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 51. Been on 5:2 since October and lost 17lbs. I walk 5 miles every day. It can be done.

But Worra Its still a gamble Its still a risk. Its basically hoping for a decent outcome on a roulette wheel.

Mine was so painful i was on morphine. And i had to wait in pain for nearly a year to have them removed. And the NHS wasnt in crisis then.

Its not that ppl might be ok and not be in too much pain.

Its Do you want to risk it. Are you feeling lucky.

I've done weightwatchers and lost nearly a stone so far. I dont stick religiously to the point system, but found that after a couple of weeks in I could see where the excess calories were coming from - I snack big time. Didnt realise how much until I had to log everything I ate - that extra fishfinger that the kids didnt eat, that extra spoon of mash when I was clearing the kitchen + all the biscuits, cheese, crisps etc.
Cut down on carbs, and sugar, up your exercise a bit and you should start to see a difference. I dont have time to go and do an exercise class, so try and walk a bit more instead.

Re How to Lose Weight Well Dangerous programme that encourages super fast weight loss.

Didnt watch it What i saw on the Twitter hashtag was "informative" enough.

Works much better for me when i DONT watch such shit.

Helena, I'm just pointing out that anyone who is obese is already seriously risking contracting gallstones.

And also, for anyone reading this who does have gallstones (which could be anyone, as you don't always know you've got them), it does not necessarily mean they'll need an operation.

In fact unless you were checked and found to be clear of gallstones when you were obese, your surgeon wouldn't know it was definitely down to fast weight loss.

My surgeon and 2 doctors told me it was down to fast weight loss in my case.

Companies peddling fast weight loss schemes need to take some responsibility.

If there were companies peddling fix it quick detox cold turkey schemes to drug addicts and alcoholics i bet the reaction publicly would be very different.

I permanently reduced my portion sizes and only nibble on snacks & treats occasionally.

To lose weight you need to eat much less than you do now. At 5 stone overweight and with no health issues contributing to it (eg thyroid) you are simply eating too much. I didn't even exercise, just watched what I ate.

I'm 42. I've lost almost 3 stones in just under a year, following the BSD. I don't have much time for exercise. The most I do is walk.

A lot of good suggestions here. But have you thought about tackling your lack of sleep..? I'm also mid 40's, always been horribly overweight, but it's got worse in the last couple of years. Also have a small child who has me up a couple of times a night. So I feel your sleep deprived pain! But I've started getting to bed early and making sure I do what's needed for a good night's sleep. It honestly makes a world of difference... no longer waking up and "needing" something sweet, no mid afternoon biscuit slumps.
Good luck to you, Op.

I'm 45 and have lost 3 1/2 stone in 7 months with Slimming World. At first I also tracked with My Fitness Pal too as I find that I do need to keep my calories below 1200 per day to consistently lose 1 1/2 lb per week.

My metabolism is lower now as I'm older, mostly because I sit on my butt too much and exercise too little. However I am proof that it is doable. I have gone from a large 18 down to a size 12 skinny jeans.

Don't give, just accept that it is slow and steady, but you could do 5 stone in a year.

Those who are anti slimming world tend to have focussed on the unhealthy options such as sweetener. I eat whole food, healthy home made meals and loads of fruit and veg. I only occasionally eat hi fi bars. I keep individual pieces of dark chocolate in a bag in the freezer to deal with cravings.

Good luck

Another thought to share... It might be worth trying Heavy Weights. Get a PT to work with on this. As we get older, everyone thinks your metabolism slows but in fact your muscle mass declines which allows your metabolism to sink. If you build muscle, this addresses the issue and help you to lose weight.

Fannying around with little Dumbbells isn't going to do it - you need big weights, low reps, failure at last set. If you don't know what you're doing, investing in half a dozen personal training sessions is essential. Heavy weights will help your weight loss far more than spending the equivalent time doing cardio (and is much less dull).

I have lost over three stone in the last five months with SW. I will say watch your fruit intake as there is a lot of sugar in them. Also keep your syns low. It will work. I am nearly fifty btw

I'm almost 49 and am 5 stone lighter than I was 18 months ago. I cut down drastically on alcohol (was drinking a lot too much), did C25K, fouund that without booze my sleep got madly better and my appetite just dropped. My meals are half the size they used to be.

I have just started dieting aged 52 for my DD wedding in July.
I am now only drinking at the weekends.
Have started swimming 3 x a week, Zumba gold 2 x week.
also walk 2 miles a day.
So far I have only lost 4lb in 3weeks. :(
average day is lean grilled bacon with grilled tomatoes, 4 x ryvitas, cottage cheese and salad, chicken breast, quinoa and veg.
I think my portion sizes are still too big- I have put on 7 stone from my 20/30's weight since I gave up smoking and got lazy.
I am encouraged by every ones weight loss though.

Of course you can lose the weight over 40.....

l found SW never worked for me too much food allowed for my 5 ft 4 frame...l actually gained weight on it.

For the last 4 weeks l have been following the Louise Parker Lean For Life book and lost a stone!

I have another stone to go.

It really works, but you do have to do it totally, with no cheating or excuses and make it long term...l am over the moon to find a plan that is healthy (3 small meals and 2 healthy snacks daily) and has easy recipes that are tasty.

Remember to lose weight it is 80% what you eat, and only 20% exercise, you cannot exercise a poor diet away, although it is important for your general health to exercise.

47. 2.5 stone in the past six months, not sure how fast that is - was faster in the first four months, has been harder since taking a break for Christmas. I've got about another 1.5 stone to go to get to a healthy BMI which is what I want. I use myfitnesspal and I exercise about an hour a day (cycling to work for most of it) and I don't eat all my exercise calories even though mfp says you can. I do what others say on this thread - smaller portions, quite a lot fewer carbs but not really low carb. I also weigh myself every day so it's really clear that eating more = weighing more, there's no way round it.

Age does slow things down, there's no doubt about it, but you ARE losing weight - half a pound a week adds up to about a kilo a month. It's hard if you are feeling hideously deprived and hungry, but hunger pangs for an hour or so a day is perfectly normal.

I'm 55 and so far I've lost 9lb since Christmas really just by cutting back on quantities as I already have a healthy diet and cutting out butter and reducing my alcohol intake. Some weeks nothing seems to shift then I'll suddenly weigh 2lbs lighter.

I have some more to lose but my clothes are now starting to fit much better and I'm determined to be back to my old dress size by the summer.

I lost 3 stone at 46 and have kept it off for nearly a year now - it took me about 9 months, I think. I used MyFitnessPal, it's free and there are no rules about "clean eating" or cutting out carbs unless you want to. You do need to be absolutely honest and log everything - weighing your food means you don't underestimate how many calories you are eating, but it soon becomes second nature. I found having a Fitbit also really helped, firstly by encouraging me to be more active and secondly by giving me more calories to eat! For me it really boils down to smaller portions and fewer snacks. You can do it! I feel so much better - the other day I struggled home carrying my laptop and gym kit, it was really hard work. When I got home I weighed my burdens - 3 stone!

I second Kalinka's recommendation to aim to get more sleep. See this article for the science:

BBC Trust Me I'm A Doctor - Lose weight by sleeping more

You can lose weight at any age.
I lost 4 stones at the age of 51 (5 years ago), basically through cutting down on snacking, smaller portions and plenty of exercise.
Unfortunately I regained most of it - keeping it off is the most difficult IMO. Since September I have lost around 21 pounds - again through eating less and moving more.
The main difficulty for me is motivation. That isn't a problem at the moment because due to circumstances (financial) I have had to cut back on my food and walk more. I have lost all that weight without even trying, and I am 56 now.

I use my fitness Pal and have linked it to my fitbit. The more active I am, the more I can eat. I am 44 and have lost 11lbs since the new year. I still have wine, pizza, etc. I just have less! Still have 4 stone to go, but this does feel like a lifestyle change rather than a diet. If you have a lot to lose you need to take your time over it, first week is the hardest, then it really does get easier. Long haul op! You can do this.

Early 40's here. Have lost over 5 stones with low carbing and kept it off.
I find it simple to follow and am eating mainly fresh non processed foods. It has also changed my tastes entirely - I no longer crave carb rich foods.
SW etc are great for a moderate loss but involves tricking yourself into having foods that are bad for you e.g. their fakeaway chicken.
It's all well and good when you have the time and inclination to prepare it all, but once you don't, you're far more likely to grab the real thing.
Ive found it more effective to try and change my tastes to not crave foods like this.
I've also stopped seeing food as a 'treat' its fuel, yes I like my fuel to taste nice but I don't reward myself with it anymore. That has been the biggest change for me.

I'm 44 and lost 6 stone in 15 months. Size 24 to 12.

You've got to have your head in the right place is the number 1 priority.
You can't do it without that.

I'm afraid I don't hold with the slimming world principles of "free food and syns".

A sensible, balanced diet with control over fat & sugar & alcohol intake is essential. Lots of water (2 litres a day) and regular exercise.

I'll be 45 on Thursday and have lost 115lb (8st+) since Nov 2015, so yes it is definitely possible to lose weight in your 40s.
You don't need any gimmicks either, simply eat a little less (I eat around 2000 Calories/day) and move a lot more (and take 20000+steps).
The photo shows the difference between 1st Jan 2016 and 31st Dec 2016 and how possible it is to lose weight if you really want to