Weight Control & Age

[bluesummer]

For the older people out there.....(I mean late twenties and on....)

I'm excited because I just started a new gym program with a kinesiologist, paid for by my insurance company (due to the accident I was in). I am going to have my butt kicked back into shape in two months!!!

However, I've noticed that weight is harder to lose the older I get (I'm 28 now), and I'm not sure if it's the same for everybody. I have to work a lot harder for it, and really really watch what I eat. It takes some hardcore dedication. Whereas when I was 21 or 22 I could jump on the treadmill for a half an hour every other day and lose 20 lbs in no time. Right now I fight to lose five.

Anyone found something similar? Were you able to get back to a low weight, or did you have to learn to just be happy with being heavier than when you were younger?

[squirrley]

I'm still looking for the miracle pill

I've been up and down with my weight since I had Kyle. Put pounds on and then take them off. This last time I've found it harder and right now even seems impossible. I'm going on 38 this fall(OMFG it just can't be real) And it's difficult to work out they way I use to, NOT because of my age but because of my physical ailments. Back and neck problems. I have tried several times just in the last month to walk with my husband and after 2 miles I'm in pain and then hurt like a bitch for days. Honestly, although I'm getting older I don't feel old in my mind but my body tells me different. It seems unfair. Gonna try bike riding again. I can't sit still.

Way to go Blue on finding the strength. It takes a shitload of motivation!

[Illusional]

hrmm... over the past 10 years i have gained about 10 pounds. i know that i'm a little fatter, however, i put on a lot more muscle since i was 18.

for some odd reason, i think it was because i started to get fat, however i have kept up my cardio. also when i used to work at fedex i did a lot of running around so that really helped me to keep in shape. now basically i stay in one position and sweat all day long. it doesn't do much for losing weight, so i try to hit the gym 3-4 a week. it's helped keep most of the weight that i wouldn't gained from drinking off and keep in mind that i do drink a lot.

raverboy

[Tone]

Unless you have great genes, it takes a ton of dedication & hard work to stay in great shape!

[misombra]

it is harder to keep weight off. it's hard to get it off. i used to be able to go for a run a couple times and i would go back down to a nice weight. now i have to run for like, a couple of months to do the same thing.

lame.

but i've stopped having unrealistic expectations for my body. i treat it good and it treats me good. if i have a big ass then so be it.

[vashti]

Wait till you've popped out a couple of babies and hit your mid thirties... you ain't seen nothin' yet.

[Gigabitch]

Yeah, the effort I have to expend is about five times what it used to be to achieve the same results.

[tooxshort]

I think it's muscle tissue that plays a huge role in weight loss/management ... as you get older, you lose a lot of muscle mass, so you're not burning as many calories at rest ...

[IndiReloaded]

You lose muscle mass as you get older, Blue. Generally we were more active as youths, walking bicycling everywhere. We had more time for sports, exercise, etc. If we worked, we weren't (usually) stuck at a computer. So we lose muscle mass. Loss estimates I've read are around 5 lbs per decade. That's quite a bit of metabolic tissue to be losing (muscle burns calories even when you are at rest). You can gain it back, tho, w/regular strength training. Ask the kines trainer about this, they should be able to explain this to you.

[bluesummer]

Wait till you've popped out a couple of babies and hit your mid thirties... you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind.....that scares the crap out of me.

I try and really balance my workouts with weight training...I also build muscle quite easily, which is helpful. It's not so good initially when I start weight training though....I build up muscle under the fat and that makes me look like I'm getting bigger. Then slowly the fat overtop the muscle burns off.

I'm getting more comfortable with having booty though....I had absolutely no ass or boobs to speak of when I was a teenager.

[Illusional]

shorty, it's not so much as that you lose a lot of muscle mass, but altogether your body stops growing. you burn the most calories when you grow, which is why teens are often skinny. think back to when you were lifting and you actually seen yourself gain some muscle. damn, it's always a nice sight.

raverboy

[PussyCatDoll]

i bought a cross trainer runner thingy yesterday. my aim is to loose 500 calories daily, in the comfort of my own room. i have 4 months. so that should be a lb a week.

hmm..

[tooxshort]

Yeah a pound a week is good. At the most, our bodies can only lose 2 lbs of fat a week at most. Most crash diets, when people lose 5-10 lbs in a single week, consist of muscle and water weight loss.

Good luck, PCD!

And BlueSummer, I'm the same age as you, so I feel your pain. All we can do now is just be patient and consistent with our activities.

[Illusional]

keep in mind, when you work out, your body burns fuel much faster. so in turn, your appetite will also increase. it's a hard balance to control.

raverboy

[anachronistic]

Wait till you've popped out a couple of babies and hit your mid thirties... you ain't seen nothin' yet.

whatever you are doing, you look great; nothing to have a sad face over.