In your fifties, fat and fed up? Come on in!

[RoosterCogburn]

Anyone want to join me in some motivational supportive chat.

I'm 56 and 3.5 stone overweight. I'm 5'2" and weigh 13 stone

Depressingly I've lost this before - in 2019 I lost 2 stone and felt much better and was really disciplined ... and then I stopped and the weight crept back on.

I feel fat, frumpy, unhappy in my clothes and my middle spare tyre feels awful.

If I could lose 2 stone again I'd be thrilled - 3.5 is the dream.

Last time what worked for me was healthy breakfast, green smoothie for lunch and balanced tea. In between meals veg sticks or an oat cake as a snack.

My downfalls are savoury stuff - crisps, cheese, savoury biscuits.

I've been diagnosed as pre diabetic with high blood pressure which I'm hoping will be the kick up the arse I need.

This time I'm trying to up my game with exercise - I have 'treated' myself to about elliptical machine. Horrifyingly on the first day I could only do 2 minutes - I'm up to 15 mins now - I am aiming for 30 mins a day of elliptical/walking.

Anyone want to join me and share what is working for them?

Weighed yesterday and now lost 1kg. That’s over 3 weeks. I’m a bit disappointed. I know objectively it’s a reasonable loss, but just started WW and seeing losses of many lbs in the few weeks and wonder what I’m doing wrong with my 2lb. I am definitely a bit better than the past when I might have gone and bought some chocolate.

I also need to up my activity level. It will make me feel healthier mentally and motivated to eat properly.

@SunshineandrainbowProtein works have an offer on at £29.99 for 2 weeks of shakes. Salted caramel is very nice.

Good luck if you give it a try. I did find the first couple of weeks hard but then got into it.

I've accepted that in order to lose weight I have to feel hungry.
I've also realised I was never allowing myself to be hungry - as soon as I had the tiniest hunger pang I was eating.

I think Michael Moseley, in The Fast 800, has a very good description of the process of getting used to fasting and accepting the sensation of feeling a little hungry, and how it gets easier over time until it eventually is barely noticeable.

That is amazing.

Everyone’s doing really well. It’s very inspiring! Another good food day today plus a walk in my lunch break. Progress.

I took some photos of myself today in leggings and a bra and I was horrified.

It’s as if I have been in denial and not actually looking at myself.
The rolls of fat, the swollen bloat of my stomach.
Then to depress myself further I tried to try on my wedding dress - I’m so wide! I used to be tiny and ironically didn’t think I was.

In a way it’s quite a good thing because I’ve reached the stage where I’m a bit fed up of eating carefully and liable to slip back into bad habits.

I’m hoping the photos of fatness and the reminder of what I was will keep me on track.

Don't be too hard on yourself...life is hard enough.
We all have gone through so much by our 50s, kids, bereavements..etc
Let's be proud of what of what our bodies have achieved!

Can I please join I could do with some company.

55, 4ft11 and 12.10st

I’ve been a yo-yo dieter since my mid teens, I could quickly and easily loose any gains so it’s been a shock to suddenly struggle with my weight. I’m currently 2.8 stone down from my heaviest weight at the start of 2022. Half of that I lost last year so I’m going to do a similar plan this year.

My plan is lower carb, good fats, plenty of protein, 3 meals and avoiding snacking. I could do with increasing my fibre. Walking and stretches will be my only exercise for now.

I’m on day 3. The first 2 days I did a veggie detox so I’m looking forward to the fruit and protein today.

Todays menu
apple and mixed seed granola bowl, coffee poached eggs, avocado, veggies, salad bowl, green tea
prawn and vegetable stew, grapes for dessert.

All these bloody ripped 60 somethings on Instagram - our mothers and grandmothers didn’t have these high body standards at this age!

I know!

Although I look at young girls and I am convinced that they have less ribs than I do

I think this is why we need to take photos and not just look in the mirror. They tell you the truth and I think mirrors lie 😂Mine had convinced me I looked the same as I did 9 months ago because my basic shape hasn't changed much, its just got bigger. But a photo forces you to actually see yourself properly and its a proper punch in the gut when you do.

I'm much the same as you, FUPA and back fat there that I never had this time last year. Its depressing but it has actually motivated me to get rid of it. Now I have started I am well under way. 4 weeks in and 1/2 stone gone. And I actually looked in the mirror today and for the first time thought 'yes, I can visibly see I look better'. Okay so I still look fat but the fat is slowly shrinking.

I have been doing weight training 4 times a week and some steady state cardio on days where I don't do weights. I also walk lots each day as I have 2 active dogs which need the exercise. Tie that in with making better choices, fasting, portion sizes and less snacking seems to be working for me.

Staying on track, now that's the hard part and damn, its the weekend!!!! 😬

Tell me about it!!!! And Kylie Minogue, Amanda Holden and Davina McCall can all do one as well 😂

I saw someone today who I haven't seen since December (I've lost nearly half a stone in that time) and the first thing she did was say that she could see I had lost weight.
I can't see it yet, but it really gave me a lift when she said it.

I'm going to do weekly photos and hopefully I will see the changes

Because I often dress in leggings and sort of oversized loose tops I don’t really truly notice the weight gain. I don’t have a full length mirror in my house but not so long ago I went to stay in a cottage where there was one and caught sight of myself in a vest top and leggings. Serious wake up call! 😆

I would love to join. 58 and have 2 stone to lose. I was at my goal weight in 2023 and 2024 (following Mediterranean diet) but let things slide in 2025. It’s so easy to gain. I think I have found my determination now. Big bust, tummy rolls and fat puffy face are really getting me down. My DH recently retired and spends over an hour exercising every day, he is really fit! I just feel like a blob next to him. We have a cross trainer and weights so there is no excuse.

Plan is to do fast 800, I’ve done it before and it really suits me. Piles of roast veg and steamed greens. My main problem is staying away from wine, crisps and bread.

Ive got half a stone left to get off. I was doing great until I found the biscuits in the work kitchen.
Stop giving nhs staff biscuits people. Give us a fruit bowl. I feel disgusted with myself.

Edited as for some reason it posted twice

Thanks @Champagnecharleyismyname I have ordered that also while I was on the site I realised I had an account and saw I ordered vegan wonder shake this time last year! This is what I do, plough money into my next new thing that will make me lose weight, I lose some and then sadly whack more back on. Today's mission is to find the unopened wonder shake and have one!

I get that about the biscuits. I find if I don't have one it helps. Once I have one I keep going,
I have found a love for sugar free digestives which are hopefully a bit better but can only find them in Asda.

Hi, bit late to the party but great thread. I’m 53 and have 4 stone to lose to sit decently within the ‘normal’ bracket but I’d be very happy with a 3 stone loss. That feels a long way off though. Have failed in Jan so far so started again this week. I’m doing a light lunch of soup or salad and a normal dinner. Don’t want to try anything faddy as know I’ll have to be in it for the long haul. But if I can’t stick to this I’m contemplating a month of Jane Plan or shakes to have a bit of a reset.

The finding something for the long haul really resonates with me.

I'm trying to move more and eat the same sort of thing I normally do but change the proportions of the meals so it's more protein and veg - less carbs.

I couldn't do all on low carb like the boot camps on here tho.

I think this is why we need to take photos and not just look in the mirror. They tell you the truth and I think mirrors lie 😂…
I have been doing weight training 4 times a week and some steady state cardio on days where I don't do weights. I also walk lots each day as I have 2 active dogs which need the exercise. Tie that in with making better choices, fasting, portion sizes and less snacking seems to be working for me.

I agree with all the above. A tape measure can be very useful too. In terms of better choices, severely limiting UPF, sugar and refined has been life changing for me. I very rarely buy these - or alcohol - to avoid temptation.

Lifting weights/dumbbells can feel very empowering. I follow Heather Robertson, Growingannanas and Caroline Girvan on YouTube. I find abs work - including planks - particularly rewarding.

How are we all feeling about the week ahead?

I've everything prepped/organised for evening meals so that's a positive. However, I have three really challenging days in work during the week - normally that's when I end up drinking Coke and eating cake or crisps to power through.

I guess this will be testing for me - it'll be the double whammy of wanting to eat rubbish and also having very little time to get any exercise in as well.

I weigh in on Monday morning so am hoping for even a tiny loss to keep the momentum going.

I used the NHS BMI calculator today and it said ideally I should be between 7 stone 4 and 9 stone 6
At the moment 10 stone feels like an impossible dream.

But looking for the positives

• Walked the dog today and a route that usually takes 26-30 mins took me 23 minutes
• Two people have asked me if I have lost weight
• Despite there being biscuits and cake in work I haven't succumbed so far this year

Not too bad. Watching TV and wanting to eat so scrolling here instead

Week 1 184lb
Week 2 184.6lb
Week 3 183.6 lb
Week 4 180lb
Week 5 179lb
Week 6 177.8lb
Week 7 176.2lb