Need advice/help for losing weight

[LynneB1968]

Hello all, I am 52 and I am trying to lose some weight. I am very frustrated because I am very active and even started doing team training classes at my gym. I watch what I eat and have cut back on chips and wine. My frustration is that I've been doing this for a month now and my weight has not budged. Can anyone offer any advice? It would be much appreciated. Thank you

[KevinE542037]

Hi Lynn - I see you posted this about four months ago and was wondering how your weight loss journey has been going.  I see you were frustrated that you'd been careful with your diet and are active, but weren't seeing the results you wanted.  Has that changed?  Did you just need to give it more time?  Or are you still struggling? 

Here are a couple of weight loss strategies that I particularly like:

1) Prioritize healthy protein - try and get at least one serving of protein in every meal, things like lean cuts of beefand pork, chicken and fish

2) Avoid processed foods as much as possible - carbs get a bad rap among dieters primarily because the bulk of our carbs tens to come from heavily processed foods

3) Eat mindfully - make sure you are eating slowly and mindfully, try putting your fork down between bites

4) Avoid drinking calories - you mentioned that you cut back on wine, which is great - but try to avoid sodas and fruit juices as well

5) Get better sleep - this one may seem irrelevant to weight loss, but is actually a critical piece of the puzzle from a hormonal perspective

Hope these tips help and hope your journey is going well!  🙂

[MarkV847771]

Hi Lynn. Yep, I'm also 52 and know exactly what you're going through. It's frustrating! But being both a chemist and an herbalist, researching the issue led me to this great paper published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners "Using Herbal Remedies to Maintain Optimal Weight" Using Herbal Remedies to Maintain Optimal Weight. - Abstract - Europe PMC

It reviews the scientific studies on assorted herbs for weight loss and it has made a HUGE difference in my battle. From the article:

"Herbs are used as spices, supplements, foods, and teas to assist in weight control. Spices used in cooking (ginger, cayenne, and fennel) augment digestion, stimulate salivation and gastric secretions, and are antispasmodic. Bitter herbs (chamomile, gentian, or dandelion root) taken as liquids or teas prior to eating stimulate gastric secretions and promote fat and cholesterol breakdown. Herbs added as food increase fiber and expand dietary plant base. Dried nettle leaf (a nutritive) can be added to spaghetti sauce, sprouted fenugreek (modifies blood sugar), and dandelion leaf (balanced diuretic) to salads."

The full article is available for free in the link above. Better tasting foods and improved health. Winner!

[Rhymesometimes]

That's some pretty cool information @MarkV847771 .  Always trying to do the most natural approach when it comes to my health, and especially my nutrition. Thx.

[Transform2fit]

Hi Lynne, 

There are a number of things that influence weightloss.  Thyroid, hormones including stress hormone (cortisol), calories (too many results in weight staying the same or increasing, too few results in "starvation mode" when your body thinks you are starving and your metabolism slows down and everything consumed gets converted to fat.  What I can say from personal experience and education is that it is 90% what you put in your mouth and 10% what you do with your body.  I would recommend a free app called myfitnesspal.  When you register, be sure to put your desired weightloss as half a pound to 1 and a half pounds of weightloss per week maximum.  Any more than that is not considered healthy weightloss.  I hope this helps.  Feel free to message me with any questions or concerns.  

[Rhymesometimes]

Great resources @Transform2fit .

[RosemaryF433825]

Hi LynneB!  Unlike another poster, I am not going to assume I know your lifestyle nor your diet.  Nor do I wish to get down on you for either one.  

Congrats on trying to lose some weight.  Half the battle is figuring out why we eat more than we should, start to change our eating habits, and be determined and positive about it.  There are TONS of weight loss programs out there...some that require you to buy their meals, and some that don't.  Some that are expensive and some that aren't.

Personally?  I did Weight Watcher's some years back, started daily walking, and lost 62 pounds.  I'm not recommending you join them, because apparently their program has changed and I'm not familiar with it.

But a couple of things I learned from them were that food portions, and reading the contents in every package will help make you aware of what you are eating and what it contains.  Once you start reading the calorie and fat contents, you will AMAZE yourself with what you've been eating.

For me, it was a real eye opener!  Another thing that surprised me was how you can substitute one thing for another and still enjoy what you eat.  I LOVE chocolate!  But a candy bar usually has around 340 calories.  I could substitute that with a chocolate protein bar for 120 calories and still get my chocolate fix without piling on the calories.  Or I could eat fresh fruit for an afternoon snack

as a "pick me up" when my energy level started suffering.  

Please don't give up!   If you stick to it, it's going to come off, and give you lots more energy and a better sleep!    Wishing you the best!

[LynneB1968]

Thank you for you helpful reply. Yes, reading calories and fat content is an eye opener.  I have been really watching portion control, it's just frustrating as you get older it just takes so long to see any improvement. I will stick with it, and thank you again. 

[RosemaryF433825]

My pleasure, Lynne!  It surely does take longer to see improvement as we get older, but that's because our metabolism is slowing down so much.  Now if we could be older and have the metabolism of say a 10 year old...WOW!   Hahahaha!   

[nahchoo]

Hi Lynne! It's tough to lose weight, I know because I've tried too. But losing weight and then keeping it of is a whole other battle itself. I don't know you but I did read that you have "cut back on chips and wine." Good for you! But and this is an exaggeration and not a personal attack but if I were to say to you that I had cut back on wine and chips myself. "Yes, I used to eat 3 bags of chips and 2 bottles of wine per day but now I only eat 2 bags and 1 bottle of wine per day." That's not going to sound like I'm serious about losing weight, or is it? Not that that's your situation but I don't know that wine and chips are essentials for a healthy life. I don't drink wine at all and I seldom consume chips so I have no experience with those. But I do know that losing weight is not as easy as gaining weight is.

If you're asking for advice, I'd suggest asking your doctor to be certain that there are no underlying reasons why you aren't losing weight. I also would look into a consultation with a nutritionist to see if they could help me to plan meals and snacks that might be more inducive to helping me maintain a lower weight than I currently am.

I also am curious in that you say you've "been doing this for a month now". How much weight did you expect you'd lose in one month's time and how long have you lived the "chips and wine" lifestyle? I'm not judging but I am curious.

I did a web search for the term "why can't I lose weight" through DuckDuckGo, a search engine much like Google. These were the results I found  -  CLICK FOR LINK    I don't have any answers or advice other than what I've shared. All I can say is that it is possible but it's not easy. Hang in there! My goal is to weigh less one day myself but it's up to me to make that happen. Good luck!   😊