I read someplace, on this forum, I think, that the more often you switch back and forth between diets, the more difficult losing the weight becomes.

Is this true?

Also, is it more difficult to lose weight the older you get?

AJ

Hi There! At 46, I certainly find it is true that losing weight just gets harder! I sure wish I had found this WOL earlier..........oh well. Our bodies need fewer calories as we get older and on top of that, we generally aren't as physically active. Those little creaks and groans I always heard about are a reality! For women, as we approach menopause, hormones and chemistry begin to change, and it can be much harder to lose. Also, with aging, fat starts to distribute differently, so it can make you look heavier. I really tend to gain weight in my abdomen now, whereas, when I was younger I tended to gain it in my behind! We cannot turn back a clock, but we can work towards making the aging process as pain free as possible.

Just my opinion - but I think that dieting back and forth really messes with your metabolism. Commonly known as the yo-yo syndrome. We diet in wrong ways and the body deals with it by thinking it is starving and really works to put those pounds back on and keep them on!

For me, I always believed in the low-cal diets. There were lots of complex carbs meant to fill you up. These complex carbs make the body produce an excess of insulin which is the hormone that tells your body to store fat!

You are on the right track! Do this while you are young and that gives you some definite advantages. You won't be 46 and trying to do what I have to do. Welcome aboard! Cindi

Well, Cindi, I'm actually worried that it might be too late for me. I'm 53.

Thing is, that I was pretty comfortable with my weight back in 1999. At 5'7" and 160 lbs., it was still distributed pretty well, and although I didn't get much exercise, I simply watched what I ate, stayed away from too much fat, ate small portions with lots of fruit and veggies, and managed to do okay. I could have used some toning up, and really, really, really had to be careful about how much I ate of anything, but overall I was happy with my body.

Then I moved to Eastern Europe, a post soviet country. Due to culture shock, their high fat/high carb foods, lack of access to many of the foods I used to eat here, plenty of robust beer and good vodka, and a broken foot that kept me from being able to move around much, I eventually came back last year at 30 lbs. heavier.

I managed to lose about 10 lbs. soon thereafter, but during a weeklong family-fest last Jan, I actually put the 10 lbs back on. Now, I can't seem to lose any of it!!

A couple of months back, I was doing LC, cardio and nautilus for about a month, and was really on a good roll (although I had barely lost more than 2 lbs.) when I had to have foot surgery. That, and Thanksgiving slowed me down, and I quickly regained even the couple of pounds I had lost.

Now, I'm back at the weight I was last year at this time. I've been doing Induction for the past two days, and am thinking of trying some cardio (although my foot is still healing). But, I'm starting to wonder if it's even worth the effort since I see very little change when I do.

I just can't believe how hard it is to lose the 30 lbs that it took me 2 years to gain. I can't believe I gained 10 lbs in a week and can't get it off again. All I do is go up a pound or three, down a pound or three, and that's it. My clothes don't fit well, but I refuse to buy the next size. Needless to say, I'm very unhappy. I'm even starting to feel depressed about it, and that does nothing for my motivation.

So, that's the long and the short of my sad story. I wonder if because I'm older and keep going on and off, whether I may have blown whatever chances were available to me.

Any tips would be appreciated.

AJ

Hi! I'm 38 and struggling too. I never had a weight problem until about 4 years ago, and over time I've eventually put on 30 lbs. I'm 5'4, so the 160's are at least 20 lbs. over my "ideal" weight. I've lost almost three pounds this first week (started last Mon.), but my experience from doing this WOL before is that I will stall and even gain some back...That is why I stopped before.

However, after I quit LCing, I felt so out of control! Within a month, I had gained back all I had lost plus 7 lbs. So, even if you're not losing rapidly, or even at all, stick with it. The alternative is much worse.

BTW, my sister is 53 and has had no problem losing doing LC.

Keep your head up!!

Cindy

Hey!

I just wanted to reassure you. My mom is a bit older than you, post menopausal and lost over 25 pounds with Atkins. I have a slow thyroid and also am losing doing low carb. Nothing else has worked. The important thing is not to lose hope. Your body just needs to readjust to what you are doing to it. It is probably just confused. Give it and yourself some time. Remember it took 2 years to put on the 30 pounds, it will take a bit of time to get it off.

With your foot still healing, you might want to do some small weights instead of cardio right now. More muscle mass will burn more calories. You can do upper body and butt stuff without stressing your foot.

Thanks for the support and encouragement, guys. It really helps. I guess I just get discouraged at times, sometimes more than others. I know a big part of my problem is not to get discouraged enough to give up and just stick to it. I'm not very patient, but you're right. If it took me a long time to put on, perhaps I should give it at least that long to come off.

Thanks again, everyone.

AJ

Well,
I've yo-yo'd a heck of a lot and am still to some extent. I think it may take a little bit more as we age but it will eventually work.

If clothes are a problem, maybe try a second hand shop. I shop there quite often and it makes me feel a bit better to have clothes the right size even if it is only temporary.

Thanks for the reminder, Tammy. I read somewhere that people who are overweight tend to do like I'm doing, keep squeezing into old clothes, because buying a larger size will somehow feel like defeat....but, that, as you said, it's better to have clothes you fit into and look nice, even though a larger size. I've bought myself two pairs of pants in an 18, and they feel and look great. I haven't gotten around to getting anything else...all my clothes at home are 16 and 14, and the 14's quit fitting a long time ago....I can still manage a few of the baggier 16's. Perhaps after the holidays I'll treat myself to some new clothes. I'm long overdue.

Tik, after reading you around the forum for quite a while it sounds like you know yourself well enough to know what your challenges are in overcoming whatever ails you.

Do you keep a written game plan? I'm thinking something along the lines of creating a "path" for yourself by listing your challenges in one column and then what you can do to move beyond them. Use positive phrases like "I will", "I will joyfully" instead of "I won't".

It may help you keep focussed to refer to the list whenever the creepy crawlies of self doubt invade your mind.

Karen