text: anyone over 40 lose weight? i need help!!!  ladies......?   i felt your pain a year ago...but it's going to involve lots of pain in order to get where you want to be.    running is the fastest way to lose fat...there is no faster way.  now if you're anything like me...its hard to run - everything hurts afterwards.  but let me tell you how to do it.  find a track (high schools usually have tracks); run for 30 seconds, stop and then walk for 30 seconds, do this over and over for 25 minutes. rest on day #2.  day #3 & #4 go back and do this over again; day #5 rest. day #6 & #7 go again.  week 2 run 40 seconds and walk 20.  do you see a pattern here?  when you have ran 25 minutes without stopping you will see results.  when you get to 25 minutes - upper your minutes by 2 to 27.    last year all i wanted to do is lose 20 pounds...i wound up losing 35 by running.  remember you are only doing this 25 minutes every so often - you can allocate this short time to your health.  my resting heart beat went down to 57bpm;  my cholestrol down to 148 (something my doctor couldn't believe).  i am 44 and i wear size 6 and even some 4's - this from a size 10.  once you start running and enjoying it...your body will crave the running - you'll want to do it more.  when you start to run without stopping your side will start to hurt...keep running (just slow down) - you gotta run past that side pain...trust me it will go away.  it's your lungs expanding, this pain will subside, and your body will get use to it.  on my way home i would drive by this track that was 3.0 miles long (it's more like a running loop), and i would see so many runners and i wanted to just stop my car and run.     there are sacrifices you must eat heathy - replace your snacks with fruit - lots of it.  and if you must eat bread - only eat one slice a day.  i ate baked potates with only a small amount of butter, and salt.  you do have to incorporate some carbs - you need this if you're going to be a runner.  the more you run, the more carbs you need - so build up to it.    i now can eat whatever i want (cookies, cakes, sodas, mexican food)...and i don't really gain weight.  however, i am now up to 6 miles and i run 4 times a week.  you gotta make the decision to do this and it looks like you're ready by just seeking advice.   don't invest in tread mills (it attacts dust and becomes a place to hang your clothes on) or any other home machine - you must get out of your comfort zone, out of your home...and exercise.    i know this is a lot - but trust me...i was not a runner, and i absolutely love it now.  my goal is to run a marathon (26.1 miles) before my 46 birthday.    good luck.