To think I can’t improve my body at 40?

[Fatatforty]

I am 5 foot 2, at 25 I was a size 8 and 8 stone. 2 kids later and 40 years old I am 10 and a half stone and a size 14. I am also wobbly, and covered in cellulite with an overhanging stomach. I tried a bikini on for my holiday today and cried. My body just looks so pasty and un toned.

I Am disappointed as for the last 12 weeks I have been going to the gym twice a week and I cannot notice any difference. Do I just need to give it longer? The trainer gave me a routine of leg press, leg abductor, chess press, shoulder press, and i also do 10 minutes on the cross trainer as a warm up and cool down.

Diet wise I have tried slimming world but don’t enjoy all the cooking, and calorie counting but I get hungry and go over every day. I’m starting to feel like this is it for me, am I being unreasonable for thinking it’s just too difficult to get the body I want.

@Fatatforty I was almost exactly the same as you at 40. Just gradually put on weight, did some but not much exercise and could dress to mostly look ok. Virtually the same height and just over 10 stone I think.

When I was 41 we were invited to a pretty important event about five months in advance and I suddenly found The Zone. I really adapted my diet by cutting out all snacking and really eating healthy foods and portions. I also really increased the exercise I was doing (mainly swimming and Pilates).

The weight came off steadily. By the event I had lost a stone. I kept going until I was just over 8 stone which, with hindsight was a bit thin for me. I’ve stayed around 8.5 stone for the last 17 years. If I gain I try to lose it almost straight away. I weigh myself every day and am very incentivised by my clothes fitting me.

So you absolutely haven’t left it too late or have no hope. You probably won’t have the same body as pre kids at 25 but you can definitely achieve what I did because I’m certainly not a gym bunny 😉.

I didn't start to love exercise until I was about 38. At 53 my body is in better shape than in my 20s. More importantly, it works and can do all the things I want it to do.

You have the absolute power to turn this around for yourself OP. You just have to put the work in, change your mindset and focus focus focus

I agree. I'm nearly 70 and I can tell you it does require work, more as you get older, but it is absolutely, totally worth it.

You say that you don't like cooking, but relying on processed cr@p instead of eating healthily and preparing your own food is not compatible with being healthy.

As you get older, you cannot rely on a bit of walking, swimming and cycling to keep you fit.

The good news:

Taking charge of your health and fitness is empowering and your future self will thank you. I'm fitter now than I was in my 40s and it feels great.

So, what you should do is:

Work out with weights/dumbbells (try Caroline Girvan) and do regular HIIT (try Growingannanas)

Cut sugar and UPF from your diet. Have a look at Dr Mark Hyman and Dr Becky Gillaspy, or some of the many others who favour low carb diets but don't go full keto.

I would put money on the people saying weights dont make any difference that you’re not lifting heavy enough. The piddly little 2kg hand weights branded pink for girls won’t cut it. Lift something that challenges you!

Glad to see we are hitting MN bingo with all these “massive salads” being eaten!

Yes of course you can, but what you're doing now clearly isn't working for you.
Be mindful of what you eat as well.
You just need to find what works for you, but don't focus on how you were at 20, focus on working on improving what you have now. I think most women couldn't get back to how they were at 20, a post pregnancy and childbirth body is generally completely different because of what it's been through. I've lost 4 stone in the last few years, I'm 59 now. I weigh what I did right after my 2nd baby was born. Another stone off would be nice, but I'm happy to settle for what I am now...
I found Pilates and step classes and similar using a few weights worked well for me, I thought of them as just dancing for 45 minutes and surprised myself at how much I enjoyed them. I've never really done group classes before. Sadly covid put paid to them so I'm still looking for something similar nearby.

ShirleyPhallus · Today 12:47
Glad to see we are hitting MN bingo with all these “massive salads” being eaten!”

A packet of black pudding and poached eggs was my favourite lunch 🤷‍♀️

Of course you can. You just need to put the effort in.

I agree with those saying that if you think weights dont work you are not lifting enough.

My PT also said to me that I need to mix it up, so instead of doing 3 x sets with the same weights, try using different weights across your sets. That works for me. Ive just turned 40 and have been taking it seriously for just under a year. I go 4-5 times a week. I know I could probably lose more weight if I ate better, but life is too short and its not my aim. My aim is to be strong and feel better mentally, which working out gives me. I do a pilates class a week and 1 swim session because I get a bit bored otherwise.

Ive dropped a different PT who seemed to constantly be focused on dropping weight, despite me telling him several times I didnt want to focus on that.

The main reason I dont eat better is I get lunch at work for free and the cook always makes the most amazing food with enormous portions, and there is always pudding on offer that I cant say no to!

No massive salads for me.

@ShirleyPhallus absolutely this. The weights I mean.

Twice a week at the gym won't make that much difference - needs to be at least four times, with other exercise as well, eg hiking, running, cycling. You need more cardio in the mix if you're looking to lose weight too. Your routine is good for toning but if you want to be slimmer, then you need that all important calorie deficit, which means you either need to eat less or exercise more (the sort of exercise that burns off calories, ie cardio). I am 48 and menopausal and having always been a slim size 10 and 9 and a half stone (I am 5 foot 7), I am now half a stone heavier, much more knackered, with bigger breasts and underarm spread and it's a constant battle to stay size 10. Getting older sucks.

walking is really good for cardio. You absolutely do not need to be doing loads of running and cycling in the gym.

lifting heavy, walking lots and eating lots of protein will do more than excessive cardio sessions

Depends on body type. I know what works for me. I can't lift heavy and I dislike eating lots of protein. I prefer cardio and a plant based diet and I am slim and fit. The OP was wondering why she hadn't lost weight but it was quite clear from the routine she posted that she wasn't doing enough exercise or the right type - just the generic stuff they always recommend in gyms if you don't get a good trainer who spends time working out a routine that's right for the individual.

ETA - I didn't say do running or cycling in the gym, I said do additional exercise outside of the gym which could possibly be that. Up to the OP though.

But you’ve also said that staying slim is an ongoing battle now. Focusing on building weight will speed up your metabolism.

lots of plant based protein sources. Doing too much cardio without maintaining the muscle you have (with protein) is not good

Well yeah it is, it used to be easy and I didn't have to exercise at all!

It's fine, thanks, I have a personal trainer who works on this with me.

This …. I dropped 3 stone at 40 and boy did I look good. I’m now 10 years on and have put on 5 stone due to Covid and steriods (been on them for 3 years) and therefore constantly hungry. I’m hitting 1 st September with a bang - I’m cutting down on carbs but going zero carbs in September. It works for me - 99% is diet once you lose the weight you have more energy so you feel fitter!

I’m nearly 41 and last year I was 10st at 5’2”, my BMI was creeping out of the healthy range and I knew it was now or never to get a handle on myself. I’m now 8st 13, and a size 8, my BMI is 22 and I look better than I did in my 20’s. What I did:
I run 5-10K 3 times a week (started with couch to 5k app)
I do half an hour of Pilates or barre every evening (at home on YouTube)
I don’t count calories but I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t eat sugar or processed food. Normal diet for me would be green yogurt, fruit, granola for breakfast, brown rice, mackerel and vegetables for lunch, feta and vegetable omelette for dinner. Snacks are fruit, nuts, raw cereal bar. I drink black coffee, green tea and water. I am committed to my health, I would get up early on holiday and run in the hotel gym, I do exercise after a 12 hour shift when all I want to do is crawl into bed or watch TV and eat crisps. There’s no shortcut. And it’s taken me months to get to the point where this feels normal to me, and if I eat sugar it’s often a slippery slope to letting things slide. My mindset is the hardest thing to maintain, the rest is just habit.

Ignore - testing Edit function on the App

Not there.....boo

Yes this is true - a man can have a six pack but if he has any weight on him you won't know he has it.

I think you need to look at your diet and eat healthily. Make sure it is healthy though, replace most of the white carbs you eat with wholemeal, bulk up on vegetables, don't go overboard on fruit, lots of lean protein.
Start doing exercise everyday, not the gym but either walking or swimming. It won't lose you the weight that your diet will but you will sleep better and feel better and that's important when it come to weight too.

HIIT is the way to go. Just 20 mins a day intense. And you can just find videos on YouTube. The workouts vary a lot and are fast paced so doesn’t get boring.
4-5 times a week for 20 mins and you’ll see a difference. Add in a bit of yoga afterwards if/when you can.
When I’m exercising a lot I find I’m much more motivated to eat better too.

Of course you can improve your body, but the older we get the harder it is. And the further we are from the goal, the longer it will take. Exercise, diet, hydration, sleep.

Success isn't a magic formula, it's just a simple case of having the discipline to do the work that needs doing, or not.

Add Hot Yoga to your routine, it literally melted my fat away and the gym helped tone everything up.

The exercising is all well and goo dbut it's what goes in your mouth that makes the biggest difference. When I want to lose weight I bin the carbs and go for high protein foods. I no longer feel hungry and lose weight rapidly.