Over 40 and Slim? Tell me how you do it

[Anonymous]

Im 43 (okay nearer to 44) and for the first time in my life really struggling with weight gain and loss. I need to shed about 6 - 7 lbs but cant seem to do it.
Ive been low carbing since the beginning of jan and doing some exercise every day - whatever I can fit in around kids etc.
It is so hard that im not even sure its worth it anymore
Those of you who have maintained it - whats the secret or is it just a struggle from now on?

[Anonymous]

I'm 46. I was very slim my whole life until I had my second child around age 40. What has finally worked for me to lose the unwanted weight (I'm 10 lbs down on the way to 20) is intermittent fasting. I feel much better at 46 than I did at 40, much to my surprise. Like you I thought I was sliding down a slippery slope and that I would hold onto that weight for good. Now, though, I have lots of energy and am upping my exercise game as a result.

[Anonymous]

Re: intermittent fasting - what pattern has worked best for you?

[Anonymous]

Low carb diet. Protein shake meals. Timed meals. Lots of steamed veggies and lean meat. Huge bunch of supplements. Going to bed early and getting 9 hours of sleep. Being active, walking mainly.

[Anonymous]

No pasta, no bread, no sugar. Ever. I haven't had those things in years.

[Anonymous]

I'm 48 and 5'5, 115 pounds. Post menopausal thanks to a complete hysterectomy at 37. Five kids, all grown.

I eat whatever I want to eat. But I also workout hard every single day. I love to eat and luckily I love to sweat. There is no secret. It's simple math - Burn more calories than you take in.

[Anonymous]

I'm 58 - 5' 8" and 135 lbs. Just watch the sugars. Eat 3 meals a day and healthy snacks. Don't wait until you're starving to eat - that's when you eat the worst stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 48 and 5'5, 115 pounds. Post menopausal thanks to a complete hysterectomy at 37. Five kids, all grown.

I eat whatever I want to eat. But I also workout hard every single day. I love to eat and luckily I love to sweat. There is no secret. It's simple math - Burn more calories than you take in.

I'm the same height as you, same age. A couple of years ago I was walking 5 or more miles a day, going to the gym 3X a week, avoiding sugars and starchy carbs, staying away from processed foods/alcohol, drinking lots of water and no way was I going to get down to 115 pounds without starving myself. Like NO food.

What exactly are you eating?

[Anonymous]

I'm 46 and just shed 15lbs. I'm now the the same size or smaller than I was in high school. (5'0" 114lbs) I'm pretty muscular and you can see definition in my arms, legs and abs. I used weight watchers. I'm an exercise junkie but nothing changed until I started watching what I ate. I work out 6-7 days a week. Running on 2 days and boot camp and SolidCore once a week. I eat what I want but now I plan for it and it is one meal, not "It's Saturday I can eat junk all day because I did a long run." For example, if I plan to go out to dinner on a Saturday night, I will work out in the morning, eat something like berries and yogurt for breakfast, a salad with some sort of protein for lunch (chicken or beef or fish) then eat whatever I want for dinner. I also don't drink as much as I used to. I've never been a big drinker but my husband and I would enjoy a glass of wine with dinner 4 or so nights a week. Now I drink when I feel like it but it is usually when we go out and not as much at home.

If we have a big weekend of going out, I will eat what is served but much less of it than before. Also, I am a carb lover and I still have carbs, but not as often. I will eat the chips in the bowl until they are gone so it is easier for me not to start. I eat sweets too, but again, not as many and not as often. I've found that lots of junk just isn't that good and not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 48 and 5'5, 115 pounds. Post menopausal thanks to a complete hysterectomy at 37. Five kids, all grown.

I eat whatever I want to eat. But I also workout hard every single day. I love to eat and luckily I love to sweat. There is no secret. It's simple math - Burn more calories than you take in.

I'm taller and a bit heavier, but basically the same. Don't starve myself (we had pizza for dinner).

The gym is your friend. And seriously, if you don't come out dripping, basically it isn't working. All the cute workout videos and LuLulemon pants aren't going to help you lose weight. Get to a spin class or run on treadmill. My favorite is lifting weights.

[Anonymous]

Do you all think meds (especially antidepressants) play a role? In difficulty losing weight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im 43 (okay nearer to 44) and for the first time in my life really struggling with weight gain and loss. I need to shed about 6 - 7 lbs but cant seem to do it.
Ive been low carbing since the beginning of jan and doing some exercise every day - whatever I can fit in around kids etc.
It is so hard that im not even sure its worth it anymore
Those of you who have maintained it - whats the secret or is it just a struggle from now on?

Im 49. 5'9, 127lbs. And no, my weight does not come naturally to me.

I struggled with my weight all through my teen years, always carrying around an extra 30-40lbs. For me the change was simple, once I was determined and realized that I wanted to be slim more than I wanted to eat a slice of pizza. it was a complete shift in my thinking....frankly I was tired of being "the big girl". Since losing 45lbs in my early 20s I never looked back. Even on my due date for my kids I weighed less than I did at peak weight when I was 18.


What I learned is really simple. It worked for "me". But some people need cold turkey, that's not me.

1) stop dieting, its sets you up for disaster. just change the way you're going to eat from this day forward
2) stop eating processed foods, at least till you reach your goal weight. after that, you can reintroduce SOME processed foods but nothing gross like Doritos :O and only in moderation
3) curb your alcohol intake.
4) drink water all day long
5) eat as much natural food as possible - by that I mean fruit, nuts, veggies, lean protein.
6) I would say one of the biggest changes that really helped was to listen to my body while I'm eating. I stop eating when I am no longer hungry, no matter how much food I have left in my plate.
7) enjoy your food! put it in a pretty plate, sit down at a proper table. drink water out of a pretty glass. and eat SLOWLY. these little changes add up to a lot

And of course, exercise but you already know that. Good Luck OP. 6-7lbs is really not that much, you can do this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: intermittent fasting - what pattern has worked best for you?

I started off doing 500 calories every other day. Weekends were a bit difficult to plan but I switched days around if needed. Now I'm working 4 really long days in a new, fast-paced job and those days naturally work best for fasting. On fasting days I have a very little something at breakfast time and usually nothing else until dinner. No restrictions the other 3 days, but I'm consuming fewer calories those days as a side effect of the fasting days.

I feel so much better than I have in years.

[Anonymous]

Stress

[Anonymous]

I'm 40, slim, but flabby. Nothing special that I do to stay slim, eat healthy and everything in moderation, drink wine. Also not much that I can do apparenty to tone up; have been steadily doing 20+ mins of exercise each day since turning 36, and while it's better, I'm nowhere near toned. So yes, naturally slim -even after 2 kids- but also naturally flabby.