In 366 days I will be 50 and I want to be in the best shape of my life. Who's with me?

[FitBeforeFifty]

I am currently overweight, at 12st 5lb, and a BMI of 27. I am perimenopausal, addicted to sugar, and a bit of a coach potato. I WFH and snack A LOT.

Last week I went on holiday and wore swimwear for the first time in years. I felt like crying when I saw the reality of what I am doing to my body with too much sugar, booze and not enough exercise. I've been kidding myself that it's ok, but it isn't.

In 366 days I will be celebrating my 50th birthday. I feel as if this is my last chance to properly get a grip on things and reverse some of the damage I've done before it gets even harder.

These are my goals for the next 12 months:

• get to 10 stone and the middle of a healthy BMI


• stick to fasting / OMAD / no snacking (I know this works for me, I just fall off the wagon too easily due to WFH / boredom)


• stick to a lower-carb (not no-carb) WOE, again I know this works for me


• daily yoga / barre (I use DownDog app, but not often enough!)


• 10k steps per day

I don't want to be fat at fifty. I don't want to be a menopausal cliche with a big gut and a load of excuses as to why I've still not shifted the weight and am still on the sofa mainlining wine and biscuits every evening.

This feels doable - anyone want to join me and be fit and fabulous at fifty (and beyond)?!

duds yes, this thread is helping me not to go "fuck it" as well. You've done an awesome job already though. I tend to think of the hard part as the earlier part but that's because I think once you're in certain habits, it's easier to stick to them.

Can I join? Just turned 45, and was 13st 7 yesterday 😭

Same as my start weight, though I'll bet I'm shorter than you!

welcome along 🤗

I'm 5ft 7. I was 12st 4 this time last year, and 15st the year before. Need to get to grips with it before I pile it all back on.

Bemyclementine well, you have support and company here.

man, I would love to be your height. I'm 5ft 1. Many a supermarket trip involves asking someone to get something from a high shelf. Sorry if you are the lady who is always asked!

In typical "diet starts soon" fashion, I have eaten like a pig today. I need to think about a plan, mostly for food and maybe some weights. I can't get out to exercise (single mother 🙄) and have little motivation to do it at home. But Jesus I am SO unhappy with my weight.

Hello, can I join in? I’ve read this thread and so many of your stories resonate with me.

I’m 45, confirmed menopausal and on HRT. Busy senior nursing job in the NHS and 2 hours commuting daily means I have gradually put on weight over the last few years. I drink far too much too.

My diet isn’t great, I don’t exercise and find it hard to prioritise eating well. My DH annoying can eat anything and never put on weight and I have 2 DCs 10 and 12.

I genuinely don’t know how manage me eating less carbs and better all round food whilst feeding everyone else.

I broke my ankle in January, which resulted in weight gain, and my ankle still is painful and aches

However I am determined to make changes. I weigh 12.3 and need to get to under 11. I want to loose my flabby stomach and double chin.

so I am in the process of working out how to do it, so any advice would be greatly received!

thank you!

Hi @checkedcloth , the more the merrier, welcome! You've got a lot on your plate withthe busy nursing job, the commute, children and the broken ankle! My OH can also eat whatever he wants, and like you I cannot, and I do not exercise. You can low carb or not. Some here are and it works for them. I don't, I calculated my calories by TDEE and I look to eat a lot of fiber and healthy content, but including carbs and I am losing weight slowly. There's also a BMR measure, though I don't know how it difers from the TDEE.

Hi also @Bemyclementine ! We're the same height! I took a very long time returning to diet - I've been doing this off and on since Decemeber, I stometimes take breaks but during those times I work on maitaining andnot gaining, which I figure is good practice for later. This time around I think it was two or three weeks, of me saying "right, monday", and then that happened over a few mondays before it finally stuck! But I did use the time to really think about what I wanted to be eating within my calorie allowance and by the time I was ready it wasn't so hard.

@EmmaH2022 , you're taller than my Mum!

My diet this week has been variable, proper feast (a 2000 calorie day) to famine (the fast day) to yesterday which was only one meal, and other days of 1000 to 1200 calories. All being well today my weekly total will come in under the maximum. I'm also managing some quite long stretches between the last meal of the day, in addition to the fast day I had one 18 hr stretch and one 21 hr stretch, so I'm hoping to strengthen that this week.

checkedcloth welcome along.

sorry to hear about the ankle, been there. Hope it recovers fully soon.

Need the motivation today. One week of watching what I eat and not a single pound of weight lost! Think I'm still thinking I'm in my 30s when that sort of thing worked. Will be trawling the earlier posts for some ideas. Back with questions later!

Let me repeat:

• intermittent fasting, 16:8
• high protein, low carbs - LOTS of vegetables
• record what you eat and keep at least 350 calories below your maintenance calories
• exercise every day; start of with Lucy Wyndham Read if you're a novice; Growingannanas if you're ready to push yourself more
• use weights to intensify your efforts: wear wrist and ankle weights when walking; use weights when exercising (check out Caroline Girvan)

It can take a long time if you have a lot to lose, but it is a SUSTAINABLE way of living, and it is totally doable.

It's confusing isn't it

I had honestly given up on losing weight
bought new clothes etc

then lost 4lb for no reason at all, saw this thread, and decided to join. Have only lost 3lb since. But I still think the early part must be the hard part. Habits formed are harder to break so once new habits are bedded in, should be easier.

Thank you for the welcome and also those principles @FlowerArranger they are very doable.

the ankle is a pain @EmmaH2022 sorry to hear you’ve been there too!

@dudsville thank you, i kniw once I get started I'll be ok, it's just actually getting started that's the problem!

@FlowerArranger thank you too I have looked up Lucy Wyndhsm Read and found a "drop a dress size" 7 day plan. I really striggle with exercise at home. I used to do classes, run, cycle, ride....pre children and then single motherhood! I live going out to exercise and have never managed to stick to hone exercise but I figure I can do 7 days and hopefully stick to my meal plan, abd lise a few lbs to motivate myself

Drop a dress in 7 days sounds mad!

Sorry bemyclementine I didn't mean that in a bad way.

Oh no don't worry, I'll be very surprised if it works to that extent! It was mire that it's about 11 minutes long, and a 7 day thing that attracted me. It's a start.

Of course claims of dropping a dress size in a week have to be taken with a pinch of salt. But I like Lucy's workouts because they are short and ideal for Beginners. She is very calm and explains all the moves really well.

I started out with Lucy several years ago and even though I'm in my 60s I'm superfit. I've long since moved on to more hard-core workouts (Caroline Girvan is my favourite...), but I still do this one regularly because it is super effective:

I have been on holiday for 4 weeks and have eaten so much but have exercised more and drunk very little. This is a big change. Also given up coffee and coke - other big changes. Small steps but feel healthier.

Today's the day! I do t have a gem ready meal plan if I'm honest, but I'm going to try 16/8 abd maje better choices thus week, abd cut out the "last supper" style eating. I'm aiming to do a short workout each day. Wish me luck with that one!

Also ensure my water intake is good., abd be relatively low carb - not to keto levels but not eating bread, rice, pasta etc, I find this relatively easy abd kniw from experience that it helps.

13st 6.5 this morning.

I've done the first workout, 7 minutes and I was a sweaty mess. Measured and taken pics too. I'm really hoping I can get through this first week then I'll be ok I think.

Middle those are big changes, I'm impressed!

Bemyclementine that all sounds good.

I don't have plans other than eat less but it's going to be hot again so that's easy enough I hope. I generally work out every other day. Really hoping this week is the last of the heat.

Good grief the typos!! Sorry.

Cheers EmmaH2022 yeah the drink had to go down and the coffee and coke was so often paired with junk food that the changes will
improve my eating. On the scales today and I was the same as before my hols - something if a victory. Now to lose two stone and get much fitter.

That's a great result after a holiday @Middledazedted . I drink too much coffee and am cutting down on Pepsi max but I figure I need to get my food under control as a priority.

I'm wondering what calorie goal to aim for. My tdee says between 2100 and 2300 a day. Nutracheck has me on 1200 cals!! I think maybe 1800?