Ladies in your 40s...a little help please!
 

Ok, so a girlfriend of mine here at work (shes 46...i'm 44) went to her doctor for a checkup (my friend is diabetic and at a healthy weight). The doctor told her, and this is what was so upsetting to me, that she really needed to watch her weight gain because when a woman over 40 gains weight (diabetic or not), it is nearly impossible for her to take off the full weight gain amount. She may be able to drop 5-10lbs, but if she has gained 50 (like myself), that weight isn't coming off. I almost cried. PLEASE, somebody tell me that that's not true and there IS hope!!! Talk about a total mental diet derailment! :?:

I would like to slap that doctor. I am over 40 and have lost 60lbs, so that is so untrue. My mom is 68 years old and has lost 75 lbs in less time than it took me to lose my 60. Age does not matter. Do not let this doctors lies discourage you.

It's completely untrue. I'm 55 years old and lost 55 pounds last year without any problem (no plateaus), and I know many other women who've lost weight in midlife. The process of losing weight DOES NOT CHANGE with age. The only thing that changes is that you may need to slightly lower your caloric intake for loss and maintenance compared to the corresponding levels in your 20s.

Perhaps the doctor was just trying to scare your friend.

F.

Edited to add: I actually didn't find weight loss in my fifties to be any harder than in my teens, twenties or thirties -- just a little bit slower (but not frustratingly slow).

While it may get a little more difficult every year we age due to slowing metabolisms the fact is that energy is never going to be created out of thin air.

Fat loss or gain is always going to be an equation of energy, and energy is measured in calories.

I find it difficult a doctor could be so stupid. I'd imagine his comments were not relayed accurately.

I'm in my early 40s...but I think the doctor misspoke. Impossible? NO!! More difficult...absolutely. My mom and two of her sisters have lost substantial amounts of weight in their 50s and 60s. My mom was once a size 18 and has been maintaining pretty consistently at a size 10 (with some 12s in for winter or after the holidays.) Five years without regaining...so it is possible.

I'm 45 and I've lost 62 pounds. I think it is absolutely harder than at 20 but certainly not impossible.

For me, my kids are mostly grown (20 & 17) and this is now the time I have to really focus on me!

re:
 

I'm 42. The doctor is wrong. The end.

.

the amount that doctors DONT know about weight loss could fill a library.

I'm 49. I've lost 70 lbs and kept it off for over 2 years. That doctor is a dumb cluck. Don't listen to anyone that tells you that you cannot do something.

Sometimes I think Hmmmmm?...Maybe I could have been a doctor. LOL

My mother was in her 50s when she lost about 30lbs via weight watchers. She has mostly (+/- 5lbs) kept it off for almost 10 years.

Call me a cynic but it sounds more to me like "Hey now, dont be thinking you can fix any of your health issues with diet and exercise. That doesn't make anyone any money. Letseee well you need cholesterol medication now so we can get the side effects chain going. With any luck that will really really up our chances of putting you on blood pressure and diabetes meds. And once you are on all that you'll probably need a thyroid pill...or it will be easy to convince you the side effects are from sluggish thyroid. Oooooh and if we are really lucky you'll get some of the really fun side effects of those and we can put you on reflux and overactive bladder meds. And by then probably an antidepressant as well. No no little lady, you wouldnt want to try anything as silly as diet and exercise."

I'm 44, and I lost 40-45 lbs. from June 2011 - Nov. 2011, and it felt more effortless than at any other time in my life. I lost rather fast without very much sacrifice at all. And the kicker is that I can eat a lot more than I ever thought i would be able to.

So, I think it was irresponsible for that doctor to say that to your friend, but even more important, it was inaccurate.

*whew* Thank you all so much! Even though deep down, i KNEW better...it was such a disheartening thing to hear. Perhaps you're right...maybe it's all about trying to keep her from gaining any weight...but that's not a very good way to go about it. THANKS!!! i feel MUCH better!

Add me to your list of "impossible" losers. I toted around extra 100 lbs for 20 years. At age 49.5 I decided I wanted to get it off as now it wasn't theoretical that it would affect my health. Funny, what I couldn't do at earlier age now was possible. I learned what worked for me and what didn't and was able to create my own plan based on experience.