Should I listen to my trainer?
I am 61 years old post menopausal and have been struggling with weight loss for many years but in the past two years it has gotten harder than ever. I have been following Weight watchers for many years with limited success. WW has me eating about 1500 calories a day. I have been weight training for about 8 years and my trainer is telling me that I'm not eating enough calories. He wants me to try Cronometer and suggests that I eat more like 1800 calories a day - 150g protein, 100 grams carbs and 88 grams fat. I currently weigh 193 pounds and would like to get to 180. I am 5'6" tall. My trainer is a male, around 40 years old so I'm not sure he's plugged in to the plight of a woman my age? I would love to hear opinions on this!
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What's your training and daily activity like ? I see people at the senior centre gym I go to and hardly any work hard, just go through the motions. Do you walk much everyday ?
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You could try a keto lifestyle (Protein - 30 - 50%, Fats - 40 - 60%, Carbs - 5 - 10%). I am 65 years old, 5'2" tall, post menopausal and weighed 193 pounds when I started a keto lifestyle Aug 2022. So far I have lost 52 pounds. I personally know two other women ages 61 and 86 with similar success. Walking and resistance training are good low impact exercises to add if you aren't doing them. Good luck to you!
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My wife 67 and 5' weighs 110lbs walks or hikes pretty much 2 hours a day with her friends or me. Also daily yoga for 1/2 hour, uses the indoor swimming pool for aqua-fit. She's done a few big hike including the 800km Camino de Santiago. No special diet except moderation.
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I would highly recommend Next Level by Stacy Sims. Great info on menopause and the way we should train. I'm following her cardio intervals and 'lifting heavy shit' and I can already see an improvement in my body.
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Thank you. I just requested her book from my library.
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I can't speak to your plight, but 150g of protein is not easy to get for most people.
If I were structuring my meals around that amount of protein, I don't think I'd have an easy time going past the 1500-1800 mark.
Protein aside, if you're certain you've been eating 1500 every day for years and you haven't dropped in weight, then it sounds to me like you're not operating at a caloric deficit. In which case, raising it to 1800 probably wouldn't help in terms of weight loss.
That being said, most people are not very religious about tracking every morsel of food that crosses their lips. Or they underestimate their consumption; I myself am guilty of this. By far my most successful deficit periods have been the ones where I'm weighing most/all of my portions with a baking scale, and entering the servings according to their weight (in grams).
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@ Renoirs That would be an impossible goal for me. It would be a daunting challenge to maintain a calorie deficit and consume that amount of protein.
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Hi, Renoirs! I don't have a trainer, but I'm in a similar situation. I turn 68 tomorrow, I'm 5'6", and I weigh 173 pounds. The last few years, I've had pretty serious health problems, but I'm now able to do more and am working to get healthier. I aim for 1200 calories a day and usually manage to keep it reasonably close. I started walking a little over a month ago, and while my blood pressure and blood glucose have improved and I actually have muscles in my legs now, I haven't lost any weight. I'm up to about 25 minutes of walking a day, and I haven't missed a day since I started, so I'm really looking for results.
How is your fiber intake?
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Track your saturated fats to be 13g a day and walk everywhere.
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I am post-menopausal and hypothyroid, so my calorie requirements are a bit lower than most. I find I can only lose weight if I keep my calories between 1200 and 1400. I aim for 100 mg of protein daily but can only achieve that using protein powder. My trainer suggests eating within one hour of a workout when the body processes calories more efficiently. Maybe just a few changes like that would help you?
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What I read about protein powder is no more than once a day =30g protein. Sometimes I use BCAA powder drink mix during me workout.
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Renoirs....I don't know if you are still here, but your trainer is right about protein and losing weight for several reasons. You mentioned that you are ordering Stacy Sim's book....not sure which one but she gives a new perspective on women and weight training. I concur with her conclusions on women and lifting for results. She is basically plant based (and so am I), so reaching protein goals is a challenge but necessary for goals. Currently adding Orgain's 30g Plant Based Protein into my daily routine, I've used their 20g for years. I also add a cup of soy milk to my protein shake for an extra 9 grams protein. Every little bit helps when plant based. You also might want to research creatine monohydrate, but I'll bet you are already keyed in as you have been weight training for 8 years. I hope long ago your trainer has had you challenge the amount of weight you are lifting, not just high reps with low weights. Just a few ideas....wishing you the best!
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I recommend Stacey Simms book “Next Level” for menopausal women - its helped a lot. I use Lumen metabolic tracker which tells me how many proteins, net carbs and fats to eat daily which i input into cronometer for tracking. That has made a huge difference as there is no guessing. My Apple watch connects and shows my activity. For activity - 2 days weight training and you will know when you cant push one more rep - do 4 sets. 3rd day is weight plus stability, 1 day of yoga, 2 days of cardio. 30 minute daily walk and 30 minute strech and roll first thing. Im 67 and losing weight doing this but working hard. I focus on macros not calories and almost never eat starchy carbs - rice, pasta, bread. Lots of fish, seafood, chicken, steak once a week, vegies, legumes, fruit, dairy (non fat yogurt), cheese is a treat, no sugar. Thats what it takes in your 60s if you want to be really fit and slim It is important to work hard and push yourself - focus on macros and not calories. WW encourages too much junk food eating - and in my view it breaks the connection between whats in food and our health with the points system. Its not for people serious about getting fit.
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FitNona....You are on fire! Yes, macros are priority and pushing with the weights for the win! Stacey Simms is a must read for women and your lifestyle locks you in for success.
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I remember bodybuilders talking about their tuna and water diet, I asked if they blended the tuna in water, they sez no and laughed. But I was curious and tried blending them, and it wasn't bad plus easy to get down. 30g protein, yes I did a can.
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I found it difficult to obtain the amount of protein that my dietician wants me to consume. I looked up the vegetables and fruits with the highest amounts. I have been very successful with being very sure to measure everything (scale) and use grams for just about everthing. It works for me. The other item is I am trying to do 10,000 steps a day. Still working on making it a habit to start early in the morning to get this done. Since I am retired I do not have to worry about work. Anyway here is my list of the vegetables and fruits with the highest amount of protein. I also have learned to use a number of spices that makes the vegeies taste good. I normally use the frozen veegetables and mix the different vegetables in making stews (less liquid than soup). I ocassionally eat sardines or tuna (3 times a week). I find these to be less expensive than olther fish. I stick to the sardines mostely since there is less mercury in them. Do be careful when eating high amounts of protein and if you have any questions do check with your personal physician. Hope this list is helpful.
Vegetables Highest in Protein
Vegetable Protein (g/100g)
Edamame (soybeans) 11.9 g
Lentils (cooked) 9 g
Chickpeas (cooked) 8.9 g
Green peas 5.4 g
Spinach (cooked) 2.9 g
Kale (cooked) 2.5 g
Broccoli (cooked) 2.4 g
Brussels sprouts 3.4 g
Asparagus 2.2 g
Sweet corn 3.2 g
Legumes (like edamame and lentils) are technically vegetables and tend to top the list for plant-based protein. -
@sonjon Thanks for posting this list. If you add Tofu and protein drinks...this list is 90%+ of my daily food consumption lifestyle that supports me in my protein goals. I have to be vigilant as plant based, it is a challenge.
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I have been vegan and followed vegan bodybuilders like Robert Cheeke, some good books. I did have to eat a lot more than if eating meat. Nowadays I like a lot of vegetarian South Indian dishes.
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@renoirs WW has all the macros on their app now. I made lifetime in October. Luckily there is a meeting an hour away from me, so I go once a month and weigh in and zoom meetings on occasion.
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@heniek Love the website posted....thanks!
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I highly recommend reading The New Menopause book by Dr Mary Claire Haver and search her out i Instagram and podcasts. She's a wealth of information for the mature female body.
