I need an opinion -- I quit .....

[styleid]

Smoking about 2 years ago and gained 35 Lbs ever since then!! I used to loose weight fast and easy, was never 'overweight' and now I buy new clothes every month (of course a size bigger) I am over 35 and heard that the older you get the harder it is to loose weight....
I need to hear about success stories of women over 35 loosing weight, I need to convinced myself that it is possible. I am really not liking myself.
Of course I eat more than 2 or 3 years ago so its not 'magic' that I am getting bigger and bigger.
Any opinions, suggestions, anything???

[sourpuss]

Well, I'm not over 35 but I quit smoking and lost 20 pounds when I was about 27-28. I basically replaced smoking with exercise. When ever I felt like having a smoke, I'd go out for a jog.

Diet and exercise is really the only key to weight loss...at any age.

[WildChild]

In my early 40s I caught Hep A (that's the one that goes away) and gained about 40 lbs in one month, then I slowly packed on more weight. At 48 I looked in the mirror and said, "No, this will not do. I'm not doing this anymore." I started walking (not strolling, power walking) then started running just a little more each time. I cut out a lot of baked goods and sweets ( all homemade). I dropped 50 lbs in one year. I'd still like drop another 10 but I'm feeling better than I have in years. I'll be 52 this year and have more energy than a lot of people half my age.

You can do it. You just have to decide to. Not try - DO!

[styleid]

Thanks.... you are right. I know is, mostly, a mental work, decision, will.
I will do an honest research to see where is my lack of motivation coming from.... I wish, tremendously, to loose all this weight.

[ghanie]

First off, grats on quitting smoking!

I used to lose weight easily when I was younger also. I remember successfully losing weight on atkins in my 20's and kept it off until I got pregnant with my youngest boy. I remember that it gave me energy, I felt great, and it made me want to be more active ...

I tried atkins again earlier last year ... except it made me groggy and I felt horrible. Now I'm not quite 35 yet, but every time I tried modifying my diet to try to lose weight, I ended up gaining weight. So I started to settle for eating healthy foods, sticking mainly with whole foods. I figure if I couldn't lose weight, I can at least eat healthy.

Sometime last month, I decided it was time to get fit again; I was too tired during the day. So I tried different workouts that constantly got interrupted by getting too sore from trying the wrong kind or too much exercise or getting sick. Finally I found some routines that worked for me: yoga zone and classical stretch. So I kept on that and started getting more flexible and stronger. I've been working out daily for the past 2-3 weeks.

A few things changed this week. First, I started yoga first thing in the morning instead of at a random time during the day (even power yoga twice this week). I also started to feel my way through a soy protein plan, a modified form of revivaldiet, which I decided to start to eat a better breakfast and have the energy to work on more difficult workouts. And go figure, the last thing that changed this week ... I lost weight and am getting slimmer by the day!

Yeah, when you're younger you can read a diet plan and lose weight. And I had to give up on losing weight before running into something that actually made me lose weight. But yes, it's possible. You just have to find out what works for you. There are hundreds of diets and hundreds of exercise plans out there, a lot of them healthy ... find one that you enjoy and makes you feel good.

[jss2000]

Hello,
I'm a 26 y.o. male, so not quite in your criterion group!
The body does use fewer calories as we age. But it's not as much as you might think. As a 26 year old, based on my height, weight, and activity level, I burn about 2600 calories per day. If I were 56 years old (same height, weight, and activity level), my body would use around 2400 calories per day. You'll want to find out what your calorie needs are in order to find a daily target amount.

Losing weight all comes down to calories eaten vs. calories burned. Eat fewer calories than you burn, and you'll lose body fat. Regardless of your age (as far as I know), burning 3500 extra calories still equals the loss of 1 pound of body fat.

It doesn't really matter which diet you choose, as long as you are getting a balance between the food groups (fiber-rich foods including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; low-fat dairy; and lean meats, nuts, and legumes).

One more strategy that I've found helpful:
Split the burden of calorie reduction between diet and exercise. Exercise will help you lose weight (and be fit overall); at the same time, keep in mind that it's much easier time-wise to cut calories through food (save 300 kcal by not eating that chocolate cake) than by exercising (it'll take an extra 45-60 of your day to walk those calories off--that motivates me to enjoy just a couple bites instead of eating the whole thing).

I'm working on losing 2 lbs. per week, which means I have to exceed my calorie intake by 1000 each day. It's going pretty well--after I lost a few pounds it got easier to stick to my plan. Momentum is a big help! Almost 20 lbs. later (only 30 more to go!) and still going--best wishes, you can do it!

[ghanie]

When women get older, they are prone to hormonal changes that makes it harder for the body to lose weight. It's not a matter of how many calories we burn every day so much. There are other things telling our bodies to hold onto fat as we start to prepare for the pre-menopausal stages. Key word: prepare .. doesn't mean we're actually approaching it or anywhere near it, hehe.

By the way, it's not difficult the whole route ... in comparison to men, it starts to get easier for us because things like diet and exercise can help stabilize those hormonal changes (they'll still happen but will have less affect on our body). Men get to keep working harder while we can find ways to work smarter in the long run, hehe.

[styleid]

THANK YOU ALL!!
I will let you know how I do. It is incredible how the relation with food is the most important relation we can ever have in the world. right?
I will keep you posted, hopefully with good news