If you are over 50 and have lost weight - how???

[violetina]

My metabolism seems to have gone through the floor!

I used to be able to eat sensibly and lose a few lbs easily - but that doesn't seem to work any more.

I want to lose about 7lb and get my body fat down to about 25% from 30%.

If you're over 50 and have done this, tell me how please!

I work ft, so don't have Ioads of time to exercise, but can fit in cardio two or 3x a week for an hour a session maximum, and have a dog who needs walking.

[BindiBach]

I do weights and find this reduces actually body fat far more than cardio plus you get a toned body and get into a smaller size . The scales don't show this though, in fact they might show an increase in weight as you gain more muscle while losing fat.

[violetina]

Diolch Bindi! I am starting 5:2 again tomorrow. Last time I tried it, I felt cold, but intend combatting that with some exercise.

I'll ask my gym to recommend a weights programme for home use as well as the gym.

I don't mind what the scales say, I do want to lose the creeping middle age spread around my waist.

[BIWI]

I'm almost 55. When I hit 52 I was in the same situation as you (although I wasn't doing any exercise).

I started low carbing and also hired a personal trainer. A year later, 2 stones lighter I also took up running.

It's how I came to start Bootcamp on Mumsnet! Come and join us - we only started the latest Bootcamp last week

[violetina]

Thanks Biwi. I tried bootcamp and didn't lose anything - though I think it was because I didn't cut out dairy.

Also, we have a very busy work/social life, so I found it difficult to maintain. But if 5:2 doesn't work this time , I will try bootcamp again.

There's definitely a link between the menopause and weight gain though - I have always been able to keep very slim, but I am rapidly turning into my mother!

[Nowitscleanugobshite]

I'm almost 50! Do I count?? I've lost 3 stone in past year or so. I was 14/16 but am now size 10 ish. It's sounds daft but I ate less and exercised more! Swapped wine for gin&slim. Didn't buy big bags of crisps-my weakness! If there were "goodies" in work if used the rule that if it was something I'd have bought- I could have some. But if I wouldn't have spent money on it-then I couldn't!! Eg I would never ever buy a cake-even a slice of cake with coffee in a cafe-but used to devour any cake that arrived!! I also had treats every week-chip shop tea was my choice! And I would have that big bag of crisps at each half term/end of term!! Being able to wear nice clothes again has been lovely-nothing looked "nice" so I lost interest . It's raised my self esteem hugely. I've kept it off relatively well but can feel a little creeping back on so I'm back on the straight and narrow now til end of term!!

[BindiBach]

Croeso mawr! violetina. Da chi'n siarad Cymraeg?

I tend to eat much more natural now too. Sort of paleo but not too strict. I am starting to realise that although I am a foodie and love good food it is also my medicine and therefore I try to make sure whatever I put in my mouth (foodwise ha ha) is mostly fruit, veg, salad, chicken, fish, nuts, real salty butter, cream etc. I do still eat good quality chocolate in very small quantities and don't intend to give that up. I don't drink alcohol much either as I don't have the head for it anymore.

[violetina]

Thanks for the tips.

Ydw, rydw i'n siarad Cymraeg Bindi.

Alcohol and portion sizes are my downfall I think - I can't get away with it any more. I usually drink a bottle of wine over a weekend - I will try swapping it for gin & slim.

[BindiBach]

Tipyn bach. I think you maybe more down south than me though.

[Tansie]

Nowits- for the record- and my education- gin'n'slim- how many fewer cals does that provide in terms of the crude measure, 'bang for bucks calories' than say dry white wine?

I absolutely don't drink-to-get-hammered (really!) but am interested in whether if I were to swap 2 glasses of pinot grigio for 2 of g'n's, is there a worthwhile calorie saving?

I do like me gin but always thought that the old 'fancy another?' meant loads of calories with gin but fewer with vino?

And yes, I know it all depends on how big your glass is!

[Laska42]

I lost about 1.5 stone on ; weight watchers a few years ago then it just stopped working even though i really stuck to it..

Thw i saw the michael Mosley Horizon programme in summer of 2012 on intermittent fasting and thought id give 2 days of fasts a week a go .. (this idea eventually turned into the 5:2 diet . ) and good old calorie counting . This was a revelation after forgetting it all these years in favour of counting 'points' etc - especially when I added up what the WW 'points ' actually came to each day .. then i started posting on MN and ' met up' with a lot of other people trying IF and 5:2 out on MN and lost another 25lbs.. its now fairly 'mainstream in it self 5:2 fasting Latest thread here )

Also what ever diet you do its really useful to Find out your Basal Metabolic Rate -the amount of calories you expend sitting for 24 hrs doing nothing and your average Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) which is the number of calories burnt in a day by your level of level of activity. (This is the number of calories you need daily to maintain your current weight ) TDEE

I also recommend you read Dr John Briffa's Escape the diet trap to find out why conventional diets just dont work long term and how the food industry sets us up to fail with dieting ...

I'm 56 now and 5:2 has been the thingthat kickstarted my weightloss again and the only thing i found worked after menopause

[Laska42]

Also Myfitnesspal is a great resource for calorie counting and keeping track .. I couldnt have done it without it ..

[BindiBach]

Hows the 5:2 coming along Violetina

[BIWI]

Laska - am I right in thinking that if you want to lose weight (using TDEE calculations) then you should eat an amount of calories between your BMR and TDEE?

[turdfairynomore]

A premixed can if gin&slimline tonic has 94 calories and is 250ml. Wine is just below double the calories for that for same volume I think?

[Tansie]

OK! ooi, what's the 'units of alcohol' difference? I imagine the g'n's is lower? Or is it??!

[violetina]

My first fast day went really well yesterday- I am tracking on MFP where my user name is busybusybee.

I read an article somewhere which said it's a good way of losing weight for over 50's - we'll see!

Weekends are my downfall, and we have friends coming this weekend - so I am trying to stick to 1200 cals on non fast days during the week.

My next fast day is Thursday.

[violetina]

My TDEE is a measly 1407!

I put in that my life is sedentary as I have a desk job, although I do light exercise a few times a week - dodgy joints don't let me work out like I used to when younger.

[violetina]

Laksa and Biwi - it's really good to hear from you that it is possible to beat the weight creep in your 50s!

I don't want to lose too much and risk looking haggard though.. It's that old thing about choosing between one's face and backside, but I am sure there is a happy compromise about 7lb less than I am now.

[Shosha1]

Myfitnesspal. Sticking to 1200 calories a day. Walking 30 mins everyday at the beginning increasing to a hour at weekends.

Lost 7 stone last year at 54.

[Laska42]

BIWI IThats the theory, Because I do 5:2 I usually aim for an overall calorie deficit on TDEE overthe week, and try not to go over my TDEE on 'eating days' if I can , but i have been quite relaxed and 'saved@ some of the calories for weekends. This means i can have wine at weekends , it has worked for me. but you do have to be pretty disciplined if you want to count overall calories fir the week instead of having dailiy limits as you can imagine ..

The other thing im very careful of (except wine that is!! ) is of carbs - especially bread , wheat and fruit (I know you are a LC follower) and i really think that is also the way to go .. I do eat butter, try ( not always successfully ) to limit cheese, but otherwise dont do the higher fat LC things . (cream makes me feel ill anyway ive found).

I also very rarely have potatoes these days and even rarer , rice or pasta.. sugar is easy for me because luckily I just dont have a sweet tooth..

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

I lost almost three stone two years ago - but it took me 8 months (I was 52 at the time). I used to be in my 20s able to lose half a stone in a week!

I calorie counted and excercised more. The weight has stayed off - I am now careful what I eat and have kept up swimming half a mile five times a week. I generally do 6: 1 now! Michael Mosley is right - the chair is the enemy.

[Laska42]

violetina due to ing hava 'square jaw' shaped face and lucky genes I suppose it seems to have not gone to lines..but I have lost my bum though! ,
Are you onthe 5:2 thread? I mostly post on themaintenance one.. Had slipped a bit ,a few months ago and regained a few pounds but am back on track now, .. having ebayed all my bigger clothes i wasnt going to go out and buy new ones ..

Good luck.. yes i feel so much better now.. sadly im far to lazy to do exercise also so I have low TDEE neither despite losing so much have I reduced the boobs much iin proportion..down from 38 DD to 36/34D but thats just my age I suppose..

However , I do wear a biikini on holiday now because i can (hell they dont know me and there are wors sights on the beach!)

[Laska42]

oh sorry , im having trouble with my wireless mouse pointer , so lots of those words above came out muddled... must get some new batteries

[Shallishanti]

I tried 5;2 but found it no good
what worked was the hairy dieters approach- weighing carbs, otherwise all proper food, some low fat (eg low fat cheese, not low fat biscuits with loads of sugar!) cut out crap (crisps etc)- took a few months but now back to the weight I was 20+ yrs ago. I run which makes me feel good, but I don't think it helps weight loss. Am 54.

[50ShadesofGreyMatter]

I'm 53 and I've lost 6 stone in 20 months after working out my basal metabolic rate and TDEE and using My Fitness Pal.
I've done almost no exercise

I try to vary the daily cals in which seems to work ok and just try to keep to the weekly amount.