Okay, we all know that every decade that goes by makes it that much harder to lose the weight - and this peri-menopausal stuff makes it even harder, it seems.
I have been using The Firm DVD's since last November. It has definitely toned me up and made me stronger (and the getting stronger was the first priority). HOWEVER, I am really frustrated with the fat that is still clinging (rather desperately I might say) to my body. I thought I was looking pretty good but then I saw pictures taken at our family reunion last month and I was like - WHAT? I just wasn't happy with how I looked.
So...have any of you forty-somethings managed to lose 15 to 20 pounds in a hurry. I know "they" say you shouldn't lose more than 1 to 2 pounds a week, but I am losing more like 1 to 2 pounds every six months (if that)!
I am barely 5 feet tall and weigh about 125 right now. I want to get down to 105 to 110 ideally. That may not sound like much but when I married I weighed less than 95 pounds. I don't expect, or even want, to weigh that little, but I do think I should be able to lose 15 to 20 pounds.
My weight loss patterns changed drastically in my 40s, and fast weight loss just doesn't happen any more. But with determination, calorie counting and lots of exercise, I lost the 15 pounds I had gained over several months. I found that breaking my exercise into 2 shorter sessions per day or doing intervals on the treadmill were the most effective ways to lose weight faster. Cutting my calories too much just made me plateau, by the way. Good luck in meeting your goals!
I lost the first 50 lbs in a hurry, about 3 months, following a low carb diet and totally banning sugar, pasta, bread, etc. Now as I am down to a more normal weight, 128 at 5'3", the weight loss has slowed. It seems the more you have to lose the faster you lose, there is something to be said about the struggle to lose the last few pounds. I am 44 for a few more months and I really didn't think it was any harder to lose weight than it was in my 20's. I also do not do much in the way of exercise except walking 30 minutes a day with my dog.
Ugh - "fast" isn't even my vocabulary any more. I've been taking off a steady 3 pounds a month - definitely no record, but I've done it in a way that represents a way of eating that I think I can maintain indefinitely. I have tried MANY ways of "guaranteed fast loss", and wasn't able to stick with a single one of them more than 3 weeks.
Ugh - "fast" isn't even my vocabulary any more. I've been taking off a steady 3 pounds a month - definitely no record, but I've done it in a way that represents a way of eating that I think I can maintain indefinitely. I have tried MANY ways of "guaranteed fast loss", and wasn't able to stick with a single one of them more than 3 weeks.
I would be thrilled to be losing 3 lbs. a month. For me that would definitely be considered losing weight "fast" - given that its taken me about 3 years to lose 5 lbs!. To give a little background: nine years ago I became chronically ill and at one point I went on a steroid for 5 months to see what that would do to help. All it really accomplished is that I gained 25 lbs. in that 5 months. Shortly after I went off the steroid I became (unexpectedly) pregnant with my fourth child and had him at the age of 40. I gained 35 lbs. with the pregnancy (that might seem like too much weight to gain during a pregnancy but I was basically bed-ridden). Obviously after my son was born I lost some initial weight. I nursed him for 15 months and since then have worked very hard to try to lose the entire 60 lbs. I gained from being on the steroid and being pregnant. I still have 10 lbs. to go, to lose weight that I gained seven years ago! I work out regularly and I maintain a low-calorie diet but I am making virtually no progress. To say it is frustrating would be an understatement.
So first of all, how old are you? Second, exactly what ARE you doing to achieve this weight loss?
42. Calorie counting/journaling - I shoot for 3 days a week at 1200 calories, and 2 at 1600. The other two need to be somewhere in between there. I see the most consistent losses when I'm eating the fewest grains, fewest starches, most lean proteins, and most "good" fats (nuts, seeds, avocados). I don't eat a lot of processed foods. My supplements include a great multivitamin, fish oil, Vit D, selenium, and cocoa polyphenols. I have a near-sedentary job and most of my activity comes from basic house and yardwork. Still working on the exercise parts - I'm not a big fan of much except for swimming! It's working, and I can live with it.
I've been here about a year, and it seems like the biggest mistake that people fix with the best result is eating too little - they think that if they're not losing, then they need to cut their calories even more. When they add more food, it's like throwing a new log on a dying fire (your metabolism), and things flame back up. Other issues - not having a good grip on the quantity (a food scale will help) being eaten, or trying to follow a diet that makes you miserable. Some people like myself can't do low-fat, and some absolutely cannot lose until they give up meat and dairy. That's the "this sucks!" part - finding what you can do forever and that your body thrives on. It's just not as simple as "eat less" - and you can see that from how many eating plan forums there are.
My favorite all-time books on the nutrition topics are "The Spectrum" by Dean Ornish (he's been able to show reversal of cardiac disease AND prostate cancer with just lifestyle changes), and "Ultrametabolism" by Mark Hyman. Both doctors, both with very successful results treating thousands of patients with nutrition. Hyman is probably ahead of the curve because he's now into "nutrigenomics" - or how food tells your genes to switch on or off. Fascinating stuff!
Hope that helps ... there's so much out there to sift through, and it's such a big business ... but this forum is AWESOME and full of people who are succeeding in a hundred different ways. You just can't help be motivated.
Just wanted to say that I got a lot of information out of this thread.
I am 40 and desperate to lose weight, and I can't seem to get any to come off my body. But I don't eat a lot either so I need to eat more. That makes sense that if you eat a little more it gets your metabolism going.
My mother is your height and approximate weight. Recently she doubled her daily walking time and ate 6 to 7 servings of veggies and fruit per day and she dropped ten pounds in under three months.
Running!!! Never lost weight as quickly as I have when running. At the same time, cutting way back on white flour, white rice, and almost completely cutting out sugar. Consuming calories only through food - never drinks (other than the weekend glass of wine or Capt. Morgan & Diet Coke). Lots of water and unsweetened iced green tea.
I am 42, and have managed to loose 17 lbs. since May, when I started training for a 10K.
(Sorry for all the edits, I kept thinking of stuff I wanted to add to my post!)
I'm 46 and started my weight loss project 5 weeks ago and so far have lost 5 lbs. Before this I exercised and ate healthy and was maintaining my weight but not losing. I realized I really had to crack down if I wanted to lose and so far it seems to be working. I eat 1250 calories per day of healthy food and exercise for 30 minutes + daily alternating cardio and weights. I think for me portion control is key -- before I was eating healthy but the portions were just too large. Sounds like you need to do more cardio -- I would try more cardio for a month even just walking and see if your results improve.
I find in my 40s I just have to be gentler to my body than I when i was younger. So I may walk instead of running. The weight loss is slower but still seems doable.
I want to thank everyone for taking the time to post comments. I did want to say that my exercise routine does include cardio. I think the comment to the effect that you have to find what works for you, is true. And yes, that is the hard part. I may add a run/walk routine to what I'm already doing (of course, there's the finding the time thing!)
I'm also going to probably try a program I found online that I have heard does have real results. If it works out I'll post again and let you know!
Lose weight fast?
