Anyone 50+ actually succeed in losing weight in your 50s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 50+ and a website referred by DCUM (in the sports/fitness section) changed my life:

marksdailyapple.com

OP, the short story is calories in=calories out is not the correct way to go about it.

Eat what your ancestors ate. (Like that saying, if you want the rocket to fly, give it rocket fuel)

I got down to my pre-pregnancy weight without being hungry, and without doing "chronic cardio." I gave up eating grains and added sugar, I go for walks, I lift weights a little bit, I get sleep. I can eat meat, fat, butter, bacon!

Before I figured this out, I used to excercise like crazy, was in weight watchers, etc. and I was just stuck on a hellish hamster wheel of excersise, hunger, calorie (point) counting and tiredness.

FYI, Paleo and other very high protein and very low carb diets are advised against for people susceptible to kidney stones. Exercise is key for me and keeping it under 1600 calories.

[Anonymous]

I do intermittent fasting. And it's working. Give it a try

[Anonymous]

i am 58 and have lost weight in the past with "gimmicky" type diets. (south beach, 17 day diet) it always came back. now i am following my fitness pal. it allows 1200 calories/day. i generally keep it to 1000 /day. i love the accountability and how it keeps me mindful of my intake. i eat more protein and fewer carbs than mfp recommendds. i have lost 8 lbs in 5 weeks with 5 more to go. i do a lot of walking but have recently added daily exercise with a program from jessica smith . i dont feel deprived or hungry. it feels good to be eating what my body actually needs. feeling optimistic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do intermittent fasting. And it's working. Give it a try

Not feasible for those of us who workout frequently and intensely.

[Anonymous]

Joined a rowing club and work out 5 days a week with them. That's all that really worked for me. Intense physical activity and trying not to overeat.

[Anonymous]

53 and lost 20 lbs easily by reducing carbs, cutting out sugar (except low glycemic fruit like berries), and all processed foods. I increased good fats and exercise a few times a week. I have more energy than in my 30s and don't get cravings for anything even though I used to love bread and bagels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:53 and lost 20 lbs easily by reducing carbs, cutting out sugar (except low glycemic fruit like berries), and all processed foods. I increased good fats and exercise a few times a week. I have more energy than in my 30s and don't get cravings for anything even though I used to love bread and bagels.

What types of fruit fit into your plan? All berries? No apples? Trying to find something to satisfy my sweet tooth as I cut carbs and processed foods. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

^^How overweight were you? I have 10 pounds that absolutely positively will not budge. I guess they really like me.

[Anonymous]

Good low glycemic fruit includes all berries, apples, and it's OK to eat a bit of over 70 percent dark chocolate due to the antioxidants. I lost my sweet tooth after cutting carbs and eating more fat so you may too.

[Anonymous]

I heard an interesting story on NPR last week. A researcher was talking about how difficult it is to burn enough calories to lose weight through exercise.

For example, running several miles will maybe burn a few hundred calories, which really isn't much at all.

Exercise is great for overall health, strength, endurance, etc., but is generally not going to help you lose much weight. The KEY to losing weight is simply to eat less.

[Anonymous]

That is definitely the new wave of advice but I think it means that exercise alone is not enough to lose weight, it can certainly help and is essential to keeping it off. I have been trying the diet (reduced carbs and food overall) with limited exercise route lately and it is not working whereas a few years back I lost 20 pounds pretty easily by changing diet and exercising regularly. Probably have to return to that plan.

[Anonymous]

The sweet spot on exercise for me is at least 6 miles a day, 5 days a week. At that level of exercise, I can either eat whatever I want or eat a little less like no dessert and still lose weight.

I think the real issue with many people is that they don't burn nearly as much calories as they think with the amount of exercise they are doing. They exaggerate the amount of exercise they are doing. It is easier to track calories through food.

Overall, it is always amount of calories in vs amount of calories expanded. You lose weight and fat when you are burning more calories than you eat. I see people at the gym all the time who basically stay fat bc they are not upping the intensity of their workouts and still eating the same amount of calories.

[Anonymous]

Me and all my running and triathlon friends. Try a couch to 5K or local running group (I like Moms Run This Town) for support and companionship. I lost 20 lbs, I know some who have lost a lot more.

[Anonymous]

I am 53. on a very easy diet thanks to Trader Joe's! I stopped all white food, rice potatoes, chips, bread....I used riced collar flower from Trader Joe's in place of regular rice. I still have my glass or two of red wine, I have lost 10 lbs in 1 month. I only have 5 more to go. It was only hard the first few days. Breakfast consist of nuts and an apple, lunch is chicken and salad, dinner is a lot of veggies with black beans and chicken or ground beef
you just have to decide you are going to do it and stick with it. I have a cheat day on saturday, one meal only I can cheat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 53. on a very easy diet thanks to Trader Joe's! I stopped all white food, rice potatoes, chips, bread....I used riced collar flower from Trader Joe's in place of regular rice. I still have my glass or two of red wine, I have lost 10 lbs in 1 month. I only have 5 more to go. It was only hard the first few days. Breakfast consist of nuts and an apple, lunch is chicken and salad, dinner is a lot of veggies with black beans and chicken or ground beef
you just have to decide you are going to do it and stick with it. I have a cheat day on saturday, one meal only I can cheat.


forgot to say, get a fitbit and walk 10k steps every day. The bottom line is the kitchen. Exercise helps but what you eat is far more important with weight loss