55-65 year old women's success?

calmandpeaceful wrote: »

Question - Fit Bit - Pro or Con?

I love my Fitbit. If I did much swimming, I'd want something waterproof, but it does fine for me. I wear it on one wrist and my watch on the other. Yeah, it has a watch, but not the watch's other functions. So I look silly. I also make fish-faces to entertain kids in supermarkets.

What I like best is that I don't have to time my walks and runs. The gizmo does it for me. Hitting the timer on my watch when I start and stop, or when I walk up 10 flights of stairs, and logging each in a notebook -- that was intrusive. The Fitbit just hangs out on my wrist and keeps track of that stuff for me. (Mind you, it's truly weird about stairs, crediting me with lots of flights I've never climbed. 7 today, when I never climbed one. But it doesn't add exercise calorie credit for stairs, so I don't worry about that.)

It also motivates me to use standing time to walk in place. Heck, I put it into a zip-lock bag and rubber-band it around my ankle and get in 1200-1700 steps in the shower and while brushing my teeth. It motivates me to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

calmandpeaceful wrote: »

Janet - that is a real visual - walking in the shower! Great! I just put in a standing desk at work yesterday, and will try walking a little as I work. My colleagues already think I am wacky with the standing desk...so why not!

I did not log Wednesday nor Thursday - but will log today and all weekend. Just sayin' - to keep myself accountable.

You women seriously motivate me!! Thanks!

Our employer put in standing desks for some of us last year.
My fellow employees think I am nuts because, while I am standing, I march in place.
I just laugh because those steps add up. My fit bit & I manage to get in a lot of steps everyday, so that is all that counts.

Triplestep wrote: »

Ladies, any advice for sore knees? I'm in bad shape after each session with my trainer. All those squats and lunges have me hobling around for at least a day afterwards. I wonder if I should just put myself on naproxen sodium twice a day.

Is it muscle problems, or joint?

If muscle, then stretch, foam-roll (quads, IT bands, hamstrings, calves), ice soon after the workout for a few minutes, stretch again later in the day, warm bath (epsom salt) or other moist heat that night, movement (like an easy walk or bike) the next day.

If joint, ice for sure, but if you don't know what the problem is, I'd get a diagnosis before making something worse (which is what I did . . . sigh).

@Triplestep again I will push jessicasmithtv. She has some workouts for "bad" knees. Talk to your trainer, you should not have sore knees. Dang, girl, is your trainer working for you or against you? I choose to go medicine free, except maybe vodka!

Lol, then I will smile and wish you happiness and good knees!

Hi, @Triplestep, I too have to be careful of my knees -- they're often sore. I use knee pads that I bought at the drug store for extra support on gym days. They seem to help with the lunges, and squats. Also, don't lunge or squat as deeply as the young folks, we can't do that anymore, ha, ha. I use Tylenol and a heating pad and the soreness usually goes away after a bit.

And that's why I admire @mk2loser because she can run like the wind!

Ladies don't ever think you can't do this. I'm 64 and will be 65 next month. I have a bad hip that keeps me from doing much exercise. I started out at 390 and this morning I weighed in at 310 and a half. I started in the fall of 214 and then fell off the wagon for several months. Luckily I didn't gain back the 50 or so pounds I took off. So I started again in Sept of 2015 and have gone from 344 to 310 and a half. It's certainly not the fastest weight loss on record, but I'm making great changes and I am losing the weight. If I can do this, any one can do this. Good luck and stay the course.

Hello! I just joined mfp and am so happy to find this link! My plan of attack is to record everything I eat and much to my surprise, by dinner time I had used all of my daily calories. It was quite an eye opener will most likely make me feel accountable to myself. This tool will make me understand how much I really am eating. As a side note, I went to the gym for a second day, with the bad knee and I made it through. Here's my post from yesterday.

"Hi, I am 75lbs overweight and just signed up at Planet Fitness. I am 63, have not been on a diet nor have I exercised on a regular basis. Over the years I have steadily gained weight and now I have some health issues,ie. high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a knee I hyper-extended. Any suggestions about how to start the weight loss journey? Which diet plans helped you get started? "

trina1049 wrote: »

Hi, @Triplestep, I too have to be careful of my knees -- they're often sore. I use knee pads that I bought at the drug store for extra support on gym days. They seem to help with the lunges, and squats. Also, don't lunge or squat as deeply as the young folks, we can't do that anymore, ha, ha. I use Tylenol and a heating pad and the soreness usually goes away after a bit.

Good point. At least fir the first set (while I'm still warming up) I could lunge less deeply.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

That's a good point: Those tendon straps for the knee help with some problems, too - which things work best depend on one's specific issue. Worth a try!

My trainer recommended the same thing. Maybe I'll give them a try. I have always had large legs, even at my lightest weights. So I just always assume those kinds of things are not for me, and I dismiss them. I'll have to see how the sizes run.

Flagal, recording everything to start is a great idea. It's very enlightening. For example, it's 3:30, and I have 583 calories left, and I'm thinking I might spend them on Skinny Margaritas when the wind is howling later!

I have just started on MFP and would like to hear from some people re meal planning. Am working with a trainer who is helping with nutrition as well. Trying to figure out how to get the calories in while following the recommendations for the macros. I am 64, retired and anxious to get healthier and get the weight off the time for good. Have 50 lb to lose . Suggestions??