What's the best way to jump-start metabolism at age 50+

bluewillow

Hello!

I am SO READY to get this weight off, now that all my treatments and the holidays and the opportunities for eating too much are totally behind me.  Since I turned 50 and menopausal, the weight just doesn't come off like it used to in my early days, when I could drop 7 pounds in a week and keep it off   I gained 25 pounds during and after chemo, and would like to lose a total of about 40 and keep it off for good. 

I know quick fixes and fast weight loss don't stick, but I need to know how to "jump-start" my metabolism, either with foods and/or exercise and get my body responding with results as quickly as possible.  I do have a membership at World Gym, but have only been going about once or twice a week in the last month, and limit myself to the treadmill for 30 minutes, and that comes real easily.  I know I need to do more.  I am in good health, no other ailments besides the bc thing.  I would appreciate any ideas and recommended books, DVDs, websites, etc.

THANK YOU  and  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Mary Jo

jillisucat

Mary Jo - the best thing is to increase your exercise.  I teach exercise classes and my weight wasn't budging -- I'm so busy that it is only when I'm paid to go that I actually make the effort to go to the gym.  I was teaching 2 times per week for a long time and finally picked up a third class per week and suddenly my weight started dropping.  Try to do a routine that includes cardio and weights at least 3X per week (start with that and then try to add another day or two) and see what that does for you.  A personal trainer at your gym for a little while would help you find a routine that works best and make sure that you don't do too much too fast as well, which can be deadly to getting into a routine.  Good luck!

bluewillow

Thanks, Jillisucat-- you've helped me a bunch!!  I will start with the 3x a week cardio + weights.  That sounds very doable for me.  Since I already can do 30 minutes on the treadmill at 2.5-3.5 mph and a 0-2 incline easily, should I increase my time on the treadmill, or increase the incline and/or speed, or just add the weights?  They have a highly recommended personal trainer at my gym, and I know that would help me a lot too.

Thanks again!

roseg

I won a pedometer in a contest at Thanksgiving. I've been wearing it around since then.

10,000 steps a day is the goal. That's slightly more than an hour of brisk walking. You don't have to do it at the gym. You can park your car farther from the office in the morning, take a stroll at lunch, take the stairs when you need to do something. The possibilities are endless.

Add that in and start counting calories. I've found that my memory for what I've already eatten has gotten worse as I"ve aged. Those little bites and tablespoons of tastes add up!

EWB

Any one have suggestions for pedometers?  I must be really challenged because I can not get them to work anywhere near sort of accurate, they fall off, break etc. Any that are for inside pockets, wristband, necklace style?  HELP

mumito

I am going to join you ladies with Julisucats suggestion cardio and weights.Will find a healthclub nearby.Just hope my rad treatments don't wipe me out too much.Durring chemo all i had energy for was sleeping. I also want to drop 40lbs.

car

Mary Jo--these are great suggestions (and I agree that I have yet to find a pedometer that works). The basic cardio 3xweek plus weights is a good one. I have always loved cardio--I am not fast but enjoy what they used to call in the 70s 'long slow distance' and can go forever. Adding walks to your gym time would be good, too. I've read studies that indicate walking is much more popular among women then men and they tend to stick w/it. You also might want to consider Pilates--it builds muscle and flexibility and is really good for stress reduction.

carpediempenny

Mary Jo- I am with you on this one. The chemopause and drugs in my system has put on weight for me. I am ready to get rid of the fat and be healthy again. I am starting the first two week phase of the south beach diet. I will start back to the gym next week when I go back to work. For now I have lots to do around the house to keep me active and going. (My husband is frustrated with me since I didn't start 6 months ago) I was still having surgeries and just didn't have the energy to do what I needed to do.

I bought a pedometer at REI that I can download the information and track my progress on the computer. I am going to reset everything and start fresh.

If some one has any ideas on how to get things jump started please let us know. I know want to carry this extra weight around. The sad things is I lost 30 lbs for my honeymoon and then gained that and some more while going through all this crap. YUCK!

I have my yoga room set up now and some light weights, I'll do that along with walking or bicycling at the gym. I need a routine or it won't work for me, so I stop at the gym before coming home from work and make sure that I get that done.

Good luck and let me know how things go for you. Maybe we can encourage each other to keep going.

Penny

pk0199

Hi all,

I am hoping that I may join this group too. I am however not over 50, almost 50lbs overweight though! Okay not quite 50 but would also like to lose 40 lbs. I start rads Jan 7. was diagnosed Sept and have been emotional eating since. Have exercised  l think twice. I know my metabolism isn't great but l need help with the motivational aspect to even start. It seems I would rather wallow in self pity than do anything. So I am hoping if I can join this group that I can get motivation and support to get this weight off. Side note, did LA weightloss 2 years ago and lost 43lbs, have gained half back now.

Another Penny

sue_blue

Anyone know anything about that supplement that has been advertised - Alli? One of my friends, who is 55, lost 20 pounds in 2-3 months using it. Although, she followed a diet program online and increased her walking. I'm afraid of things that aren't natural. I just cannot do stimulants, even anti-depressants bother me. Just wondering if anyone has any info?

car

My understanding of how Alli works is that if you eat more than the recommended % of fat, you get an adverse reaction, what they call treatment effects, gas and diarrhea. Basically, it's working w/the negative reinforcement principle. You keep your fat intake low (though it's supposed to slow fat absorption by your body), avoid the "treatment effects," stick w/the diet and exercise plan (both good aspects of the program) which keeps you going on the program. You know if you slip up, you'll get the "treatment effects." Not sure, though how that reinforces your exercise. It doesn't seem to me that there is anything to do that unless it's laid out in the program itself--that is, reinforce yourself w/a movie or something for staying on the program for X days.

vivre

Please do not try these chemical wt loss drugs. Your systems have allready been through enough. Think of good food as your medicine and the pounds will melt off. I know because it did for me. I lost 35 pounds in the past year, slowly, but surely, by simply making a committement to take control of my health. I do not count calories, or follow any diet. I just eat good foods and ignore the junk. I have not had ANY fast food, no more sodas, cut out dairy, and eat very little sugar, which for me was the main culprit. I now drink a lot of tea, and fill up on nuts and dried fruit when I want to snack. I have always liked to exercise, but only did it a couple of times a week. I now exercise almost daily. Walking and biking(weather permitting) mixed with free wts, pilates, yoga, and ballet exercises to videos.  I switch them around to keep from getting bored. I too tried to get a pedometer to work and gave up. I just listen to music or the radio for an hour while taking a brisk walk. I take a 10 pound weight and change hands every 5 minutes, doing arm exercises as I walk. I even walk in the freezing cold and snow. It is very peaceful and the fresh air feels great!

My advice is to not weigh yourself for a least a month or two. If you keep up this routine, you will know you are losing and then when you finally get on the scale you will see the rewards. Then you will see it is possible and have an incentive to keep going. Once you get into these habits, you will not want to turn back. You will feel so great and look so much better.

I went from a bordering on obese size 12, to a size 6 in the past year. I never thought I would be able to lose it. If I can do it anyone can! I believe my weght was a major contributing factor to my bc. Excess body fat in the middle produces estrogen which fuels bc. I no longer have any midriff fat. My estrogen levels are low and  I am not taking any hormone blockers. The best incentive for me is that I eat as though my life depends on it, because it does!

car

I hope that I didn't sound supportive of Alli. The idea of taking a tablet to make me fear gas or diarrhea after eating something is anathema to me.

Jorf

Alli is orlistat - I can't remember the trade name that it had when it was prescription only. It is one of 2 FDA approved (for whatever good that does) drugs for weight loss.

Re exercise (which, as far as I know is the only way to jump - pun intended? - start metabolism: increase lean body mass because it burns more than fat does): Shape magazine started showing up in my PO box in October (probably because it was Pink Month - I don't know). It's got some good stuff in it regarding exercises to keep from getting bored. The web site also has lots of good exercises and cardio schedules, etc. I was getting real bored with my work-outs and I started with that a couple of weeks ago and it's keeping me much more involved. On gym days now I alternate between a 30" hard recumbent bike ride (I know, it's sooooo old-fashioned to do it for that long!) and then 30-40" (depending on how early I got up!) of picking and choosing between the various resistance/strength exercises from my PT, from the one session with the trainer, from Shape - always starting with 30+ (I'm eyeing 50) pushups!. On the other days I do my martial arts forms and between each one do 2-3 of the exercises. The other days I have Tae Kwon Do class and one day I sit on the couch.

yellowrose

Just to add my 2 cents in. 

I lost 36 lbs last year and have another 40 to go.  Going it alone has been difficult so now I have an accountability partner.  She lives about 200 miles away so we email and phone each other almost daily.  We have both set our goal weights and goal dates, along with interim mini-goals.  We are both keeping a food and exercise journal that we will swap on a regular basis to keep us "honest."  For our first goal reward, we are meeting for a day at an awesome luxurious spa (leaving husbands, dogs and children behind!)  We figure that the $ we spend there is well worth the cost and a healthy reward to sticking to the plan.

I began working with her in mid-December and this really seems to be good for both of us.  I appreciate all her support.  When one of us has a rough day, we discuss what went wrong and how to avoid it again.  Both of us are losing weight in spite of a Christmas parties, etc.

roseg

Vivre - what're you doing about calcium since you've cut out dairy?

I have milk with my cereal in the a.m. and a supplement later. I don't have a problem with milk and drink skim so it's not my biggest issue. Ice cream is one of my "problems". I try not to keep it around but somehow it slips into my cart at the grocery.

EWB - I'll have to look at my pedometer. I won it in a contest so I'm sure it's some cheapy model. It clips on my waistband and has a little string/clip as extra insurance. I think it's accurate. There are some approximators - 1 mile - XX steps- and I come pretty close with the count on those. I'm a gadget girl, I'll have to look at what REI has.

digger

I guess I'm still curious what's wrong with dairy.  Isn't it okay to have dairy a couple times day, particularly if it's skim milk or non-fat yogurt?

car

digger, depending on the diet dairy might, or might not, be restricted. The Willetts diet I'm on restricts animal protein, in general, and the two servings/day you mention are fine. I think that there's considerable concern about the hormones used by the dairy industry, though it seems that (at least in California, where I am) the major milk producers claim to be hormone free. Other folks might be lactose-intolerant. Else, the dairy you mention is a good source of protein.

EWB

Thanks Rose--appreciate any info.

I have been working w/health/lifestyle coach and she gave me a great book- but you have to ignore the title--The Fat Resistance Diet. Its a lot about eating well, foods that disinflame the body (cells), super foods, antioxidants etc.  Very realistic, easy to make/prepare..I feel so much better when I use the menues and shopping lists from the book.  Its more life style rather than diet, very do able for long term.

PuddinTame

Omron is a good pedomether.  I also won one at a 3fatchicks.com contest.

Sparkpeople.com is a great way to track calories, exercise, and all kinds of nutrients if you have the time and patience to faithfully enter all your foods.  You can set goals and run reports on your progress.  You can also buddy up and share your pages with others, which is kind of fun if you have diet buddies.  I don't tend to stick with that kind of detail very well because I can tend to get obsessive.  I found that keeping a tiny spiral notebook (target has hardbound ones with little rubber bands to keep them closed) in my purse to track all my food and my daily exercise was the best way that I could journal--least intrusive and time consuming.

OLBinNJ

     A good way to kick up the metabolism is with intervals.  On the treadmill, kick it up to 4mph (or whatever works for you) for 5 mins (or less) and then go back to your normal speed for 5 mins (or however long it takes for you to recover).  It actually seems to help the time go by faster.  Also pilates is great for flexibility which helps prevent injury from other exercise.

Lories

hi bluewillow

No matter what anyone says - you have to make the decision and find a program that works for you.

Weight watchers is one of those programs to help you get started.  I have done it a few times, so it takes me awhile to catch on, but over the last year I lost over 30 lbs.  They do cost money, but they help you figure out what foods to eat and portions are most important.  And, you go weigh in once a week, that keeps you on the ball.  You do not even realize how much you are eating until you start measuring.

I don't care what they say, I hate exercise, but I got to the point where the weight was not coming off anymore so then the exercise helps.  and the nice thing is the less you weigh, the easier the exercise is.

A man I work with was talking to me the other day and he remarked that I had spent the whole of last year getting lean and healthy and then to get hit with breast cancer was a bummer.  But then he added that I was already ahead of the game because to stay healthy you need to keep the weight off.

The biggest incentive is health and for you to decide.  Drink water, eat less, find a program that works for you and you will do it.  Oh and I am 52.

lakemichwatergirl

Hi,  I'm a personal fitness trainer and a 2 year DCIS survivor.  I took tamoxifen for 20 months and my quality of life was so bad that I had to stop.  But I noticed that I was gaining not only weight but lots of fat, especially around my mid-section.  I had my metabolic rate and VOs max tested and found out that my metabolism was ridiculously sluggish, even though I'd kept exercising.  I was told that I'd gain weight by eating more than 1100 calories a day.  So here is what I'm doing and it seems to be working.  First, from the testing I learned where my heart rate needs to be to do cardio and utilize the most fat.  It needs to be quite a bit higher than the 220-age times .60 to .80 formula.  Second, I have really ramped up my weight training, though it is hard because I still have a fair amount of joint pain.  So if you are near a good health club or facility where you can get your metabolic rate tested, I strongly suggest doing so.  I am VERY slowly starting to lose some of the 20 lbs that I gained and have some concrete direction on what I have to do to get back into shape.  Best of luck!

Husband11

You have to look at weight loss with a two pronged approach, of both exercise to increase calories burned and your diet.  In my opinion, diet often plays a greater role.  I don't believe in any of the extremes of high protein no carb diets or high fat no carb.  These extremes are unnatural and hard to maintain.  They also rob you of quality of life and energy.  Personally, to feel good, I need a sufficient supply of carbohydrates for energy so that I can think straight, remain motivated and active.  I believe the best and most natural way to do so is with fruits and vegetables, and to avoid processed and prepared foods as much as possible.  How processed is processed?  In my opinion, breads, pastas, and other foods made with processed grains should be consumed in moderation.  They contain more calories than their nutrient value, compared to fruits and vegetables.  If you are young, and burning up the calories in an active lifestyle, you need those kinds of foods to fuel your caloric expenditure, but if you are relatively sedentary, they are unneeded concentrated calories.  You're better off to fill up with an apple, brocolli, carrots, tomatoes, etc than bread, buns and pasta.  I think the ideas in some of the older books like Nathan Pritikin's books are excellent and healthy and you can't do wrong by substituting non-starchy vegetables for the typical fillers in a North American diet.

StarWish624

Mary Jo, I am 58, and finished my treatments (chemo. and rads.) at the end of Nov., 2008.

What I did, is drink a nutrition drink before eating my meals. The (I used the powder - cheaper) nutrition drink made sure that my body got all the vitamins & minerals that it needed to heal properly, and filled me up, so I ate less. And it isn't "empty calories", but is a taste "treat". I made popsickles with the drink, for a snack, too. Plus, it added to my water consumption.

barbe1958

Carrots and beans are actually high in carbs.... 

barbe1958

oooooh, and so are bananas! 

bluewillow

Hi StarWish and thanks for the tip!  That sounds like a great idea and definitely worth a try.  Did you happen to use Slim-Fast?  I do like the taste of SF, but never tried any other nutritional drinks-- just curious as to what you use. Thanks! 

lisasayers

Bluewillow.....check the ingredients of SF....SUGAR!  Look for a better product...they are out there!

bluewillow

Whoa, thanks Lisa-- I never thought about the sugar in SF!  It's been a while since I've bought it--  I need to research the newer nutritional drinks on the market-- any suggestions for some good- tasting ones?

lisasayers

The main thing is just to read the lables, as so many of them contain sugar, which defeats the purpose!  To rev your metabolism, you want to cut out sugar!  When you are eating sugar, your body burns that for fuel!  When you cut out sugar, your body will burn fat for fuel! 

There are a lot of products on the market that are whey based...be sure you don't have a problem digesting whey.  Some people do.

I use a protein drink, but I'm associated with the company that the product is manufactured by...so I don't want to post it here.  It is a vegetarian based protein drink.

Hope that helps!