So I wanted to post this just to get some opinions and feedback. I've always heard that its easier to lose weight at a younger age, so how true is that? I know this forum is 20 somethings that's why I'm asking. Do you find that to be true? Say you exercise and diet correctly, what is your weightloss like? I'm 20 (21 in Feb) and for me, if I am very strict diet and exercise wise, I see a huge difference in a couple of days..but despite that, its SO hard to stay on track...My problem is making exuses (for eating something I KNOW I shouldn't or not exercising) But back to the topic, does anyone find that you can lose weight pretty easily, but its just hard to stay on top of things?

well, every year added to your life takes away 5 calories a day from your metabolic rate. So, I suppose someone at the age 30 can have 50 cal less a day. As you age, your metabolism slows down.

I with you in that if I am eating healthy and exercising the pounds melt away. If I eat healthy and no exercise I must be vigilant about the amount of calories. By no means can I exercise and eat what I want. If I go off plan I regain the weight. By the way I am 28. In my early 20s I could eat more than I can now still while dieting and exercising. So I believe it is true that your metabolism slows as you grow older.

Gosh that is depressing!!!

Hey, I'm basically the same way! I have no will-power what-so-ever and a roomie who can eat whatever she wants so keeps lots of goodies around...blah. But if I stick to it I can usually drop like 10 lbs in 2 weeks...but I never really go much longer than that. There's always some excuse to not keep going (right now it's the fact that I have finals next week so I don't have the time...). So anyways...yes I find it easier. But that's just me. I know people who are like 21-22 and they can't lose weight. It all really depends on your metabolism and genes (some people have a set-point where they just can't lose anymore weight).

It is DEFINITELY harder to lose weight as you get older, and for some reason I think having kids affects it, too.
I'm 28, I've been pregnant 3 times, and I gained 80 pounds (yes, that's horrible) each time.
I had my first when I was 21. By the time she was 3 months old, I had all the extra weight gone, and I really didn't even have to try.
I had my second when I was 24, and it took me about a year, but I wasn't sticking to any kind of particular plan or exercising alot. Just yoga and eating normally.
Now after my third, I'm 28 years old, and it's been 15 months of dieting very strictly, going to the gym, etc, and I'm STILL about 15 pounds heavier than I was before I got pregnant.
Thank God I got my tubes tied!

When I was in highschool dieting was so easy. I was able to shed the pounds easily. I lost 30 lbs. After I graduated college, I think I was 20 then, dieting was easy too. I was able to lose more than 30 lbs. easily and without a prob.

Now, I'm 24 and losing weight is a big problem! Ugh! I've been dieting for 3 weeks already. My first week is detox diet. I only ate fruits and vegetables. The next two weeks...1 hour cardio 4x a week and around 1200 calories a day. And I only lost 2 lbs. I'm beginning to think there is something wrong.

I'm taking an human physiology class and they said that your metabolism is based on several factors...genetics, activity level, age, gender, percentage of lean muscle. Bascially the older you get the slower your metabolism is, women have slower metabolism, and the more lean muscle (and thus less fat) you have the higher your metabolism. So that's why you should do weight training w/cardio-to build lean muscle and speed up your metabolism. Also, the stored fat has like twice the energy as the food you eat, so it's harder to burn (because your body doesn't need to burn as much to get the same amount of energy). Did that make any sense?

Yes, it totally made sense. Thank you so much for the info. I guess I have to add weighting training now. I kinda hate lifting weights.

I can definitly lose alot of weight pretty quickly by just making small dietary changes and working out 4-5 days a week.

The harder part for me is definitley staying on track...I don't know if that has to do with my age (20) or my metabolism (at my worst I consume an insane amount of calories ...approaching 3000 a day...and even with no excersice have never gone over 227 pounds, by rights i should be nearer 260). This makes it all the more frustrating when you just can't do it cause you know you can and your baody makes it reltively easy for you but your head can't just fall in line...

Oh well, its a hard journey for everyone I guess...if just for different reasons