Looking for age 50+ women who lost 20+ lbs quickly

geoblewis · 06-22-2011, 04:48 PM

I only want to hear if it is possible...can age 50+ women lose at a rate faster than 2 lbs/week. If you have experience losing a good bit of weight, more than 20% of your body weight at a quicker rate, I want to hear about it, how you did it, etc. And I want to know what sort of exercise you did during that time.

(Really, I just want anecdotes. Not advice. I'm just curious to see if it's possible.)

April Snow · 06-22-2011, 06:43 PM

I'm 49 - is that close enough? I've lost 15 lbs in one month (today is my one month anniversary!) on the Dukan Diet. It's a low carb AND low fat plan but one that I am finding very easy to stick with because while the allowable foods are very limited, there is no limit on how much you can eat of those foods so you never have to get hungry. But in reality, I am eating pretty low calories but feeling fine and not hungry anyway - the hunger suppression benefit of low carbing!

the plan calls for walking 30 minutes a day, but I haven't even been 100% compliant on that. No other exercise at this point.

geoblewis · 06-23-2011, 12:17 PM

April, thanks for your input. 49 counts!

I'm actually looking for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who have succeeded at losing more than 20 lbs over a longer time. For many of us, the first 10% drops off pretty quickly, but then the real work starts. I would love to hear examples of what it took, and if any have wholly dedicated themselves to cutting calories and exercising for more than an hour a day (aerobics and weights). I want to know if there's a pay-off for pushing oneself like that.

For us older gals, we all have full lives, families, careers. I hear that everyone wants to lose more than 2 lbs a week, but it takes a lot of effort to get to that, if it's possible at all. I'm 50, 5' 11" tall and weigh just barely over 300 lbs, I do Pilates five days a week and I struggle to lose weight at a caloric intake of 1580. Infact, that's what I'm actually maintaining at these days. I eat really clean, Paleo, very low carbs, and don't lose more than a pound a week at 1200 calories.

I know my slow weight loss is a function of my PCOS, type 2 diabetes and hormones. When I lose a little bit more, I seem to be able to maintain the loss. That's promising and fills me with hope. Just want to know how others in my age range keep it going.

maryea · 06-23-2011, 07:07 PM

When I was almost 60 I lost 33+ lbs in 2 months. I was in the Prism Weightloss Program, ate healthy and about 1200 calories a day. Mostly it was not eating bread, potatoes, desserts, snacks. Bread and potatoes were added back in later. At about 2 1/2 months I plateaued but my doctor said I was within my ideal body weight so I stopped. Unfortunately I went back to my usual eating behaviors and did not keep it off.

April Snow · 06-24-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geoblewis

April, thanks for your input. 49 counts!

I'm actually looking for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who have succeeded at losing more than 20 lbs over a longer time. For many of us, the first 10% drops off pretty quickly, but then the real work starts. I would love to hear examples of what it took, and if any have wholly dedicated themselves to cutting calories and exercising for more than an hour a day (aerobics and weights). I want to know if there's a pay-off for pushing oneself like that.

For us older gals, we all have full lives, families, careers. I hear that everyone wants to lose more than 2 lbs a week, but it takes a lot of effort to get to that, if it's possible at all. I'm 50, 5' 11" tall and weigh just barely over 300 lbs, I do Pilates five days a week and I struggle to lose weight at a caloric intake of 1580. Infact, that's what I'm actually maintaining at these days. I eat really clean, Paleo, very low carbs, and don't lose more than a pound a week at 1200 calories.

I know my slow weight loss is a function of my PCOS, type 2 diabetes and hormones. When I lose a little bit more, I seem to be able to maintain the loss. That's promising and fills me with hope. Just want to know how others in my age range keep it going.

Yes, I agree the first bit is usually smoother sailing. I'm planning on exploring the 50+ forum a bit more so I'll report back to say how it's going on Dukan after the first 10%. But I will say that I am at 3 lbs so far for the week - my WI date isn't until Sunday. I cannot remember EVER losing that much in a single week when it wasn't the very first week on a new plan after not being on a diet for a while. So I've got my fingers crossed that this really is the plan that works for my body. (I've got mild IR, but nothing that rises to the level of needing treatment)

geoblewis · 06-24-2011, 03:21 PM

Thanks for the additional data, ladies. I've been nosing around here as well as off-site. I'm noticing that for us mature gals, continuing to lose after that first plateau is really, really difficult and down right slow! When carbs are drastically cut, weight loss happens, but once carbs are reintroduced, the pounds come back.

What seems to be working is really low carbs, low calories, making sure to eat enough veggies and daily exercise.

(I was snacking on a few roasted Baby Dutch potatoes while researching...silly me! They were so tasty but they definitely got my appetite ramped up. Back to the zucchini!)

Riemontana · 06-24-2011, 08:23 PM

Hello

I am 51. I have lost 68 pounds since mid september. I follow a very moderate carb (kinda low but not extreme) diet that emphasizes non-starchy vegetables. I am post menopause and I have diabetes. I do moderate low impact excercise.

Come and join us on the 50+ chat, if you like

linJber · 06-27-2011, 11:43 PM

Hi, Georgia. I'm 60 - about 8 years post menopausal - and started my weight loss program on January 13th. I was over 250 for about 20 years. Wednesday is my official weigh-in day, but I was down 65 pounds as of this morning. Worst week was just .6 pounds lost. Most are 2, 3, or even 4 pounds. I think I'm averaging about 2.75 pounds a week. There have been days where my weight went up, but it has always been a loss from one Wednesday to the next.

I go to the gym almost every day and take cardio, strength, and yoga classes. About 9 hours a week. I try to stay at about 1400 calories, but a bit higher on weekends. I'm not following a set program, but am limiting carbs, fat, sugar, processed foods and eating smaller portions with lots of fruit and veggies. This has actually been way easier than I thought it would be.

We have some problems younger women don't have, but we don't have to deal with monthly hormone fluctuations that create a different set of problems for them. We can do this because we are older, experienced WOMEN!!!

Lin

geoblewis · 06-28-2011, 12:06 PM

Thank you for your information. I just wanted evidence that it was possible to keep losing weight, past the first plateaus, after menopause, even if there was a long road ahead. I feel better about my path ahead now, more hopeful. And I see what it takes is more real work on my part!

matildatwo · 06-29-2011, 09:47 AM

Six months ago I started 1200 calories per day and walking 5 miles a day. The first month I lost at around 3-4 lbs each week, but I needed to move up to 1400 per day and loss soon settled into 2 lbs/week; where it's continued [with the same walking.]

puneri · 07-11-2011, 01:45 PM

LinJber,

You do not look 60 at all. You are doing great. I am following 17 DD. I do not count calories though. 2 times fruits 2-3 times plain yogurt lots of vege and proteins. Alternate days 2 small helpings of carbs before 2 p.m. I do exercise 1 hr/day almost 5-6 days a week. My weight fluctuates but my size is decreasing

Scooter59 · 07-11-2011, 05:12 PM

Hi Georgia,
I'm 52 and started WW on Mother's Day Weekend. I am most definitely over a year into menopause....On my eight week weigh-in I hit my 25 pounds down which was also my ten percent goal. I was thrilled. I stuck to my daily points plus allowance, ate plenty of fruits, and began walking in week two which due to physical issues I began at the one mile mark and have increased every week. I have continued and now I walk using the 5 mile Leslie Sansone DVD, and I walk every weekday. Thanks for the very interesting topic....I love to see what others in my situation are doing!