Losing weight at an older age so hard because of the metabolic system slows down and that is why it is hard to lose all the calories from the body. But still there are ways to fight this situation. Like eating foods that helps to boost metabolism and doing yoga or cardio or any kind of workout daily. Thanks for posting this, it's a very informative post. https://goo.gl/FWAZ2e
Resting metabolic rate does not slow down with age:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11500320
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9329340
1
Chinese medicine describes metabolism in terms of the "Pi Hun Hua"--the transformation of food and liquid into energy, and its distribution through the body for metabolic functions. Ayurveda describes the exact same thing, in terms of Agni--or digestive and metabolic fire. Hun Hua is also a kind of fire, synonymous with metabolic fire and general health.
Everything science describes here is generalized loss of fire. Life is a process of warm transformation, cooking if you will, of food, liquid, air, and experience. Experience plus the metabolic fire of the heart-mind yields wisdom. This is the medical application of the concept of Yang in medicine.
The Chinese also observed that by age 36 the fire begins to diminish, and we need less food. Fat is Yin. Cook flesh and the fat turns to liquid. That is Yin. Food is fundamentally Yin in its density and crude material nature (not like the sun). So more Yin food makes more Yin fat, at exactly the age when our Yang is weakening, and needs less Yin. So you are left with an imbalance of excessive Yin, stored energy. Not woo woo energy, but calories.
Rare are the contradictions between Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and Science. All too often Science has just not caught up yet. www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Everything science describes here is generalized loss of fire. Life is a process of warm transformation, cooking if you will, of food, liquid, air, and experience. Experience plus the metabolic fire of the heart-mind yields wisdom. This is the medical application of the concept of Yang in medicine.
The Chinese also observed that by age 36 the fire begins to diminish, and we need less food. Fat is Yin. Cook flesh and the fat turns to liquid. That is Yin. Food is fundamentally Yin in its density and crude material nature (not like the sun). So more Yin food makes more Yin fat, at exactly the age when our Yang is weakening, and needs less Yin. So you are left with an imbalance of excessive Yin, stored energy. Not woo woo energy, but calories.
Rare are the contradictions between Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and Science. All too often Science has just not caught up yet. www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
5
They've been trying to work out why some people live a long life and others don't for ages; and I think weight isn't everything just like not smoking isn't everything.
I know an elderly 91 year old, in resthome care, who would be considered slightly overweight whose never been fussy about diet all her life but makes a point of going for a walk everyday and says that keeps her alive.
The two oldest people at the resthome are smokers and are allocated an outside garage to sit and smoke in. Active elderly ladies who sit on chairs in a garage for their daily smokes and still enjoy life.
Genetics and other factors play a part in living to an old age and obsession with weight isn't everything. I think having a positive attitude to life also helps.
I know an elderly 91 year old, in resthome care, who would be considered slightly overweight whose never been fussy about diet all her life but makes a point of going for a walk everyday and says that keeps her alive.
The two oldest people at the resthome are smokers and are allocated an outside garage to sit and smoke in. Active elderly ladies who sit on chairs in a garage for their daily smokes and still enjoy life.
Genetics and other factors play a part in living to an old age and obsession with weight isn't everything. I think having a positive attitude to life also helps.
1
I have found it very difficult to hang onto weight as 65-year-old distance runner. I take no medications, run from 6-10 miles most days, do some weight training and eat a very healthy diet of very lean meats, fresh vegetables and fruits. I have been active all of my life from university where I ran middle-distance to now with long distances. I don't eat large quantities of food, have no aches/pains and enjoy robust excellent health. I am a surgeon and still work full time. I guess I am getting to be something of an outlier in terms of my health and activity level at my age but it seems to work for me.
7
You may not be an outlier. Studies find little to no decrease in resting metabolic rate with age, when taking physical activity into account:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11500320
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9329340
The BMI guidelines are somewhat ridiculous. I worked where we had a DEXA (x-ray body fat clinical determination) and we measured our fat content. The lower end of the BMI is a death level of BMI. For me the chart says low normal (I am a fairly muscular 5'8" Male) would be 122 lbs. Have you ever seen a 5'8" male who is 122 lbs? If not look at pictures from a concentration camp or an individual with terminal caner. I am not sure I would be alive at 120 lbs. I worked where we had a DEXA (x-ray body fat clinical determination) and we measured our fat content. A lot of people I worked with had their body fat measured, they were young military men with active lifestyles, just about everybody was in the 20% body fat range (and remember all these people underwent exercise testing and were punished if their abominal circumference was greater than 40 inches). Only one person had a 15% body fat and he was very young and looked adolescent. So I think many of the numbers used by clinical are just ridiculous. Waist circumference is a better health measure of obesity (more closely correlated with diabetes) but is somewhat difficult to measure accurately. Almost all clinical studies use 40 inch waist circumference as being the point where significant health effects are seen (that is not to say a 39 inch waist is good, 32 is probably optimal, and I am not talking about belt sizes!!)
1
The comments are all focused on weight. Far more intriguing for me is the effect on bone density. Sign me up immediately before the osteoporosis gets worse. Just imagine a decline in hip and knee replacements.
And maybe, just by accident, scientists will find that blocking FSH stops arthritis too.
And maybe, just by accident, scientists will find that blocking FSH stops arthritis too.
1
There are probably two main objectives in weight loss. One is looking good, to ourselves and to others, and the other is health, in the most general sense. Both of these goals have to be somewhat recognized and satisfied. In the spirit of full disclosure, and somewhat related to the article, I am 72 and 5'8" or so and 160#. I work out with weights three times a week, with both body weight and free weight exercises, and play tennis three times per week. Doubles and singles. The key to weight loss, and proper weight, is diet, not exercise, even though exercise is part of the program, and exercise makes you feel good and look good. The real diet key is a combination of a low carb, higher fat diet and "fasting," generally intermittent fasting ("IF"). The main driver of excessive weight and many health problems is excessive and continual insulin levels caused by too much refined carbohydrate consumption and too-frequent meals: snacking. The answer is simple: DON'T Eat "Breakfast" until 1pm or later, and some days (once or twice a week) DON't eat anything until dinner time. the best single resource for this is Dr. Jason Fung's website, Intensive Dietary Management. For anyone who is serious about taking control of their weight and health issues, you owe it to yourself to take action.
10
You seem to be unaware that everybody is not your identical genetic twin.
6
Neal Bernard MD, Cauldwell Esselstyn MD, John McDougall MD, Michael Greggor MD, and many others believe a whole food (not refined), plant based is healthiest. Whole grains such as quinoa, millet and barley are healthy but refined ones (white bread, most breakfast cereals) are not. The healthiest foods are greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, seeds, vegetables and fruit. Starches are very important, particularly beans, lentils, and sweet potatoes. John McDougall is the expert on eating healthy starches. However the key to is to eat the starches in the original unrefined form. So oatmeal for breakfast, especially steel cut oat meal is very healthy. However cold breakfast cereals containing refined grains and sugar is quite unhealthy. For diabetics your healthiest food is legumes (beans and lentils) and greens. Neal Bernard MD the expert on how a plant based diet is healthiest for diabetics. Once again whole grains are not your enemy, refined processed ones are. You feel great and naturally lose weight eating this way. You protect your heart, your arteries, your brain, avoid or reverse diabetes and lesson chances for cancer and add years to your life. This is the opposite of a low carb, Atkins type diet, which these doctors feel is very unhealthy. Just be sure to add a B12 supplement. Ground flax for omega 3 is also beneficial. Read How not to Die by Michael Greger MD.
4
It's worth noting that nearly every reply to the various comments about this article has a biting and superior tone, which is used to "correct" the commenter. Maybe everyone is hungry?
22
Weight Watchers finally has a plan that works. And yes you can eat bread. If you join WW online, you have access to its social media platform, Chat. Great recipe ideas and food galore. I eat better (and more) now than when I was perpetually dieting, or depriving myself. It's been four months. I've lost 16 pounds, and I'm over 55. I'm jogging with my adult daughters, walking up four flights of steps every day to my job, and always looking for recipes to make. Food is great. Moving is necessary. Free weights work wonders. I have no number in mind, except for lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
8
The best way to lose weight is to look in the mirror.
Then act.
Then act.
4
You would think so, wouldn't you? So what do you do when you cut calories, exercise, and lose 1/2 pound in a month? Hmmm, cut calories again, try to exercise more, and gain back the half pound. It is so clear to me that our bodies' metabolic processes vary ridiculously widely. Yes, I keep a food journal. Yes, I eat mostly whole foods. Yes, I do cardio and strength building. I am very tired of being told, “It's very simple—-just be like me and you'll be thin.”
8
I often turn to Vivian Stanshall on such matters. To wit:
"To cut down my weight, off comes my left leg
I pass a swimming costume test..."
-- From "Look Out, There's A Monster Coming"
"To cut down my weight, off comes my left leg
I pass a swimming costume test..."
-- From "Look Out, There's A Monster Coming"
1
I lost 60 lbs over a 10-month period starting at age 61. I've kept it off for five years. I swim three times a week and live in a house with stairs.
My weight-loss plan? I eat no flour products of any kind nor sugar of any kind (including honey, agave, etc.). Otherwise, I eat weighed and measured meals with plenty of veggies, fruits, and whole grain ... and healthy protein. And I eat nothing in between.
My weight-loss plan? I eat no flour products of any kind nor sugar of any kind (including honey, agave, etc.). Otherwise, I eat weighed and measured meals with plenty of veggies, fruits, and whole grain ... and healthy protein. And I eat nothing in between.
15
Aren't whole grain products made from flour?
3
A whole grain is a grain that has not been milled into flour. Emmy didn't say that she ate whole grain "products." She said she ate whole grain.
1
I lost 20 lbs in my upper 50s, in just six months, just by by doing calorie counting using an app on my cellphone called Myfitnesspal. After that, I felt that we eat too much than really needed. We don't really need that much food which we eat normally. In all the cultures in the world, parents train their children to eat in a wrong way from the beginning and that becomes a bad habit and passed on to generations. In addition, I run for four days a week and strength train for 2 days a week. I feel like, I am in my 20s now with lots of energy!
15
"In all the cultures of the world"?
Are you not aware that there is famine now caused by drought in great parts of the world and it's getting worse?
Have you noticed how skinny folks are in so many countries? Actually in the US, individuals and families who suffer even temporary "food insecurity" (the FDA euphemism) in the US will lose weight during those times (check the FDA website)
That doesn't mean that obesity is not an issue, particularly when caused by poverty which makes only some cheap starch type food affordable.
Are you not aware that there is famine now caused by drought in great parts of the world and it's getting worse?
Have you noticed how skinny folks are in so many countries? Actually in the US, individuals and families who suffer even temporary "food insecurity" (the FDA euphemism) in the US will lose weight during those times (check the FDA website)
That doesn't mean that obesity is not an issue, particularly when caused by poverty which makes only some cheap starch type food affordable.
5
I am highly familiar with this topic, but why bother with the details? The New York Times's coverage of diet and nutrition is laughable, being pitched to hypochondriacs and faddists -- especially every middle-aged woman who's 35 pounds overweight because of her "unique metabolism" and gluten sensitivity.
God forbid talking about the actual science. It was perfected in 1919, by Harris and Benedict, whose paper, "A Biometric Stuudy of Basal Metaboilism in Man" yielded the definitive knowledge about the subject. There have been two or three minor tweaks since then, but the "Harris Benedict Equation" really answers it.
If the New York Times ever stooped to writing about it, I am confident that they would get it wrong. It would be like their coverage of gun control, which always gets the basics wrong. By the way, it's both harder AND easier to lose weight as you get older. And there is no such thing as an "assault rifle" sold in America.
But why bother? There are facts, and there is the New York Times.
God forbid talking about the actual science. It was perfected in 1919, by Harris and Benedict, whose paper, "A Biometric Stuudy of Basal Metaboilism in Man" yielded the definitive knowledge about the subject. There have been two or three minor tweaks since then, but the "Harris Benedict Equation" really answers it.
If the New York Times ever stooped to writing about it, I am confident that they would get it wrong. It would be like their coverage of gun control, which always gets the basics wrong. By the way, it's both harder AND easier to lose weight as you get older. And there is no such thing as an "assault rifle" sold in America.
But why bother? There are facts, and there is the New York Times.
7
And yet there you are reading it!
From losing weight to gun control in one post. Wow! Bad day down in White Salmon, where scientific knowledge apparently reached its apex in 1919.
Relax! Go out and look for D.B. Cooper. Take your non-assault rifle with you.
From losing weight to gun control in one post. Wow! Bad day down in White Salmon, where scientific knowledge apparently reached its apex in 1919.
Relax! Go out and look for D.B. Cooper. Take your non-assault rifle with you.
21
So you think the BMR is the first and last word in weight management? Interesting! And your description of diet and nutrition in the NY Times is certainly imaginative, I'll give you that.
And I'm glad assault rifles don't exist. There are far too many other kinds of firearms as it is. The number of self-defense shootings is very tiny compared to the number of gun suicides, accidental shootings, and crime-based shootings.
And I'm glad assault rifles don't exist. There are far too many other kinds of firearms as it is. The number of self-defense shootings is very tiny compared to the number of gun suicides, accidental shootings, and crime-based shootings.
7
Wake up! There has been many breakthroughs since 1919. For instance we now know a lot more about the brain and the hormones that fuel or cut off appetite since we have MRIs and C-scan and laboratory technology. After all, the first electron microscope was only invented in 1931 and more potent ones came about years later. (Wikipedia)....
Why do you suppose that people live a lot longer than they used to in 1919?
Why do you suppose that people live a lot longer than they used to in 1919?
11
I am 63 and my current weight is down about 60 lbs from its high of 249. It is harder to lose once you get older for many reasons but in my opinion the reason it is harder is a lifetime of bad habits and behaviors are hard to break.
I could have never done it alone, one of the bad behaviors I had to unlearn was I could do it alone, and when I started working with people who have the same problem as I do then I started having "long term" success. I have stayed down 60 lbs since 2011-12. 5-6 years of victory and I owe it to OA "Overeaters Anonymous".
I could have never done it alone, one of the bad behaviors I had to unlearn was I could do it alone, and when I started working with people who have the same problem as I do then I started having "long term" success. I have stayed down 60 lbs since 2011-12. 5-6 years of victory and I owe it to OA "Overeaters Anonymous".
22
If you suddenly drop a lot of weight (20-30 pounds or more) without changing your habits, PLEASE GET CHECKED FOR CANCER.
It seems that people often drop weight right around the time the cancer begins to metastasize.
I've had two people close to me die of metastatic cancer. Each was delighted (and refused to see a doctor for a checkup) when they hit their goal weight seemingly without trying.
It seems that people often drop weight right around the time the cancer begins to metastasize.
I've had two people close to me die of metastatic cancer. Each was delighted (and refused to see a doctor for a checkup) when they hit their goal weight seemingly without trying.
39
Exercise is the key.Frequently during dinner place your hands on the edge of the dinner table. Then, if you are no longer hungry, push yourself away from the table, then stand up, turn around and walk out of the room.
13
I heard someone reference this quote the other day, and thought it worth repeating: "It is not an achievement to spend 90% of your life trying to be 10% thinner".
There is a weight loss article in the Times nearly every day. There are weight loss articles in every magazine at every check-out line we ever stand in. Almost no woman on any television program is over a size 6. And we've all heard the statistics about eating disorders and how many 9 year olds are on diets.
There is very, very ample research (some in Times articles!) that demonstrates that health is not necessarily about weight--that you can be healthy at any size by eating a varied diet and moving your body regularly, with no obsession, and no need to cut out entire food groups. Though some people do lose weight through restricting types of foods/exercise, over 95% gain back weight through a very complicated system the body has in place to maintain weight. Weight loss and regain has been shown to be very damaging to health and mental health. And given that most weight loss will be followed by regain, there is a lot of damage done to health (and well-being) by this constant encouragement to lose weight.
Though I myself am of average weight, I worry about the message sent to the many people who are genetically programmed to be heavier with this constant focus on weight loss, and this relatively unexamined equating of weight loss with health.
There is a weight loss article in the Times nearly every day. There are weight loss articles in every magazine at every check-out line we ever stand in. Almost no woman on any television program is over a size 6. And we've all heard the statistics about eating disorders and how many 9 year olds are on diets.
There is very, very ample research (some in Times articles!) that demonstrates that health is not necessarily about weight--that you can be healthy at any size by eating a varied diet and moving your body regularly, with no obsession, and no need to cut out entire food groups. Though some people do lose weight through restricting types of foods/exercise, over 95% gain back weight through a very complicated system the body has in place to maintain weight. Weight loss and regain has been shown to be very damaging to health and mental health. And given that most weight loss will be followed by regain, there is a lot of damage done to health (and well-being) by this constant encouragement to lose weight.
Though I myself am of average weight, I worry about the message sent to the many people who are genetically programmed to be heavier with this constant focus on weight loss, and this relatively unexamined equating of weight loss with health.
34
I'm 58 and my wife is 62 and we converted to a "whole food, plant-based" lifestyle (basically vegan) and lost ~ 30 lbs each over a period of a couple of years, combined with moderate exercise. We were able to get off blood pressure and cholesterol medication completely.
47
yes! not just weight loss but increased health...for you, for the animals, and for the planet.
5
In November 2016 I weighed 160LBS and I'm 5"9. The next time I got on a scale at the end of February, I was at 175LBS.
Knowing how much we love goals, I set mine to 160LBS by the end of April. At the end of March, I was at 168LBS.
Since I practice Bikram yoga 5x per week, worked out 5x per week, play tennis 2x per week in the winter and walked a lot, I should not have gotten to 175LBS but i did. The culprit in all of this was my weakness for Napoleons, San Pellegrino Soda and Tres Leches. Diet is key to losing weight and keeping it off.
Knowing how much we love goals, I set mine to 160LBS by the end of April. At the end of March, I was at 168LBS.
Since I practice Bikram yoga 5x per week, worked out 5x per week, play tennis 2x per week in the winter and walked a lot, I should not have gotten to 175LBS but i did. The culprit in all of this was my weakness for Napoleons, San Pellegrino Soda and Tres Leches. Diet is key to losing weight and keeping it off.
16
One of the few reasonable comments, however you have to remember that everybody is the same, what triggers hunger is different from everybody and willpower will only go so far to prevent caloric intake. So you are right that diet (reducing calories) is the key to weight loss, but people may differ in how they are able to diet (reduce calories) effectively.
I'm 67, have lost over 200 pounds in the past 7 years, and am now a normal weight. I lost it by eating a lchf diet, going keto for the past year. That means no sugar, grains,or starches. I eat food I enjoy, move as much as I can throughout the day, and sleep well. I fast 12-14 hours every day, do cardio including HIIT, and strength training. My diabetes is in remission, I no longer have high bp and my cholesterol numbers went from mediocre to fantastic. The best part of a ketogenic diet is that I'm not hungry which has made it easy.
10
Ma'am, be kind to readers and always define acronyms -- 'lchf diet' is 'low-carb, high-fat' diet similar to Atkins.
Congrats on your improved health and maintenance!
Sincerely
Congrats on your improved health and maintenance!
Sincerely
10
Readers might consider this perspective:
"Professor Nowson said. “Our results showed that those over the age of 65 with a BMI of between 23 and 33 lived longer."
http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/5037122
The 18.5 to 25 BMI considered most healthy for younger people isn't necessarily the best range for those over 65, where a few extra pounds apparently is helpful.
Good science on everything from blood pressure to BMI to dietary fat is in short supply.
"Professor Nowson said. “Our results showed that those over the age of 65 with a BMI of between 23 and 33 lived longer."
http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/5037122
The 18.5 to 25 BMI considered most healthy for younger people isn't necessarily the best range for those over 65, where a few extra pounds apparently is helpful.
Good science on everything from blood pressure to BMI to dietary fat is in short supply.
11
Scientific research on the effects of diet is contradictory and frequently revised. Studies are often poorly designed, use a limited number of test subjects, or do not apply across all regions. If you're going to invoke science, at least recognize its limitations in this area.
4
OK, I guess this is a personal experience forum that somehow started as a science report. I'm 58, 30 years ago, I weighed about 210. I took the weight off and settled at 175-180 . 10 years ago was the last time I weighed myself. I try to stay active, I run a couple of times a week maybe, walk as much as I can and eat no junk food or anything with added sugar. No calorie counts, I drink wine every day , mostly red and do not deprive myself. My "scale" has become my clothes. If my pants feel a bit tight, I back off. Works for me, but I'm not preaching that anyone should do this.
12
Hi Daniel,
It never WAS a science report. Like most posts in "Well", it's opinion dressed up as fact, ie "sciency", not "science".
Read closely. There's a quote from a geriatrician and a cardiologist (ie not folks who specialize in weight loss) plus a lot of learned blather about hormone decrease.
These doctors, while well-meaning, have no more privileged insight than you or I. While they can rely on their observations of their patients, their patients don't represent well-structured control groups.
There's literally no control for all the externalities that hit as one ages: the ability for many of us to afford an almost unlimited supply of tasty food, increased control over one's immediate environment (no parents or roommates to control access to food), becoming more sedentary, etc.
The only way to truly answer this question affirmatively would be to take two groups, control for race, gender, every variable except age, and put them on monitored weight-loss programs with complete metabolic workups (ie relying on measured intake and output, not self created food and exercise logs).
Results of such a study, assuming it had enough participants, would be convincing.
In the absence of such a study... you might as well weigh in on the personal experience forum! It's, literally, just as accurate.
And your strategy sounds pretty good...
It never WAS a science report. Like most posts in "Well", it's opinion dressed up as fact, ie "sciency", not "science".
Read closely. There's a quote from a geriatrician and a cardiologist (ie not folks who specialize in weight loss) plus a lot of learned blather about hormone decrease.
These doctors, while well-meaning, have no more privileged insight than you or I. While they can rely on their observations of their patients, their patients don't represent well-structured control groups.
There's literally no control for all the externalities that hit as one ages: the ability for many of us to afford an almost unlimited supply of tasty food, increased control over one's immediate environment (no parents or roommates to control access to food), becoming more sedentary, etc.
The only way to truly answer this question affirmatively would be to take two groups, control for race, gender, every variable except age, and put them on monitored weight-loss programs with complete metabolic workups (ie relying on measured intake and output, not self created food and exercise logs).
Results of such a study, assuming it had enough participants, would be convincing.
In the absence of such a study... you might as well weigh in on the personal experience forum! It's, literally, just as accurate.
And your strategy sounds pretty good...
4
I was about 240 lbs when I was 14 years old. Then I went up to 270 lbs when I reached my full height at age 16 of 6 ft 3 in and fluctuated between 300 lbs and 250 lbs until I was 65 years old; there was a short, very short period when I was 210 lbs during this period. I tried everything to lose the weight permanently, but nothing worked.
When I turned 65 lbs I dropped 5 lbs, but I don’t know why. What I did do was to say to myself, “I will not try to lose any more weight, but I will try to maintain the 5 lb loss.” I did change my diet to be low carbohydrate, but I did not count calories nor did I curtail my eating in any other way. What happened was I went from 250 lbs to about 190 lbs with no effort. Every two or three weeks I would drop about 5 lbs. I really was not trying to lose weight, just happy to have it happen.
At that time I read two books, Wheat Belly, and Grain Brain. They convinced me to eliminate all glucose from my diet and I am now about 176 lbs. My weight has fluctuated over the years by about 5 lbs. I am 83 years old. Right now I am at a high. Yes, I can overdo it sometimes, but I don’t fear going out of control. So long as I keep away from glucose, I am okay.
The book, Wheat Belly, has a new version titled, Wheat Belly: Total Health. I recommend it because it also shows the connection between eating wheat and Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
When I turned 65 lbs I dropped 5 lbs, but I don’t know why. What I did do was to say to myself, “I will not try to lose any more weight, but I will try to maintain the 5 lb loss.” I did change my diet to be low carbohydrate, but I did not count calories nor did I curtail my eating in any other way. What happened was I went from 250 lbs to about 190 lbs with no effort. Every two or three weeks I would drop about 5 lbs. I really was not trying to lose weight, just happy to have it happen.
At that time I read two books, Wheat Belly, and Grain Brain. They convinced me to eliminate all glucose from my diet and I am now about 176 lbs. My weight has fluctuated over the years by about 5 lbs. I am 83 years old. Right now I am at a high. Yes, I can overdo it sometimes, but I don’t fear going out of control. So long as I keep away from glucose, I am okay.
The book, Wheat Belly, has a new version titled, Wheat Belly: Total Health. I recommend it because it also shows the connection between eating wheat and Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
9
I think the first step in living and eating properly is to love yourself and your body as it is. That can be challenging and may take some doing: reading, studying and possibly therapy. That doesn't mean you'll then stay the weight you are. If health changes suggest you should lose weight, it will be a bit easier, knowing that you won't beat yourself up if at times you fall backward on your path.
Maybe we should read up more on Julia Child's lifestyle and learn from it. She was a big woman who loved life and all aspects of food. And, of course, she lived to a ripe and happy old age.
Maybe we should read up more on Julia Child's lifestyle and learn from it. She was a big woman who loved life and all aspects of food. And, of course, she lived to a ripe and happy old age.
12
HORSE DROPPINGS!!! If you want to keep your weight down and stationary you need to do cardio vascular work every day and weight training every couple of days each week. If you lift weights you will put on muscle and it will replace whatever you have lost because of age. Older people can be exceptionally strong compared to people at any age, and if you can't figure out how to do enough cardio, get a Welsh Terrier and that will take care of your walking needs. For Heaven's sake stop looking at averages. When we were all farmers or hunter gatherers we didn't lose that much muscle, and the reason for the early deaths was disease, something we now have a handle on. Most important: GET OFF OF THE COUCH; FORGET ABOUT THE STUPID TELEVISION SERIES EVERYONE IS WATCHING; STOP EATING BEFORE YOU'RE FULL (see the advice of Thomas Jefferson for example) and disavow sugar, cake, soda, sweets, and other non essential foods (except for special occasions). Now, get in shape and stop crying about your physical condition.
25
It's not always as easy as you make it sound. I work out at Crossfit 3 times a week and walk regularly. I watch my calories, but don't obsess. Yet, when my estrogen levels dropped because of menopause, I gained 15 pounds. I've recently started taking estrogen replacement and the weight fell off of me. I no longer judge others...it was something beyond my control. I'm just thankful I was able to have the help I needed to be healthy and at the weight I wanted.
19
I have found what you say to be true. It's a constant battle and for most of my life I have been of normal weight.
Somehow, it's always the people who don't have to deal with the effects of menopause lecturing others.
Somehow, it's always the people who don't have to deal with the effects of menopause lecturing others.
16
Its true, men don't have to cope with menopause, but men aren't blessed with the ability to bring forth new life into the world. I believe that people should not surrender to the changes of time without a fight. If you can't run as fast in your 60's as you did in your 30's, well run the best you can, but keep moving. As to lifting weights, even people in their 90's can improve their strength and muscle mass by weight training. No one ever got into shape watching 'The Walking Dead,' on television. I say, just stay active and you'll be better off no matter what your age.
5
Interesting. The Old World introduced and virtually wiped out the New World's population with small pox.
In exchange, the New World introduced the Old World to long-term, simmering genocide: syphilis, tobacco, potatoes and sugar. We have sort of taken care of the first one. The remaining three pests clearly remain unstoppable in their cheerful romp and devastation of our health.
In exchange, the New World introduced the Old World to long-term, simmering genocide: syphilis, tobacco, potatoes and sugar. We have sort of taken care of the first one. The remaining three pests clearly remain unstoppable in their cheerful romp and devastation of our health.
1
Take a look at Wikipedia on the history of syphilis and of sugar. Syphilis existed in both the Eurasia continent and the
Americas in pre-Columbian times (not surprising since there were so many contacts between the Americas and Asia as well as parts of Europe). It's possible that there were 2 slightly different strains to the syphilis bacteria in different continents and when they combined in a massive way, syphilis became more deadly than it was (?).
Sugar came from South East Asia and was first granulated in India centuries before being exported by Europeans to be cultivated by slaves in the New World.
Potatoes did come from the New World. They are an easily cultivable food helping to ward off starvation. Did you notice how skinny Irish folks were even before the potato famine? So lets blame ourselves for the overuse of the potato at present (of course there are many people in the US who have no choice but to feed themselves from cheap starchy food which sometimes they can't even afford (check out the USDA website for "food insecurity" in the US
You die a lot faster from lack of food (aka starvation or semi-starvation, famine, etc) than from overeating.
Americas in pre-Columbian times (not surprising since there were so many contacts between the Americas and Asia as well as parts of Europe). It's possible that there were 2 slightly different strains to the syphilis bacteria in different continents and when they combined in a massive way, syphilis became more deadly than it was (?).
Sugar came from South East Asia and was first granulated in India centuries before being exported by Europeans to be cultivated by slaves in the New World.
Potatoes did come from the New World. They are an easily cultivable food helping to ward off starvation. Did you notice how skinny Irish folks were even before the potato famine? So lets blame ourselves for the overuse of the potato at present (of course there are many people in the US who have no choice but to feed themselves from cheap starchy food which sometimes they can't even afford (check out the USDA website for "food insecurity" in the US
You die a lot faster from lack of food (aka starvation or semi-starvation, famine, etc) than from overeating.
"is it harder to lose weight when you're older?"
not if you replace the vast majority of your wheat- and corn-based foods with SHORT-GRAIN BROWN RICE.
not if you replace the vast majority of your wheat- and corn-based foods with SHORT-GRAIN BROWN RICE.
2
.... and toss the potatos as well. btw, you can mill your own short-grain brown rice flour in any oster blender.
the beauty of the short-grain brown rice is that you can eat just about anything else.you want with it.
the beauty of the short-grain brown rice is that you can eat just about anything else.you want with it.
1
Yuk. Tastes awful. Love my sticky white rice from growing up in Hawaii and love potatoes. Everyone is different and physical activity and portion control are key. Just stop eating meat--carcasses from murdered animals do nothing for the health or the karma.
5
you had me at "potatoes"...and lost me at "meat"...to each his own
While certain truths hold generally--more veggies, more movement--every body is different, and that's the difficulty. A five-foot-tall person (probably female) will have different challenges and successes than a 6-footer. The smaller your frame the less you can eat. Usually.
I am dieting now because carrying less weight reduces pain in my feet and knees. Reducing pain and keeping mobility is a huge deal at my age; I have friends and family my age and younger who are struggling to get around now.
The worst part of dieting is the brain fog--the brain screams for fuel before the stomach. Nobody mentions this, but it's another barrier to success.
There is a series of films at Duke University by a photographer from NC (can't recall his name) during the depression. He set up cameras in small towns & just filmed everybody and everything that passed. It's interesting to note how rare it was to see how many people were walking (in the summer in the south!) and how few were obese. The overweight folks in the film were about 25-40 pounds or so overweight, not huge, and almost all older folks. If you went back to these towns now you'd find a lot of obese young and old people and no walkers in the town. Much has changed in America since then.
I am dieting now because carrying less weight reduces pain in my feet and knees. Reducing pain and keeping mobility is a huge deal at my age; I have friends and family my age and younger who are struggling to get around now.
The worst part of dieting is the brain fog--the brain screams for fuel before the stomach. Nobody mentions this, but it's another barrier to success.
There is a series of films at Duke University by a photographer from NC (can't recall his name) during the depression. He set up cameras in small towns & just filmed everybody and everything that passed. It's interesting to note how rare it was to see how many people were walking (in the summer in the south!) and how few were obese. The overweight folks in the film were about 25-40 pounds or so overweight, not huge, and almost all older folks. If you went back to these towns now you'd find a lot of obese young and old people and no walkers in the town. Much has changed in America since then.
16
Due mostly to sedentary lifestyle--the combustion engine private vehicle and television. My 110-pound mother born in 1913 did not allow television into our home. If I as a teen weighed more than 115, no ice cream. We skied and hiked on Sundays and I started running track in high school, have run for 53 years. Was also cycle commuter before retirement.
Believe a nationwide and urban train systems built in the U.S. like Europe, Japan, China would be a start in assuring default activity. Obesity is not a problem in those countries. Their food is healthier as well. In Dublin and Amsterdam bicycles dominate, not fancy ones, practical beaters.
Believe a nationwide and urban train systems built in the U.S. like Europe, Japan, China would be a start in assuring default activity. Obesity is not a problem in those countries. Their food is healthier as well. In Dublin and Amsterdam bicycles dominate, not fancy ones, practical beaters.
4
for heaven's sake, let's give up the ridiculous puritanical existence- unless you think you are a supermodel. if you are morbidly obese, yes, you will need some help to get healthier.
otherwise, don't put anything in your mouth that you don't enjoy, try to make everything yourself with as good a starting materials as you can afford, don't buy things in packages as much as possible, don't drink soda or bring junk food into the house you don't want to eat everyday.
do eat with friends and family, drink coffee, tea, wine and champagne- in reasonable amounts, keep moving no matter how slow, be good most of the time and never deprive yourself. and reserve some quality of life calories.
otherwise, don't put anything in your mouth that you don't enjoy, try to make everything yourself with as good a starting materials as you can afford, don't buy things in packages as much as possible, don't drink soda or bring junk food into the house you don't want to eat everyday.
do eat with friends and family, drink coffee, tea, wine and champagne- in reasonable amounts, keep moving no matter how slow, be good most of the time and never deprive yourself. and reserve some quality of life calories.
44
This article seems to be an invitation to submit personal anecdotes and judgmental opinions, so here goes: At age 65, height 5 feet ten, weight 165, male, I thought I was doing OK. I've exercised regularly since my youth, partly because of vanity about my appearance and partly because I've wanted to keep enjoying active recreation. Then a completely surprise diagnosis of diabetes, requiring a serious look at my diet, which I had not thought was too bad. Once I started paying attention to sugar (turns out it is in everything) and simple starches, and taking steps to avoid them, I lost 10 pounds in a month, and my diabetes numbers are back to a healthy range. As for exercise, here comes the judgmental part: people totally fool themselves about how much exercise they get. Going to the gym for 2 hours every day, but spending it leaning on the machines and gossiping with friends is not a workout.
19
When I retired from my firm I dropped about 5 pounds within a two months. I believe it's because I am no longer sitting at a desk and there is less stress, and I'm sleeping better. Maybe those factors help counter age related weight gain?
22
Nah, I want to be like my hero Donald the con Trump. Fat and stupid. I want to be great again before I die.
43
Harry, You expressed your anger, let it out presumably without hurting anyone but Jack, who is a sensitive person and now very sad. Well, can't be helped.
10
With your anger problems, you will likely have an unhealthy life. To relate an article about weight loss to our president is simply so sad.
5
All the while I was working - and combining going to work with walking for 85 minutes every morning - I had no problem controlling my weight. But the 12 years since I retired (and quit the morning walk) have been a constant struggle with flab. Since foot problems have made it impossible for me to walk for exercise, I have been trying to find a diet that gives me only enough nourishment to stay alive and healthy. My latest regimen is:
Eat only two meals a day, breakfast and dinner.
Make breakfast the biggest meal of the day.
Follow a Mediterranean diet.
I wouldn’t say the results have been miraculous, but they are definitely promising; these days, when I stand in the shower and look down, I can actually see toes!
Eat only two meals a day, breakfast and dinner.
Make breakfast the biggest meal of the day.
Follow a Mediterranean diet.
I wouldn’t say the results have been miraculous, but they are definitely promising; these days, when I stand in the shower and look down, I can actually see toes!
13
Read the cover story of the February issue of Scientific American if you want to know why you still have to count calories even if you exercise a lot.
In general, you cannot burn more than 300 calories from exercise NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU DO!
Yes, at first it makes no sense, but your metabolism SLOWS DOWN after you burn 300 calories (it's an evolutionary thing).
The good news is that slowing the metabolism may actually be a very, very good thing.
In general, you cannot burn more than 300 calories from exercise NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU DO!
Yes, at first it makes no sense, but your metabolism SLOWS DOWN after you burn 300 calories (it's an evolutionary thing).
The good news is that slowing the metabolism may actually be a very, very good thing.
7
That's physically impossible. Physics is physics. Every movement you make uses energy. People can and do burn FAR more energy exercising in a day.
4
I do kickboxing and it burns 1,200 in one hour.
1
@Sane1:
Physics may be physics, but biology can respond to physics in surprising ways. The energy expended during exercise is trivial compared to metabolic rate, although exercise has numerous other benefits. Upon prolonged caloric restriction, the traditional "eat less, exercise more" approach, the body compensates by increasing hunger and decreasing metabolic rate.
Physics may be physics, but biology can respond to physics in surprising ways. The energy expended during exercise is trivial compared to metabolic rate, although exercise has numerous other benefits. Upon prolonged caloric restriction, the traditional "eat less, exercise more" approach, the body compensates by increasing hunger and decreasing metabolic rate.
1
Counting calories is the only thing that has worked for me. I used a calorie tracking app. I exercise every day, but I set my suggested calorie intake for a sedentary person. I lost ten pounds with this method, but stopped losing weight as soon as I decided to wing it and guess how many calories I was consuming. Luckily I haven't gained any back. I want to lose 10 more pounds, so back to counting calories, I guess!
15
Weight Watchers members know this -- when they stop tracking what they eat and "wing it," they gain weight.
1
When I had a physical at 41 and listening to myself describe lifestyle habits to my doctor, my mortality struck me and immediately joined the gym and changed eating habits. As a recent prostate cancer patient, I have 2 important takways on this: 1) the benefits of a healthy lifestyle pay off in spades when a major health event occurs (and it will), both giving your more treatment options and faster recovery, and 2) once you're given the "all clear" to exercise again, be patient with your body as your ramp-up exercise again.
12
Possibly better to weigh less... but we all age 60s. 70s. 80s, 90s, 100s all differ in what one can or wants to do. Unfortunately weight may end up being the least of our problems. I think one had better have fun when/if one can.
For food -- eat when hungry and try to stick to what tastes good.
(BTW I lost weight (the 10 pounds!) during the two weeks in rehab facilities post knee surgery.. by tah dah eating very little -- not much more than a few breakfast items because the food was so awful!) (egg, yogurt, maybe a cereal and milk, a bit of sandwich). Other times, I do try to reve up the metabolism with walking,.)
For food -- eat when hungry and try to stick to what tastes good.
(BTW I lost weight (the 10 pounds!) during the two weeks in rehab facilities post knee surgery.. by tah dah eating very little -- not much more than a few breakfast items because the food was so awful!) (egg, yogurt, maybe a cereal and milk, a bit of sandwich). Other times, I do try to reve up the metabolism with walking,.)
3
The great news for me is steady weight loss from eating on a sandwich plate instead of a dinner plate, getting rid of "The Big Fridge" and buying a half size, and staying on the outer aisles of the supermarket— all fresh produce, meats, fish poultry, dairy. The inner aisles are one big nightmare of GMO-infused empty carbs, save for oils and nut butters. A consistent diet of whole foods in moderate portions, and sometimes tiny ones when I am not very hungry, has gone a long way to bringing me closer to my ideal weight over a 2-year plan.
15
Your suggestions are the practical things that work. I also eat fresh produce (especially greens) from my raised beds during growing season, which even in a cold climate lasts until early December. Have already planted kale, parsley, and peas. (Last week's snow did not harm them.) At age 79, I still have the appetite of a lumberjack. Only the deleterious effects, real or presumed, on my physiology, prevent my overeating. And, boy, do I like chocolate.
6
I lost 30 pounds and became a marathon athlete in my 40s. Eat less, exercise more. I control what I weigh and my muscle mass, not my age. There are plenty of us around. Join us!
1
Here is the FOUR WORD DIET:
Eat Less. Exercise More.
That said, one could eat less but if anything white enters into the picture: rice potatoes, sugar, etc. it doesn't really work. It's all about lean protein, fruits in moderation, and vegetables. That's it. There is no other way.
Eat Less. Exercise More.
That said, one could eat less but if anything white enters into the picture: rice potatoes, sugar, etc. it doesn't really work. It's all about lean protein, fruits in moderation, and vegetables. That's it. There is no other way.
4
Disagree! Eat less and you don't have to exercise. Weight Watchers is the key - keep to the 30 points a day and lose without much exercise.
3
If "eat less, exercise more" is the only thing that matters for body weight, then rice, potatoes, sugar, refined carbs are all irrelevant. Lean proteins and fruits are also irrelevant in this paradigm, only calories matter.
If refined carbs/sugars have specific metabolic and hormonal effects which affect weight gain, then we have already moved past a simple "calories in, calories" model.
If refined carbs/sugars have specific metabolic and hormonal effects which affect weight gain, then we have already moved past a simple "calories in, calories" model.
I decided to go ketogenic. I've lost 16 lbs in 5 weeks. I increased excercise modestly, but have been inconsistent. Early on I tried counting calories and it wasn't working. Worse, the inevitable self -criticism for not being more disciplined came.
If you're a road warrior it's even harder. Or, at least it used to be. Since going ketogenic and trying Atkins, the pounds have melted off. And O don't feel hungry. I got a little bit of headaches and cloudiness but that's the indicator you're in ketosis and burning fat. Diet control is the key - counting net carbs (gross carbs less fiber) can be a bit tricky, especially when esting out or on the road, so I made a rhyme. Seems to work for me, so here it goes:
If it's white, don't bite
If it's sweet, don't eat
If protein or green, you'll get lean
Most fruit doesn't suit so give a hoot
If a nut or a seed, cautiously proceed
If it grows above ground, weight loss abounds
If it grows in the earth, it will add girth
If alcohol spirit, careful near it
Weight loss enable? Check the label...
Less than 30 net carbs a day melts fat away
One last thought, most restaurants have carb traps in every dish, but I modify every single order and haven't had any problems. Best of luck...
If you're a road warrior it's even harder. Or, at least it used to be. Since going ketogenic and trying Atkins, the pounds have melted off. And O don't feel hungry. I got a little bit of headaches and cloudiness but that's the indicator you're in ketosis and burning fat. Diet control is the key - counting net carbs (gross carbs less fiber) can be a bit tricky, especially when esting out or on the road, so I made a rhyme. Seems to work for me, so here it goes:
If it's white, don't bite
If it's sweet, don't eat
If protein or green, you'll get lean
Most fruit doesn't suit so give a hoot
If a nut or a seed, cautiously proceed
If it grows above ground, weight loss abounds
If it grows in the earth, it will add girth
If alcohol spirit, careful near it
Weight loss enable? Check the label...
Less than 30 net carbs a day melts fat away
One last thought, most restaurants have carb traps in every dish, but I modify every single order and haven't had any problems. Best of luck...
15
Except carrots and some other really good veggies grow under ground.
1
Carrots are high in some important nutrients, but they are traps for some people -- tomatoes as well.
At age 71, my husband and I watched the documentaries "Forks Over Knives" and "Fed Up". As an M.D., I have always been interested in human physiology and nutrition, and have tried to make sense of the increasing rates of cancer, heart disease, and obesity in our population. These two documentaries explained a lot. I am now 73 and he is 70. In 6 months, following the recommendations in those two films, I (5'0") dropped from 150 lb to 110 lb with no exercise other than housework, and he (5'11'') dropped from 220 to 180, going to the gym almost every day. The whole-food-plant-based-no-processed-sugar program has become easier and easier over the past two years. The first two weeks convinced us. We can eat all we want, and an infrequent treat of anything we crave (cravings are rare) is no problem. As he says, "It's not a religion!"
24
I'm 70, and I just lost 25 pounds. I'm not at my ideal weight, but, starting today, I'm going on a maintenance diet. Frankly, I want to feel better. The article cites how "aches and pains" interfere with dieting. My experience has been that dieting magnifies the aches and pains. I developed an odd sharp pain in the ball of my foot. I have more iliotibial band pain than pre-diet. The muscles of my neck and back, particularly my lower left back, are tight as drums and subject to muscle strains. The left ACL knee injury incurred at 30 is doing a special act. All this despite careful analysis of nutrients, much stretching, massage, moderate exercise, good sleep, afternoon naps, cut-back in caffeine, deep breathing, and the occasional aspirin.
The worst side-effect of aging, however, is occasional dullness of mind. On some afternoons, I find myself just sitting there staring into space. The sugar from a couple fruit doesn't help. My work and productivity have suffered, and that bothers me especially because I regularly anticipate how many good years I have left. It's as if the body is trying to sabotage wieght loss any way it possibly can. Yes, I've lost belly fat, but I've also lost some thigh and arm muscle: new wrinkles.
People notice, but not with compliments. Last night a friend told me I looked awful.
Is it worth it? I will find out in the next couple months on maintenance.
The worst side-effect of aging, however, is occasional dullness of mind. On some afternoons, I find myself just sitting there staring into space. The sugar from a couple fruit doesn't help. My work and productivity have suffered, and that bothers me especially because I regularly anticipate how many good years I have left. It's as if the body is trying to sabotage wieght loss any way it possibly can. Yes, I've lost belly fat, but I've also lost some thigh and arm muscle: new wrinkles.
People notice, but not with compliments. Last night a friend told me I looked awful.
Is it worth it? I will find out in the next couple months on maintenance.
9
Yes, heavier people don't show wrinkles as much, and people can be hurtful and tell you that you look awful. But in the end, only you know how proud you are of your weight loss and, more important, of how much better you feel.
I was a very active person up until my 50's. Injuries from being so active (torn rotator cuff and torn minescus in my leg) have prevented me from continuing the same activities, except in a greatly reduced manner. Depression and a low self image also play a big factor..when you used to be muscular and now you have a paunch. So yes, whatever form of weight loss attempt you choose, you need to TRY and persevere. That is enormously difficult. But you also need emotional support from friends. In addition to their encouraging works, they don't need to be bringing cakes to dinners you give! The attitude you have about yourself matters as much as your devotion to a weight loss goal.
6
Perhaps one consideration is whether you are not technically overweight and just want to lose 5 or 10 pounds (difficult, in my experience) or you have more weight to lose.
2
I am in my 60s and I have two words to say: Weight Watchers.
6
I heartily recommend. I am 75 and joined WW for the 3rd time in my life and easily lost the 12 lbs I had gained. The point system is wonderful and I generally eat what I want.
5
The natural state of a human being is to be a NOMAD
as long as you stay true to that condition you will be more than fine, all these so called "studies " won't apply to you......
as long as you stay true to that condition you will be more than fine, all these so called "studies " won't apply to you......
1
@Manhattan, the life expectancy of a hunter-gatherer was about 40 years old.....
1
The hormone changes that happen to a woman at menopause, causing her to gain weight, happen in mice, too. Those mice aren't sneaking Krispy Kreme donuts or Starbucks frappes...they're only eating mice chow and they still gain weight when they are "ovariectomized". Weight gain is not a result of eating more or exercising less. Look in PubMed for "The Role of Estrogens in Control of Energy Balance and Glucose Homeostasis" by Franck Mauvais-Jarvis et al.
23
Nonsense, as long as the weight gain isn't from an underlying condition.
Jack Lalanne did it; you can too.
Jack Lalanne did it; you can too.
1
Well David, if you read my reply above, I generally agree with you.The problem is that LaLanne was a fluke and 99.9% of the country are not like him..
5
Hardly a fluke: he showed people what to do to stay as healthy as possible.
A great teacher.
A great teacher.
3
Ah David...you bring up what I believe in...ie the equality of life theory....ie...Jack always felt good, lived to a ripe ole age but never overate, had dessert, ate white bread, etc etc...or wine, women and song. (actually I believe he drank a little wine).
99.9% of people don't want to live that life nor does 99.9% of people want to live a life like Jimi Hendrix who died at age 27.
In life and death Jimi and Jack were more alike then one would think...
99.9% of people don't want to live that life nor does 99.9% of people want to live a life like Jimi Hendrix who died at age 27.
In life and death Jimi and Jack were more alike then one would think...
1
I generally agree with the story. I am 68 yrs old.
Having said that, it is better never to be overweight if you want to feel and look good. That solves the problem.
I have found that if you start to pack on the pounds (say 10-20 lbs or more at any age) it becomes all but impossible to get back to your fighting weight.
Having said that, it is better never to be overweight if you want to feel and look good. That solves the problem.
I have found that if you start to pack on the pounds (say 10-20 lbs or more at any age) it becomes all but impossible to get back to your fighting weight.
9
I am losing weight, slowly, at the age of 64 following weight watchers. The key - ultimate patience.
11
I'm in my forties and I was always thin, lean, fit and I ate whatever I wanted...until I turned 42 and I gained 10 lbs which I cannot lose, no matter how much I exercise and control my calorie intake. This has caused me no end of grief. I know I will lose weight if I starve myself, but it's so unpleasant that can't do it. So I'm gradually accepting that I will just be fatter from now on and I have to live with this fact. I definitely blame hormones.
22
Try low carb high fat moderate protein -- give it a shot and see how it goes. Info on how at dietdoctor.com
1
I, like you, have always been thin, lean and fit. Now that I am 73, I find that I can maintain the weight I want, but it seems to settle around the middle no matter how much I work out, exercise and watch my diet.
I suppose I should give myself a break and alter my mental image of myself, but I may have to admit I am too vain to do so.
I suppose I should give myself a break and alter my mental image of myself, but I may have to admit I am too vain to do so.
6
I thought that, too, but continued to be unhappy with the extra pounds. Over the years I found that plenty of exercise and a focus on eating whole, unprocessed food made more of a difference that dieting. As a matter of fact, dieting doesn't work. Healthy eating does! I'm 70 now and very happy with my weight, health and appearance and I owe that to good, healthy eating and exercise.
3
I guess nearly everyone has a weight story to tell.
Ten years ago I went from 210 pounds to 170 in about 18 months. The secret? Portion control, but eating anything I wanted, and an exercise regimen that I liked doing, six or seven days a week.
I also fasted on occasion, but not a total fast, using the principles of the Fast Diet. I still do that occasionally. I am in my sixth decade and the weight has stayed off.
Ten years ago I went from 210 pounds to 170 in about 18 months. The secret? Portion control, but eating anything I wanted, and an exercise regimen that I liked doing, six or seven days a week.
I also fasted on occasion, but not a total fast, using the principles of the Fast Diet. I still do that occasionally. I am in my sixth decade and the weight has stayed off.
12
I lost 43 pounds at 65 to beat diabetes. I've kept them off, now 69. diet and exercise are key. use motivation and willpower to power the diet and exercise.
23
Those are important factors, but another is habit.
Every summer when my wife leaves the country to visit her folks for 4 weeks I lose 10 lbs without having to do anything. I don't even notice and actually feel better. When she comes back I regain them.
We should not underestimate societal pressure. I think that is one of the main reasons people were skinny 50 years ago, but are not skinny now.
Every summer when my wife leaves the country to visit her folks for 4 weeks I lose 10 lbs without having to do anything. I don't even notice and actually feel better. When she comes back I regain them.
We should not underestimate societal pressure. I think that is one of the main reasons people were skinny 50 years ago, but are not skinny now.
29
I also lose weight when apart from my husband during the summers. I stay at our country house and he comes weekends. While he's not there, I don't cook much nor think about food - but when he's around, we eat lots more Food is social ?!
1
I appreciate the article and it is mostly true, however to clarify, more protein does not help you build more muscle. That is only the case if you are physically working on building more muscle whether it be via exercise or simply being less sedentary. If you remain sedentary and/or do not increase the demand on your muscles, you will not gain muscle. [I've been studying this over 20 years]
33
Funny, my husband has been tellling me that the whole eat protein to build muscle idea has been debunked. He went through the whole protein powder smoothie phase but i guess read something that made him give it up.
I am about to turn 56 and I ramped up exercise at 50. I always eat well. While I remain at the same weight, I have worked on core strength and a mix of aerobic exercise including running. I compete in 10-15 road races a year which has me set goals. So far it is working. It requires discipline and daily practice.
11
If you go on a ketogenic diet and incorporate intermittent fasting, even a post-menopausal, pre-diabetic, metabolic syndrome, hypothyroid, insulin-resistant, morbidly obese female can lose weight -- and a lot of it (yes, that's me and I'm down 80 pounds). The great thing about intermittent and several-day fasting is that you don't lower your metabolism, and you don't waste protein, during that time -- in fact you increase metabolism and growth hormone. It's the answer for most of us older people (and especially good that you don't need much exercise if you are large or have sore joints), and it's quite a revelation. Thousands of us out here in Keto/IF land are getting great results. You no longer have to assume you are on the long road to being fat, sick, and diabetic -- you can get the control back. Plus the food is great.
29
Thanks for sharing your positive experience, xandtrek.
Although I'm not overweight, I too have found IF helpful, especially when combined with a natural foods, low carbohydrate and low protein diet. (In my case not a keto diet).
Gentle exercise multiple times a day has also been useful.
Although I'm not overweight, I too have found IF helpful, especially when combined with a natural foods, low carbohydrate and low protein diet. (In my case not a keto diet).
Gentle exercise multiple times a day has also been useful.
6
Every time I don't eat for such long periods of time, I've ended up overeating--and usually on foods I should not eat in the first place. I finally realized fasting was not for me.
14
I've been on a Protein Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) a few times. It's a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) that high-protein, ultra-low carb and fat. It has keto effects. My success hasn't been great, but I'm not obese. Lyle McDonald, the author of the Rapid Fat Loss Handbook, writes that it is much harder for older women to lose fat. He's been working on a book for women.
I've also done Intermittent Fasting. It works up to a point, and is easy because I often don't eat breakfast, but with a very short eating window after a day or two I ultimately find myself obsessing about food and my energy is low.
Everyone has a different experience.
I've also done Intermittent Fasting. It works up to a point, and is easy because I often don't eat breakfast, but with a very short eating window after a day or two I ultimately find myself obsessing about food and my energy is low.
Everyone has a different experience.
1
Regarding these changes I find it motivating to turn my mind to a new view. Instead of complaining that I can't eat as much as I used to, I think, "How great it is that I don't need as much. If we have a famine my chances of surviving are increased."
Another turn I've taken is to regard eating more than I need as wearing my digestive system out sooner. If I eat less, it has less to do so will last longer.
I love being me.
Another turn I've taken is to regard eating more than I need as wearing my digestive system out sooner. If I eat less, it has less to do so will last longer.
I love being me.
35
Mark Question:
I've tried thinking that too. "Oh, I'll be able to keep up with the Tribe in an emergency, or I'll be less likely to be put on an ice floe because I consume fewer resources."
But the mentality doesn't last very long in the abundance of interesting food that a prosperous society affords.
I do practice Intermittent Fasting on occasion.
I've tried thinking that too. "Oh, I'll be able to keep up with the Tribe in an emergency, or I'll be less likely to be put on an ice floe because I consume fewer resources."
But the mentality doesn't last very long in the abundance of interesting food that a prosperous society affords.
I do practice Intermittent Fasting on occasion.
2
Mark Question:
A PBS show I watched many years ago recommended limiting "ANTs" -- Automatic Negative Thoughts. Instead of thinking of how much you missed eating pie, the doctor recommended imagining something like the increased good health and time with family that you would have by changing your diet.
It's still hard when you want pizza and cheesecake.
A PBS show I watched many years ago recommended limiting "ANTs" -- Automatic Negative Thoughts. Instead of thinking of how much you missed eating pie, the doctor recommended imagining something like the increased good health and time with family that you would have by changing your diet.
It's still hard when you want pizza and cheesecake.
3
As is common practice, of late, because of our opiate "epidemic, I see no real reference to the reason many of us can't push our bodies— the chronic debilitating pain deriving from structural challenges, such as spinal stenosis, worn-out joints and various other conditions that make concerted movement hell.
7
Medical cannabis is great for spinal pain. (I have cervical spondolytic myelopathy). High CBD strains are good for pain and inflammation. Lots of strains are good for anxiety and depression. Others are wonderful for mood and activity. Many of the sativas and hybrids are effective without producing a high or stone. Personally, the strains with a little higher THC % are more effective for my pain and wonderful for sleep.
6
Thanks Debra. We're fortunate to have Medical Cannabis in NM. It'd really my salvation, particularly high-CBD strains.
4
Cannabis is great! I love it! But it makes me eat and eat and drink wine until I fall asleep. I know there are many slim, fit people who enjoy pot, but for me, it is the golden road to obesity. Did you now that cannabis is often prescribed for patients who have lost their appetite?
2
My advice as I near 70: Love yourself as you are for every remaining moment.
The older I get the more I realize that filling my mind with thoughts of "not good enough yet" hover between counter-productive and insane. I enjoy French bread, cheeses and wine at every meal. Since retirement I am constantly thankful that I don't "have" to DO anything in particular. I'll take a walk along the river if I feel like it or read a book instead. Maybe I'll just listen to the birds singing from my favorite chair. All of my clothing is comfortable. Life is good...
The older I get the more I realize that filling my mind with thoughts of "not good enough yet" hover between counter-productive and insane. I enjoy French bread, cheeses and wine at every meal. Since retirement I am constantly thankful that I don't "have" to DO anything in particular. I'll take a walk along the river if I feel like it or read a book instead. Maybe I'll just listen to the birds singing from my favorite chair. All of my clothing is comfortable. Life is good...
254
This is why I love France.
27
You and me both, Paris Artist! I'll be 84 next month, I eat healthy foods, and prepare all of it myself - and I do enjoy cheese, wine, and chocolate! Enjoy!
4
Some of these tips for losing or maintaining weight sound like misery to me. It's making me OK with the idea of becoming "pleasantly plump" when I get to middle age. Being low weight doesn't necessarily make someone healthy. Skipping meals or obsessively eating only 1200 calories a day could easily cause malnutrition, regardless of what you eat, because that is not enough for average size adults. Lack of healthy fats and inadequate calcium and B vitamins can cause limp, wrinkled skin, brain fog, weak teeth, and worst of all, brittle bones. An extra 5 pounds vs. a shattered hip? I guess I'll just need to get some more loose fitting shirts.
18
As you get older (over 60 or so), a bit of extra weight -- not massive obesity -- actually is helpful. It gives you "reserves" to deal with illness or stress. It pads the hips so you don't break them so easily. You are eating enough to get adequate calcium and protein for your bones, skin, organs, etc.
Many women -- especially white affluent women -- starve their entire lifetimes to look good, and then find in old age, they have osteoporosis and weak bones, thin dry hair and wrinkly skin. They are dehydrated as well. A lack of healthy fats mean thin brittle bones, hair loss, etc. They are the ones who end up breaking their hips and going to nursing homes.
This is not to justify serious obesity, of course. The very fat die relatively young, in their 50s-60s of coronary artery disease or complications of Type 2 diabetes. I am talking about moderate overweight here. If you are a few pounds heavy at 65 or 70 -- please, just leave yourself alone. Be grateful for your health and that you are alive, and use your time and energy to stay active, play with grandkids, have fun, enjoy a beautiful spring day. Life is to short to make it miserable worrying 24/7 about what you eat, or how much you exercise.
Many women -- especially white affluent women -- starve their entire lifetimes to look good, and then find in old age, they have osteoporosis and weak bones, thin dry hair and wrinkly skin. They are dehydrated as well. A lack of healthy fats mean thin brittle bones, hair loss, etc. They are the ones who end up breaking their hips and going to nursing homes.
This is not to justify serious obesity, of course. The very fat die relatively young, in their 50s-60s of coronary artery disease or complications of Type 2 diabetes. I am talking about moderate overweight here. If you are a few pounds heavy at 65 or 70 -- please, just leave yourself alone. Be grateful for your health and that you are alive, and use your time and energy to stay active, play with grandkids, have fun, enjoy a beautiful spring day. Life is to short to make it miserable worrying 24/7 about what you eat, or how much you exercise.
That's what I don't understand about this "intermittent fasting" fad (guaranteed that's what it is). Somewhere along the line, if you skip meals, you'll have to make up for the lost nutrition somewhere. Any time I followed a low calorie diet, I've suffered and gained weight, in addition. Who are these people who can go so long without food and/or eat according to such a restricted low calorie food plan? That's never been me, that's for sure.
4
@Norton:
Fasting in various forms and for various reasons has been around forever. Humans in general are well-adapted to periodic short fasts. It changes the internal hormonal environment, which makes it easier to use fat stores. It's different from daily calorie restriction, as after the fast one eats to satiety without counting calories on the feed days.
However, there is no "one size fits all" approach -- fasting is not useful for everybody, as you have discovered for yourself.
Fasting in various forms and for various reasons has been around forever. Humans in general are well-adapted to periodic short fasts. It changes the internal hormonal environment, which makes it easier to use fat stores. It's different from daily calorie restriction, as after the fast one eats to satiety without counting calories on the feed days.
However, there is no "one size fits all" approach -- fasting is not useful for everybody, as you have discovered for yourself.
6
I'm nearly 70 and eat a fairly healthy diet and exercise regularly, and I've always been overly conscious of my weight. I now weigh 15 pounds more than I did in my 20's, but maintain that weight. I also have to ask myself, as I look in the mirror, whether anyone I know would actually like me better if I lost any of those 15 pounds.
39
I'm old and skinny, as are many of my relatives of a certain vintage on my mother's side. The rest are old and fat. No averages here. I've noticed that the big difference is appetite. I can easily forget a meal or get distracted and abandon one partially eaten, as can my older brother. My younger brother, no dice, and our sister panics if no food is available. A roll of the dice. Either you got rolls, or you didn't.
25
KJ:
I don't think it's entirely genetic. Although my weight has gone up more than I'd like, I'm still normal weight by any chart and the only normal weight person in my family, all of whom are obese and have related medical problems. None of the medical issues I have are the result of being overweight or other unhealthy habits over which I had control and that means something to me.
One's environment and expectations of others around you play a role. Possibly because I live in a city that has a higher percentage of thin people I think I put more pressure on myself to stay a normal weight and made an effort. Some of my family members live in an area that has many overweight individuals. I believe that external pressure in service of a healthy aim a good thing. Others would dismiss it as "fat shaming."
While certain family members mocked me for reading food labels, I still kept taking note of calorie content. When they claimed that I could eat a little of anything (this sure wasn't working for them), I concluded that certain foods made me crave even more so it was better to eliminate them from my diet, as much as possible.
People make different choices for all kinds of reasons, but the answer is not just in their genes.
I don't think it's entirely genetic. Although my weight has gone up more than I'd like, I'm still normal weight by any chart and the only normal weight person in my family, all of whom are obese and have related medical problems. None of the medical issues I have are the result of being overweight or other unhealthy habits over which I had control and that means something to me.
One's environment and expectations of others around you play a role. Possibly because I live in a city that has a higher percentage of thin people I think I put more pressure on myself to stay a normal weight and made an effort. Some of my family members live in an area that has many overweight individuals. I believe that external pressure in service of a healthy aim a good thing. Others would dismiss it as "fat shaming."
While certain family members mocked me for reading food labels, I still kept taking note of calorie content. When they claimed that I could eat a little of anything (this sure wasn't working for them), I concluded that certain foods made me crave even more so it was better to eliminate them from my diet, as much as possible.
People make different choices for all kinds of reasons, but the answer is not just in their genes.
2
Here is the way to keep weight off as you age - takes discipline, but it is simple and works . Don't overeat - do not eat refined sugar, white flour or drink alcohol. Work out every day including a mix of strength training, flexibility (yoga, Pilates) and a couple of days high intensity cardiac training (HIT) (this does not mean walking around the park with your neighbor or reading a book while you are on recumbent bike or stairmaster). HIT has been discussed in the NYT and may be done via swimming, biking or running -Keep this routine (within reason given your experience/overall health of course) and you will look and feel good as the years roll on ---
9
Everyone is different, but for me also cutting out added sugars, white flour, and other white starches makes a big difference. Also, training my taste buds to want an apple or a carrot instead of a cookie. HIT is not possible for many of us, but any exercise helps.
2
Really good advice here. HIT works with any movement. Daily work and more than the "teaser" amounts recommended seem best. And for retraining the eating, try fasting. A few columns in this space and others offer advice on it. So move and eat less...and better.
6
Yes you are correct. It also helps to develop a discerning atttitude towards food meaning if it's not absolutely delicious and worth every bite, don't eat it, and even so eat 50% of what you could eat in your thirties. Mindful eating.
It comes down to your priorities. In my case, I am in my sixties still interested in romance with equally fit men who have options. I prefer to eat less and well and stay my previous size. But that's my choice. I will add that I am still on progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. That makes a huge difference. I still have to limit my intake and be active, but even so I would not have a flat stomach and cinched waist without the hormones. Again it's my choice about my risk levels. I don't know if it's possible to keep a waistline past 60 without hormones -- difficult but maybe?
It comes down to your priorities. In my case, I am in my sixties still interested in romance with equally fit men who have options. I prefer to eat less and well and stay my previous size. But that's my choice. I will add that I am still on progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. That makes a huge difference. I still have to limit my intake and be active, but even so I would not have a flat stomach and cinched waist without the hormones. Again it's my choice about my risk levels. I don't know if it's possible to keep a waistline past 60 without hormones -- difficult but maybe?
6
Responding to Pooch who says averaging 1000-1200 calories a day is starvation for adults. But we're not talking about starvation; we're talking about weight loss. If you want to lose weight, you've got to drastically cut both the number of calories you eat and the kinds of calories you eat. And to maintain it, you must stop buying the lie that you have to have 1800- 2000 calories a day. Ridiculous.
Also, I completely understand the crushing hunger some overweight/obese people experience. Before being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I experienced such constant and extreme thirst that I dreamed about drinking water. I was never not thirsty. I drank gallons of water; I knew something was wrong.
The fix was completely changing my diet, which included slashing my calorie intake. It stopped the thirst within a day or 2. I'm certain the fix for extreme, constant hunger is also a change in diet and calorie-cutting.
An obese friend who had gastric bypass told me she never felt sick or overfull after eating huge meals like most of us do. She never got a cue to stop eating until the bypass. Now it hurts her to eat a bite too much, so her calorie intake reduced drastically. And viola, the constant hunger went away.
Also, I completely understand the crushing hunger some overweight/obese people experience. Before being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I experienced such constant and extreme thirst that I dreamed about drinking water. I was never not thirsty. I drank gallons of water; I knew something was wrong.
The fix was completely changing my diet, which included slashing my calorie intake. It stopped the thirst within a day or 2. I'm certain the fix for extreme, constant hunger is also a change in diet and calorie-cutting.
An obese friend who had gastric bypass told me she never felt sick or overfull after eating huge meals like most of us do. She never got a cue to stop eating until the bypass. Now it hurts her to eat a bite too much, so her calorie intake reduced drastically. And viola, the constant hunger went away.
11
@Honeybee:
During the weight loss period, of course there is a caloric deficit. How and why the caloric deficit is created is a good question -- is it conscious calorie counting, or is it down-regulation of appetite in response to changing types and qualities of foods?
Eat less of anything, and some weight is lost initially. Maintaining this in the long term is the trick, and any diet that produces constant hunger is unsustainable in the long term. Focusing on calories is missing the bigger picture of _why_ the body gains or loses weight, and how appetite is regulated or disregulated relative to nutritional needs.
During the weight loss period, of course there is a caloric deficit. How and why the caloric deficit is created is a good question -- is it conscious calorie counting, or is it down-regulation of appetite in response to changing types and qualities of foods?
Eat less of anything, and some weight is lost initially. Maintaining this in the long term is the trick, and any diet that produces constant hunger is unsustainable in the long term. Focusing on calories is missing the bigger picture of _why_ the body gains or loses weight, and how appetite is regulated or disregulated relative to nutritional needs.
9
Oh goodness, I fast til noon and eat under 1200 calories the rest of the day. It's not starvation! if you limit to really good food -- no junk, candy, chips, rolls, bread, juice, etc. I have a very sophisticated palate, and I eat really well!
9
@Honeybee: it is not Pooch and I who are telling you that 1100 a day is starvation. It is every medical professional, SCIENCE, research, bariatrics and the World Health Organization which has extensively studied hunger and starvation in poor nations. Also the pioneering world of Dr. Ancel Keyes.
There is no doubt you had gestational diabetes. and perhaps are trying to starve you way out of getting adult-onset diabetes.
Changing your diet worked BECAUSE you had gestational diabetes. What if it had not worked? what if you were thirsty like that every second of every day -- FOREVER? Well, that is what hunger is like for a very fat person.
Also: gastric bypass works because it destroys most of your glands producting leptin and ghrelin -- the hunger hormones. Even so, it only works for about 2-3 years (sometimes much less and sometimes not at all!). The small stomach pouch is not entirely the answer; it does physically restrict people from some excesses but not all. I have a friend whose bypass FAILED because she figured out she could mash up Oreo cookies in milk, and make a slurry that got "past" the tiny stomach pouch! Needless to say, her bypass surgery failed and after losing 155 lbs, she gained it all back and more.
There is no doubt you had gestational diabetes. and perhaps are trying to starve you way out of getting adult-onset diabetes.
Changing your diet worked BECAUSE you had gestational diabetes. What if it had not worked? what if you were thirsty like that every second of every day -- FOREVER? Well, that is what hunger is like for a very fat person.
Also: gastric bypass works because it destroys most of your glands producting leptin and ghrelin -- the hunger hormones. Even so, it only works for about 2-3 years (sometimes much less and sometimes not at all!). The small stomach pouch is not entirely the answer; it does physically restrict people from some excesses but not all. I have a friend whose bypass FAILED because she figured out she could mash up Oreo cookies in milk, and make a slurry that got "past" the tiny stomach pouch! Needless to say, her bypass surgery failed and after losing 155 lbs, she gained it all back and more.
5
I see everyone has advice for others. I lost 29% of my highest body weight more than 5 years ago and I have kept it off. I am a 60 year old woman.
I was a slender person until I hit my 40's when I began a steep climb. In addition to my weight going up, eventually so did my BP and cholesterol. So not "fat and fit". How many people in middle age or older are truly "fat and fit"? I try to eliminate added sugars and most unnecessary carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread, bagels, pasta and the like. I replace those foods with fish, chicken, cheese, yogurt, and the healthful carbs vegetables and fruit. No calorie counting. Once I eliminated the needless carbohydrates, I lost weight and now have low (good) blood pressure and other blood work has improved. I am not hungry all the time like I was when I was eating bread, ice cream, pizza, and food like that. When I get hungry, I eat a reasonable amount of food, and am satisfied. I never count calories. When I start eating crackers and cookies, up goes the weight like "magic."
Many other people have had similar experiences to mine. Do not give up. Have discipline with your food choices. You can improve your health.
I was a slender person until I hit my 40's when I began a steep climb. In addition to my weight going up, eventually so did my BP and cholesterol. So not "fat and fit". How many people in middle age or older are truly "fat and fit"? I try to eliminate added sugars and most unnecessary carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread, bagels, pasta and the like. I replace those foods with fish, chicken, cheese, yogurt, and the healthful carbs vegetables and fruit. No calorie counting. Once I eliminated the needless carbohydrates, I lost weight and now have low (good) blood pressure and other blood work has improved. I am not hungry all the time like I was when I was eating bread, ice cream, pizza, and food like that. When I get hungry, I eat a reasonable amount of food, and am satisfied. I never count calories. When I start eating crackers and cookies, up goes the weight like "magic."
Many other people have had similar experiences to mine. Do not give up. Have discipline with your food choices. You can improve your health.
90
This unfortunately represents conventional wisdom about dieting, based on an outdated notion of weight being strictly determined by calories consumed vs calories burned. In fact, the TYPE of calories consumed is very important for most people. People who strictly limit sugar and refined carbohydrates can see really good improvement in body fat even if they're eating plenty of calories and not exercising. Older people should not be discouraged from trying to lose weight. It requires dietary changes -- i.e. cut the carbs -- but it does not require starvation. In fact starvation is bad because that can lose to a loss of muscle mass. Biggest thing is persuading people that a low-fat diet is a bad idea.
39
I am a 64-year-old woman who lost 10% of my body weight (about 15 lbs.) in 2016. I did it by losing only half a pound per week while eating about 1100 calories per day, exercising moderately, and I think most importantly, observing daily intermittent fasts (eating only during an eight-hour window and fasting the rest of the time). I am not saying this works for everyone just that it worked for me, and yes the rate of fat loss was excruciatingly slow but I came to accept it, finally, and then after some months I reached my goal. In my 20's I could have lost two pounds per week on this regime - in my 60's it's now half a pound per week, but hey, if you just accept this, you can eventually get the job done. You have to find and do what works for you, and accept what that is.
52
That is 1/2 a pound - 8 measly ounces -- and to achieve that, you must STARVE. 1100 calories is roughly the World Health Organizations formal definition of STARVATION.
The problem is you can't hold out indefinitely while starving, surrounded by a sea of plenty and food everywhere. You can try, but 98% fail at this.
If it takes dropping to 1100 calories to lose 8 measly ounces a week .... something is very, very wrong here. And your body is fighting you like crazy. In the end, your body will win.
The problem is you can't hold out indefinitely while starving, surrounded by a sea of plenty and food everywhere. You can try, but 98% fail at this.
If it takes dropping to 1100 calories to lose 8 measly ounces a week .... something is very, very wrong here. And your body is fighting you like crazy. In the end, your body will win.
9
I have to agree with Concerned Citizen. So little weight loss and starvation is not a good combo no matter how you slice it.
2
@Concerned Citizen
There is not something "very, very wrong." I found what works for me and am able to (comfortably) keep the weight off for a year now. I wish you and everyone similar success.
There is not something "very, very wrong." I found what works for me and am able to (comfortably) keep the weight off for a year now. I wish you and everyone similar success.
5
I'm 58, diabetic, and losing weight is a battle. And i workout a lot... exercise bike, stair stepper. Quite sure my main problem is my eating habits, which are also 58 years in the making. So you have to address both, as has been stated. Found an app recently which actually makes me look forward to the machines... www.bitgym.com. runs on phone or tablet but real benefit is casting to my TV (google chrome, roku etc). Gorgeous scenery from Paris to Portland to Patagonia, makes the workout fun (nearly! ). not an employee, just a happy user.
5
Thanks for the tip!
2
Thanks so much for bitgym. Promising.
1
Consider reading any articles by Neal Bernard MD who explains how to cure diabetes following a whole food plant based diet.
More realistic than some articles I've seen. But no, female hormones don't start to decline at at 50. That's the average age of menopause, when a woman's period stops. Lazy reporting, NYT! Perimenopause is a 5-10 year process of going through puberty backwards, and our metabolism/weight is affected long before our periods stop permanently. Like so many other things, we know it happens, but the level of complexity is not well understood. I hate it when people say "she let herself go" about a woman who is not overweight, but just bigger than she was as a younger person. Our bodies really do change, even if we watch what we eat and work out.
70
"Puberty backwards" would be a terrific title for a book about perimenopause.
7
They don't decline all at once at 50, but yes, your hormones absolutely do decline. And one -- FSH -- increases during peri menopause (it is part of what makes that miserable for some women) until your brain figures out that no matter how much FSH it pumps out, you won't ever release another egg (they are all gone).
The average age for this in American women is 51-52, but it can be later or earlier. I know a friend who is 56 and still menstruating regularly! I have a coworker who went through complete menopause by age 39.
Some people are affected dramatically by this; others not. I had an "easy" menopause -- one day, on my 54th birthday, I simply did not get my period and that was that. It was never irregular, I never had a hot flash nor gained a pound, and was never crabby. I do have some insomnia. And though I did not gain weight, my body shape definitely has changed....my figure is less 'defined" and my waist is larger. My upper arms are not those of Michelle Obama, that's for sure! there are fashions I don't wear because of this, and also because I don't want to be "mutton dressed as lamb".
The average age for this in American women is 51-52, but it can be later or earlier. I know a friend who is 56 and still menstruating regularly! I have a coworker who went through complete menopause by age 39.
Some people are affected dramatically by this; others not. I had an "easy" menopause -- one day, on my 54th birthday, I simply did not get my period and that was that. It was never irregular, I never had a hot flash nor gained a pound, and was never crabby. I do have some insomnia. And though I did not gain weight, my body shape definitely has changed....my figure is less 'defined" and my waist is larger. My upper arms are not those of Michelle Obama, that's for sure! there are fashions I don't wear because of this, and also because I don't want to be "mutton dressed as lamb".
7
My mother entered menopause (not peri-menopause) around the age of 40. My own came around the age of 48. Ironically it happened for me a few weeks after my mother passed away. I cannot imagine still having a regular period at 56. I thought I would miss it--and I did for a while, but now I never really think about it.
1
I forgot to give the reference to the study comparing the basal metabolism of African tribesman to sedentary Americans.
http://www.trainingdimensions.net/tdArticles/Newsletter/Feb_2017/The%20E...
http://www.trainingdimensions.net/tdArticles/Newsletter/Feb_2017/The%20E...
1
I don't agree. 20 months ago I became a vegan at age 67. I've lost weight and am at the weight I was in my 30's. Lots of weight came off very quickly.
I tried for years to lose weight. WW, Jenny Criag. All short term solutions. I became a vegan as a last chance and for me it worked.
I tried for years to lose weight. WW, Jenny Criag. All short term solutions. I became a vegan as a last chance and for me it worked.
23
I've known some very heavy vegans. All those grains, pasta, potatoes, sugar (there's still a lot of sweets that are vegan). I think the key is portion control, no matter what food plan you follow. Just cutting out meat will not likely do the trick for most people.
There is no magic diet. You can gain weight on a vegan diet if you eat nuts and other high-calorie fatty foods all day that exceed your calorie needs.
2
@Lifelong Reader:
Naturally fatty whole foods like meat, fish, nuts, eggs are highly satiating to the appetite. It is very difficult to overeat these foods, unless one adds sugar to the picture.
Naturally fatty whole foods like meat, fish, nuts, eggs are highly satiating to the appetite. It is very difficult to overeat these foods, unless one adds sugar to the picture.
1
Duncan Blitz is my role model.
I try all his diets and menus and I'm very happy.
http://duncanblitzandloseweight.blogspot.com
I try all his diets and menus and I'm very happy.
http://duncanblitzandloseweight.blogspot.com
1
Read "Bright Line Eating" by Susan Pierce Thompson Ph.D.... On the NYT Best Seller List.... Her program is revolutionary and is changing so very, very many lives at a wide range of ages! I, at the age of 61, have lost 100 lbs. in.the last 14 months after countless years of yo-yo dieting. I expect to be in maintenance shortly. She explains in detail the science behind effective weight loss and provides valuable tools to accomplish this. Do yourself a favor and read her book!
2
People overeat. Period.
I'm 50 and do not gain weight unless I consume more than 1200 calories a day. I monitor my intake of carbs and sugar along with my calories.
I'm active, but don't "exercise" so it isn't a workout regimen keeping the weight off of me.
If I were 70+, I'd lower my calories to 1000 a day and get most of them from meat and green vegetables.
Many obese people say they constantly feel crushing hunger. Clearly, if they are obese and eating even a small amount in a 24-hour period, they are getting plenty of calories, so they are not medically "hungry." The trick is getting them to ignore or rewire that hunger feeling.
I'm 50 and do not gain weight unless I consume more than 1200 calories a day. I monitor my intake of carbs and sugar along with my calories.
I'm active, but don't "exercise" so it isn't a workout regimen keeping the weight off of me.
If I were 70+, I'd lower my calories to 1000 a day and get most of them from meat and green vegetables.
Many obese people say they constantly feel crushing hunger. Clearly, if they are obese and eating even a small amount in a 24-hour period, they are getting plenty of calories, so they are not medically "hungry." The trick is getting them to ignore or rewire that hunger feeling.
3
You eat less than 1200 calories a day! That is very low.
6
@Honeybee:
Overeating is a description and not an explanation for _why_ people are overeating, or why the rate of overeating has changed on a population-level. Most people in the past maintained stable weights without any particular calorie-counting or diet approach.
Overeating is a symptom and not a root cause.
If you experienced constant, crushing thirst, yet somebody told you "don't drink, you're over-hydrated," what would your response be? How about constantly gasping for air? That the obese still feel constant hunger tells us that something is _physiologically wrong_, not an issue of "character" or "willpower".
BTW, averaging 1,000 - 1,200 cal/day is starvation for an adult.
Overeating is a description and not an explanation for _why_ people are overeating, or why the rate of overeating has changed on a population-level. Most people in the past maintained stable weights without any particular calorie-counting or diet approach.
Overeating is a symptom and not a root cause.
If you experienced constant, crushing thirst, yet somebody told you "don't drink, you're over-hydrated," what would your response be? How about constantly gasping for air? That the obese still feel constant hunger tells us that something is _physiologically wrong_, not an issue of "character" or "willpower".
BTW, averaging 1,000 - 1,200 cal/day is starvation for an adult.
20
The Pooch:
1,000 to 1,200 calories a day is not starvation for every adult. "Starvation Mode" is basically a myth. https://examine.com/nutrition/how-do-i-stay-out-of-starvation-mode/ It takes several weeks of eating almost nothing to approach it. There are carefully constructed extreme diets in which some adults, eat much less.
I am a small woman who's older and had an injury and I cannot lose weight unless I am at 1,000 or under.
1,000 to 1,200 calories a day is not starvation for every adult. "Starvation Mode" is basically a myth. https://examine.com/nutrition/how-do-i-stay-out-of-starvation-mode/ It takes several weeks of eating almost nothing to approach it. There are carefully constructed extreme diets in which some adults, eat much less.
I am a small woman who's older and had an injury and I cannot lose weight unless I am at 1,000 or under.
3
If you're feeling discouraged by this article, here's some pep talk. It's true that metabolism slows down as you age... yet I'm in my early 40s and I'm in the best shape of my life! Why? because I'm more knowledgeable than I was in my 30s and 20s, thanks to the internet. I've discovered HIIT (high intensity interval training) which is great at shredding fat and VERY time-efficient. I know which foods to eat and which to avoid, and I can figure out how many calories there are in everything thanks to online calculators. To top it off, intermittent fasting (IF) has been a godsend, and I recommend it to everyone I know. There's the short write-up that initially got me into it: www.maxhealthreviews.com/2016/12/04/eat-stop-eat/
5
OMG -- you are in your early 40s! Puhleese. You are nowhere near menopause or your 60s! I hope you still look good.
I am in my 60s. Also the best shape ever. HOWEVER, I fast every morning, limited high-quality caloric intake, and full-on hormone replacement. I used to be a body builder. There is no way on earth I would look like this without the hormones. Do not discount what happens after menopause. And Enjoy your youth.
I am in my 60s. Also the best shape ever. HOWEVER, I fast every morning, limited high-quality caloric intake, and full-on hormone replacement. I used to be a body builder. There is no way on earth I would look like this without the hormones. Do not discount what happens after menopause. And Enjoy your youth.
11
Funny I should come across this article. It's April 1 and I have just concluded "100 crunches a day for 90 days" as well as cutting out carbs and not eating after 8 PM. This in addition to my usual 7-days-a-week gym workouts, hoops, swims, bikes and so on.
Weight, Jan 1: 185
Weight: April 1: 185.
Note from my metabolism to anyone who says "Eat less and exercise more!" as a solution to fat loss: LOL
Weight, Jan 1: 185
Weight: April 1: 185.
Note from my metabolism to anyone who says "Eat less and exercise more!" as a solution to fat loss: LOL
40
Exercise is generally worthless for weight loss.
Great for outlook, fitness, and energy, but lousy for weight loss.
Great for outlook, fitness, and energy, but lousy for weight loss.
17
Sorry to tell you, but if you are doing regular crunches they are of no value. Need plank work, Pilates , etc --lots of articles on this --
5
Yes too true. So many people in my cycling group either overweight or obese. If it were just exercise, they would be thin. . .
7
Well yeah. my caloric needs are a bit less and I cannot lose weight by skipping between meal snacks only, (likely I am less active and, retired, the fridge is nearer) but these weight articles seem always to be compilations of excuses.
Those of us with a lifetime of maintaining weight with self control and thought about what we are eating, know the drill and that doesn't really change, except in amount a bit. I know that and don't see any reason to get compulsive at the gym. There are enough findings that the weight benefits are minimal, though there are health benefits to movement.
As an aging female, I am off the diet because that whole attractiveness thing is over. Store clerks who came over with a smile, look right through me. On the other hand I can walk down the street without cars slowing which could be scary. So it doesn't matter what I look like, clothes don't hang on me the way they did, and I am a bit more laid back. No excuses: my fault and control entirely.
Those of us with a lifetime of maintaining weight with self control and thought about what we are eating, know the drill and that doesn't really change, except in amount a bit. I know that and don't see any reason to get compulsive at the gym. There are enough findings that the weight benefits are minimal, though there are health benefits to movement.
As an aging female, I am off the diet because that whole attractiveness thing is over. Store clerks who came over with a smile, look right through me. On the other hand I can walk down the street without cars slowing which could be scary. So it doesn't matter what I look like, clothes don't hang on me the way they did, and I am a bit more laid back. No excuses: my fault and control entirely.
9
Go vegan. I lost 40 lbs in 5 months and kept it off.
7
ckg--you must not have been eating a lot of pasta, potatoes, grains, soy, sweets (there's an abundance of vegan sweets out there). I've known many overweight/obese vegans. Not everyone who's vegan is skinny. Cutting out meat alone is unlikely to do much for most people in terms of serious weight loss.
6
@ Norton: "Cutting out meat alone is unlikely to do much for most people in terms of serious weight loss."
Exactly right. What matters most (arguably even more than exercise) is the elimination of processed foods from one's diet. Cutting down on alcohol, breads, etc. also helps. But if one is serious about weight loss, cut out the junk.
Exactly right. What matters most (arguably even more than exercise) is the elimination of processed foods from one's diet. Cutting down on alcohol, breads, etc. also helps. But if one is serious about weight loss, cut out the junk.
2
Everyone is an expert on how easily everyone else can lose weight with just a bit of willpower. Perhaps for some folks it's true and certainly bad eating habits and no exercise are not good for anyone. . Oprah for all of her good intentions has been on many diet and exercise programs over the years. I think that the best we can do is to try to eat well and exercise and hope for the best.
18
> "Everyone is an expert on how easily everyone else can lose weight with just a bit of willpower."
Well, it's not "easy" and it requires more than a "bit" of willpower -- but it's quite doable at any age. Editor’s note: This comment has been anonymized in accordance with applicable law(s).
Well, it's not "easy" and it requires more than a "bit" of willpower -- but it's quite doable at any age. Editor’s note: This comment has been anonymized in accordance with applicable law(s).
4
I have tried almost everything know to man to lose weight and nothing worked until I found "ACV", or Apple Cider Vinegar. I have taken over the counter meds with no success. When I tried ACV it changed my life, I had to change my eating habits but it was so worth it. I now see more fat leaving my body every week and I am thrilled. Here is one source that helped me a lot in my quest to lose weight http://bit.ly/2ncB5xr . What ever you can do to lose weight, do it! It is so worth the effort and you are going to love your new live. I wish everyone success with their health endeavors and Apple Cider Vinegar will help change your life.
2
I don't agree. For a 6 foot adult male, control calorie intake to 2,000 per day and walk 11,000 steps and you will lose 2 pounds a week like clockwork.
4
If only that were true.
7
I am 73. I exercise regularly--weight training, biking, and yoga--however the weight was creeping up. I stuck to the Blood Type Diet for ABs, as I always have, but in addition just stopped eating any grains or sugar (except for a little fruit), concentrated on meat and vegetables (as recommended by the diet), and lost 10 pounds in one month--with the result that I have less inflammation and more flexibility in my joints. Sometimes it's WHAT we eat that makes the difference. And yes, exercise is key. I've learned that exercise will not make you thin, but you cannot lose weight without it!
18
I disagree.
You can easily lose weight--and lots of it--without exercise.
However, everyone feels better if they exercise. And if you feel better, it's easier to eat better foods and less of them.
You can easily lose weight--and lots of it--without exercise.
However, everyone feels better if they exercise. And if you feel better, it's easier to eat better foods and less of them.
9
I lost 40 lbs in a year at age 56, by greatly decreasing carbs and sugar while increasing exercise. And I have kept most it off for over 2 years. The main difference though was that I quit my corporate job and now work for myself. I do find that if I have a deadline now, I will gain a few lbs and then have to work it off again. I think there were just decades of stress eating when I worked for a corporation. There is still some stress eating now, but I wonder how many fat people are also just deeply unhappy at their jobs.
110
My career was very satisfying and at times very stressful. After I retired and realized retirement was going to really suck unless I got healthier, I was able to concentrate on getting my weight under control and have succeeded, so far. I think stress eating was a huge part of my issue, and agree that stress, whether from a job or other source, is a big issue for many obese folks. When you look at the level of anxiety that kids have these days, it does not bode well for weight issues. There are others who don't eat when stressed - I wish I had been one of them (or at least my knees wish I had been).
5
Food (especially chocolate) is the anesthesia I need to relieve the pain of working...I anticipate my biggest weight loss will occur once I am finally able to retire.
12
I believe you are correct.
In the 80s before it was popular I started running at lunch on the job. Used the rest room to change and "spot clean up." Was considered a freak (especially as a female), but wonderful stress-reducer and got me out of stale office, revved up circulation, and could tolerate the madness and boredom for the rest of the day.
In the 80s before it was popular I started running at lunch on the job. Used the rest room to change and "spot clean up." Was considered a freak (especially as a female), but wonderful stress-reducer and got me out of stale office, revved up circulation, and could tolerate the madness and boredom for the rest of the day.
While I know that theoretically it's harder to maintain muscle mass and lose weight, I haven't found that the case at all. I've had to watch my weight since early adolescence and without diligence was alway prone to be overweight. At 60, I am in the best physical condition of my life. In the last 10 years I've had more time to make fitness a priority. It may be that my metabolism is slowing down, but I'm not.
12
How dare these researchers discuss changes in metabolism, fat tissue vs. muscle tissue, hormonal regulation, previous history of weight loss, and the nutritional value of protein? We all know that humans are just toaster ovens and that a strict "calories in, calories out" approach is the only approach that we're allowed to use for weight loss.
/s
/s
17
Except that weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out. Hormonal regulation, age, muscle mass all affect the calories out part of the equation. Dietary protein improves satiety and decreases hunger on a lower calorie diet to affect the calories in part of the equation.
1
@Pirate's Apprentice:
If protein is more satiating than other foods, then we have already moved past a simple "calories in, calories out" model. If a person eats more protein and feels more satiated, then the decreased "calories in" was an _effect_ of the protein, not a root cause. Hunger/satiety is not a side note, hunger/satiety is the whole ballgame.
Using "calories", explain to us _why_ a pregnant woman or a growing child gains weight. Calories are a partial "how" answer, but calorie-based explanations never tell us the "why" answer.
If protein is more satiating than other foods, then we have already moved past a simple "calories in, calories out" model. If a person eats more protein and feels more satiated, then the decreased "calories in" was an _effect_ of the protein, not a root cause. Hunger/satiety is not a side note, hunger/satiety is the whole ballgame.
Using "calories", explain to us _why_ a pregnant woman or a growing child gains weight. Calories are a partial "how" answer, but calorie-based explanations never tell us the "why" answer.
4
Every time an article about weight loss appears in the NYT, Pooch comes back with all kinds of "not my fault" reasons why someone is overweight. The first step in a weight loss journey is to acknowledge you, the eater, are the only one that can do it. It is not easy, it is not fast, but as long as you keep trying to find the silver bullet that will let you off the hook and will melt the pounds while still overeating and/or eating highly unhealthy stuff and not moving, you will be fat and unhealthy.
I know in advance that any program requiring one to weigh meals, count calories, tolerate frequent hunger, exercise every day, adhere to a radical diet like veganism or lots of animal protein and fat is not going to work for me. But at 79 I have lost 31 lbs. in 4½ months by following Krista Varady's alternate day fast program and I'm continuing to lose. (https://www.verywell.com/every-other-day-diet-interview-dr-krista-varady...
Eating one small meal on alternate days and eating normally on the other days is psychologically tolerable for me and I am a foodie. I don't do much exercise, just some weight lifting twice a week and an occasional bike ride on a recumbent trike. According to the study referenced below, African tribesman who are active all day long hardly burn more calories than sedentary Americans, which means that for weight loss calories in are far more important than exercise.
Eating "normally" does not mean eating a whole pizza and a pint of ice cream or half an apple pie. It means eating lots of vegetables and fruit and whole grains and beans with occasional fish and even more occasional meat.
Eating one small meal on alternate days and eating normally on the other days is psychologically tolerable for me and I am a foodie. I don't do much exercise, just some weight lifting twice a week and an occasional bike ride on a recumbent trike. According to the study referenced below, African tribesman who are active all day long hardly burn more calories than sedentary Americans, which means that for weight loss calories in are far more important than exercise.
Eating "normally" does not mean eating a whole pizza and a pint of ice cream or half an apple pie. It means eating lots of vegetables and fruit and whole grains and beans with occasional fish and even more occasional meat.
11
@Berchman:
You've set up a false dichotomy between veganism and very low carb, and you claim to know what eating "normally" is for other people. There is no "one size fits all" diet. If you found a diet that works for you, then great, but your version of "eating normally" (lots of whole grains and beans with very little fish or meat) was distinctly unhealthy for me. I was fat, sick, and constantly hungry on this diet. I lost weight with ease and improved health when I ditched the grains, reduced the beans, and ate more fatty, nourishing fish and meat.
You've set up a false dichotomy between veganism and very low carb, and you claim to know what eating "normally" is for other people. There is no "one size fits all" diet. If you found a diet that works for you, then great, but your version of "eating normally" (lots of whole grains and beans with very little fish or meat) was distinctly unhealthy for me. I was fat, sick, and constantly hungry on this diet. I lost weight with ease and improved health when I ditched the grains, reduced the beans, and ate more fatty, nourishing fish and meat.
6
A virtual fast every other day sounds pretty "radical" to me, and not sustainable for most.
Having lost 65 pounds at the age of 60 with no sign of gaining it back a dozen years later I beg to differ. Some years after loosing the weight I felt so good I started running and later, body building. For me it wasn't an energy, metabolism problem at all. It was just chemical dependency. Not easy to break, but knowing what to expect it only took only about three weeks of concentration, just like quitting tobacco many years earlier. Now I eat only plant based whole food, as much as I like. It tastes so good and is so much fun I feel years younger, and my doctor agrees.
15
Thanks... about the best part was: Instead of obsessing about a number on a scale, Dr. Cho suggests that older people focus on general fitness. “It’s not about losing weight,” she said. “It’s about maintaining weight loss, but also about healthy eating and lifestyle.” Now make this apply to ALL ages.
Perhaps we find less motivation to be active because the focus was always on losing weight. Shift focus to living a good life and you'll find yourself adjusting almost without effort to healthier eating and more active behavior.
Perhaps we find less motivation to be active because the focus was always on losing weight. Shift focus to living a good life and you'll find yourself adjusting almost without effort to healthier eating and more active behavior.
5
I agree with Dr. Cho about the effects of weight cycling on a lowered metabolism that makes weight loss as an older adult much more difficult. This has certainly been my first hand experience. I can only eat as healthily as I can, move as much as I am able to and keep a positive attitude about myself. I just don't have it in me anymore to do yet another weight loss diet by any means or method. I can't help but believe that if I hadn't started my first diet at 12 years old and then weight cycled for many years that I would be where I am today. Self acceptance is where I am at today.
10
I don't agree. I struggled with weight for most of my adult life; nothing worked (or worked for very long). In 2010, when I was 69, I lost 30 lbs. and 8 in. in my waist thru lifestyle changes I made in my nutrition, activity and exercise as part of a group wellness program run by my PCP and a dietician/nutritionist in the practice. Even better, I've maintained my successes 6+ years and counting. I don't think I'm an outlier as many others in the groups have experienced similar successes. Check it out: http://www.wellnesscampaign.org/
32
There is a new book written by cognitive psychologist, Susan Pierce Thompson, Bright Line Eating, which details a program that is extremely effective. I have no stake in this other than being a beneficiary but through participating have noticed that there are many who come to this in their 50s,60s, and 70s after life long struggles with being overweight and/or obese and lose the excess weight and maintain. I now weigh less than I have ever weighed in my adult life and have kept it off for now close to a year. The weight loss happened as rapidly as it did when I was younger. This program is based on current ideas from cognitive psychology and neuroscience and is a modifications of12 step programs.
10
Just from what you describe about the book--based on cognitive psychology and 12 step programs, I'll be sure to stay far away from it. Those two things literally made me crazy. No way would I revisit them to lose weight.
2
Simple observation confirms that many people, slim and trim in their 30's, become solid and heavy in their 50's.
22
People use age as an excuse. It takes daily effort, a good diet and regular activity, but it's possible to maintain a healthy weight. And the effort is worth it. Less whining, more moving, I say. Probably good I didn't become a nurse, lol
42
Sometimes, factors such as health issues arise that force a person to live a more sedentary life by no choice of their own. Medications used to manage chronic health issues can cause weight gain that is nearly impossible to lose until the medication is no longer needed. Chronic illness and automunity are common yet invisible to others. It's not always a choice or lack of discipline. Just my 2 cents.
16
Wouldn't I love to lose weight! But at nearly-70, having had arthritis for many years, no matter how slowly I resume exercising I always wind up with a new problem that further limits me!
Hi, there, chronically painful Baker's cysts! Goodbye, sleep. Goodbye, beloved treadmill! Geez, I was walking one slow mile per day.
Hi, there, chronically painful Baker's cysts! Goodbye, sleep. Goodbye, beloved treadmill! Geez, I was walking one slow mile per day.
26
I think the good news for you is that exercise is not needed at all for weight loss.
Simply change what you eat.
No need to starve, just stick to protein, green veggies, and small amounts of fruit. Maybe 1 slice of super-whole-grain bread a day. Keep an eye on the calories you're getting from salad dressing, sauces, coffee creamer.
If you are overweight, you are overeating--mostly likely in the carbs and sweets area. That doesn't make you a bad person.
Simply change what you eat.
No need to starve, just stick to protein, green veggies, and small amounts of fruit. Maybe 1 slice of super-whole-grain bread a day. Keep an eye on the calories you're getting from salad dressing, sauces, coffee creamer.
If you are overweight, you are overeating--mostly likely in the carbs and sweets area. That doesn't make you a bad person.
20
Just a suggestion-change your diet to a non inflammatory one if you haven't already done so. It's worked wonders for me. For years, had pains in knees and fingers which are gone now. Good luck!
4
Thanks ML Chadwick for mentioning how arthritis can limit our ability to exercise. I am wildly frustrated about this. It is very easy for me to injure myself, setting back exercise even further. I often find the weight loss "advice" far too glib.
13
How old is "older"?
I found it easier to gain weight when I was older. So I first started exercising at age 47, and after a year improved my fitness, but didn't lose any weight. So then I changed my eating habits (portion control, eating a wider variety of healthier foods, cutting out junk foods, etc) and lost about 25 pounds over 18 months. My husband started gaining weight after his first wife died (eating lots of processed food, even though modestly), but when he started eating my cooking (vegetarian), he lost about 30 pounds over 18 months -- at age 65-66. Neither one of us found it "difficult." And we have maintained the weight loss: for 18 years and 8 years, respectively. A scale, used daily or weekly, helps. So does eating at home -- which we do most of the time, since as vegetarians, options for eating out are seriously limited.
I found it easier to gain weight when I was older. So I first started exercising at age 47, and after a year improved my fitness, but didn't lose any weight. So then I changed my eating habits (portion control, eating a wider variety of healthier foods, cutting out junk foods, etc) and lost about 25 pounds over 18 months. My husband started gaining weight after his first wife died (eating lots of processed food, even though modestly), but when he started eating my cooking (vegetarian), he lost about 30 pounds over 18 months -- at age 65-66. Neither one of us found it "difficult." And we have maintained the weight loss: for 18 years and 8 years, respectively. A scale, used daily or weekly, helps. So does eating at home -- which we do most of the time, since as vegetarians, options for eating out are seriously limited.
135
What exactly is the point of being thin at old age? There is an association between low body weight and risk of death just as much as between overweight and risk of death. Be healthy and live. Or focus upon being thin and die a long slow decrepit decline causing others to care for you in spite of how "exceptional" you were at getting attention for being so "slim" all those years.
83
This has been similar to my experience. I'm 58, I lost 30 pounds in 2016-2017 using a fitness tracker, its calorie counter, and an electronic scale. I am not finding this "difficult" at all thanks to this technology. It's 100% doable. It's such fun to have so much energy, to move so easily, and to buy beautiful, fashionable clothes! I have about 10 pounds to go for my ideal weight, losing 1/2 a week. Obese all my life, my 2 fitness trackers (wrist band and clip-on, whichever is charged up), food logs, and daily weigh-in changed my life. (I'm not mentioning the brand because I don't want anyone to think I work for them.) For me, wearing a fitness tracker all day, logging every food, and recording daily weight are for the rest of my life--I cannot maintain this weight otherwise. I think only about what I want to eat, not what I can't eat, because I can and do eat anything and everything. But I find myself craving nutritious food much more often now than junk food, I did not expect this change, but it has happened. Portion control is vital and I sometimes use a kitchen scale. We are conditioned to big plates of food thanks to restaurants and buffets. I routinely take food home from restaurants. Also, I walk 5 miles or more most days, easy for NYC residents, mostly in the morning and evening.
70
I think you missed Dr. J's point .... he/she isn't preaching "thin" so much as he/she is preaching "healthy". It's okay to carry an extra 10 lbs but our bodies aren't designed to carry much more than that. I know a lot of overweight pre-diabetic adults in mid-life who are missing who out on life's simple pleasures because they're sedentary and overweight.
8
Discouraging. What I've found is that - probably because of that decreasing muscle to fat ratio, the weight may stay constant or go down, but the volume in certain areas seems to increase. And fat that you really need in the face departs for the waistline.
Nursing home observations of people at the far end of life: the body seems to go big or go thin, both of which present
problems.
Eating more protein is important - it's filling, you need it to repair muscle, and it doesn't lead to the cravings for empty calories that come with refined carbs.
Nursing home observations of people at the far end of life: the body seems to go big or go thin, both of which present
problems.
Eating more protein is important - it's filling, you need it to repair muscle, and it doesn't lead to the cravings for empty calories that come with refined carbs.
46
For most people, it is certainly possible to lose weight at any age. It takes simple discipline. Eat healthily, refrain from or limit alcohol and other sugary drinks, and stay active. Diets don't work, but persistent lifestyle changes do.
36
Stephen Wicks, I agree with you 100%. So my question is: why is this so hard for so many people?
9
Because, unlike other addictive substances, food is not something one can stop ingesting cold-turkey (so to speak).
Because hunger hurts. And constant hunger hurts constantly.
Because life can be extremely stressful, and food feels kind. Unlike fat-shamers.
Because hunger hurts. And constant hunger hurts constantly.
Because life can be extremely stressful, and food feels kind. Unlike fat-shamers.
133
Yes, if it were just as easy as you were saying. It isn't. According to the article, it is harder for people to maintain weight loss. Why? Because they need to eat fewer calories than people that had never gained weight. You have to be constantly vigilant and eat less and exerciser more than your peers. So simple discipline. Thank you so much for making it so much clearer for all of us who struggle with our weight. If only we had simple discipline.
26
It's surprising that this article says nothing about insulin resistance, which is probably the most common reason that people gain weight (or have a harder time losing) when they get older. Although it's not caused by aging, the development of insulin resistance is often a slow process, so it usually doesn't become apparent until later in life (and then people blame "slow metabolism," which isn't exactly the issue.)
74
Does this mean all the fat ladies I see and how much weight they have lost on weight watchers isn't legit ? Oprah and Marie Osmond seem to have the key answers.
7
Jane Fonda admitted long after her book and videotape about exercise that the exercise she claimed to work was really the result of bulemia.
12
Weight loss is not about "dieting", it is about a sustainable radical lifestyle change which must include healthier eating and fitness. You have to change what you eat and what you do for life therefore it has to be something you control. That is the problem with Jenny Craig and those other mail order diets. Unless you learn to cook yourself those recipes and feed yourself the way they feed you, you will gain weight once you stop. And yeah, it takes discipline, self-control, and patience because like with any other addiction, food (salt, sugar, sodium) addiction requires constant vigilance.
4
I lost my sense of smell years ago but my appetite is still good and food is still appealing.
7
It's not that it's harder to lose weight when one is older. Losing weight is always hard for people who cannot develop sustained habits of eating fewer calories than they need.
As we get older, out metabolic rate decreases, so, the short term diets that used to work to take off a few pounds for people without a chronic weight problem, don't work to change the long term habits that kept them at a relatively stable weight. Now, the old habits have them constantly gaining weight! They are now an overeater, continually being overweight, just like those people they used to criticize, and controlling their weight is difficult. It's not that losing weight is harder as you age. It's hard when you have habits that make you overweight, habits that have you eating more than you need.
Read "The Anderson Method". It explain all of this, and how to lose weight permanently. With forward by Mark Lupo, M.D., former president of the Academy of Thyroidologists, it explains the behavior therapy method I used to lose 140 pounds after 25 years of obesity and dieting failures. I've maintained my ideal body weight for 30 years now, quite handily. Believe me, losing weight is no harder as you age than it has always been for people who were chronically overweight when they are young.
As we get older, out metabolic rate decreases, so, the short term diets that used to work to take off a few pounds for people without a chronic weight problem, don't work to change the long term habits that kept them at a relatively stable weight. Now, the old habits have them constantly gaining weight! They are now an overeater, continually being overweight, just like those people they used to criticize, and controlling their weight is difficult. It's not that losing weight is harder as you age. It's hard when you have habits that make you overweight, habits that have you eating more than you need.
Read "The Anderson Method". It explain all of this, and how to lose weight permanently. With forward by Mark Lupo, M.D., former president of the Academy of Thyroidologists, it explains the behavior therapy method I used to lose 140 pounds after 25 years of obesity and dieting failures. I've maintained my ideal body weight for 30 years now, quite handily. Believe me, losing weight is no harder as you age than it has always been for people who were chronically overweight when they are young.
10
@William Anderson:
Most people in the past maintained stable weights without consciously counting calories, and other animals maintain stable weights without consciously counting calories. You're missing a big piece of the puzzle with your "all behavior, no physiology" approach, which is the physiological regulation of hunger/satiety. Hunger and satiety are supposed to tell us how much we "need" in terms of nutrients/calories, automatically and unconsciously. If hunger/satiety are dysregulated relative to our nutrient needs, then the first place to look is the nutritional quality of the diet.
Most people in the past maintained stable weights without consciously counting calories, and other animals maintain stable weights without consciously counting calories. You're missing a big piece of the puzzle with your "all behavior, no physiology" approach, which is the physiological regulation of hunger/satiety. Hunger and satiety are supposed to tell us how much we "need" in terms of nutrients/calories, automatically and unconsciously. If hunger/satiety are dysregulated relative to our nutrient needs, then the first place to look is the nutritional quality of the diet.
5
The exchange between William Anderson and the Pooch is interesting. I really believe people are very different physiologically, although some basic "rules" apply. In my own case, I was a finicky eater as kid, smaller than my peers, became a skinny teen who ate a lot and didn't gain an ounce. I am heavier now at the age of 64, but not over fat. That is very different than being overfat. Weight training and a reasonable amount of anaerobic threshold exercise has really helped me keep
excess fat tissue from accumulating.
excess fat tissue from accumulating.
8
I meant to say bring overweight is not the same as overfat. In fact there are "skinny fat" people lacking muscle and having a high percent fat tissue.
5
If, as the article states, older adults lose weight as a result of the loss of smell is there a way to artificially dull one's sense of
Smell to intentionally lose weight?
Smell to intentionally lose weight?
5
Taste and smell are linked, and loss of sensitivity to taste is common as we age. That often results in older people using more salt and sugar, eating more of those things, to compensate. This article promotes several ideas that conflict with established fact.
2
Smoke tobacco, but that causes other problems.
2
Sounds like a bad idea. Eating less and losing weight isn't synonymous with improving health ... Older adults who lose their sense of smell and taste and have no appetite often end up with nutritional deficiencies and experience declines in health. You need better food, not necessarily just less food.
8
"A 60-year-old who now weighs 200 pounds but once weighed 300, for example, will need far fewer calories per day than someone of the same age and size who was never so overweight."
Now, there's a great weight loss motivator: Revenge, on anyone who ever gave someone's fat-self a hard time. Best served cold, and...later? Beauty.
Now, there's a great weight loss motivator: Revenge, on anyone who ever gave someone's fat-self a hard time. Best served cold, and...later? Beauty.
5
The claim that weight loss causes a long term reduction in metabolic rate is not backed by evidence. It is generally regarded as myth.
10
That's not exactly true. It's an assumption based on observational studies. A 300lb person who gets to 200lbs with a combination of cardiovascular exercise and weight training may burn more calories than a naturally thinner person who has always been 200lbs but does not lift weights. The problem that I see is that so many people lose weight only by restricting calories (which is necessary), adding expensive useless supplements, and then don't change their lifestyles to include regular exercise. There are not very many good controlled studies that look into the long term health of the different options out there, and most of the studies that are done just looks at the number on a scale, which is not really the point in the end.
2
@William Anderson:
It's a well-replicated finding, demonstrated throughout decades of obesity research. Prolonged caloric restriction reduces metabolic rate. Starting with the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, and all the way through recent follow-up studies on "The Biggest Loser" contestants.
We know that you have a vested interested in selling a behavioral approach, but it doesn't help your cause to ignore basic physiology.
It's a well-replicated finding, demonstrated throughout decades of obesity research. Prolonged caloric restriction reduces metabolic rate. Starting with the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, and all the way through recent follow-up studies on "The Biggest Loser" contestants.
We know that you have a vested interested in selling a behavioral approach, but it doesn't help your cause to ignore basic physiology.
4