Has anyone lost a serious amount of weight at 45?

[AliceMay55]

Never been into exercise/yoga etc and have always been a foodie. Given my food habits, desk job, stress levels (chronic) and attitude towards exercise/fitness, I’m quite impressed I’ve always been only 6-8kgs over weight (from the outer green limit of my BMI).

Im 45, probably peri-menopausal. I recently got pushed into a walKing challenge at work. After a sluggish start, I managed to walk 50miles last month (mainly to avoid embarrassment). Exercise felt great! I got on the scales this morning and guess what I PUT ON 3.2kg!! Wtf !!
I didn’t eat more than I normally would. I’m super disappointed ☹️

Is it my age? Peri-menopause? Has anyone lost a serious amount of weight at around 45? I’d love to lose 15kgs to touch the mid point of my healthy BMI green range.

Calorie tracker….calorie tracker calorie tracker I lost 7 kg in 12 weeks regiment it I never ever drink my calories anymore and it’s really eye opening download mfp set your goal at a realistic 1pound pw good luck x

I lost three stone - it was over covid, so I stopped snacking, stopped eating in the staff canteen (so ate more healthily,) and did more exercise, because not going into the office meant I had more time.

My mother lost 6 stone in her early sixties and is keeping it off. You can do it.
I recommend Paul McKenna Thin app from AppStore, he also has a book I can make you Thin - but the app is a good daily guided meditation exercises and 4 Golden Rules for eating.
For exercise I recommend Les Mills. I have been doing a beginner 4 week workout program of theirs and lost a lot of stored fat around my middle.

Yep. 116kg to 58kg. Meal replacement, strict, absolutely no cheating or treats for a year. Exercise made no difference to the scales, although it did make me stronger and fitter. Cardio like running and gym just makes you hungry, and one bar of chocolate undoes all the calories you burnt off.

I’m 58. Just lost 2 stone. Calories plus strength training.

Hi OP that would have upset me too!

I lost approx 3.5 stone of weight gained over a few years of work stress / travel / lockdown in 2020 in my late 40s .
Didn't change my exercise habits at all ( though I do try to keep active and do yoga !)
I low carbed which I know isn't everyone's thing but it can definitely be done.

Have kept it all off too!

Good luck

Yes but I took Ozempic.

However I do have a new found exercise addiction after decades of being a couch potato.

Age : 53 Went from 162lbs to 139lbs from end Jan to now by cutting out booze completely. I tried to slightly reduce carbs/eat better carbs, slightly increasing exercise.

Sleep quality has dramatically improved which also helps with weight loss I'm told. So yeah. That's what's helped me drop 2 dress sizes 🙂 I think I'll stay this way. I feel a lot better these days

I lost three stone over twenty years ago when I was in my fifties. I took up running (though arthritis prevents me from doing it now) and started religiously counting calories. I soon learnt what foods I could and couldn't eat if I wanted to maintain the weight loss and I've carried on walking daily. If I put on a couple of pounds on holiday, over Christmas etc, I go back to calorie counting for a couple of weeks to lose it again.

I'm 43 and I have lost 20kg since last Summer (during which time, I've had an total abdominal Hysterectomy, dived into surgical menopause and gone on HRT, as well as reduced mobility, so not exactly doing back flips).

My mum lost nearly 2 stone when she was in her 60s purely by cutting out sugar. She substituted stewed fruit (that she would have added sugar to) for berries, cut out all biscuits, cakes and chocolate and ate nuts or cheese and crackers instead, cheese scone instead of scone/jam/cream, but she did still eat jam on toast.

She kept it off for a couple of years. And regained it when she started eating sugar again. I’m not judging. I lost two stone last year (late 40s) with a mix of diet and exercise, and put it all back on and more.

Cardio like running and gym just makes you hungry, and one bar of chocolate undoes all the calories you burnt off

Yes, exercise does make you hungry but you need that willpower to not eat the minute you get in from the gym. I much prefer cardio to strength training and that (plus calorie counting) has meant I'm the fittest and slimmest I've been in a while - now in my mid 40s.

So, it’s mostly diet then!?

Yes, I did. But it was hard work and HRT (along with diet and weight training) was integral.

@Lemons1571 my goodness that's impressive!!

Me! Lost 4 and 1/2 stone and kept it off for over 6 months now, I used Noom which uses is part course to change the reasons you eat as you do and also calorie counting (although is very flexible) losing weight is definitely all about the food you eat, excersize can help but you have to do loads to burn off just a few hundred calories!
use a food tracker app and be honest with it, good luck it can definitely be done!

Absolutely mostly diet and reducing the amount you eat. And accepting that your metabolism has slowed and you will always need to eat less

Yep.
I suddenly wasn’t able to exercise at all but lost over 3 stone by tracking calories on My Fitness Pal after working out my TDEE

I'm 60 this year and have lost 7 stone in the last 3 years. Done it mainly by completely cutting out sweets, biscuits,cakes and desserts,and cutting down drastically on the amount of crisps I eat (my big weakness). Also been doing intermittent fasting on most days (only eating between 6 pm and 10pm). I've had SO much criticism and negative comments about 'starving' myself all day and eating 2 small meals in the evening,but it suits me,and I have finally managed to lose weight after years and years of failure!

Yes,52 and lost 3 stone in 5 months,no excercise apart from gentle walks and the occasional go on the excercise bike.

lost 3 stone in 7 months at 45/46 and have kept it off (now 51). I did weight watchers for a month or so but found it really annoying, did teach me about calories though and what sorts of things were ok or not to eat and what quantities. So mostly I lost by watching calories- never weighed or counted just ate with awareness, cut most snacks but allowed treats if I really wanted or food / drinks on nights out. I had been drinking a couple of glasses of wine each evening and cut that completely to just social drinking one a week or two. I tried to be more active but only through walking more, no exercise.
It was a change of mindset and eating habits. As the weight started to drop I felt good about it and it was easier to keep going. I love veg, lentils etc so healthy eating rather than completely restrictive was good- I love carbs and never cut those. Jacket potato or bowl of pasta makes me very happy :)

Lost 5 stone in 8 months at 44 from obese to healthy bmi. Slimmingworld and walking.

I'm 46. I've lost 91 lbs since 2019. I've got more to go. It's been calorie counting and weight lifting.

Yes, lost 70lbs at 40, but put it back on (last child and becoming a carer for dying parent) Started WW again at 45 and lost 84lbs over 11 months, which has stayed off over the last 8 years. Focused on smaller portions and walking as much as possible (Fitbit was a massive help) in the first instance. IF - 16/8 in the past few years

The weight gain could be water weight, I fluctuate a fair bit more than they say is normal (2kg fluctuations through the month and I'm 68kg usually).
If you aren't used to walking that amount you could have gained muscle which weighs more than fat.
Keep on at it and you will see a difference. Its slow at the start. I found stopping all sweet or milky drinks and alcohol helped me lose a stone without any huge effort. Herbal teas and black coffee instead of latte etc. Clear soups like miso are great, I often have them at lunch or as a side with dinner and a much smaller portion of my regular meal.

Good luck op