Please only reply if you're female and closer to 50 than 40

[IWillSurviveHeyHey]

Because how in the name of the holy cheeses does one loose weight at the age of 48, when nothing that used to work in the past, works anymore?

I am reasonably active and don't overeat although admittedly I do drink alcohol and have a weakness for sweets. This was never an issue before but clearly it is now. Simple I hear you say, stop drinking alcohol and eating sweets. But I have. And whist in the past I would have started noticing some change after a couple of weeks, nothing moves at the moment. In fact, I am just getting bigger and bigger.

I have extremely large thighs and I am only short so I feel really uncomfortable within myself. My only saving grace is that I don't have a fat belly.

I am a bit sick of being hungry pretty much all the time and still, it seems I need to accept that I've gone from a size 10 to a size 12 in the space of a year and I've been hungry for the most part. Well I don't want to accept that. I need to go back to a size 10 or by the end of 2018 I'll be a size 14.

Please help me.

RumPumPum It's not about worth. It's about health and comfort and a whole load of things. I don't feel worthless- I feel invisible as mentioned on another thread but it's not about worth. I'm uncomfortable in my clothes and it is bloody hard work to shift it now I'm an old crone!

I’m 50 diagnosed with a thyroid problem. The only way I can keep the weight off is eating less calories and exercise more. I log all my food in my fitness pal app, it’s an eye opener how much junk I can put away in a day and still be hungry after. I’ve tried other diets but calories is easy for me. The app allows you to scan a barcode so you can log it easy, as there is a database of food, recipie index and brands within the app. Can’t recommend it enough and it’s free. If I ate the recommended calorie allowance for a woman I’d be the size of a barge. I was and I have the photos to prove it. I’m a healthy happy size 14 now, without the low self esteem and I’m embracing my curves. Good luck, you can do it, but you need to set a series of goals to achieve it, otherwise you’ll just slip back into the original eating habits. You need to see it as a lifestyle change rather than a resticitive diet as once you get to your target weight you need to maintain it.

I’d also recommend some of the hairy dieters recipies, my family eat these, though they don’t need to lose weight. That way we can eat the same and I’m not cooking 2 or 3 dishes at dinner time.

@RumPumPumPum do you think that maybe, just maybe, there might be women in their 40s and 50s who enjoy being fit and healthy for themselves and for their health, not a man. Imagine that. Women treating their own bodies well for themselves

Some of us don't consider our 50s to be the point where we just give up and slide into unhealthy indifference. I want to be fit and healthy and feeling good about myself for as long as possible. That includes eating well and exercising. As well as all the mental, cultural, professional and artistic things I also do. For me.

RumPumPumPum perhaps come back when you're nearer 50 and see how you feel about losing control of how your body reacts to diet and exercise. See how you feel about living in a body that doesn't feel your own and not recognising yourself in the mirror. See how you feel about going to buy new clothes and finding that absolutely nothing looks or feels good. That's what's depressing!!

Another one here. I am inspired by all the posters who have managed to lose while over 45.

I need to lose 2 stone basically to be back at mid-BMI and nothing I used to do works. I just have to be prepared to slog it out and reduce calories more significantly.

There’s nothing depressing about this thread, it’s realistic. I was a perfect size 12 before the thyroid issue, the biggest dress size I needed was a 20. In denial and eating the same as my family but still hungry. I didn’t loose weight for any man, I did it for me. I did not want to add diabeties to my other ailments. When I looked in the mirror I was upset and ashamed of what I’d allowed myself to become. No one forced me to eat, it was all my own doing. Clothes shopping was a nightmare. Massive boobs, massive hips and a tinytiny waist, totally out of proportion nothing fitted, and everything I tried on looked bloody awful. My partner loves me for who I am, it was me who didn’t like what I’d turned into. I managed to achieve the size 12 but couldn’t maintain it. I’m happy as a size 14 now I’m older. Good luck it is achievable but you need to be realistic with your goals.

At 47 I lost 14kg using myfitnesspal. I didn't give any food group up officially but ended up having only one carby meal a day because it worked better for the calories and I liked having an enormous salad with cold meat or fish for lunch. I only got down to a size 18 size wise but felt a shit load better - aches and pains all gone, more stamina. I did a lot of exercise so I could eat more and am still fitter, though I found mfp was super generous on the calorie allowances for exercise - I ended up trying only to eat 10%of the exercise calories.

I have put half of it back on unfortunately. It can be done though.

Rumpumpumpum Half of me agrees with you, but the other half of me looks at my mum who does no exercise and hasn't watched her weight and who, at nearly 70, is starting to struggle with mobility and thinks I don't want to be like that in old age. I'm now 46 and being careful with my diet really has nothing to do with what I look like and everything to do with how I feel.

OP, I've lost 10lbs since August cutting my calorie intake right down to 1,500 and cutting out crisps (trigger food). I clearly don't need as much food as I did ten, twenty years ago.

I’m 55 , eat low carb and run. I have to be very careful as I have an under active thyroid so gain weight very easily.

The running doesn’t lose any weight that’s just for health and fitness. It’s the low carb that keeps the weight under control. Ish .

I agree with all the posters who have said it's about health at this age. You can either pile the weight on and be unhealthy in your old age or you can watch what you eat and hopefully have a more active and healthy old age.

it's also very important to exercise at this age to keep your body flexible and moving.

Can you honestly not let yourselves relax a little & just BE over a size 10 when you're in your bloody 50's??

No, I fucking well can't Would you be quite so happy if the 30 somethings said the same to you? I have no desire to be a size 10 or larger. I like me ..... just the way I am

I'm 49 in a few days. 5'6" weigh is about 8.5st and size 8

I have CFS so for health reasons was advised to do the PK diet, effectively no sugar, very low carb and high in good fats.

My health, body, skin and looks overall are much improved.
Best thing is I never think about food anymore, I didn't realise but I was constantly craving.
Stopped over Christmas and I do not feel great.
Starting again today, I know the transition days will be tough but after that it's so easy.

And this is about no one else but me, it's good to be selfish as you get older 😀

busyboysmum you are right. I think I might try and work on my flexibility this year. I like a project

Best thing is I never think about food anymore, I didn't realise but I was constantly craving

I find this too when my diet is poor. If I eat mainly vegetables, eggs and yoghurt I never really think about food.

Commenting to read properly later. Am mid forties and really struggling with this. Nothing to do with wanting attention or caring what others think. I have always been strong and fit, used to be a soldier, now my body feels flabby, loose and wrong and I hate it, just ten pounds will make me feel more myself but it's just not going

OP courgette, pea and mint soup is nice. Very quick and you could add a leek or not.

I am 50 and short. I used to be able to lose weight easily by eating a sandwhich and apple for lunch and cutting down on crap.

Now it is agony! I did shift 3 kg last year but then it crept back on. A trigger for me is snacking for energy due to fatigue. Now i try to think about whether im actually hungry or just tired. Usually tired due to hot flushes waking me at night. Torture.

What has helped is

1. eating less carbs, not none, I'm veggie, so increasing veg and protein e.g. fruit and full fat yogurt for breakfast instead of cereal.
2. the No S eating plan: No snacks between meals No seconds No sweets Unless the day starts with an S. Or something like that! It just helped to retrain my eating habits and cut out the grazing or eating for fatigue

I joined low carb high fat boot camp in May and lost 26lbs over 12 weeks and feel fine. My weight stabilised over the last quarter and apart from the indulgences of this week I haven't put any back, they will start again in January and although it's a change a first I find it most sustainable 😀

.

^Am 47 with the same problem.
Am fit, can run 10k but not one kg can I shed.^
Me too

I'm in exactly the same boat as so many previous posters. I'm 48 and have really struggled to lose weight. A few years ago I could easily lose half a stone just by being careful and upping my exercise a little bit.

I joined SW in May and have very very slowly lost 13lbs. I've probably regained a few over Christmas.

I think the No S eating plans works very well also. I've realised how much I snack and allow myself a few treats at the weekend so I don't feel like I'm being denied everything.

I can be so good all day and come the evening when I'm watching TV I've got into the habit of snacking on crisps and chocolate.

It's a habit I need to kick and probably a good New Years resolution

I'm 49 and in September I was about 8 stone overweight. I joined Weight Watchers and have lost 30lbs since then. This isn't a diet for me, it's a way of eating that suits me, and means that some of the health issues I was approaching are being lessened. I have to be honest, I'm not finding it too hard. The weight is coming off relatively smoothly. I find that I'm eating more lean protein and fewer carbs.

It's true, I genuinely need to eat to eat less quantity-wise, and sometimes I feel incredibly full after a small portion in the evenings. It's the comfort eating and snacking, and the massive lows in the afternoon when I'm starving but need to start cooking dinner for the kids, sometimes I devour their fish fingers.

Ffs, why should we stop caring at 'our age' What a shortsighted comment!
I'm 46 and a size 8, I love wearing very fitted skinny jeans and teeny dresses & skirts and believe me, I care just as much know about how I look now, as I did 20 years ago!
I have coeliacs and also don't drive, these (I think!) are the two things that have kept the weight off over the years. My diet often lacks carbs, either because they aren't available or the alternative on offer isn't great. So for example if I had soup for lunch, I probably wouldn't bother having bread as gf bread isn't always that nice! I fill up on fruit, gf oatcakes & hummus and masses of cheese!
I also walk everywhere and do a very active job!

I have found upping the eerie has worked without dieting. If I could be arsed to diet, I'd probably have lost more, but there's a whole load of issues round that just now, about planning and so on, which I need to address, but haven't to date.

No, I fucking well can't angry Would you be quite so happy if the 30 somethings said the same to you? I have no desire to be a size 10 or larger. I like me ..... just the way I am

Miserable?