(40 and above) can diet only get you so far?

[Anonymous]

It seems like in order to drop the last 10 lbs of fat requires 10x the effort. My workouts are tough because of low energy from eating less and I spend the majority of the day hungry. Weight loss has staled. Should I stop with the diet temporarily and focus on getting stronger and faster? Since January I exercised with weights 2x a week and worked in cardio during my non-gym days.

[Anonymous]

Try intermittent fasting.

http://youngandfitxmikecom.blogspot.com/2012/02/intermittent-fasting-and-stubborn-body.html

[Anonymous]

Cutting calories is way more effective than exercise. Best of all is combining them, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try intermittent fasting.

http://youngandfitxmikecom.blogspot.com/2012/02/intermittent-fasting-and-stubborn-body.html

+1000

And lay off sugar and carbs. Sorry but you can't have pastries and dessert. Get rid of your friends and family who eat the standard American diet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try intermittent fasting.

http://youngandfitxmikecom.blogspot.com/2012/02/intermittent-fasting-and-stubborn-body.html

+1000

And lay off sugar and carbs. Sorry but you can't have pastries and dessert. Get rid of your friends and family who eat the standard American diet.

Yeah. Screw Grandma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cutting calories is way more effective than exercise. Best of all is combining them, though.

Guess the appetite doesn't adjust.

Do most of you >40 spend the days more on the hungry side vs content side?

[Anonymous]

Are you eating high fiber foods? Drinking enough water?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cutting calories is way more effective than exercise. Best of all is combining them, though.

Guess the appetite doesn't adjust.

Do most of you >40 spend the days more on the hungry side vs content side?

NP - I wouldn't say I do (50 something male)

But I tend to eat lots of "filling foods" - salads and other vegetables, fruits, lean proteins. Also "good fats". I try to avoid sugars and white starches (though I slip up on the white starches a lot, on the sugar not so much).

I also exercise a lot - I bike to work, over 45 mins each way, 2 to 3 times a week, and sometimes bike on the weekends as well.

So mostly I eat to satiation, but I do try get sated with less calorie dense foods.

[Anonymous]

I'm 45 and my metabolism has definitely slowed over the years. My weight is up a bit from when I was 35 (150ish now, 140ish then) but that weight gain happened at 40 and hasn't crept up since.

I haven't had to change my diet much. I exercise daily, and for me, that seems to allow me to maintain my weight without depriving myself. I do a fair amount of running and other cardio, and I lift weights 3-4 times a week. I try to get a decent mix of lean protein, carbs (mostly whole grains) and a lot of veggies. I'm trying to cut back on booze and sweets and less healthy snacks.

Do you actually need to lose the last 10 lbs? How little are you eating? I rarely drop below 2,000 calories.

[Anonymous]

Can't eat sweets any more. If I do weight goes up. To maintain have to watch diet and exercise. Not hungry but can't eat bagel in am. Have to eat protein/veggies or skip. Can't drink fancy milk filled coffee drinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like in order to drop the last 10 lbs of fat requires 10x the effort. My workouts are tough because of low energy from eating less and I spend the majority of the day hungry. Weight loss has staled. Should I stop with the diet temporarily and focus on getting stronger and faster? Since January I exercised with weights 2x a week and worked in cardio during my non-gym days.

You shouldn't be low energy from eating too little if you are overweight. Could it be what you are eating, rather than how much? Cut out foods that add nothing to your health

[Anonymous]

I TOTALLY feel you OP. I am 45 and CANNOT shed those GD 10 pounds. I eat well 85% of the time and exercise 5 days a week. I rotate between heavy weight lifting, HIIT, biking, and swimming. NOTHING works for me. I am only maintaining this 10-pound overweight body. I eat about 1600 cals per day, and yes I do often feel hungry. The only upside is that I have gained some very nice muscles and feel great. Too bad they hidden under this layer of fat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I TOTALLY feel you OP. I am 45 and CANNOT shed those GD 10 pounds. I eat well 85% of the time and exercise 5 days a week. I rotate between heavy weight lifting, HIIT, biking, and swimming. NOTHING works for me. I am only maintaining this 10-pound overweight body. I eat about 1600 cals per day, and yes I do often feel hungry. The only upside is that I have gained some very nice muscles and feel great. Too bad they hidden under this layer of fat.

Obviously I don't know your stats, but at 36, five foot two, I have to eat 1200 per day to actually lose. I can maintain at about 1800. When I was younger I could lose soooo easily. Sucks a lot! I also work out six days a week. I hit goal post baby 2 recently and then gained almost two lbs at one overnight conference without tracking cals. Thought it was water weight but still there five days later...and I have tracked every day this week. Argh! Don't want to starve myself but don't want to let weight creep on either...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I TOTALLY feel you OP. I am 45 and CANNOT shed those GD 10 pounds. I eat well 85% of the time and exercise 5 days a week. I rotate between heavy weight lifting, HIIT, biking, and swimming. NOTHING works for me. I am only maintaining this 10-pound overweight body. I eat about 1600 cals per day, and yes I do often feel hungry. The only upside is that I have gained some very nice muscles and feel great. Too bad they hidden under this layer of fat.

Obviously I don't know your stats, but at 36, five foot two, I have to eat 1200 per day to actually lose. I can maintain at about 1800. When I was younger I could lose soooo easily. Sucks a lot! I also work out six days a week. I hit goal post baby 2 recently and then gained almost two lbs at one overnight conference without tracking cals. Thought it was water weight but still there five days later...and I have tracked every day this week. Argh! Don't want to starve myself but don't want to let weight creep on either...

Am 5'7"...age 44...1600 is what I eat to maintain...Yeh, I only lose at around 1200 as well. I track, exercise...and 1 little mistake (such as 1800 a day) and I gain.

[Anonymous]

5'4" and 44yrs old. I've lost 25lbs since last summer using WW so dieting and lots of walking, but have stagnated at that for the last few months. I'm realizing that to lose the last 10-15lb I need to get in the gym 1-2x/wk and build some more lean muscle mass. My body has clearly adjusted to this level of eating and exercise. It's frustrating, I feel great and am getting lots of compliments because I look a lot better than I did, but I know that I'm still technically overweight (BMI is 26 right now) and need to lose those last pounds to be in the truly healthy range.