Anonymous wrote:Protein, protein, protein. It made a HUGE difference when I was in my 40s. I started to craze less carbs and sugars. Now, I love protein. As a snack, I eat unsalted nuts. I have no desire for sugar or carbs.

This has also been my experience. Low carbs (mostly from plants), limited refined sugars, and a gram of protein for each pound of target weight.

As for the cardio debate... Walking is technically cardio. That's not really a problem. Heavy, steady-state cardio (think running on a treadmill) can cause hunger spikes, and impede fat loss. Weight training, or a combo like HIIT that also pushes you cardiovascularly, prioritizes building muscle which burns fat at rest. The more muscle you have to support, the more calories you're using to maintain it (oversimplified, but that's the math). Steady state cardio doesn't build muscle; it might break down muscle if you're not properly fueling and providing adequate protein supply.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t eat out. Take a “thin” probiotic. Work out harder than walking.

What is a thin probiotic?

Don’t eat out. Take a “thin” probiotic. Work out harder than walking.

Anonymous wrote:If you’ve had success losing weight at age 45+, how did you do it?

I walk/run 10k steps almost every day and eat fairly healthy, but the weight is not coming off and I feel like my belly fat/mom pooch is getting worse. What else should I be doing?

I have struggled with my weight since beginning anxiety meds in 2016 and have gone from a size 2 to size 10/12. Would love to stop the anxiety meds but not sure I can manage without them.

Appreciate any suggestions.

I had to significantly decrease my calorie intake. Reduce by 700 calories a day. I did this and I am currently eating about 1200 -1300 cal a day and I am losing a little less than 2 pounds a week (knocking on 25 pounds lost since new year). I am larger than you. I also walk the 10k and have since before fitbits. I fully expect the weight loss to taper off and I will be eating 1200 cal for the rest of my life.

I have always eaten less and exercised more than my peers and have always been 2-3 sizes larger. This was evident when I went to college and it hasn’t changed in nearly 40 years. My genes are valuable during famine but a curse in abundance.

PP here whose doctor recommended cutting out cardio. I recognize now I should have clarified my specific goal because it matters. I was skinny fat after years of cardio and restricting, followed by a period of increasing inactivity. My BMI was the same it’s always been, but my body fat percentage was higher than expected for someone my size. My doctor’s only goal was muscle gain and cardio was counter productive to that. Weight loss was not my goal but I did end up losing fat.

Have to be so controlled now. My basics are - fast 6:30-11:30 except black coffee. Eat high protein low carb/sugar in the eating window. I eat plenty but super clean. Run 3x a week, Pilates 3x a week and walk as much as I am able. 45yo

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why some people are so opposed to cardio. I’m a late 40s woman and it always helps me lose weight. Always. The second I stop doing it, like just now when I went on Spring Break, both my weight, blood sugar and blood pressure creep up. It’s amazing actually how quickly I can see the change in either direction. Maybe yours doesn’t, but my body needs cardio.

The same here! When I do the lifting programs with my husband I get the fat ---fwiw he lifts the most in his 'chubbier stages'.

When I stopped doing cardio 4-5 days per week and transitioned to weight-lifting mostly ---the gut comes back.

That’s because muscle grows but there is still fat over it. I feel like I have looked bigger too because I didn’t keep to a strict diet that weigh lifters usually have.

Different methods work for different bodies. My gyn specializes in peri and menopause and recommended switching to low intensity steady state cardio and limiting carbs, and adding endurance style lifting. The type you mention above sounds like more of a hypertrophy style program aimed at muscle gains, and often requires a bulk/cut to lose the fat on top of the muscle.

If OP is struggling though, it may be another option to try. It’s not that anyone is “against” cardio, it’s just that it hasn’t gotten us the results we wanted. Again, different goals and different outcomes because we are all different!

At 45, I don’t want to be injured and I need functional training that keeps moving and active. Haha so I much prefer light weights and more reps even if instagram says we need to lift as heavy as possible all the time. I love my active cardio days and a good burpee but I am trying to be more balanced.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why some people are so opposed to cardio. I’m a late 40s woman and it always helps me lose weight. Always. The second I stop doing it, like just now when I went on Spring Break, both my weight, blood sugar and blood pressure creep up. It’s amazing actually how quickly I can see the change in either direction. Maybe yours doesn’t, but my body needs cardio.

The same here! When I do the lifting programs with my husband I get the fat ---fwiw he lifts the most in his 'chubbier stages'.

When I stopped doing cardio 4-5 days per week and transitioned to weight-lifting mostly ---the gut comes back.

That’s because muscle grows but there is still fat over it. I feel like I have looked bigger too because I didn’t keep to a strict diet that weigh lifters usually have.

Different methods work for different bodies. My gyn specializes in peri and menopause and recommended switching to low intensity steady state cardio and limiting carbs, and adding endurance style lifting. The type you mention above sounds like more of a hypertrophy style program aimed at muscle gains, and often requires a bulk/cut to lose the fat on top of the muscle.

If OP is struggling though, it may be another option to try. It’s not that anyone is “against” cardio, it’s just that it hasn’t gotten us the results we wanted. Again, different goals and different outcomes because we are all different!

Drop the processed carbs and the anxiety meds. It’s a continuous feedback loop. Get your gut in shape by eliminating processed foods and seed oils and focus on whole foods, mostly meat and a few veggies/fruits; grains and nuts. This, some walking and weights will significantly change your body and mental health.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why some people are so opposed to cardio. I’m a late 40s woman and it always helps me lose weight. Always. The second I stop doing it, like just now when I went on Spring Break, both my weight, blood sugar and blood pressure creep up. It’s amazing actually how quickly I can see the change in either direction. Maybe yours doesn’t, but my body needs cardio.

The same here! When I do the lifting programs with my husband I get the fat ---fwiw he lifts the most in his 'chubbier stages'.

When I stopped doing cardio 4-5 days per week and transitioned to weight-lifting mostly ---the gut comes back.

That’s because muscle grows but there is still fat over it. I feel like I have looked bigger too because I didn’t keep to a strict diet that weigh lifters usually have.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know why some people are so opposed to cardio. I’m a late 40s woman and it always helps me lose weight. Always. The second I stop doing it, like just now when I went on Spring Break, both my weight, blood sugar and blood pressure creep up. It’s amazing actually how quickly I can see the change in either direction. Maybe yours doesn’t, but my body needs cardio.

The same here! When I do the lifting programs with my husband I get the fat ---fwiw he lifts the most in his 'chubbier stages'.

When I stopped doing cardio 4-5 days per week and transitioned to weight-lifting mostly ---the gut comes back.