Weight Loss--over 40 y.o. Moms Please

Try Weight Watchers(online or meetings). Look at portions and choosing better foods. You NEED carbs to lose weight, just not processed sugar filled carbs. If you cut out a food group to lose weight once you start eating it again you will GAIN! The only true way to lose weight is to eat a portion controled balanced diet and burn more calories than you take in.

Make a doctors appt to make sure nothing is going on with your blood sugar, thyroid, etc. My metabolism shut down at 35! I'm now 39 and have been on WW for a while and have lost 66lbs so far. Slowly but permanently! Good luck!

I'm having the exact same problem.
I've been told that it could be an imbalance of hormones. You should go to your dr and get checked out, for thyroid and hormone levels, to be sure that they're not doing something. Also I know that mine is peri-meno... joy joy joy. But my whole family has gone thru it early like this.
Good luck!

You've gotten some really great advice! I want to thank everyone out there for the tips, which helped me, too! One other thing that helped me, in addition to regular exercise, was building MORE exercise, rather movement, into my day. I park far away from store entrances (daytime only, of course). I take stairs at the dr.'s office or wherever. I've also learned that I need smaller portions when I eat, but I eat more often throughout the day. Juicing and making smoothies helps me feel full and keeps me from snacking. Now, I still struggle because I have not figured out how to maintain a level of consistency. I get on a roll for about three weeks, which helps me lose about 3-5 lbs. Then, a family crisis arises and I start stress eating, stop exercising, and make bad food choices. I also do not drink enough water, which will flush the system of impurities. Sometimes, weight can be excess waste in the body. Check how much sugar, flour, and sugary juices you're consuming. Try replacing sugar with honey and see if that helps, but you won't see results for about a month of consistency. If you're doing all of this, you might have an underlying health condition that would have to be addressed by a doctor. One last thing, make sure your BMI matches your desired weight goal and age. Sometimes, we dream of our pre-wedding/pre-baby weight, but that was 15+ years ago. Your desired target weight might not match your age and body structure, particularly if you were underweight before you had children. You might create a situation that would make you unhealthy and at-risk for chronic illnesses.

Sorry that this is long, but yours is a difficult question.

I have Comcast and in the "On Demand" section is exercise TV. Sometimes it's that your body has become used to your routine, if you mix it up and do various exercises during the week. I also compete with the kids on Wii Fit and Wii's Outdoor challenge.

The other responses need to be considered also. The one thing that helped my Dad lose wt, he's 67, was learning portion control and reading labels. Your body does not like High Fructose Corn Syrup as much as food makers do. Processed food and food high in sodium are also big problems for most people.

Did you know that in the past 20-30 years portion sizes in cookbooks ahve doubled and most restaurants are triple to quadruple serving size.

While I don't agree with the governments idea that you only need to eat right to be haelthy, the FDA site for the food pyramid does have some good ideas.

Taking vitamins is ESSENTIAL to good health, but OTC vitamins have a problem, they are not easily dissolved by your body. You can try this at home, put your regular viatamin in water and leave it for a few hours. Most, if not all, will not shrink alot. That means that they don't get absorbed well in your body.

If you would like to know more, e-mail me: ____@____.com

I have the same issue and am very frustrated. Although, I have to admit that I have not been following any diet because i barely have time to eat, let alone make something healthy. I have a 2 year old and an 8 month old and i work full time. My job is very busy so i scarf down a sandwich or wrap at lunch, with baked chips and then make either chicken and a salad or some other kind of meat and salad for dinner. I usually eat a health bar for breakfast. I don't have time to work out and I honestly don't have time to plan my meals or eat several times a day or pay attention to it. It is all i can do to feed my kids and keep things going. Anyway, someone recently told me about the book "Naturally Thin." I just bought it and haven't had time to read it but apparently, it is amazing and has helped so many people. The theory is to eat pretty much what you want but to control your portions. Also, my suggestion on cutting carbs is that it messes up your metabolism. you can only go so long without craving or eating bread or pasta so if you deprive yourself of those things long enough, it will slow down your metabolism even more. I think well balanced, small meals is best -- but hard.

I'm 53 years old, and a year ago in March I stepped on the scale at the doctor's and the nurse said, "208." I said, "That's it!" I joined Weight Watchers that Saturday. I go to the meetingsbecause there is a lot of comraderie and support. I have lost 50 pounds and feel great! I have 10 to go, though a friend of mine says I'll be too skinny. LOL. I do get excercise in there. I walk, and I have a few DVDs that I will use. They include yoga and cardio. Get some weights, too. They are a big help. Just try to get 30 minutes in a day.

Please have your thyroid checked. This is often the culprit

Have you checked out Weight Watchers? I thought I was doing everything right (watching what a eat, exercising every day), but I joined WW and over the course of a year lost 48 pounds. It didn't melt off, and it was very hard work, but I learned more about portion control, what type of eater I am, and how to read labels, as well as had encouragement and laughs at the meetings each week. If you can't make the meetings, you can join on-line, (although, I encourage the meetings. There's nothing like getting on a scale each week as a wake up call!) And I changed me eating habits for good, so I know that I am better off, as well as my family (since I do the cooking and am a rolemodel to the kids too.) You can visit a meeting for free the first time, to see if it'll fit for you. Check it out...you have nothing to lose but the weight!

"The Leptin Diet: How Fit Is Your Fat?"
by Byron J. Richards
really helped me understand my cravings and why my metabolism would not budge in spite of cutting calories and exercising more.

I'm was over 40 yrs old when I did the carb thing but I limited my carbs NOT TO EXCEED 60 per day. This was without the exercise, which I did not have time to do and within 3 months I lost a total of 23 pounds. I don't know what your carb limit is, but usually if they are lowered the weight will come off quickly. I know the Akins Diet says 40 but I figure that was just to low of a number and because of my heart issues it needed to be more. Try doing it and see what results you get. First, start off the first 14 days straight and see what happens. Now, your mood may change a little but because you know it, you'll be able to be under control. One thing you should know, you can not stop once the weight comes off because you'll double the gaining amount.

TrinaR

What types of exercise are you doing? I found that after my first, I had a hard time losing the weight. (I had my first at 38.) So even though I wasn't exactly overweight, I wasn't tone, nor did I look good in some clothes.

After I had my second child (He's a year; I'm now 43.), I decided to get serious about exercise again. (Pre-kids, I was a big fitness nut.) I did cut down on carbs big time, but I went back to doing my weights. (Free weights are the best.) The weights have made a big impact. Furthermore, they help with bone density, which is important for women our age. And the lean muscle mass speeds up your metabolism.

I used to run, but now, I'm into walking as much as possible. I'll take an hour stroll around the neighborhood, weather permitting. And if it's really cold or ugly outside, I'll walk (or sometimes run) on the treadmill.

If weights are not your thing, find some easy DVDs showing you how to use them properly b/c you don't want to hurt yourself! There are tons out there.

Good luck!

Hi, C., May I ask if you take vitamins? Many women who take Melaleuca's vitamins will notice a boost in their metabolism; www.snipr.com/oligo. Melaleuca also has a scientifically patented fat conversion bar; eat it on an empty stomach 20 min. prior to any type of exercise and it will force your body to burn fat. Happy to provide more info. Good luck! N.

are we twins?? (I am 42 years old SAHM with 3 kids) serously.. I don't know if any of the other suggestions will work.. but I am guessing that we will both have to cut out more fat and more calories in our daily intake because our metabolism is not the same. I am doing Taebo a minimum 3 times a week but I usually make it 5 times. I have cut down on my portions and tried to change what I eat to the point that it reduces fat.. but not carbs (they are my favorite and I refuse to believe they will be the death of me!) My body has completely changed since this began in April (exercise started then, food change started more like June) but I really haven't lost any weight! It seems to be shifting and my belly is less and more firm.. but somehow that is not reflected in the scale number?? how is that possible? I also know that I need to eat more often during the day.. small amounts to keep my metabolism up, but Ihaven't been able to figure that in to our crazy schedule.. when this worked for me before I was working and it was easy to see the clock and know that it was time for a snack (healthy!) I wish us both the best of luck! Know that I am struggling along with you! if you hit on a secret let me know.. and I will do the same for you.
J.

Hi C.,

A couple that have worked for me are www.ttapp.com, with the basic workout plus workout I lost 19 inches in 60 days. Also for food advice check out www.drfuhrman.com.

Good luck!
S.