Upset at not being able to lose weight

[BelloItalia]

Im 45 this year. Never had a problem with my weight before and whenever it crept up I’d just go on a bit of loose diet and it would fall off again.
Since I turned 40 I’m no longer able to lose weight. I’m now 11 stone which isn’t massively overweight but 10st is ideal for me. I just can’t get there.
Mir doesn’t seem to matter what I eat, the weight won’t shift. I’ve tried slimming world, low carb, calorie counting, intermittent fasting - nothing works. I’ll drop a couple of pounds then it will come back again. It’s actually making me quite upset. All my clothes are too tight, I spend so much time meal planning I feel like it’s all I ever think about.

AIBU to think there must be a way to get back to 10st?? I’m not menopausal

Typical days food

breakfast - 125g Greek yogurt - 125g chopped walnuts - a handful of blueberries

lunch - salmon fillet with sautéed cabbage

dinner - homemade chicken curry with cauliflower rice

no snacks - no alcohol. How am I not losing weight?!

Get your thyroid checked?

Sorry to hear that - sounds tough! Are you doing a lot of exercise too?

Calorie deficit and plenty of exercise!

No help, but I am the same! Just want to lose another stone but nothing is making it shift 😞

Done, thyroid is fine. I’m anaemic but that’s it

OP, I've just looked up the calories in the walnuts, and 125 gms is costing you

818 calories!!

Cut them out, and you might be getting somewhere

It's just gets a lot harder as you get older, sorry! If you want to lose weight you have to up your exercise, lower your carbs and don't even look at refined sugar or alcohol.

I'm the same, the things I did in my 20s to lose weight don't make any difference in my 40s/50s.

Even if you don't have any menopausal symptoms it's likely you have some hormonal things going on that are not helping.

Are you really having 125 g of walnuts? That's nearly 900 calories just for the walnuts. Add in the yogurt at say 150 cals and you are over 1000 for breakfast

Are you me? I'm 46 though. Same weight and goal weight. I started the gym 3 months ago and go frequently. I have also been in calorie deficit and I have lost 2 pound lol. If I was in my 30s I would have been 9 stone by now. It's crazy! You are not alone. Not sure what else to do other than starve.

Omg I meant 25g of walnuts! 😂 sorry for typo ☺️

I’m the same. Been so good for 4 weeks, cut out all of my unhealthy snacks, started eating breakfast and having a sensible lunch, didn’t shift a pound. I’m 5’7 and just over 12 stone. Heaviest I’ve ever been not pregnant! It’s hormonal, guaranteed. I’ve never not suffered any weight before so I assume the decline in oestrogen is causing my body to hold on to fat. Starting HRT soon so hoping that will help.

Between 250 and 300 for the salmon depending on the size. Add another 80 ton100 for Cabbage and cauliflower rice and then around 500 for the chicken curry
That comes to around 1900 cals a day without taking into account any oils or butter used in cooking. Unless you are very tall then probably too many calories to lose weight.
If you are 45 you may not be in menopause but chances are you are in the beginnings of peri which can last 10 years.

I did wonder😂

Do you mean 125g walnuts? That’s a lot of calories.

I’m a little older in a sedentary job. My Basic Metabolic Rate is 1450 calories a day. Unless I do a lot of exercise, I need to have no more than about 1000/1200 calories a day to lose weight.

Unfortunately it is basic less calories than needed. It’s not easy. I have some basic foods I mentally know calories for.

Today I have had 2 plums, yoghurt, with frozen raspberries and a tiny tiny pot of nut granola for lunch (30g), small chicken tikka for dinner, small glass of wine and 3 small squares of chocolate (total 1050 calories) This allows for stuff like milk in tea as I can’t be calories counting everything.

Its amazing when you look at how many calories are in foods, and how small portion sizes need to be.

Not easy but good luck.

Same. 45 is when it all went downhill. I am now 53. I am also 11 stone and should be half a stone lighter. But it won't shift no matter what I do.

Strength training a couple times a week! Building muscle increases your BMR, helping you burn more calories all day long

Why are you so sure it isn’t menopause related? There are no reliable tests to ascertain a significant drop in oestrogen in peri because levels fluctuate so much (this is why NICE guide state blood tests are not to be used when prescribing HRT, just symptoms). Average age of menopause is 52 but oestrogen levels typically start to drop around 10 years before this. Mid 40s weight gain is a classic sign.

I’m the same, 45 and only have about 8lbs to lose but weeks of calorie counting and exercise results in a 2lb drop that just goes straight back on again. So disheartening but I figure I must be healthier as the exercise is good for me and I’m hoping one day it might just all fall off.

I've solved this problem - by buying bigger clothes. I have a history of disordered eating / body image issues which I've spent too long getting under control to risk them coming back if I try to diet.

I eat relatively clean, good variety, feed my gut biome and keep sugar and UPF low-ish.

I exercise loads including weight training and running.

I am healthy and well.

I see nothing to be gained in idolising a body shape designed for 20 year olds.

I think you need to eliminate one of those meals. I tend to only have one main meal and then two smaller snacks in the day. If I eat two main meals I will not lose weight, in fact I will put it on.

Omg I thought I'd accidentally written this post and forgotten I had. I weighed myself this morning. I'm 11stone. I've never been this in my life even pregnant. I just cannot lose it. I exercise regularly, eat little but the weight goes up or stays on.

I have subclinical hypothyroidism which I don't thi k is helping but I'm so bloody miserable about it.

Also I've been asked 5 times recently if I'm pregnant!!!

I holding all my weight on my stomach and really do look pregnant. I've been sent for an ultrasound next week as I thi k the nurse doesn't belive I'm not pregnant!! 🤣

This will probably be hormonally mediated. Your diet is absolutely fine, don’t cut anything out. Do you exercise? I’d really, really recommend weight training. You need to increase your muscle mass and in turn increase your metabolism. But forget your weight, your body is changing and that is completely normal. Exercise will make you feel good, it’s amazing for improving your mood and stopping you from judging your body for what it looks like.

I thought it was rather a lot, as walnuts are high in calories anyway, lol.