To think it's impossible to loose weight in your 40's

[hyacinthwannabe]

I am about 5 stone overweight and I'm really really struggling. I'm 42 and I am trying slimming world. I have young kids so I don't get a lot of sleep. I have stuck to plan two weeks now and lost 1/2 pound last week and 1/2 pound this week!! Gutted.

Can any of you over 40
Who have lost weight please tell me how you have done it.

Thanks xx

I'm 41 and have lost 3 stone in 4 months on slimming world. It's slowed down recently but i haven't been sticking to plan consistently.

Half a pound a week is 26lb a year - nearly 2 stone!

Would you like to be two stone lighter in a year's time?

Keep going! You're doing great.

I did it just by avoiding sneaky biscuits/sweets (though was only having a few a week anyway) and by consistently having just one piece of toast for breakfast instead of two/a croissant etc. Nothing else changed and I don't do formal exercise though my job keeps me on my feet all day so am active anyway.
It was a slow gradual process but I think the consistency was the key, all those calories add up over time.
However, I didn't have too much to lose to be fair - just wanted to get back to pre baby weight so only 3/4 stone, which took about 12 - 14 weeks.
I am nearly 47 btw.

I'm in my 40's and needed to lose a stone. I did it in 8 weeks by eating whole foods, no processed/packaged stuff, just homemade bread and oat biscuits (knocked together in five minutes), and relatively 'whole' foods.

That meant I had cheese, eggs and tons of fruit, beans and vegetables. I hate milk chocolate, so stuck to 85% cocoa chocolate as a treat. Also cut down on wine.

Easiest 'diet' I've ever done.

Thank you all for the encouragement and suggestions.

I do love the clean eating part but I find I'm bogged down by the suns part. As in our consultant said we should be eating 10 per day to loose. But some days I have 2/3 suns others it's 20. I assumed that was ok as it would even out over the week.

That doesn't work. I'm going to give my fitness pal a go alongside my SW. I'm a tired lazy ass mum of four so I need to exercise more more more.

I'm nearly 52 and lost 6kg last year - am now looking better than I have for years - BMI of about 19. I do weights, yoga, some HIIT type exercises (about 4 times week). Eat healthily (about 1600 cals per day, made up of about 100 grams protein, 60 fat and 160 carbs, 25 fibre - monitored on MFP. Keep off cakes, biscuits, sweets, pastry. Don't drink much. It's just down to being consistent. No use starving for a few days, then binging. You need to look at the long game.

I have 4.5 stones to lose, and am on the Febulous thread (the aim is to lose 7lb per month). Come and join us, we're a very nice supportive bunch and have a laugh.

I tend to avoid tv programmes involving weight loss and dieting as i now have a fear of weight gain and would find it too triggering.

I wont be watching.

What's wrong with mullerlight and hi-if bars?

I have mullerlight vanilla over my fruit in the morning - not every day of course

Also live the hi-if bars, they stop me eating masses of dairy milk and galaxy

Are you almost trying to like get away with things in Slimming Wolrd? Like eating low-sin but not necessarily good for you foods? try to eat non-processed and fresh foods - lots of vegetables x My mums 54 and just lost 8lb in two weeks.
Use MyFitnessPal because it counts your macros and fat/ sugar/salt intake and its really easy to use if you scan the barcodes. As long as kcal are below output you will lose weight.
Try to limit fizzy drinks ( even 0 cal) as they cause bloating, limit sugar and salt which cause water retention. Try replacing meat in some meals with roasted vegetables ( Mediterranean are best)- maybe eat vegetarian 3 days a week? Limit the oil you cook with, switch to skimmed milk and don't eat after say 7pm. Also watch dressings ( French can be low kcal, ceasar is high kcal)
Losing weight is never too late.

What's wrong with mullerlight and hi-if bars?

I hate anything with artificial sweeteners as a rule. That kind of thing just tastes of nothing to me, so it never satisfies me. I get that they work for other people though.

I'd rather have a couple of squares of real chocolate and a smaller amount of real Greek yoghurt to be honest.

Slimming world is utter crap. Like one of the PPs said, look up Rebelfit. You'll never look back!

I'd rather have a couple of squares of real chocolate and a smaller amount of real Greek yoghurt to be honest if only I could stop at a couple of squares

Also try watching programmes like supersize vs super skinny, How to Lose Weight Well and how to get Fit Fast. They motivate you.

Leggit that's why I only eat 85% proof chocolate. Two squares is all I can manage!!

Low carbing.

I did 5:2 fasting for 2 years and thought it worked as I lost a couple of pounds but did change body shape. However I hated the fast days and after 2 years still found them hard. Tried low carbing and lost just under a stone in 4 months. Not loads but enough that I dropped a dress size and look much better.

I also do a lot of exercise (gym 4-5 times a week, at least an hour each time) which has helped keep the weight I've lost off.

I'm 50, I've lost 3 stone on SW since Oct. (& I've not done any extra exercise)

I've not eaten loads of sugar, I eat maybe 2 muller yogurts a week at work, and I keep a box of hifi bars in the cupboard incase I crave something sweet.
I eat loads of vegetables and fruit and meals are simple lean meat with veg, salad, pasta or rice,
I've tried many 'diets' over the years but have never lost more than half a stone.
I really enjoy this plan as it's just healthy eating which I can do for the rest of my life. I still have meals out and the odd takeaway, but get back on plan the next day instead of giving up.
Keep going op

Swap your Muller Light for Greek and you'll be too full for chocolate.

You are losing weight OP! You have only been trying two weeks and you have lost a pound. You could step it up a bit, but by the summer you will have lost at least a stone, that's better than being 5 stone overweight. B Christmas you could easily be halfway there.

We put weight on gradually, over the years until suddenly we are very overweight. We can't expect it to disappear in a month!

If you have lost 4 stone since Oct thats a stone a month. The same speed at which i lost it the first time which made me ill. Back in 2002 there wasnt much information online about the fact that fast weight loss can cause gallstones. Now there is loads. The information is there.

Gallstones is excrutiatingly painful and the gall bladder has to be removed.
Which means an operation. Im continually surprised that its a risk many people are prepared to take with the NHS in the state its in and the waiting lists being what they are!

Obesity itself is a big cause of gallstones though, no matter how slowly someone does/doesn't lose weight.

Although you're right that fast weight loss can also cause them.

However, it doesn't always mean an operation to have the gallbladder removed, as many people can live quite happily with gallstones without ever having to have them treated.

It's only gallstone attacks (blockages) that cause problems and not everyone has those.

I'm mid 40s and need to lose weight but I know it's because I eat too much and snack too much. Sometimes use my fitness pal and it's a shock how I can easily eat over 2500 calories in one day.

I remember my gran was always very heavy then she went on a diet in her 60s and lost lots of weight so it can be done. She kept the weight off until she died in her 90s.
Laiste what is the milk diet, do you only drink milk and not actually eat anything?

Swap your Muller Light for Greek and you'll be too full for chocolate. But I don't want to! I don't even like Greek yogurt. I'm sure weight loss is achievable with the odd muller light thrown in

Hi kiddo, I lost 2 stone at 37 and am still 8 stone now at 50.

at that age I had 4 and 2 under 2.

Buy a bike. Peddle when you can even it's only a mile and back, that's probably 10 mins. Great for legs, arms and tummy.

Eat less and healthy and just move move move

You will do it. It's hard but focus

OP, I promise it's not.

Until last November I was a stone and a half overweight and I was adamant it would not shift.

I blamed my age, my medication, my job...and then one day I decided just to log everything I ate on My Fitness Pal, just to see if I was overeating.

Fuck. My. Life.

I thought I knew about food and nutrition. Somehow that didn't stop me from inhaling a whole meal's worth of calories in five minutes via a handful of Celebrations while at work

Since then I've lost 11 pounds, through logging my calories and buying a Fitbit to keep my exercise up.

I've done it slowly on purpose, because this is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

I've had chocolate, wine, chips, pasta...I've not felt hungry at all, except when you're supposed to.

Today I got into a pair of jeans I haven't fitted into for about eight years - I thought I'd never fit into them again. Not only was it was possible - it was easy. The only hard bit was making the decision to take responsibility for my own health.

I'm 42 too, by the way.

Place marking to read again (sorry I can't find a watch option on the app).