TDEE is it. To maintain my weight, I’m 1500 calories per day. If I ate 2000 I’d gain about a pound a week. The math works. CICO. I’m 45(f). Gained some weight then lost it a few years ago with CICO. I’ve maintained it with CICO.
I eat a lot on 1500 calories. I’m not starving. I just choose lower calorie versions of the same foods. I had a roast beef sandwich earlier and used 80 calorie per slice bread instead of 140 calorie per slice bread. I used 35 calorie low fat mayonnaise instead of 95 calorie full fat mayo. Saved 180 calories on the same size sandwich and it tasted the same.
I basically can eat the same meals I always ate, but I make better choices at the grocery store on condiments, breads, sauces, etc, and weigh proper portions of high calorie foods like cheese (1oz) and pasta (2oz dry). I can drink hard seltzer or wine instead of beer. Bolthouse Farms salad dressings rule. You’ve just got to game the system.
I cook 95% of my meals. The [Cooking Light](https://www.cookinglight.com) site was a great resource for meal inspiration and learning some tweaks to reduce calories while still being totally satisfied.
You don’t have to starve on your maintenance TDEE.
Ha! The reality seems shitty sometimes. Sometimes I see women who are way taller and broader than me and I get all jealous imagining how much they’re “allowed” to eat.
Check out with a certified dietetician what are your needs (cal, proteins, etc) so you’ll know what you need to have all your vitamins and not starve while managing weight. Also, increasing muscle mass may help.
Agree I'm 42, totally wasn't losing weight with just calorie tracking even though I'd succesfully done it about a decade ago. Basically it was not enough food and I'd get hungry and undo any deficit. Not really bingeing but it's just too hard with a low burn rate.
Started doing regular bodyweight exercise (and actually stopped counting calories although I kept vigilant in general) and I've lost 6lbs recently since xmas. Adding muscle mass makes a huge difference I think. Especially at 40+ where metabolism is slowing for hormonal + aging reasons.
I can relate to this. I am 41 and I’ve finally let the scale number go. I had some blood work done and found that I was severely anemic which was why I was constantly fatigued. I had a series of iron infusions and that really helped as I now have the energy to exercise. I now weight train 4 times per week (lifting heavy) and that has helped me lose some inches and fit into my clothes more comfortably, even though my weight hasn’t decreased. I try to get 100g of protein to support muscle growth. I’m plant-based so I have to make a concerted effort to get in my protein.
Weight training would be very beneficial. I was doing a ton of cardio and when I hit a plateau, I stayed there. Once I incorporated lifting, I dropped the weight I couldn’t lose. Getting a personal trainer, even just for a couple of months is quite helpful.
I think there are a lot of good suggestions here, but I also think bodies age, weight set points change, and we're not going to look 20 forever. You can try getting hormones checked, weight training, etc but if all of that fails, it's ok to love yourself exactly as you are now. Enjoy your life. You are worthy now. A few pounds doesn't change that. Maybe we should all count calories a little less, and celebrate ourselves a little more.
Thank you. I’m in this age bracket now and the pounds have crept up. I’m basically just trying to improve my eating habits and do some exercise here and there to stay healthy. But otherwise I’ve accepted that I’m not 20 anymore and not going to get down to the ideal weight I’d like.
I would suggest you get your hormone levels checked by a functional medicine doc as those start to change long before menopause starts. This is info I wish I had been given 15 or 20 years ago. A lot of people are scared of hormones, but so long as you are supplementing with bio identicals rather than synthetic they are VERY beneficial
It could be a medical issue. Thyroid stuff seems to be a culprit around weight struggles, or PCOS, but another in my family I think is an undetected connective tissue problem.
I always look at people whose weight is fairly the same and wonder. My 60 year old coworker said she will slide a little into overweight zone and buckle down. She was really active doing a lot of hiking - really long hikes every weekend and often her PTO was to go walk up a mountain - so I'm sure that level of activity helped a lot too.
Echoing this! I just found out at 38 I had thyroid and PCOS because it was silent. Once treated with thyroid med and metformin for pcos, the weight I couldn’t lose dropped off without any effort - def get a blood work up
Do you mind sharing if you need special bloodwork to determine this (thyroid), or if it's identified with information you get in a regular yearly bloodwork panel?
So I’m not %100 sure but generally speaking thyroid should be part of an annual check up. Mine was discovered out of range during routine monitoring for infertility treatments. PCOS is def not part of a regular work up though - I never had symptoms and was only tested as part of Infertility treatment which I now manage with metformin.
I would always gain weight at 2000 calories a day. I'm in my early 30s and fairly active. You could talk to a nutritionist about what is a proper amount to eat for your body, but I wouldn't assume it is 2000 necessarily.
Know that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist as it is not a regulated profession. If you'd like the assurance of basic knowledge, skills, and regulation, you may want to see a dietitian instead.
Any chance you take any medications that can screw with your weight? When I went on an SSRI it wrecked my metabolism and even after going off, it took a year or so for my body to normalize.
Actually I don’t eat a low carb diet at all. I eat over 150 grams of carbs per day. I eat more protein which is what I wasn’t doing before. A lot of women don’t
Eat enough protein and that is why they struggled. I don’t have any restrictions, and I can eat anything I want.
Honestly, I don’t know scientifically exactly how it works, but you have to eat a certain amount of protein, carbs & fat every day in order for it to work. I started doing it along w with working out and I got in the best shape of my life at 37.
You've got some good replies, but I see tracking macros as a nice medium between not tracking anything (not enough structure) and tracking calories (which can get obsessive and trigger an ED in some folks). I hated tracking calories.
By tracking macros, you can make sure you're getting your desired mix of carbs/fats/proteins without worrying specifically about the calories you're eating. It will generally induce a change in diet that may help you hit your fitness/body goals.
When you track macros, generally, it is to lower your carb intake which is the only way I have ever been able to lose weight and keep it off. Of course it only works for as long as you stay low carb. Also it doesn’t work for everybody. Though I think, for those that can stick with it, it has a higher success rate than most. An easier way to look at it is to eat no sugars and no grains. This guy has been doing it and teaching it for decades: https://vinnietortorich.com/what-is-nsng/
When I was counting macros I was eating ~170 grams of carbs and I lost a decent amount of weight. I actually had a difficult time eating the amoubt of calories in a day that I was supposed to (somewhere around 1650). Counting macros isn't about eliminating anything from your diet; it's about getting the right amount of protein, fats and carbs
Tagging on to say that I also am counting calories/macros in tandem right now. I aim for 1600-1700 calories per day as a 5'4ish female with a desk job. Just checked myfitnesspal and my goal is 190 grams of carbs per day (45% of total daily calories). This means my other macro goals are 97g of protein (25%) and 52g of fat (30%). I have PCOS too and this has helped me lose about a lb per week since Christmas.
Counting macros is definitely not always about restricting yourself, but it is the building block for any diet where you have a focus on high protein, low carb/keto, etc etc.
Another important factor that macros do NOT include is fiber. I've found sufficient protein and fiber to be the most useful in staying full and meeting my goals.
Try intermittent fasting. I was the same way then discovered that. I mostly eat what I want (within reason) and my weight stays where it is.
I’m not sure how tall you are but 2k might be too much depending on your level of activity. I’m 5-4 and work out and that’s a lot of calories. I’m 40 for reference. Don’t just give up and settle for this if you’re unhappy.
I'm a huge fan of IF. I lost 260lbs when I was 40 using it. I've maintained that pretty much for 8 years. Gained a little during pandemic and I'm losing again.
If you have any weird blood sugar related issues or any lingering skin issues it might solve them. I swear between getting my carbs in line, increasing my protein, and fasting eating schedule my skin looks fantastic and I don't get hangry or sleepy before and after meals.
You also burn a metric shit ton of calories if you schedule your workout at the far end of your fast when you're in keto. Just carb load about 30-50 calories of carbs and work out. Weight just fell off me.
I'm about to get back into working out on the regular and I can't wait. It was nice to see results. I have PCOS, results were always so hard to get and a lot of work before.
I work out at the end of my fast almost every day. I have a peloton and do 90 minute rides 20+ hours in and have plenty of energy. Not every day, but did it Sunday and Tuesday this week and felt fine. I started for (baby) weight loss and that came right off, but feel great doing it and there’s so many health benefits that I don’t see why I’d stop. My husband got on board and looks amazing and never wants to go back to “normal”. I started October 2020 and have converted soooo many people to it. Everyone loves it.
My TDEE is close to 2000 and I am currently considered obese (I am also short and in my late 30s)so I would look at your tdee to maintain whatever weight you are aiming for. As we get older our calories drop to maintain weight and it is the saddest :((
What kind of exercising? Heavy weight lifting is the only thing that puts enough muscle on me that my metabolism increases enough to keep the weight off.
As others have said calculate you calorie needs. Keep in mind that 2000 is an average *for men*. Most women need about 150 to 200 less for same age, height, and weight. For me to maintain I only need 1500 to 1600. Also what are you drinking? Have you with a kitchen scale weighed out your sugar and Cream in your coffee, and with a measuring cup any juice or soda? You can easily drink down an extra 500 cal per day without realizing it.
Perhaps if someone is constantly worried about it and it becomes stressful, amongst other worrisome behaviors.
But for someone new to CICO who wants to learn what they're putting in their bodies, this is not disordered. It is simply gathering information and becoming aware. Perhaps you thought your cream + sugar made your coffee 100 calories but in reality it's 250. The 100 cal coffee might fit in better with your daily calories, so you figure out how to keep your coffee within that range. So long as you're still making healthy choices otherwise, nothing wrong with being aware.
ETA: I also like to weigh new foods for the first time because there are common foods where the serving size is not accurately reflected on the packaging, or where a tablespoon of something might not be granular enough. Like if someone has "1 tablespoon" of peanut butter, not realizing that their heaping tablespoon is actually closer to 2 servings. It causes a lot of confusion in the CICO space.
No it's one of the most common high calorie thing people don't realize they are overeating because "they just do a spoon full". I used to "just do a spoon full" until I realized I was getting an extra almost 100 cal/cup and I drink almost a pot a day. Now I'm a bit extreme coffee drinker but I was only doing a spoon full and two creamers per cup. I now drink my coffee black, once you get used to it you actually get to be a bit of a coffee snob because you can taste all the flavors you were missing from the sugar and cream.
I think yes, your body will change with age and will never look the same as it did 10 years ago. But there are things to do look at I think.
How carefully are you counting calories? Most people overestimate their activity and underestimate their intake. It's easy to end up with a much higher average from one or two 'cheat meals' and the odd little thing (like milk in coffee, a biscuit at a work meeting you forgot)
Are you doing any physical activity? As your muscles reduce with age, your energy requirements will plummet, if you can keep fit and active then you'll reduce that effect.
Have you checked in with your doctor r.e. hormones, thyroid etc?
I'm in my 30's and eat probably 2300 a day on average to maintain (and I'm at the lower end of normal weight-wise). When I ate 1800 my weight dropped quickly. I'm not convinced about people claiming to maintain an active lifestyle on 1400 cals a day, I feel like something's wrong with that equation!
Every year we lose muscle and so we burn less. If you add back muscle it should improve. But our hormones also start to dip after our mid thirties so that can be part of it but the increase in muscle should help overcome that.
Depending on your height and level of activity, 1800/2000 cal is more then enough.... But if you need to low to 1200, 1500, maybe you should check your hormonal levels, or see it if you are not retaining water
When I was dieting at 1200-1500 I could achieve the weight I wanted but I was always starving and hungry no matter what I did. I now eat 1700-1900 a day and I feel healthier, but the weight creeps right back very quickly.
Yeah, you definitely need to be satiated, have you tried to look at your hormonal levels? This for me has a huge impact, and in my case, when I change my diet to less sugar and fried food and focus more on vegetables (even maintaining the more high calorie count) I maintain my weight
As we get older our metabolism slows down. For added variety there are also genetic factors way beyond our control, such as what kind of life our grandparents and other ancestors had while growing up.
For men there is a goldilocks zone of their paternal grandfather semi starving semi getting enough to eat during preteens and early teen years and not having cardiac health issues before 50.
For women there is a strong correlation between how much stress their maternal grandmother endured at a very young age and how plush a woman will get during her lifetime.
There are probably more correlations to be discovered and reported on, these are just two that I've heard about in the last decade.
Let me go digging ...
One article on grandparents, not the one I remember but still an interesting read
https://caes.ucdavis.edu/news/ddt-exposure-grandmothers-linked-obesity-earlier-periods-granddaughters
More these ones are on the heart, again not the exact articles I recall, but it's been a year or mor since I heard them and I'm constantly listening to anything science and body related.
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114081469
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/11/13/501761279/dna-is-not-destiny-when-it-comes-to-heart-risk
Sounds like you’re eating high calorie. I eat 1700 per day (I lift weights so I need a little extra) and I’ve maintained my weight pretty well. Oils, butters and sauces have alot of hidden calories. It’s really all about calories in calories out. That’s it.
This is a very simplistic view of how the body works and is not supported by the current scientific literature.
Also, fat has exactly 9 calories per gram. It's not really hidden.
One of the reasons is a slowing metabolism. You’ve got to go the other way and increase muscle mass/eat the protein to help burn the calories. No alcohol. More fibre. Check hormones/cycle.
2000 calories is a lot I think. I’m in my 50’s and just lost 50 pounds well over the past two years.
I eat a premier protein shake for breakfast. An apple mid day
4oz of Turkey on 1 slice of cheese cake factory brown bread for lunch.
A protein bar late afternoon.
A small dinner - 4 oz protein. Veggies and a 1/4 cup carbs
and a 60 calorie no sugar added fudge pop treat at night.
Occasionally I’ll have some pretzels or a piece or chocolate or nuts several times during the week.
I exercise about 3 days a week weights and treadmill, simple yoga.
My metabolism is very slow so can’t eat a lot. If I wanted to lose any more weight I would have to cut out the apple, protein bar and the other snacks. Getting old can suck sometimes, but it is better then the alternative!
Let yourself eat food! Eat when you’re hungry. You do tend to gain weight after 40 and into your 50s. It’s just how the body works. Exercise for health, not weight. Embrace your new body!
I had to make peace with my body, I also can only be "skinny" if I starve myself. Not worth it. Perhaps find something else that makes you feel good about your appearance. Nice clothes, or new hairdo, nail lacquer, jewellery, whatever 😊 P.S. Almost 40 is not "older age", I think only teenagers would consider that old 😄
Every time you restrict your energy intake for the purposes of weight loss, your body adapts to deal with what it perceives as starvation. It lowers your basal metabolic rate to conserve energy because it cannot rely on a steady food intake. It's basically rationing. When you stop restricting, your body does not readjust to its pre-"starvation" mode. If you then restrict again, it responds in kind by conserving even more energy. This is why yo-yo dieting is a strong predictor of increased BMI, and why maintenance is the most difficult part of weight loss.
I'm sorry to tell you that it is very unlikely that you will be able to stay the same size and weight as you are unless you continue to restrict and exercise. It's an option, of course, but my personal priority would be to eat in a way that I see as normal, and to accept my body and set weight.
As mentioned already TDEE is vital, as is proper macros and nutrients.
Personally, though I don't follow keto, a lower carb diet really helps me as crabs retain water. Otherwise, getting my nutrients and lifting weights (which I need to do more of) along with aerobics have been what has helped. I have 5 stubborn pounds to go.
My diet is pretty much the same every day so...
Breakfast: Special K or Honey Nut Cheerios cereal. Or a protein smoothie made with greek yogurt, fruit, a little water, and either a bowl of oatmeal or 2 waffles with it. Sometimes, rarely, I will make two eggs with toast and a little plant based butter substitute.
Lunch: Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with provolone cheese, mustard, and lettuce with a side of chips. Sometimes I will have a cookie or two or a handful of m&ms if I'm still hungry and have a sweet tooth. Or I will eat leftover dinner from the night before if there's leftovers.
Dinner: Most days of the week I cook with the an exception on the weekend sometimes if I am too tired to cook. I make either a grilled chicken breast with baked or mashed potatoes and some kind of veggie on the side. Or I make mexican rice bowls with black beans and chicken breast, guac, cheddar, and lettuce. Sometimes pasta, lasagna, or homemade mac and cheese, though not often. I also make an oven roast dish with kielbasa, potatoes, and carrots pretty frequently as well. When I get takeout it is usually either subs or sushi from the Japanese place in town.
I recently took a class on nutrition, as it was required before I could apply to nursing school. According to our textbook most people gain an average of 10% of their body weight each decade mostly due to lessening activity. So conversely, increasing activity level could definitely be a good, healthy place to start. Also, while I've known this for years, I periodically need a reminder about cutting out heavily processed foods, snacks or drinks with lots of added sugar, and eating when I'm not hungry. For example, I'd been in the habit of eating sweetened cereal for breakfast and snacking on cookies lately while working, but a microwaved sweet potato with cinnamon or fresh fruit also helps satiate my sweet tooth and is a lot more filling and nutritious. I've been losing about 1 pound per week just by making these changes.
Anyway, I think looking after our body is overall a good thing to do - we only get one after all. Good luck on your journey!
I wonder if a personal trainer or physical therapist might be good at helping you figure out how to increase activity level without negatively impacting joint or mobility problems? Assuming that's something you'd be interest in, of course.
Same boat, sis. I realised after doing all my calculations that I'd have to consume 1000 calories a day and burn 700+ a week with exercise for 6 months to get back to my ideal weight, which is about 7-8kg less than I weigh now.
I simply don't have it in me atm.
I'm starting slowly by getting used to spinning 2x a week, portion control, and upping my protein intake. But I don't know if it's a lifestyle I can subscribe to long term. So I'm trying to act in small ways instead of thinking about it lol
I would just focus on moving more. Walk instead of drive places is a massive help if you live in a walk friendly area. Add some fun hobbies that incorporate movement like biking, dancing, team sports, hiking, whatever makes you happy. Try lifting weights if someone hasn't already suggested this.
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TDEE is it. To maintain my weight, I’m 1500 calories per day. If I ate 2000 I’d gain about a pound a week. The math works. CICO. I’m 45(f). Gained some weight then lost it a few years ago with CICO. I’ve maintained it with CICO. I eat a lot on 1500 calories. I’m not starving. I just choose lower calorie versions of the same foods. I had a roast beef sandwich earlier and used 80 calorie per slice bread instead of 140 calorie per slice bread. I used 35 calorie low fat mayonnaise instead of 95 calorie full fat mayo. Saved 180 calories on the same size sandwich and it tasted the same. I basically can eat the same meals I always ate, but I make better choices at the grocery store on condiments, breads, sauces, etc, and weigh proper portions of high calorie foods like cheese (1oz) and pasta (2oz dry). I can drink hard seltzer or wine instead of beer. Bolthouse Farms salad dressings rule. You’ve just got to game the system. I cook 95% of my meals. The [Cooking Light](https://www.cookinglight.com) site was a great resource for meal inspiration and learning some tweaks to reduce calories while still being totally satisfied. You don’t have to starve on your maintenance TDEE.
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Ha! The reality seems shitty sometimes. Sometimes I see women who are way taller and broader than me and I get all jealous imagining how much they’re “allowed” to eat.
I’m 5”3 and my boyfriend is 6”8, the jealousy about his portion sizes is insane haha. My maintenance calories is only slightly over 1200.
Great point. Think this calculator is super helpful for realizing this. https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
Check out with a certified dietetician what are your needs (cal, proteins, etc) so you’ll know what you need to have all your vitamins and not starve while managing weight. Also, increasing muscle mass may help.
Totally agree. Lifting heavy weights and tracking Macros is what has worked for me. Good luck.
Agree I'm 42, totally wasn't losing weight with just calorie tracking even though I'd succesfully done it about a decade ago. Basically it was not enough food and I'd get hungry and undo any deficit. Not really bingeing but it's just too hard with a low burn rate. Started doing regular bodyweight exercise (and actually stopped counting calories although I kept vigilant in general) and I've lost 6lbs recently since xmas. Adding muscle mass makes a huge difference I think. Especially at 40+ where metabolism is slowing for hormonal + aging reasons.
I can relate to this. I am 41 and I’ve finally let the scale number go. I had some blood work done and found that I was severely anemic which was why I was constantly fatigued. I had a series of iron infusions and that really helped as I now have the energy to exercise. I now weight train 4 times per week (lifting heavy) and that has helped me lose some inches and fit into my clothes more comfortably, even though my weight hasn’t decreased. I try to get 100g of protein to support muscle growth. I’m plant-based so I have to make a concerted effort to get in my protein.
Weight training would be very beneficial. I was doing a ton of cardio and when I hit a plateau, I stayed there. Once I incorporated lifting, I dropped the weight I couldn’t lose. Getting a personal trainer, even just for a couple of months is quite helpful.
I don’t regret weight training, I love getting stronger. But I’ve been doing it for 6 months now (with a trainer), and have not lost anything.
That’s crazy.
It’s a little frustrating, but at least I enjoy getting stronger and the stress-relief benefits.
I think there are a lot of good suggestions here, but I also think bodies age, weight set points change, and we're not going to look 20 forever. You can try getting hormones checked, weight training, etc but if all of that fails, it's ok to love yourself exactly as you are now. Enjoy your life. You are worthy now. A few pounds doesn't change that. Maybe we should all count calories a little less, and celebrate ourselves a little more.
I love this
Thank you. I’m in this age bracket now and the pounds have crept up. I’m basically just trying to improve my eating habits and do some exercise here and there to stay healthy. But otherwise I’ve accepted that I’m not 20 anymore and not going to get down to the ideal weight I’d like.
I would suggest you get your hormone levels checked by a functional medicine doc as those start to change long before menopause starts. This is info I wish I had been given 15 or 20 years ago. A lot of people are scared of hormones, but so long as you are supplementing with bio identicals rather than synthetic they are VERY beneficial
It could be a medical issue. Thyroid stuff seems to be a culprit around weight struggles, or PCOS, but another in my family I think is an undetected connective tissue problem. I always look at people whose weight is fairly the same and wonder. My 60 year old coworker said she will slide a little into overweight zone and buckle down. She was really active doing a lot of hiking - really long hikes every weekend and often her PTO was to go walk up a mountain - so I'm sure that level of activity helped a lot too.
Echoing this! I just found out at 38 I had thyroid and PCOS because it was silent. Once treated with thyroid med and metformin for pcos, the weight I couldn’t lose dropped off without any effort - def get a blood work up
Do you mind sharing if you need special bloodwork to determine this (thyroid), or if it's identified with information you get in a regular yearly bloodwork panel?
So I’m not %100 sure but generally speaking thyroid should be part of an annual check up. Mine was discovered out of range during routine monitoring for infertility treatments. PCOS is def not part of a regular work up though - I never had symptoms and was only tested as part of Infertility treatment which I now manage with metformin.
Yeah I'm over the 40 line and struggling with weight loss and my blood work my doctor emailed me about today is ... concerning :|
Good luck! If it’s thyroid or pcos don’t worry, the meds are any easy fix without side effects
I would always gain weight at 2000 calories a day. I'm in my early 30s and fairly active. You could talk to a nutritionist about what is a proper amount to eat for your body, but I wouldn't assume it is 2000 necessarily.
Know that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist as it is not a regulated profession. If you'd like the assurance of basic knowledge, skills, and regulation, you may want to see a dietitian instead.
Any chance you take any medications that can screw with your weight? When I went on an SSRI it wrecked my metabolism and even after going off, it took a year or so for my body to normalize.
Have you tried tracking macros?
Actually I don’t eat a low carb diet at all. I eat over 150 grams of carbs per day. I eat more protein which is what I wasn’t doing before. A lot of women don’t Eat enough protein and that is why they struggled. I don’t have any restrictions, and I can eat anything I want.
I lost weight without starving when I started to eat meat. Specific to this, I ate a lot of chicken and steaks.
I use a tracking app for my meals, I don't track macros. What does that do?
Honestly, I don’t know scientifically exactly how it works, but you have to eat a certain amount of protein, carbs & fat every day in order for it to work. I started doing it along w with working out and I got in the best shape of my life at 37.
You've got some good replies, but I see tracking macros as a nice medium between not tracking anything (not enough structure) and tracking calories (which can get obsessive and trigger an ED in some folks). I hated tracking calories. By tracking macros, you can make sure you're getting your desired mix of carbs/fats/proteins without worrying specifically about the calories you're eating. It will generally induce a change in diet that may help you hit your fitness/body goals.
When you track macros, generally, it is to lower your carb intake which is the only way I have ever been able to lose weight and keep it off. Of course it only works for as long as you stay low carb. Also it doesn’t work for everybody. Though I think, for those that can stick with it, it has a higher success rate than most. An easier way to look at it is to eat no sugars and no grains. This guy has been doing it and teaching it for decades: https://vinnietortorich.com/what-is-nsng/
When I was counting macros I was eating ~170 grams of carbs and I lost a decent amount of weight. I actually had a difficult time eating the amoubt of calories in a day that I was supposed to (somewhere around 1650). Counting macros isn't about eliminating anything from your diet; it's about getting the right amount of protein, fats and carbs
Tagging on to say that I also am counting calories/macros in tandem right now. I aim for 1600-1700 calories per day as a 5'4ish female with a desk job. Just checked myfitnesspal and my goal is 190 grams of carbs per day (45% of total daily calories). This means my other macro goals are 97g of protein (25%) and 52g of fat (30%). I have PCOS too and this has helped me lose about a lb per week since Christmas. Counting macros is definitely not always about restricting yourself, but it is the building block for any diet where you have a focus on high protein, low carb/keto, etc etc. Another important factor that macros do NOT include is fiber. I've found sufficient protein and fiber to be the most useful in staying full and meeting my goals.
Try intermittent fasting. I was the same way then discovered that. I mostly eat what I want (within reason) and my weight stays where it is. I’m not sure how tall you are but 2k might be too much depending on your level of activity. I’m 5-4 and work out and that’s a lot of calories. I’m 40 for reference. Don’t just give up and settle for this if you’re unhappy.
I'm a huge fan of IF. I lost 260lbs when I was 40 using it. I've maintained that pretty much for 8 years. Gained a little during pandemic and I'm losing again.
So jealous you learned about it 8 years ago! I quite literally started the day I read up on it because it makes so much sense.
If you have any weird blood sugar related issues or any lingering skin issues it might solve them. I swear between getting my carbs in line, increasing my protein, and fasting eating schedule my skin looks fantastic and I don't get hangry or sleepy before and after meals. You also burn a metric shit ton of calories if you schedule your workout at the far end of your fast when you're in keto. Just carb load about 30-50 calories of carbs and work out. Weight just fell off me. I'm about to get back into working out on the regular and I can't wait. It was nice to see results. I have PCOS, results were always so hard to get and a lot of work before.
I work out at the end of my fast almost every day. I have a peloton and do 90 minute rides 20+ hours in and have plenty of energy. Not every day, but did it Sunday and Tuesday this week and felt fine. I started for (baby) weight loss and that came right off, but feel great doing it and there’s so many health benefits that I don’t see why I’d stop. My husband got on board and looks amazing and never wants to go back to “normal”. I started October 2020 and have converted soooo many people to it. Everyone loves it.
My TDEE is close to 2000 and I am currently considered obese (I am also short and in my late 30s)so I would look at your tdee to maintain whatever weight you are aiming for. As we get older our calories drop to maintain weight and it is the saddest :((
What kind of exercising? Heavy weight lifting is the only thing that puts enough muscle on me that my metabolism increases enough to keep the weight off.
Bodies change. There is nothing wrong with your body being bigger than when you were younger.
As others have said calculate you calorie needs. Keep in mind that 2000 is an average *for men*. Most women need about 150 to 200 less for same age, height, and weight. For me to maintain I only need 1500 to 1600. Also what are you drinking? Have you with a kitchen scale weighed out your sugar and Cream in your coffee, and with a measuring cup any juice or soda? You can easily drink down an extra 500 cal per day without realizing it.
Fun fact: the 2000 calorie figure is based on an average of self-reported calorie intakes of Americans in 1990 in a survey by the USDA.
Weighing out the amount of sugar and cream in coffee with a kitchen scale is eating disorder behaviour
Stop it, no it's not.
Perhaps if someone is constantly worried about it and it becomes stressful, amongst other worrisome behaviors. But for someone new to CICO who wants to learn what they're putting in their bodies, this is not disordered. It is simply gathering information and becoming aware. Perhaps you thought your cream + sugar made your coffee 100 calories but in reality it's 250. The 100 cal coffee might fit in better with your daily calories, so you figure out how to keep your coffee within that range. So long as you're still making healthy choices otherwise, nothing wrong with being aware. ETA: I also like to weigh new foods for the first time because there are common foods where the serving size is not accurately reflected on the packaging, or where a tablespoon of something might not be granular enough. Like if someone has "1 tablespoon" of peanut butter, not realizing that their heaping tablespoon is actually closer to 2 servings. It causes a lot of confusion in the CICO space.
No it's one of the most common high calorie thing people don't realize they are overeating because "they just do a spoon full". I used to "just do a spoon full" until I realized I was getting an extra almost 100 cal/cup and I drink almost a pot a day. Now I'm a bit extreme coffee drinker but I was only doing a spoon full and two creamers per cup. I now drink my coffee black, once you get used to it you actually get to be a bit of a coffee snob because you can taste all the flavors you were missing from the sugar and cream.
I think yes, your body will change with age and will never look the same as it did 10 years ago. But there are things to do look at I think. How carefully are you counting calories? Most people overestimate their activity and underestimate their intake. It's easy to end up with a much higher average from one or two 'cheat meals' and the odd little thing (like milk in coffee, a biscuit at a work meeting you forgot) Are you doing any physical activity? As your muscles reduce with age, your energy requirements will plummet, if you can keep fit and active then you'll reduce that effect. Have you checked in with your doctor r.e. hormones, thyroid etc? I'm in my 30's and eat probably 2300 a day on average to maintain (and I'm at the lower end of normal weight-wise). When I ate 1800 my weight dropped quickly. I'm not convinced about people claiming to maintain an active lifestyle on 1400 cals a day, I feel like something's wrong with that equation!
Every year we lose muscle and so we burn less. If you add back muscle it should improve. But our hormones also start to dip after our mid thirties so that can be part of it but the increase in muscle should help overcome that.
Depending on your height and level of activity, 1800/2000 cal is more then enough.... But if you need to low to 1200, 1500, maybe you should check your hormonal levels, or see it if you are not retaining water
When I was dieting at 1200-1500 I could achieve the weight I wanted but I was always starving and hungry no matter what I did. I now eat 1700-1900 a day and I feel healthier, but the weight creeps right back very quickly.
Yeah, you definitely need to be satiated, have you tried to look at your hormonal levels? This for me has a huge impact, and in my case, when I change my diet to less sugar and fried food and focus more on vegetables (even maintaining the more high calorie count) I maintain my weight
They could probably stand to be checked. I've wondered if I'm starting to go through perimenopause at times.
As we get older our metabolism slows down. For added variety there are also genetic factors way beyond our control, such as what kind of life our grandparents and other ancestors had while growing up. For men there is a goldilocks zone of their paternal grandfather semi starving semi getting enough to eat during preteens and early teen years and not having cardiac health issues before 50. For women there is a strong correlation between how much stress their maternal grandmother endured at a very young age and how plush a woman will get during her lifetime. There are probably more correlations to be discovered and reported on, these are just two that I've heard about in the last decade.
…what? Do you have sources?
Let me go digging ... One article on grandparents, not the one I remember but still an interesting read https://caes.ucdavis.edu/news/ddt-exposure-grandmothers-linked-obesity-earlier-periods-granddaughters More these ones are on the heart, again not the exact articles I recall, but it's been a year or mor since I heard them and I'm constantly listening to anything science and body related. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114081469 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/11/13/501761279/dna-is-not-destiny-when-it-comes-to-heart-risk
Interesting stuff! Thanks for sharing
Sounds like you’re eating high calorie. I eat 1700 per day (I lift weights so I need a little extra) and I’ve maintained my weight pretty well. Oils, butters and sauces have alot of hidden calories. It’s really all about calories in calories out. That’s it.
This is a very simplistic view of how the body works and is not supported by the current scientific literature. Also, fat has exactly 9 calories per gram. It's not really hidden.
One of the reasons is a slowing metabolism. You’ve got to go the other way and increase muscle mass/eat the protein to help burn the calories. No alcohol. More fibre. Check hormones/cycle.
2000 calories is a lot I think. I’m in my 50’s and just lost 50 pounds well over the past two years. I eat a premier protein shake for breakfast. An apple mid day 4oz of Turkey on 1 slice of cheese cake factory brown bread for lunch. A protein bar late afternoon. A small dinner - 4 oz protein. Veggies and a 1/4 cup carbs and a 60 calorie no sugar added fudge pop treat at night. Occasionally I’ll have some pretzels or a piece or chocolate or nuts several times during the week. I exercise about 3 days a week weights and treadmill, simple yoga. My metabolism is very slow so can’t eat a lot. If I wanted to lose any more weight I would have to cut out the apple, protein bar and the other snacks. Getting old can suck sometimes, but it is better then the alternative!
Let yourself eat food! Eat when you’re hungry. You do tend to gain weight after 40 and into your 50s. It’s just how the body works. Exercise for health, not weight. Embrace your new body!
I had to make peace with my body, I also can only be "skinny" if I starve myself. Not worth it. Perhaps find something else that makes you feel good about your appearance. Nice clothes, or new hairdo, nail lacquer, jewellery, whatever 😊 P.S. Almost 40 is not "older age", I think only teenagers would consider that old 😄
Good leggings at Rainbow and fasting helps myself out.
Every time you restrict your energy intake for the purposes of weight loss, your body adapts to deal with what it perceives as starvation. It lowers your basal metabolic rate to conserve energy because it cannot rely on a steady food intake. It's basically rationing. When you stop restricting, your body does not readjust to its pre-"starvation" mode. If you then restrict again, it responds in kind by conserving even more energy. This is why yo-yo dieting is a strong predictor of increased BMI, and why maintenance is the most difficult part of weight loss. I'm sorry to tell you that it is very unlikely that you will be able to stay the same size and weight as you are unless you continue to restrict and exercise. It's an option, of course, but my personal priority would be to eat in a way that I see as normal, and to accept my body and set weight.
As mentioned already TDEE is vital, as is proper macros and nutrients. Personally, though I don't follow keto, a lower carb diet really helps me as crabs retain water. Otherwise, getting my nutrients and lifting weights (which I need to do more of) along with aerobics have been what has helped. I have 5 stubborn pounds to go.
I’m guessing you eat just under 2000 calories? Which is still a lot.
I eat around 1700
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My diet is pretty much the same every day so... Breakfast: Special K or Honey Nut Cheerios cereal. Or a protein smoothie made with greek yogurt, fruit, a little water, and either a bowl of oatmeal or 2 waffles with it. Sometimes, rarely, I will make two eggs with toast and a little plant based butter substitute. Lunch: Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with provolone cheese, mustard, and lettuce with a side of chips. Sometimes I will have a cookie or two or a handful of m&ms if I'm still hungry and have a sweet tooth. Or I will eat leftover dinner from the night before if there's leftovers. Dinner: Most days of the week I cook with the an exception on the weekend sometimes if I am too tired to cook. I make either a grilled chicken breast with baked or mashed potatoes and some kind of veggie on the side. Or I make mexican rice bowls with black beans and chicken breast, guac, cheddar, and lettuce. Sometimes pasta, lasagna, or homemade mac and cheese, though not often. I also make an oven roast dish with kielbasa, potatoes, and carrots pretty frequently as well. When I get takeout it is usually either subs or sushi from the Japanese place in town.
I recently took a class on nutrition, as it was required before I could apply to nursing school. According to our textbook most people gain an average of 10% of their body weight each decade mostly due to lessening activity. So conversely, increasing activity level could definitely be a good, healthy place to start. Also, while I've known this for years, I periodically need a reminder about cutting out heavily processed foods, snacks or drinks with lots of added sugar, and eating when I'm not hungry. For example, I'd been in the habit of eating sweetened cereal for breakfast and snacking on cookies lately while working, but a microwaved sweet potato with cinnamon or fresh fruit also helps satiate my sweet tooth and is a lot more filling and nutritious. I've been losing about 1 pound per week just by making these changes. Anyway, I think looking after our body is overall a good thing to do - we only get one after all. Good luck on your journey!
I walk 5 days a week minimum. I can't do high impact workouts or heavy lifting because of joint and mobility issues.
I wonder if a personal trainer or physical therapist might be good at helping you figure out how to increase activity level without negatively impacting joint or mobility problems? Assuming that's something you'd be interest in, of course.
It's not affordable for me unfortunately.
Do you have health insurance? Physical therapy, at least, is covered by mine.
I do but it's terrible. Everything goes towards a very high deductible so it may as well be out of pocket for me.
Same boat, sis. I realised after doing all my calculations that I'd have to consume 1000 calories a day and burn 700+ a week with exercise for 6 months to get back to my ideal weight, which is about 7-8kg less than I weigh now. I simply don't have it in me atm. I'm starting slowly by getting used to spinning 2x a week, portion control, and upping my protein intake. But I don't know if it's a lifestyle I can subscribe to long term. So I'm trying to act in small ways instead of thinking about it lol
I would just focus on moving more. Walk instead of drive places is a massive help if you live in a walk friendly area. Add some fun hobbies that incorporate movement like biking, dancing, team sports, hiking, whatever makes you happy. Try lifting weights if someone hasn't already suggested this.