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?

Week 1 - 184lb
Week 5 - 179lb
Week 10 - 172.6lb
Week 13 169.4lb

14.6lb total loss.
Only 0.4lb since last week, but I'm OK with that - had a meal out and then a meal with friends so I was expecting to have put weight on.

After having a weekend away, but being a bit careful 0.6kg down so very happy after staying the same last week. Down 3.6kg, same again and re- evaluate how much more to do.

I lost 12 kgs since last August. I have found cut in calories helps me but also low carb. I don't want to go on the injections because I can't stand the thought of injecting every day. This last stone and a half is going to be tough I'm going to keep at it. The last month I've been on self-sabotage mode.

The thing I do is if I have a blowout weekend then I drastically less over the next few days. I have found that if I avoid gravy and sauce that I eat less.

I lost 2.2 kg this week so I'm well chuffed. Still got a long way to go mind.

Week 1 - 184lb
Week 2 - 184.6lb
Week 5 - 179lb
Week 10 - 172.6lb

Week 14 168.2

Tiny loss of 0.8lb for me.

Going to aim to up the intensity of my exercise

It’s weird - three months ago if you’d told me I’d be more than a stone lighter I’d have been delighted.
Now I’m frustrated as I want to lose more!

Down 800g - 1. 1/2lb - pleased with that, hopefully a bit more before Easter.

0.5 kg loss for me this week, so plodding on.

Well done on the losses

Plodding on is about right - and remembering this is it for the long haul.

I’ve put on 2 lb being on holiday and with Easter so back on it with a vengeance this week.
sw 12st 9
cw 11 st 13
gw 10st 13

2lb isn't bad after a holiday

We've been away so I'm expecting to have gained some weight

Weighed in - lost, total loss now 5 1/2 kg. I had set an initial target but now I need to settle on a proper goal. I’m still “overweight” due to ethnic background according to NHS but I want to be realistic so I can maintain

Completely went off track.
A holiday, then I hurt my knee and couldn’t exercise but I’m back!

Starting weight 184 lb (13 stone 2lb)
Current weight 167 lb (11 stone 13lb)
Goal weight 140 lb

17lb loss so far … 27 lb to go

I am so stealing that.

And making a screensaver with the quote.

(58 years old, 5’5”, used to be 50-55kg, now 73, on HRT which helped but still stuck with a very “matronly” figure and feel so tired).

I say it to myself all the time 😂

I'd got into the mind set of -
I worked really hard on that task - I can have a biscuit or seven
I finished that job - I can have crisps
I've had a rubbish day - let's get chocolate

I'm buying really nice fruit and veg instead ...

My other mantra linked to not wasting food is you are not a dustbin

I had a tendency to eat something (eg finish an additional portion of a meal) because I don't like waste. I'm cooking smaller amounts now so there aren't any leftovers (unless I cook enough for two meals on purpose)

Like many of my generation, I was brought up to ‘finish your plate’, and this mindset can be hard to shift.

Been on this weight loss journey now since January and the loss is sooooo slow. I am starting to lose motivation and I look at myself and I don't feel I look any different to how I did back when I started.

I still just see a big fat lump. 😩

I miss the days when I could just eat less for a few weeks, go to a few aerobics classes and hey presto. I have dropped a stone.

My fat seems to be sticking to me and refusing to let go. Since going through peri and menopause my boobs are huge and I have a ring of fat round my middle. I really really dislike my new body and its so hard to keep going when I am working so hard and seeing the slowest progress ever.

A stone and a half down but still have 2 to go. I feel I will be on this flipping journey forever.

I am wondering if my approach to this is the wrong one. I am counting calories which I worked out on a proper macro/calorie website. Sticking to them rigidly. Being careful of portions and foot choices,cutting down alcohol.

I fast until noon each day, and I am getting my steps in easily as I have two active dogs to walk twice a day. I also lift weights 3 times a week and am generally active each day. I am not a lazy person.

I am doing everything that I can. I feel I can't do anymore.

Has anyone found a better more effective way to shed the pounds in your 50's than what I am doing, as honestly this is destroying my soul.

A stone and a half down but still have 2 to go. I feel I will be on this flipping journey forever.

It’s only April!!! You’re doing great - you’re nearly halfway there!!!!!!

I'd say keep doing what you have been doing diet wise but maybe change some foods around and try some new recipes if you are getting bored with what you’re eating. The Guardian has some interesting recipes, as does the weekly Waitrose free paper. Maybe try some new seasonings, herbs, marinades, pastes.

And perhaps focus more on exercise and walking. I like Growingannanas when I get a bit bored with my usual routine. I also found walking with a weighted vest very effective.

@Enrichetta thanks for this. I fear I have hit the dreaded plateau 🙄And yes, I am getting a bit bored of the same things and think I need to do something a bit different to shake things up a little.

I have just been going through my Pinch of Nom books and I think I will try a couple of new recipes.

I might try throwing in a few different workouts for a week or two and then go back to the weights. Maybe my body has just stopped responding a little to what I am doing.

@ErlingHaalandsManBun

I've plateaued as well - am trying to up the intensity of exercise.

I don't feel as if I look different but I must have been wearing the right clothing today because three people commented on how great I looked and how they could see how much weight I had lost.

Starting weight 184 lb (13 stone 2lb)
Current weight 165 lb (11 stone 11lb)
Goal weight 140 lb
19lb loss so far … 25 lb to go

That’s 1lb a week for the last fortnight.
Slow and steady.

Just realised I have had my starting weight down incorrectly - It was 13 stone 7lb which means I have lost 24lb in total
That doesn't make me any lighter than I am, but for some reason it has cheered me up.

That's 24lb over 18 weeks, 25lb to go - if I carried on losing at the same rate that's the first week of September - however, I'm sure weight loss will slow down.
But overall I feel quite positive

Hope that everyone else is feeling OK and positive.

Another 500g down, though went a bit wild at the weekend with bacon sandwich and more so - now 6.1kg down (13lb)
Another kilo to get to top of NHS healthy Not sure how much more is realistic though the NHS says at maximum I could go down another 10kg (1 stone 8lb)