Best way to lose weight for over 55 year olds

[NUance]

Hey TGHusker, Why don't you start a HB Biggest Loser thread? I suspect there are several HB members, myself included, who would participate. I'm at around 216 right now. Would like to be at 195 lbs. when swimming pool season starts (around June 1). That might be unreachable since I haven't dipped below 200 in several years.

 

[Lyons in the Sea of Red.]

One more thing. If you drink soft drinks.....STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!!

Even the diet varieties are absolutely some of the worst stuff you can put in your body and it will derail what you are trying to do here.

If you do drink it regularly, I challenge you to give it up for 60-90 days. Not one drop. After that, if you try it? It will be some of the grossest stuff you try to drink.

You also don't need sports drinks, supplements...etc.

Water...Drink more and more water.

I'm going to have to disagree on this...I used to drink mountain dew daily and quit cold turkey one day, and did not drink a soda for over 2 years. Then one day I had a diet coke, and it was the greatest thing I'd ever tasted. I am seriously addicted now and want to try and quit again. Hoping I can make that happen, i've tried a few times, but its been really tough.

 

[BigRedBuster]

One more thing. If you drink soft drinks.....STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!!

Even the diet varieties are absolutely some of the worst stuff you can put in your body and it will derail what you are trying to do here.

If you do drink it regularly, I challenge you to give it up for 60-90 days. Not one drop. After that, if you try it? It will be some of the grossest stuff you try to drink.

You also don't need sports drinks, supplements...etc.

Water...Drink more and more water.

I'm going to have to disagree on this...I used to drink mountain dew daily and quit cold turkey one day, and did not drink a soda for over 2 years. Then one day I had a diet coke, and it was the greatest thing I'd ever tasted. I am seriously addicted now and want to try and quit again. Hoping I can make that happen, i've tried a few times, but its been really tough.

Hmmmm....interesting. You are one of the very few that I have found with that experience. Maybe it's because the people I know were drinking pop instead of soda.

 

[DaveH]

The idea is that you don't allow your body to get used to just one movement or exercise. Continually stressing it in different ways will show much bigger gains.
Again, burn more than you take in.

BRB is especially correct with these statements. In your age group, you also need to think about joint & bone health. Range of motion with different excercises will help with both of these. If you just do one thing, it's harder to push the body in regards to calorie management.

I am 6' and ~6 years ago, I decided to drop ~35 lbs. I have kept almost all of it off since then (~32.5 lbs). I played competive sports until my early 30s and that was when weight became an issue. I was running at least 7 miles per day, weight training at least 3x per week and eating healthy and still got out of balance on calorie intake vs expenditure.

It starts & ends with diet for your age group. The healthier you eat, the easier it will be, imo. With the exception of highly processed foods & soda, it's about moderation. Sugar is a killer as with most processed foods. My big issue was fresh fruit. I ate healthy but too much fresh fruit can be like too much soda...

One tip I got from a GI Dr & nutrionist that works with a lot of Olympic & pro atheletes is fiber intake. She was religous about males over middle-age needing well over 40g fiber daily. At least 60% from natural food sources (non-processed veggies). This is bare minimum & her general rule over 35+ was 45-50g per day. For myself, I found that staying within this range gave me way more flexibility with the rest of my diet. Her rule for meals was carb to fiber ratio...

My recommendation is definitely speak with someone in this space (GI and/or nutrionist) as it will make it much easier to make adjustments to your diet. Losing the wieght only to put it back on again starts a very unhealthy cycle. Best to avioid if you can...

Thanks everyone for your input. It is really appreciated. I think you hit on something here ColoNo. I eat pretty decently - my wife has to be gluten free so that affects our meals at home, I normally have a salad, fruit and either chicken or salmon on my salad for lunch. However, I may be getting too much fruit - normally a apple (or 2), banana, orange a day. Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it back

Thanks for the input

The importance of how much you're eating versus what you're eating can't be overstated..

 

[ZRod]

Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it backThanks for the input

This is something to pay attention to. Nuts are great and should be a part of a balanced diet, but you really have to be careful because they pack a punch. They're pretty high in fat, albeit the good kinds, which can be an issue if you're trying to lose weight. A 1/4 cup (a little more than a fist full) of mixed nuts is about 170-200 calories. They don't fill you up like other food sources, and for me personally that can be a problem because I can easily over-eat them.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

The idea is that you don't allow your body to get used to just one movement or exercise. Continually stressing it in different ways will show much bigger gains.
Again, burn more than you take in.

BRB is especially correct with these statements. In your age group, you also need to think about joint & bone health. Range of motion with different excercises will help with both of these. If you just do one thing, it's harder to push the body in regards to calorie management.

I am 6' and ~6 years ago, I decided to drop ~35 lbs. I have kept almost all of it off since then (~32.5 lbs). I played competive sports until my early 30s and that was when weight became an issue. I was running at least 7 miles per day, weight training at least 3x per week and eating healthy and still got out of balance on calorie intake vs expenditure.

It starts & ends with diet for your age group. The healthier you eat, the easier it will be, imo. With the exception of highly processed foods & soda, it's about moderation. Sugar is a killer as with most processed foods. My big issue was fresh fruit. I ate healthy but too much fresh fruit can be like too much soda...

One tip I got from a GI Dr & nutrionist that works with a lot of Olympic & pro atheletes is fiber intake. She was religous about males over middle-age needing well over 40g fiber daily. At least 60% from natural food sources (non-processed veggies). This is bare minimum & her general rule over 35+ was 45-50g per day. For myself, I found that staying within this range gave me way more flexibility with the rest of my diet. Her rule for meals was carb to fiber ratio...

My recommendation is definitely speak with someone in this space (GI and/or nutrionist) as it will make it much easier to make adjustments to your diet. Losing the wieght only to put it back on again starts a very unhealthy cycle. Best to avioid if you can...

Thanks everyone for your input. It is really appreciated. I think you hit on something here ColoNo. I eat pretty decently - my wife has to be gluten free so that affects our meals at home, I normally have a salad, fruit and either chicken or salmon on my salad for lunch. However, I may be getting too much fruit - normally a apple (or 2), banana, orange a day. Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it back

Thanks for the input

The importance of how much you're eating versus what you're eating can't be overstated..

Portion sizes are why most Americans are overweight. I include myself in that comment. I like to eat a lot of food when it tastes good.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it backThanks for the input

This is something to pay attention to. Nuts are great and should be a part of a balanced diet, but you really have to be careful because they pack a punch. They're pretty high in fat, albeit the good kinds, which can be an issue if you're trying to lose weight. A 1/4 cup (a little more than a fist full) of mixed nuts is about 170-200 calories. They don't fill you up like other food sources, and for me personally that can be a problem because I can easily over-eat them.

One of my all time favorite snacks are almonds. I am always shocked at how many calories are in those things.

 

[BigRedBuster]

The idea is that you don't allow your body to get used to just one movement or exercise. Continually stressing it in different ways will show much bigger gains.
Again, burn more than you take in.

BRB is especially correct with these statements. In your age group, you also need to think about joint & bone health. Range of motion with different excercises will help with both of these. If you just do one thing, it's harder to push the body in regards to calorie management.

I am 6' and ~6 years ago, I decided to drop ~35 lbs. I have kept almost all of it off since then (~32.5 lbs). I played competive sports until my early 30s and that was when weight became an issue. I was running at least 7 miles per day, weight training at least 3x per week and eating healthy and still got out of balance on calorie intake vs expenditure.

It starts & ends with diet for your age group. The healthier you eat, the easier it will be, imo. With the exception of highly processed foods & soda, it's about moderation. Sugar is a killer as with most processed foods. My big issue was fresh fruit. I ate healthy but too much fresh fruit can be like too much soda...

One tip I got from a GI Dr & nutrionist that works with a lot of Olympic & pro atheletes is fiber intake. She was religous about males over middle-age needing well over 40g fiber daily. At least 60% from natural food sources (non-processed veggies). This is bare minimum & her general rule over 35+ was 45-50g per day. For myself, I found that staying within this range gave me way more flexibility with the rest of my diet. Her rule for meals was carb to fiber ratio...

My recommendation is definitely speak with someone in this space (GI and/or nutrionist) as it will make it much easier to make adjustments to your diet. Losing the wieght only to put it back on again starts a very unhealthy cycle. Best to avioid if you can...

Thanks everyone for your input. It is really appreciated. I think you hit on something here ColoNo. I eat pretty decently - my wife has to be gluten free so that affects our meals at home, I normally have a salad, fruit and either chicken or salmon on my salad for lunch. However, I may be getting too much fruit - normally a apple (or 2), banana, orange a day. Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it back

Thanks for the input

The importance of how much you're eating versus what you're eating can't be overstated..

Portion sizes are why most Americans are overweight. I include myself in that comment. I like to eat a lot of food when it tastes good.

Americans eat absolutely stupid amounts of food.

Honestly, if you pay attention sometimes it is disgusting the amounts that some people eat.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it backThanks for the input

This is something to pay attention to. Nuts are great and should be a part of a balanced diet, but you really have to be careful because they pack a punch. They're pretty high in fat, albeit the good kinds, which can be an issue if you're trying to lose weight. A 1/4 cup (a little more than a fist full) of mixed nuts is about 170-200 calories. They don't fill you up like other food sources, and for me personally that can be a problem because I can easily over-eat them.

One of my all time favorite snacks are almonds. I am always shocked at how many calories are in those things.

I will have some type of protein/nutrition bar each afternoon as a snack. They taste pretty good and have better nutritional value than a candy bar. I really like KIND healthy snack bars. They typically use peanuts, almonds, and other nuts as the main ingredient of the bar. They have recently introduced a savory line of snack bars, in addition to typical sweeter snack bars. http://www.kindsnacks.com/store/

 

[ZRod]

Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it backThanks for the input

This is something to pay attention to. Nuts are great and should be a part of a balanced diet, but you really have to be careful because they pack a punch. They're pretty high in fat, albeit the good kinds, which can be an issue if you're trying to lose weight. A 1/4 cup (a little more than a fist full) of mixed nuts is about 170-200 calories. They don't fill you up like other food sources, and for me personally that can be a problem because I can easily over-eat them.

One of my all time favorite snacks are almonds. I am always shocked at how many calories are in those things.

I will have some type of protein/nutrition bar each afternoon as a snack. They taste pretty good and have better nutritional value than a candy bar. I really like KIND healthy snack bars. They typically use peanuts, almonds, and other nuts as the main ingredient of the bar. They have recently introduced a savory line of snack bars, in addition to typical sweeter snack bars. http://www.kindsnacks.com/store/

Personally I don't care for bars. For the small amount of protein they do provide, they take away an awful lot of flexibility in your calories. I could eat yogurt and with more protein and less calories, or a piece of string cheese or two with much less calories and the same amount of protein.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it backThanks for the input

This is something to pay attention to. Nuts are great and should be a part of a balanced diet, but you really have to be careful because they pack a punch. They're pretty high in fat, albeit the good kinds, which can be an issue if you're trying to lose weight. A 1/4 cup (a little more than a fist full) of mixed nuts is about 170-200 calories. They don't fill you up like other food sources, and for me personally that can be a problem because I can easily over-eat them.

One of my all time favorite snacks are almonds. I am always shocked at how many calories are in those things.

I will have some type of protein/nutrition bar each afternoon as a snack. They taste pretty good and have better nutritional value than a candy bar. I really like KIND healthy snack bars. They typically use peanuts, almonds, and other nuts as the main ingredient of the bar. They have recently introduced a savory line of snack bars, in addition to typical sweeter snack bars. http://www.kindsnacks.com/store/

Personally I don't care for bars. For the small amount of protein they do provide, they take away an awful lot of flexibility in your calories. I could eat yogurt and with more protein and less calories, or a piece of string cheese with much less calories and the same amount of protein.

To each their own in what they like to snack on. I like yogurt too, and it's a good source of dairy and protein, but I don't like cheese. My comment regarding bars had more to do with being an easy snack to keep at my desk at work, while also limiting the amount of what you eat to one, portion-controlled bar.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Here is something I do that I honestly don't recommend for anyone else but I have figured it out that it works for me.

I don't eat ANYTHING before noon.

I know...I know....Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Well, what I do is don't eat anything till noon. I will then eat a very light lunch like a salad or wrap. I try to keep it to around 500-600 calories. I then eat a fairly normal meal in the evening with the family that will be around 1000 calories. So, I end up with around 1500 calories for which is always my goal. The maximum I ever want to go is 2000 calories. This leaves me some room if I see something I want to snack on in the afternoon.

Again....it works for me but I don't recommend it.

What I find is if I eat breakfast, I really don't change what I eat the rest of the day and I end up with more calories than I want.

 

[zoogs]

Here is something I do that I honestly don't recommend for anyone else but I have figured it out that it works for me.

I don't eat ANYTHING before noon.

I know...I know....Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Well, what I do is don't eat anything till noon. I will then eat a very light lunch like a salad or wrap. I try to keep it to around 500-600 calories. I then eat a fairly normal meal in the evening with the family that will be around 1000 calories. So, I end up with around 1500 calories for which is always my goal. The maximum I ever want to go is 2000 calories. This leaves me some room if I see something I want to snack on in the afternoon.

Again....it works for me but I don't recommend it.

What I find is if I eat breakfast, I really don't change what I eat the rest of the day and I end up with more calories than I want.

I've heard actually that is a bad idea, because it gets the body to slow its metabolism. I don't know how true that is, but I try to start my day with something, however small, soon after waking up. But, again, what works for one may not work for another. I like the idea of maybe having a smaller dinner than lunch, but that rarely works for me.

 

[ColoNoCoHusker]

The idea is that you don't allow your body to get used to just one movement or exercise. Continually stressing it in different ways will show much bigger gains.
Again, burn more than you take in.

BRB is especially correct with these statements. In your age group, you also need to think about joint & bone health. Range of motion with different excercises will help with both of these. If you just do one thing, it's harder to push the body in regards to calorie management.

I am 6' and ~6 years ago, I decided to drop ~35 lbs. I have kept almost all of it off since then (~32.5 lbs). I played competive sports until my early 30s and that was when weight became an issue. I was running at least 7 miles per day, weight training at least 3x per week and eating healthy and still got out of balance on calorie intake vs expenditure.

It starts & ends with diet for your age group. The healthier you eat, the easier it will be, imo. With the exception of highly processed foods & soda, it's about moderation. Sugar is a killer as with most processed foods. My big issue was fresh fruit. I ate healthy but too much fresh fruit can be like too much soda...

One tip I got from a GI Dr & nutrionist that works with a lot of Olympic & pro atheletes is fiber intake. She was religous about males over middle-age needing well over 40g fiber daily. At least 60% from natural food sources (non-processed veggies). This is bare minimum & her general rule over 35+ was 45-50g per day. For myself, I found that staying within this range gave me way more flexibility with the rest of my diet. Her rule for meals was carb to fiber ratio...

My recommendation is definitely speak with someone in this space (GI and/or nutrionist) as it will make it much easier to make adjustments to your diet. Losing the wieght only to put it back on again starts a very unhealthy cycle. Best to avioid if you can...

Thanks everyone for your input. It is really appreciated. I think you hit on something here ColoNo. I eat pretty decently - my wife has to be gluten free so that affects our meals at home, I normally have a salad, fruit and either chicken or salmon on my salad for lunch. However, I may be getting too much fruit - normally a apple (or 2), banana, orange a day. Plus my "healthy' snacks typically are peanuts, nuts and sunflower seed (and the occasional junk salty chips from the snack machine). I rarely have a soda and we know the problem wt sugar (cancer loves it - so we use more healthy alternatives if possible). So I may be getting too many natural sugars from the fruit, too much salt from my snacks, and not enough fiber. I've lost 20 or more lbs before only to gain it back

Thanks for the input

TGHusker - in regards to the bolded: GF products like GF bread, GF pasta, GF cookies often have WAY more calories than their gluten counterpart (like 3-5x more). Look at the calories on these if you use them. Is your wife celiac or Gluten allergy?

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Here is something I do that I honestly don't recommend for anyone else but I have figured it out that it works for me.

I don't eat ANYTHING before noon.

I know...I know....Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Well, what I do is don't eat anything till noon. I will then eat a very light lunch like a salad or wrap. I try to keep it to around 500-600 calories. I then eat a fairly normal meal in the evening with the family that will be around 1000 calories. So, I end up with around 1500 calories for which is always my goal. The maximum I ever want to go is 2000 calories. This leaves me some room if I see something I want to snack on in the afternoon.

Again....it works for me but I don't recommend it.

What I find is if I eat breakfast, I really don't change what I eat the rest of the day and I end up with more calories than I want.

I've heard actually that is a bad idea, because it gets the body to slow its metabolism. I don't know how true that is, but I try to start my day with something, however small, soon after waking up. But, again, what works for one may not work for another. I like the idea of maybe having a smaller dinner than lunch, but that rarely works for me.

Not eating breakfast is a terrible idea. After a night of sleep, your body is starving for something to fuel itself.

What I typically try to do is eat breakfast, but try to have my biggest meal of the day at lunch, and then eat a light dinner. I have all afternoon/evening to burn the calories from lunch, and then I try to go to bed slightly hungry.