What's the best way to lose weight at my age?

[Howcanichange]

I'm 46 in August. I'm happy to calorie count but don't want to cut out anything like sugar cos then I go off the rails.
Should I do intermittent fasting too?

What I mean is I will have stuff in moderation but cut down

I had a big sugar binge this afternoon but that was partly cos I hadn't eaten enough in the day.
I want to lose 18lb.

I'm doing intermittent fasting. Along with running, I lost 1.5 stone after I'd lost two stone when stopping eating the things I was intolerant too.

I have decided life without chocolate is not realistic though!

Well done! I don't think I'm intolerant to anything?
How long did that take you?
I go to classes or the gym 3 or 4 times a week and walk the dog everyday.

I’ve started going for at least a 25 minute run every day. It works. You can cycle or swim as well.

I could have written your post.

I exercise 3x a week (CrossFit).

I eat healthily BUT I then have a layer of absolute shite on top. I LOVE white bread with butter!

Im a similar age 44 and I was successful in loosing weight when younger ( after babies 1-3) but I just cannot shift this last 20lb from my youngest three years ago.

so I’m afraid I don’t have any advice but solidarity

May I ask how you started running? Any tips? I'm not too big, but terribly unfit...if I ran to the end of my road, I'm swallowing the rise in my throat

I’ve previously done calorie counting to shift a couple of pounds when they creep on and it works/worked well.

For the past month or so I have been doing internittent fasting while cutting most ultra processed foods. It’s honestly amazing. I don’t feel hungry and the weight is dropping off with little effort. I’d suggest reading ultra processed people by Chris Van Tullen, and maybe some of Tim Spector’s books too.

The books talk about how calorie counting isn’t exact science as foods are absorbed and processed so differently by our bodies. Also how exercise does little to help weight loss, although it is important for overall wellbeing.

I’m 39 so a little younger, stressful life, very time and sleep poor with a pouchy tummy after 4 babies despite a healthy BMI pre weight loss attempt.

A few months to lose the 1.5 stone. About a fortnight for the other. Not long anyway.

I've found weekday water fasts work amazingly. Nothing but water for as long as possible. I feel amazing, full of energy, pain (arthritis) massively reduced, sleep really well and weight drops off quickly. It also means I just don't have to think about food.
Weekends I eat low carb but don't calorie count.
I started with 24 hour water fasts and worked up to 4days.

Works for me as I know the way my brain works. If I try to 'be good' with food I end up obsessing over food and falling off the wagon quickly.

The thing is to find what works for you. Calorie counting, low carb, keto, IF. Worth trying any of them.

I started by doing couch25 km. I have been running for over four years now. Not hugely fast, best time is still 31.52 for the 5km but that doesn't matter.

How often do you do them? I have low blood pressure so think I would faint if I did this.

@Bluemincat every week. Last meal Sunday night and then water until Thursday night when I'll have a light chicken and veg soup. Low carb the rest of the week then start again Sunday. If I've got an event eg Wednesday I won't torture myself I'll just do 2 days. Some weeks it 24 hours other weeks it 90 hours or more.
Its not for everyone for sure

that's amazing - just wanted to say well done

My small offering - I eat masses of sugar, as fruit. I'm particularly fond of dates (very sugary!) and make sure I've always got plenty of tinned and frozen fruit, as well as the usual staples. I don't gain weight like this but do when I eat biscuits instead, although the calories are about the same.

The most reliable tips are to double your protein intake and pile your plate with salad and/or veg.

It's not really an amazing achievement to only eat at the weekends (and even then it's controlled), it's an eating disorder. The vast majority of people would not be able to just "not think about food" for days on end because humans actually need to eat to function, even if it's at a minimum level.

Well I'm 64 and I can lose weight just by eating less - mainly cutting out snacks and not buying "treats" every time I go to the supermarket. I also walk a lot. It really doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to be something you can sustain.

I'm 57 I now run three mornings a week and go out for a walk the other days plus I avoid cake and sweet stuff where possible. After a while when you eat sweet treats you will find they taste too sweet and you won't want them.

I work with someone who fasts and her breath smells vile until she eats something. Puts me right off fasting.

Maybe she's not brushing her teeth if she hasn't eaten anything.

I’m 46 too. Not overweight but gained a stone in lockdown and a perimenopausal barrel belly.

Have done IF since the middle of April. Have lost 5.5kg, much of it from
my middle. I’ve cut down on UPF but still have sugar, bread or wine if I fancy it.

The pattern that works for me is to stop eating at 8pm (after my decaf coffee and dark chocolate ritual) and start again at noon or 1pm. I don’t really feel the need to snack.

I do yoga or Pilates once a week and swim for 30mins three times a week at a stately pace.

I’d say give IF a try. It sounds hard, but lots of us find it easy and effective. And if something that simple works for you- problem solved!

I do 90-120 walking every day. Weekly weights, yoga, Pilates and swimming. And eat fairly healthily. Calories usually 1500-1700 yet can't seem to shift weight (I'm 45)

I'm trying fasting to see if that helps and cut down calories slightly (by 300)

If people aren't eating, they're producing much less saliva. A dry mouth encourages bacterial growth, so smelly breath. Drinking liquids helps with that, although saliva has anti-bacterial properties so water isn't quite as good.

Fasting also produces ketones. The classic ketone smell is acetone (nail varnish remover). It goes away when you eat.

@ArcticBells I’ve also got a friend with this problem. Puts me off fasting too!

I used to fast and this is why I stopped. No one ever said but I became conscious that I might smell.
And when I didn't fast I put it all back on and more.
I calorie count now. Walk 15k steps a day and I've lost 2 1/2 stone. Much more sustainable for me

I lost over 3.5 stone last year with SW, found it really easy as I could still eat everything so I never felt deprived , just smaller amounts and tons of fruit and veg.