58 years old -- what's realistic about weight at this stage of life? (posted in Midlife)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I signed up for Noom yesterday after reading the NY Times magazine article but I'm wondering if I'm just being unrealistic. I'm 5'5" and weigh 141. Before menopause I weighed 125 and weighed 120-125 for many years without effort. Menopause and COVID put pounds on me. I could probably lose a few pounds, but very slowly and with a lot of effort. Is it realistic? Should I try?

Note, I do not want to hear from the "No one should weigh over 110" crowd or "tell me everything you eat in a day and how much you fast" and "why aren't you doing hot yoga" or so forth. I'm reaching out to other women my age for your perspective. I'm not going to do something radical.

Your body has changed. Previously, it was burning calories to support a young lifestyle and the ability to bear kids. Now it doesn't. Seeing as it has changed, doesn't it suggest that your lifestyle should change also?

Only you know what food will make you feel healthy now, how much activity you need, and what kinds of activity you should do. Listen to your body. Don't pay attention to the scale.

[Anonymous]

Is HIIT the new CrossFit?

So sick of hearing about it.

[Anonymous]

I am only 5’2 yet weigh 140lbs.

So at three inches taller you likely are in the normal BMI range so good for you‼️👍🏽

[Anonymous]

I am now 77. By the time I reached my sixties, my weight topped out at 176, way too much for a 5'4" woman. So I decided to get it back down to under 140. And I did, by losing about one pound per month. I cut back on the size of my portions and gave up sweets almost entirely. I kept a rough track of my calories, and also weighed myself every three or four days to make sure I was still on the right track. Gradually, my appetite decreased and I found it easier and easier not to overeat

And guess what happened next? I figured that if I could get down to 140, why not lose another 20ibs? So I did that slowly over the next few years. I have successfully maintained that weight for the last five or six years. I'm very happy about the way I look and feel. And I have more energy than I did 15 years ago.

So I'm a firm believer in slow weight loss. If you need to lose a significant amount of weight and you do it too quickly, you'll feel you're being deprived of the foods you love, and almost always, your weight will go back up again. If you have the patience to do it slowly, you will be successful. It's as simple as that.

[Anonymous]

141 is a healthy reasonable weight. What is happening in your head?

[Anonymous]

My sister is the same age as you and lost weight on Noom. She said it’s sort of obvious, but it works.

If I were you, I would also focus on weight lifting.
I’m two years younger and have been shocked at how quickly my muscle tone has deteriorated. It makes a big difference in how I look, feel and move.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think Smart BMI gives a better idea of how healthy your weight is for your age.

https://www.smartbmicalculator.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am now 77. By the time I reached my sixties, my weight topped out at 176, way too much for a 5'4" woman. So I decided to get it back down to under 140. And I did, by losing about one pound per month. I cut back on the size of my portions and gave up sweets almost entirely. I kept a rough track of my calories, and also weighed myself every three or four days to make sure I was still on the right track. Gradually, my appetite decreased and I found it easier and easier not to overeat

And guess what happened next? I figured that if I could get down to 140, why not lose another 20ibs? So I did that slowly over the next few years. I have successfully maintained that weight for the last five or six years. I'm very happy about the way I look and feel. And I have more energy than I did 15 years ago.

So I'm a firm believer in slow weight loss. If you need to lose a significant amount of weight and you do it too quickly, you'll feel you're being deprived of the foods you love, and almost always, your weight will go back up again. If you have the patience to do it slowly, you will be successful. It's as simple as that.

Thank you for sharing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think Smart BMI gives a better idea of how healthy your weight is for your age.

https://www.smartbmicalculator.com

NP, thanks for posting this!

[Anonymous]

Go on IG and check out @trainwithjoan. She is fit and in her 70s. If she can do it, so can you and you're younger so you have no excuse.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you like how you fit in your clothes? Some random thoughts: you probably would be unhappy to inch-up in weight without knowing so, make sure you weigh yourself regularly.