feel that age is a factor in losing or keeping off weight. I'm in the best shape I've ever been in and look forward to my fitness journey lasting a long time. What I eat is the biggest factor. I workout consistently and when I gain it's because I've cheated too much. When this happens, I can cut out those cheats and the scale drops again. In my opinion, eating a clean diet makes all the difference in the world along with doing workouts you love so you keep on doing them.
My mother is 71 and walks about 5 miles every day. She had gained some weight and blamed it on getting older and felt it was hopeless. I told her that I thought it was more her diet and explained to her that she needed to cut out some of her treats. She did that and was able to lose about 30 pounds over the course of several months. She has maintained by watching her diet.
Eating clean is not always fun, but it does work :)

Laura
 
ITA with Laura. I am 49 and have worked out religiously for the last 25+ years. Several years ago I started working out at home and when I did that I stopped weighing myself on a daily basis. As a result of that I also got careless about my eating because I wasn't paying attention to my weight. 4 years ago I realized that my weight had crept up by 10 pounds. I kept up my normal workout routine but was a lot more careful about my diet and over a period of several months was able to lose that 10 pounds plus 5 more. I have kept it off for 3 years. The key for me is weighing myself daily and not letting that creep happen. When I see an upward trend on the scale I cut back on the eating immediately. Eating is definitely the biggest factor.
I will also say that when I lost that weight I didn't start seeing the results on my scale for at least 3 weeks. Once it started going down though it kept going down, so be patient and don't give up as I think it takes our bodies a little while to respond to the changes. HTH

Pam
 
I'm also 49 and agree with Laura and Pam -- it's not about age, it's about what you eat. I will also add that I've worked out consistently since I was 18; I've been strength training with weights since that time and have always lifted fairly heavy, so I have always been (and still am) well muscled. My body is less forgiving with alcohol and sweets than it used to be, so I need to really limit them -- but when I cut these out and watch my nutrition, I'm able to lose weight at the same pace I always have. When I'm working on losing weight I eat 1600-1800 calories per day, and I work out 5-6 days per week.

One change I have noticed over the years is where I tend to put on weight. It used to go straight to my hips and thighs. Now it goes more to my abdomen. But still, when I am careful and consistent about what I eat, I can get rid of it, and these days I have a nice well defined waist and abs. I'm on actually on a weight loss journey right now -- I have another 10-15 lbs to go and it's still coming off at a rate of 1-2 lbs per week.

Stebby
 
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I agree watching what you eat is a big part of weight loss at any age. Preserving and/or replacing muscle mass is also important. Women lose 5 pounds of muscle every decade after age 30. If you're burning 50 cals per day per pound of muscle, that's a loss of roughly 375 cals a day by age 45. Add that to overeating and you can easily add a pound of fat a week. Working out consistently and watching your intake pretty regularly is the way to go for most of us.
 
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Thank you, everyone. I will be more diligent on what I eat plus portion control. Reducing Diet Pepsi for tea has been positive for me too.
 
Good luck to you! Don't get frustrated if you don't see your success at first, you will. Once I started seeing those results on the scale it was a lot easier to stay motivated!

Pam
 
It's not about age

It's about calories in calories out, just like it is when you're younger. I said "bye-bye" to my 50's last year, and can't say at all that it's any harder - it's ALWAYS hard to keep weight off. You always have to be diligent, and be accountable whether it be with food journaling, weighing yourself, or in my case, trying on the tight non-spandes content jeans once a week.
 
I'll be turning 50 next year and have found that I must be even more diligent with what goes in my mouth than when I was in my 20's & 30's. So in my case, age has made a difference. I can still lose weight if I watch my diet but it is harder now than when I was younger. Also, like Stebby mentioned, any added weight seems to go right to my abdomen. I would really like to lose about 10 pounds before menopause hits but the problem is you can't spot reduce and it seems to go to my face first making me look somewhat gaunt and older. UGH! You can't win:(

Speaking of calories in VS calories out....did anyone see the story about the nutrition professor who ate only twinkies for 2 months to prove that HOW much you eat will affect you more that WHAT you eat? Of course we know that the "calories in" should come from healthy nutrient dense food but this was interesting.
 
I just have to agree with the whole calories thing. I have been wanting to lose 10 pounds for, about, forever, but finally got serious. I got a "Clean Eating" magazine out the library and loosely have been following their plans. I've been losing about one pound a week for a total so far of 5 pounds. This is really the first time in my life I've closely watched what I ate and it's working. I'm also doing STS to maintain muscle.

One thing I think is really helping it to drink a ton of water. I know everyone says to do this, but honestly, I think it really does make a difference. Aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces so if you weigh 150, drink 75 ounces a day. I try to go even higher!
 
I am 54 years old and literally eat like an elephant. No, seriously. I remember watching them feed the elephants at the San Diego zoo. They had wheelbarrows full of fruits and veggies. The only difference is that elephants are vegetarians, and I generally include about 4 ounces of lean protein in the form of chicken, turkey or fish with dinner. I truly eat supersized portions of veggies and salad.

I was a chubby kid, but when I got married in 2001 at the age of 45, I was at my ideal weight. I have done nothing since then to try to lose weight, just to maintain. I just weighed myself at the gym today and I am now 10 lbs. lighter than the day I was married! :eek: Weird, but true.

So, seriously, eat as many fruits and veggies as possible, add small amounts of lean protein, pour off about 90% of the sauce they give you in take-out restaurants, and avoid white sugar and flour to the extent possible. In my next life I intend to come back as an elephant. Of course, I won't be able to shop in the petite department anymore, but it will be worth it. Imagine being waited on by men with wheelbarrows full of food!
 
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I hear, and see, this all the time from my over forty clients...the scale sometimes just won't budge.

What do I recommend?? Weights, weights, and more weights...they are indeed the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth...strength training is imperative to buring those calories throughtout the day and keeping healthy bones. Make sure you aren't neglecting weights and over spending your time on cardio...!!!

Additionally, variety is the spice of life afterall! Keep mixing it up and hit those muscles from different angles, with different weights, and in front of as many different instructors/dvd's as you can!

Have fun and congrats in taking good care of yourself!

Gillian Orr
Master Trainer
New York Sports Club
gillianorrfitness.wordpress.com
 
nancy324 said:
I am 54 years old and literally eat like an elephant. No, seriously. I remember watching them feed the elephants at the San Diego zoo. They had wheelbarrows full of fruits and veggies. The only difference is that elephants are vegetarians, and I generally include about 4 ounces of lean protein in the form of chicken, turkey or fish with dinner. I truly eat supersized portions of veggies and salad.

I was a chubby kid, but when I got married in 2001 at the age of 45, I was at my ideal weight. I have done nothing since then to try to lose weight, just to maintain. I just weighed myself at the gym today and I am now 10 lbs. lighter than the day I was married! :eek: Weird, but true.

So, seriously, eat as many fruits and veggies as possible, add small amounts of lean protein, pour off about 90% of the sauce they give you in take-out restaurants, and avoid white sugar and flour to the extent possible. In my next life I intend to come back as an elephant. Of course, I won't be able to shop in the petite department anymore, but it will be worth it. Imagine being waited on by men with wheelbarrows full of food!
Click to expand...

Nancy, LOVE it!! ;)

I've heard it said that "Genetics loads the gun but your choices and environment pull the trigger" in regards to weight and health and I totally agree with that.

I went into premature menopause at age 34 and have had my thyroid removed due to a hypothyroid autoimmune disease and I have overweight parents. I also work 12 hour night shifts which mess up my sleep, etc. I could use all of these as excuses, but I don't anymore (I used to).

What helps me:
1. Stop making excuses and find solutions
2. Get help--from a doctor (hormones/meds), PT, support group, etc.
3. Eat clean, lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean meats
4. Exercise--balanced cardio and strength training most days of the week, and I'm trying to do more yoga and pilates too
5. Positive attitude!:D
 
Wow, Sandra, I'm very impressed! Every one of your "excuses" sounds like a darn good one to me. I've been "fat" and I've been "thin" and I've been everything in between and I would never, ever judge another person in regard to his or her size. My poor husband has genetics against him and his palate is very different from mine. For him, losing weight is extremely challenging. You took on a tremendous challenge and actually succeeded. My hat is off to you. Congratulations!
 
JT: from your post, I'm not exactly sure what your situation is. I get that you are somewhere between 22 ('post college') and 45 ('older woman") but not sure exactly where. Also, I'm not sure if you want to lose some weight now to 'prepare' for not being able to lose it later, or if you want to develop good habits now to not have to change later to lose/maintain weight?

I agree that diet is a big part of the equation. It is also important to be active (either working out, or having an active lifestyle) and include cardio and weights.

Here are some ideas to add to what's already been said. Some of these suggestions may sound rather 'strict' to you, but you have to decide: would you rather keep eating foods that may cause you to gain weight or make losing it harder, just because they give you a temporary good feeling, or would you feel better maintaining/losing weight? It's a choice, and whatever you decide, it's YOUR choice. Also, tastes adapt, so if currently a Twinkie sounds better to you than a fruit salad, that may not always be the case (I have no idea what your diet is like, so I'm just generalizing). Also, you don't have to do everything at once, as hopefully you are developing a lifestyle, and not just a short-term diet. You've already taken at least one good step by giving up soda.

Try to avoid empty calories (those that have a high calorie count vs. nutrient content) and emphasize nutrient-rich foods (especially greens).

Limit processed foods: white flour and sugar, of course, but also flour of any type. Go for whole foods instead.

Cut HFCS completely out of your diet. Seriously. It has no nutritional value, and some studies suggest it promotes weight gain as well.

Limit gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye) and replace some of them with the more nutritious 'grains' that are actually seeds, such as quinoa and amaranth.

Find healthy, whole foods that you think of as treats (for me, it's mangos, berries, persimmons, chocolate/cherry smoothies, baked yams...).

Try subbing your regular breakfast with a big green smoothie. IMO, it's one of the best things anyone can do to overhall their diet, if they aren't already drinking them.

Aside from smoothies (which are actually blended whole foods), limit your beverages to water or teas (herbal, green or white).

Eat at least 50% of your foods raw (large salads, fruits, seeds and nuts). (If you eat enough high-water-content fruits and, especially, veggies, you don't need as much water or other fluids as what is usually recommended to those who eat the SAD/Standard American Diet, which is high in processed foods and other 'dry' foods). A big, veggie-filled salad to start both your lunch and dinner with is a good step in the right direction.

Broth-based (rather than cream-based) soups are also good for providing a feeling of satiation. A yummy lentil/veggie soup is packed with nutrients, and because of the fiber and fluids it contains, will give you a fuller feeling that some foods with fewer nutrients and more calories.

HTH!
 
nancy324 said:
Wow, Sandra, I'm very impressed! Every one of your "excuses" sounds like a darn good one to me. I've been "fat" and I've been "thin" and I've been everything in between and I would never, ever judge another person in regard to his or her size. My poor husband has genetics against him and his palate is very different from mine. For him, losing weight is extremely challenging. You took on a tremendous challenge and actually succeeded. My hat is off to you. Congratulations!
Click to expand...

Thanks Nancy!

I guess I should clairfy what I meant by not making excuses anymore. When people get labeled or get a diagnosis, there seems to be a feeling of hopelessness (at least for me)--like nothing we do can or will make a difference. For me it was, "I might as well eat whatever because now my metabolism is shot!" and "Why exercise if my body is fighting against me? It's not fair!" I recently went to lunch with a friend who is also hypothyroid and overweight. She knows my story well and always complains that she can,t lose weight because of her thyroid problem, yet she had double servings of food, extra cheese on everything and extra bread .

I finally challenged that because despite my medical/body/work issues, I can still decide what I put into my body and how much I move. I am still responsible for giving it my best.

It's up to each of us to work with what we have and make the best of it, and that's all I've tried to do. ;)

Kathryn, GREAT post!
 
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