In 40s and can't lose weight

[Anonymous]

OP that’s odd. I have almost your exact stats in terms of exercise routine, and 1500 for me is definitely a deficit (though I would probably go a tiny bit lower if cutting.) But I am only 5 foot 1, and at 44, I stay between 111-113 lbs (maintenance probably around 1800).

When I lost weight and toned up in my thirties after babies, I started lifting weights, and tracked my calories in an app. I still do that a couple times of year when or if my weight creeps up. All of which is to say that it does seem like you would be losing weight at 5 foot 7 if you are only consuming 1500 a day. Have you had your thyroid checked?

Other possibilities:

-You aren’t tracking food properly and need to start weighing/measuring with a scale. This makes a big difference.

-You have been eating in a deficit for too long and your metabolism adapted. You can raise it again. Google “raising metabolism after long period of dieting” and you can find info on this.

[Anonymous]

GLP-1's aren't the only way. There's also HRT. Plenty of women out there taking anabolics like anavar to build muscle and burn fat.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the desire to look skinny. I'm clearly an outlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the desire to look skinny. I'm clearly an outlier.

I think it depends on your body shape. People who have straight figures or apple shapes look better thinner. Women with hourglass or pear shapes might look better with a few extra pounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the desire to look skinny. I'm clearly an outlier.

I’m thin. I’ve always wanted a nice waist-hip ratio. Hard to get when you’re skinny.

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'8"

To stay at 130 I need to be religious about 1300 calories. Did this through my 30s.

Had my kid at 38.

To stay at 140 - 145 I need to be religious about no more than 1400-1500 calories. Did this through my 40s.

I had a muscular build until menopause and objectively looked skinny at those weights because I was an athlete w/low body fat.

I am now steady at 155, not following a calorie-counting system, no longer an athlete due to injury and lack of time, and decidedly *not* muscular right now and look - and feel - like a pillow. I suspect this is my body's preferred weight. I don't love my body's size right now, but I do enjoy not feeling so obsessive about what I eat.

Look at your diet. And perhaps consult a nutritionist for guidance if you really want to lose what you perceive to be extra lbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the desire to look skinny. I'm clearly an outlier.

I’m thin. I’ve always wanted a nice waist-hip ratio. Hard to get when you’re skinny.

Thin is nicer looking for a woman than coke bottle or hour glass shape IMO. More natural and athletic looking. Curvy in today's definition means = sedentary and obese.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the desire to look skinny. I'm clearly an outlier.

I’m thin. I’ve always wanted a nice waist-hip ratio. Hard to get when you’re skinny.

But as another poster flagged above it depends on your body shape. I am thin, I would love a better waist to hip ratio. But I am an apple shape. All my additional weight beyond a low BMI goes to my belly (and to some extent my breasts and upper arms). I don’t get rounder hips at all. Being chubbier makes me look like a post menauposal grandma, not a sexy Marylin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the desire to look skinny. I'm clearly an outlier.

I think it depends on your body shape. People who have straight figures or apple shapes look better thinner. Women with hourglass or pear shapes might look better with a few extra pounds.

This, 100%. A lot of people don’t understand how different bodies are

[Anonymous]

How are you tracking your calories? Unless you are weighing your food you may be consuming more calories than you think. Especially if you are eating back calories from exercise.

The thing thats worked the best for me post turning 40 was doing a combination of IF and counting macros and lifting heavy weights. When I did that it seemed the weight just melted off and I loved the way I looked. Because I was focused on getting enough protein but allowing a moderate amount of carbs I never felt miserable (but did still feel a little hungry at times). Eventually it became hard to keep up because I basically had to have no social life. I had to be solely focused on eating healthy and counting calories at all times.

I am not as strict now and am okay with carrying an extra 5-7 lbs. I still like the way I look and can enjoy the foods I like in moderation and have my wine.

[Anonymous]

I think OP should stop focusing on the number on the scale and instead ask what about her appearance she isn't happy about. She's a healthy weight, but she seems unhappy about it. She has this idea that losing 10 lbs overall would fix it, but what if that's not it?

I'm 5'5" and 130 lbs. My weight is fine. But if I don't do dedicated ab exercises frequently, I lose muscle tone in my midsection and don't like how it looks. Now, I can diet myself down to 120-125 and sometimes I do that if, say, I am going to be running around in a bathing suit somewhere. But I'd rather do a 20 minute ab routine 4 days a week at the end of my regular workouts and still get to enjoy the occasional after dinner sweet, some sodium in my diet, and not have to limit myself to 1200 calories or less. So I do the ab workouts! My pants fit better and I just like how my body looks this way, and it's less of a sacrifice (for me) than a more rigid diet.

Sometimes fixating on the scale gets in the way. If you're a healthy weight and already getting plenty of exercise and have a healthy diet, maybe just focus on targeting any body issues that bug you with a different kind of workout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are you tracking your calories? Unless you are weighing your food you may be consuming more calories than you think. Especially if you are eating back calories from exercise.

The thing thats worked the best for me post turning 40 was doing a combination of IF and counting macros and lifting heavy weights. When I did that it seemed the weight just melted off and I loved the way I looked. Because I was focused on getting enough protein but allowing a moderate amount of carbs I never felt miserable (but did still feel a little hungry at times). Eventually it became hard to keep up because I basically had to have no social life. I had to be solely focused on eating healthy and counting calories at all times.

I am not as strict now and am okay with carrying an extra 5-7 lbs. I still like the way I look and can enjoy the foods I like in moderation and have my wine.

I have been tracking calories for 15 years so I am not a newb. I def gained 20lb on 1600/day.
Ugh I am already miserable with the 1600, constant hunger and insomnia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are you tracking your calories? Unless you are weighing your food you may be consuming more calories than you think. Especially if you are eating back calories from exercise.

The thing thats worked the best for me post turning 40 was doing a combination of IF and counting macros and lifting heavy weights. When I did that it seemed the weight just melted off and I loved the way I looked. Because I was focused on getting enough protein but allowing a moderate amount of carbs I never felt miserable (but did still feel a little hungry at times). Eventually it became hard to keep up because I basically had to have no social life. I had to be solely focused on eating healthy and counting calories at all times.

I am not as strict now and am okay with carrying an extra 5-7 lbs. I still like the way I look and can enjoy the foods I like in moderation and have my wine.

I have been tracking calories for 15 years so I am not a newb. I def gained 20lb on 1600/day.
Ugh I am already miserable with the 1600, constant hunger and insomnia.

Maybe a hormonal issue then. Get your bloodwork checked.

[Anonymous]

I hate to tell you this but its the two glasses of wine a week and likely some other items causing inflammation. You need to reduce inflammation and you will lose the weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate to tell you this but its the two glasses of wine a week and likely some other items causing inflammation. You need to reduce inflammation and you will lose the weight.

Exercise induces massive amounts of inflammation. Antioxidants help.