Losing weight as you get older is HARD!
This is how far I’ve come in my journey so far…..
Even though the pictures are from different distances and angles, you can see a difference! I’ve got a long ways to go, but, I’m keeping my nose to the grindstone. Yes, seeing my belly not making progress much is a little frustrating; but, patience and hard work will be the order of the day. I have my days where I’m discouraged; but, I look at how far I’ve come since I started on July 1st, and I ask, “Why give up?” The answer is, “I’m not!”
Which leads me to today’s post, “Losing weight as you get older is HARD!” I’ll pass along some research that I’ve read.
I have heard in the past that the older you get, the harder it is to get rid of weight. It is NOT a myth! It is true! So, now that we’ve got that out of the way, the $64,000 question is: Why is it more difficult?
- Sleep deprivation. The majority of us are still taking care of young children, holding a job (or 2), while trying to maintain a household. The rule of thumb for weight loss is 8 hours. I’m just as guilty as the next person that I don’t get enough sleep. Still working on that! I think we all owe it to ourselves to work towards that, if possible. You may not lose weight, but you could GAIN weight from lack of sleep. If you’re sleep deprived, your metabolism runs the risk of being thrown out of whack and it will slow down. Try to get more sleep!
- Our metabolism, much like the old gray mare, ain’t what it used to be. It just happens. Getting older sounds more like a buzzkill now, doesn’t it? Try reducing your daily intake of calories by 100-150 calories. Over a period of a year, that could add up to 10-15 pounds lost.
- HORMONES! Yup! Go ahead and blame them bad-boys! As we get older (over 40), our estrogen levels decline, which affects your blood sugar and thyroid. This will cause you to become more hungry. Take that, and add declining muscle mass, through natural process, and low testosterone, You’ve got a prescription for weight gain. There’s really no way to counter low hormone levels, so, kick up your metabolism! Say goodbye to junk food, and say hello to empty, high fiber foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.
- Loss of muscle mass. As covered in my recent post about which weighs more: muscle or fat, I stated that muscle burns more calories than fat. Up to three times more. Fight the loss by doing strength training. The more muscle you gain, the more your metabolism will increase, and therefore, say it with me, The more weight you’ll lose! Besides having that beach bod for when the midlife crisis occurs, strength training will help to prevent osteoporosis.
- Stress. It’s difficult to maintain a household, a career and all that goes with them. I’ve found that I can reduce my stress, even if it’s temporary, by pounding weights. It works for me!
If we can work on all of these things I listed, I’m sure we’ll make gains in the weight loss journey. Talking to like-minded individuals of the same age or older who’ve had success can be a good idea. Facebook has fitness groups for people over 40. I’m in a group, appropriately called “Over 40 Fitness”. That’s where I found my coach, as well as networking with other people who were in the same boat. They’re very encouraging and are quick to lend advice on weight loss, weight lifting programs and food choices. I’m glad I found them, because I felt that I needed a group that were like me, over 40 and wanting to be fit!
You are so right! Menopause makes losing weight even harder! Dang!
Getting older stinks!
I’m not 40 yet (give me 3 months) but I’m already feeling it. I’ve tried many things over the years and it just doesn’t work well. People are surprised to go out to eat with me, see how little I eat and still can’t lose the weight. I’m hoping for a change but accepting if there isn’t.
I have found that it’s more difficult as we get older; however, I’ve also found that lifting heavy and mixing some cardio in helps….A LOT! Try that, but first consult with a doctor first! 🙂
Hey Roger! If you need any help/advice in this realm, I am here for you! I help people lose weight for a living 🙂 I wanna help you kick some serious ass!
I’ll email you! Thanks so much!
I am not quite over 40 (though getting close), and it is still tough for me! Between small kids, a husband that works multiple jobs, and a job myself, it is difficult to find the time and energy that I need in order to lose this weight that I have been wanting to kick to the curb for a while! You look like you are doing a great job!
Yes, all of that will add up! Thanks for the comments and the compliments! I hope you can find the time and energy! I’ve been looking into some home workouts that don’t require weights. Once I’ve gotten it together, I’ll write a post.
Sleep deprivation is a huge issue for me as I have a four-year-old and a two month old. Newborns do not sleep a lot! Congratulations on how far you’ve come on your weight loss journey.
Oh yeah I can understand that…..TOTALLY! My wife and I are enjoying the empty nest now. Thanks for the congrats!
Well it really do suck, lol!! Weight loss at a certain age is challenging, but I do find that men can break down their metabolism much faster then us women! It’s not a myth either, it is true and hard as heck. But what I love is what you mentioned above: surround yourself with positive, supportive people and see if you can get your family/friends on board to becoming healthier and dropping the pounds with you. We are starting our weight loss journey soon and I’m really excited!
Yes, it’s not a myth that men’s metabolism is faster than women’s. Keep me in the loop on your fitness journey! I’m excited for you all!
I am not 40 yet, 34. But I totally agree with you, as you get older the weight loss battle is so much harder. I have put on a ton of weight in the last year and really need to get it under control as I know it will jsut get harder.
The key is to begin with simple movements, walking, light weight lifting, etc. You’ll get there
I think my metabolism slowed around 32. I’m now 39 and have yet to embrace my little pot belly. But I try to run 3x per week. Its not enough but its holding me steady (for now).
Slow and steady wins the race. When you can bump up your days you’ll be able to elevate your metabolism ?
I know when my weight starts to creep up, that I haven’t been sleeping as many hours as I should be at night. For me, I’ve also switched to pumpkin seeds as a snack (if I need one) in the evening. They’re rich in magnesium, which helps to induce a deeper sleep by relaxing the muscles in our bodies. x
I wasn’t aware that pumpkin seeds will help you sleep! Now I’ll have to buy some!
You definitely have to put in more effort when trying to lose weight when you’re older. The body just won’t do what it used to lol. Wishing you all the best throughout your weightloss journey!
It definitely isn’t easy, I’ll tell you that. Some days it’s frustrating, but, I look back where I was and I don’t want to go back
I am 42, and I’ve gained so much weight in the last five years that I want to cry. Some of it has to do with back issues (both the fact that I can’t exercise long and some of the meds I take for it), but a lot of it also has to do with the fact that I don’t eat right at all. I skip breakfast and lunch because I’m too busy working, then I’m starving at night and binge on snack foods. I need to make major changes. Congratulations on your own progress!
I have back issues as well, so after about 45 minutes I’m done. I try not to skip meals, so it’s a challenge to keep up on that. Thanks for the kind compliment ?
I am almost 50, and my main concern is my weight. I’m having so many new aches and pains, it’s crazy. I’m also having some major foot pain, which is coming from the extra weight that I need to loose. It’s crazy how easy it is to gain, but hard to loose.
We really don’t think about when we’re younger how the things we do then will affect us when we get older. Extra weight definitely wears on the joints and other areas of the body. It’s really a catch-22: we’re overweight and our bodies let us know, but in order to lose weight we have to put out energy and time plus be sore/in pain while doing so
yes! It’s so difficult to lose weight as you get older. I’m realizing that more and more. It’s difficult to not only change your lifestyle habits but it’s also more difficult just because of your metabolism. It’s so easy to put the pounds on but so much more difficult to lose.
I dislike changing my eating habits! I rarely drink beer, so that’s not an issue. I historically have slow metabolism, so I’ve really got to crank it up to get my metabolism going
It ain’t what it used to be made me laugh out loud literally. Weight loss is such a hard thing and the older we get the harder it is, I would have to agree. Keep up the great work!
Thanks! We’re like a fine wine…..only get better with age!
I was overweight at 50 and managed to lose my extra weight. I keep it off by swimming 3 times a week.
Awesome! Unfortunately I don’t have access to a pool, so I walk as my form of cardio. I want to bump it up to jogging and I put gels in my shoes so we’ll see how it goes