55-65 year old women's success?

calmandpeaceful

Eleted and Nana and Gigi,
Thank you! I have four teenagers, out of work husband, and I just started a new job in September. So, yes, I do have others to think about. Thank you for the reminder. I tend to come home and have a few glasses of wine, and my will power disappears. I work with very fit people, and take exercise classes (mainly yoga) at lunch, which is a super nice perk of the job. So during the day I am good as gold. I think I will take this weekend to try to plan out at least half of the week. GG I've also done WW and ultimately ended up learning how to cheat the system - which is stupid.

For me, I greatly appreciate the reminder that I do take care of others. I plan to get up early this week, write, meditate, get my head on before I plunge into the day. I think that will help. It's such a head game for me.
Thanks!!!!!
PS CLH You look beautiful!!!!

Cheryl7777

I'm 64 and will be 65 next month. I started this journey January of 2015 and found MFP in Oct of 2015. I can't exercise much because I have a bad hip and will need hip replacement surgery when my surgeon feels I've lost enough weight. Since last January I have lost 76 and a half pounds. If I can do this so can you. Just focus on today, your next meal, your next step or your next small goal. I started at 390 and weighed in this morning at 313.5. I'm 5' 4.5" for reference. Good luck everybody. It really is CICO.

mk2fit

@clh72569 ! Excellent! You look great! Wonderful work...shows us it can be done

calmandpeaceful

Hi again everyone,
I love reading your stories. Sisterhood of weight loss post-menopause - it ain't easy - but you are doing it and inspiring others (including me). These success stories are really amazing. It really is harder at our ages to do this. Thank you so much for sharing!!

Question - Fit Bit - Pro or Con?

On the one hand, I feel that it could motivate me (and luckily I have no health issues which would limit exercise), but on the other hand I feel like it could be intrusive and annoying. I welcome your thoughts.

pstegman888

calmandpeaceful wrote: »

Question - Fit Bit - Pro or Con?

On the one hand, I feel that it could motivate me (and luckily I have no health issues which would limit exercise), but on the other hand I feel like it could be intrusive and annoying. I welcome your thoughts.

I love my Fitbit Flex! I'm not able to exercise vigorously or for long periods of time, so every step counts. It keeps me motivated to move more, gives me a sense of accomplishment to see the steps add up, and also made me realize I was not getting nearly enough quality sleep. In addition to being able to check my progess on my smartphone, it also sends me a weekly report. I don't consider it intrusive. It's like having a virtual personal trainer cheering you on to the next goal.

ETA: Plus, I found some really pretty Fitbit bands on ebay, so I can swap them out to match my outfit, lol!

candicer

Hello all! I have been using MFP for a couple years now, off and on. Last logged on about 6 - 9 months ago. But Im back!
57 yrs old, 5'2", 145lbs. Ive been a gymaholic for quite a few years now, but just recently (3 months ago) decided to try a personal trainer. I'm finding that I am a lot stronger than I ever thought, and even though I havent lost weight or inches, I am becoming less 'jiggly'!
I am also a food -a - holic. I love food. Good food, bad food, any food. salty, sweet, savory, white, green, brown, red, crunchy, chewy, soft, textured, you name name it, I will most likely eat it, and quite happily. But I know that, as some one mentioned in a much earlier post, staying away from white foods is crucial for me. They are my downfall.
The only time I was ever able to successfully loose weight was about 10 years ago, bringing my calorie count down to about 600 - 900 calories a day, and running 3 miles, 4 times a week. Not happening again. this time will have to be slow and easy. Back then, I lost about 20 pounds in 8 weeks. It was awesome! Even kept it off for about 6 years. Then menopause hit hard, and gained every bit of it back. And here I am . . . .

I am inspired so much by all of your stories, of where you all are in your journey, and how you do it every day. It is a journey, and one I have come to accept as a way of life, not just a temporary 'trip' in life. Anyway, I am glad to be back, and will be seeing you all in future posts, for inspiration and motivation!

merryhooves

Thanks for initiating the discussions, PianoRun, and to all for inspiring stories - hard work, setbacks, and progress.
A friend, who is a registered nurse and whose husband is a family Doc, over 60 and until recently 60 pounds overweight, just started a blog describing her journey. It doesn't seem that its as simple as fewer calories - diet recommendations are changing to ok more fats, and cautions are offered for carbs. Anyway, friend Terry started a short blog to share what she's learned - what's worked for her - and welcomes everyone on the journey: http://veggiehiitadventure.blogspot.com

Triplestep

calmandpeaceful wrote: »

Question - Fit Bit - Pro or Con?

I knew that I would obsess over any fitness tracker given all the things they can measure; I'm kind of a gadget person. I really just wanted to measure calories burned, so I got a heart rate monitor - the kind with the chest strap that provides readouts on wrist watch that comes with it. I strap it on in the gym locker room, and let it run the whole time in the gym. I then record the calories burned when I get back to the locker room afterwards. I like seeing the trends and knowing I'm not guessing. I also know that I'm burning calories with vigorous yard work, walking up stairs, etc. - I just choose not to add those.

On the question of how to get started, I wish I had some wisdom. I meant to get started for years; I imagined myself losing weight for a decade. One day I just stared with a small change, then added more. I thought I was making small changes all the other times I tired and failed, but now I see I wasn't. A commitment to logging is a small change, for example - one that will lead to other small changes once you see where your calories are coming from.

stenny1220

Hello everyone. I was on this program 3 years ago and was doing quite well. I lost 20b., then the unexpected happened-- I lost my mom in August 2012. I was fine for about 6 months, then out of nowhere, a deep depression hit. I didn't see it coming and I certainly didn't realize it was happening. Last month, Dec. was my 57th birthday and I'm not sure what happened to make my mind click, but I just woke up with a different attitude. I jumped on the scale, saw "truth" that I was sure had happened-- I was back up to 225. I looked at my tired, baggy eyes, and "tire" waist and just decided that 2016 was going to be my year to get back into a routine and start caring for ME again. I miss my mom more than anything, I know she would be so aggravated at me for just not taking care of myself the last few years. I started on a Gluten free program on Jan. 4th, and as of todays weigh in-- it was 218. I'm feeling better already, and I even did some slow dancing for about 20 min. until I ran out of breath! LOL-- Definitely out of shape and air! I'm going to try very hard this year to stay on track and at least get to 150ish by the time I hit my 58th birthday! I wish everyone well on their journey, and I'll be checking in to see how you all are doing. God Bless, and keep on keeping on!!

krenwren

@calmandpeaceful I love my Fitbit One. I don't like to wear anything on my wrist as I work in a hospital and am constantly washing my hands plus usually have a watch on. The one can be slipped in your pocket or attached to your waistband. I do think it motivates me to get moving. If I see less than 5000 steps, I will make a point of doing a walk video or taking the pup out for a longer stroll. i recommend it highly!

krenwren

@clh72569 awesome job! I know you petite folks have a tougher time losing, you are an inspiration!!

Eleted

Definitely get a Fitbit! Very motivating.

trina1049

@calmandpeaceful , I highly recommend a wearable tracker. I have a Fitbit ChargeHR and love it. I make sure to hit a minimum of 12,000 steps per day and often hit close to 15,000. I use it as a tool to monitor my exercise and regular activity and wear it all the time except when swimming and showering. I love the sleep monitor also as I had sleep issues at one time. I checked for accuracy against my Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) and they were very close so stopped using the HRM. What I love about the tracker is that it monitors your whole day not just your gym exercising. The downside of the HRM is that they only work best with steady state cardio and you can't use them for all day tracking.

All these devices are guesstimates of your calorie burn so you'll know they are working if you are meeting your weight loss goals. If you're losing too quickly then add calories -- losing too slowly then cut calories.

I've lost 52 lbs. over the last 18 months -- as you know weight loss isn't a quick process. Realistic goals and patience are what works.

Trina

chuckyjean

Hi, I'm 58, started mid December, have lost almost 12 pounds. I challenge woman at work to get the most steps in and they are 20 years younger than me, and I still can do it. I can now walk up the stairs at work, 4 flights, still get winded, but can do it. I have been doing a lot of bodyweight exercises, to try to build some muscle and to get more strength. I think it is harder for older woman than say 20 to 30 crowd, but it can be done. I also do aerobics. I have never been able to run before, but on the treadmill yesterday for the first time, I could do a series of walk at 3.5 mph for 2 minutes then jog at 4 mph for 1 minute, etc. It was great. I also can fit into pants now that were two tight for me. I started at 172 lbs, and my goal for now is 145.

jb_2011

Hey, hi! Good thread here. I'm 61, lost 65 lbs. in 2011 & 2012. Maybe I didn't appreciate it quite enough - gained back 15 over the last 3 years (got lazy with logging), then another 5 just since Oct. when my mom became ill and passed away at the end of Nov. Emotions and grief got the best of me, but I'm doing much better now.

As of Jan. 4 I've recommitted to serious logging of foods since that's what worked to begin with. Knee injury a year ago so I'm not able to do a lot of heavy cardio, but I walk my dogs daily and have been known to crank up the stereo and do 30 minutes of crazy dancing in my living room. So freeing, just dancing with myself, haha.

Lost my first husband to suicide in 1997, after which I ballooned up to 225 lbs. I'm 5'4". By the end of 2010 I was nearly crippled with sciatic pain and decided it was time I got busy losing weight and doing specific exercises to realign this bod of mine. I'm happy to report it worked - I'm still down 45 pounds, and I'm sciatic-pain free.

I'm a guitarist & songwriter, spent my adult life performing classic rock in night clubs, now working teaching guitar, piano & voice. I play solo on occasion, and I'm a member of a 3-part harmony vocal trio with a couple of good friends. My good hubby (of 10 years) and I are avid gardeners, we grow our berries and vegs on a large plot of ground at a community garden nearby.

I've learned soooo much from being on MFP for 5 years, wowie, what an eye-opener. The trick now is to eat between 1250-1350 calories every day, and fit in a little glass of red wine if I want it after work (which I always do)!

Love having friends, feel free to add me. I'm active daily on my newsfeed, I like to write! Good luck everyone, I'm telling you (and myself) we can do this.

Joanie

calmandpeaceful

Thank you for sharing your stories. Sorrows shared can be sorrows lessened, even if a little bit. I've gained my weight from coping with my own grief. 5 years ago my brother Jim was dx'd with pancreatic cancer the same week that my 8 year old daughter (adopted as an infant) was admitted to an emergency psychiatric unit. We lost Jim 9 months later, and 3 months after that we had to place my daughter in a residential treatment facility for 19 months. It was arduous and heart breaking. She has been home 3 years and has improved greatly, but it's not been easy. Grief is a biggie. I send those of you who've been through it (husband, mother, so sad) cyber hugs.

So, since the tragic year, I've been working to strengthen myself in many ways. Mostly through head/heart stuff - prayer, meditation, yoga, therapy, relying on friends and husband, recertifying myself so I could go back to work. I'm better inside. Now I want to tackle my own spare tire. I look at my waist and simply cannot believe it's me.

I'm back at a job, similar to a job I did in my early 30s, when I was tall and thin. I'm still tall. But it's weird to be in my field 30 years later and 50 lb heavier. I will never be that thin again - but if I could lose 25-30 lb - I would be so happy.

I'm committing to logging today.

I'm committing to writing in the morning every day this week before work.

griffinca2

Calm, We're here for you if you need to vent. Also, remember it is a journey, not a project or a diet with an end date. It's about making changes you can live with and if you fall off about getting back up again and not giving up. I basically created my own eating plan based on foods I enjoy, cut back on the overly processed food (we use frozen veggies) and sugar (mostly added, although some natural) and lost 12 lbs in the process. I haven't weighed 115 since I graduated Navy Basic in 197. . .--I'm 65 so you do the math. You can do it and we're here to help you reach your goals! Keep us updated on your progress!

mk2fit

Regarding fitbit or not. I got a fitbit Charge HR about 3 weeks ago. I mostly like it, but I tend to obsess over stuff so...It is kind of cool to see how many calories I burn during different activities and it has a "stopwatch" which is great for timing my runs. I take a lot of what it says with a grain of salt, however. I hop on to my elliptical for an hour every morning. The fitbit gives me anywhere from 190 to 545 calories burned! I will say the new one (1st had a bad battery) is much more consistent, giving me roughly 350-400 calories burned on the elliptical.
Welcome all you new ladies! This is a great and supportive group without the nasty judgment you might find in other forums.

AnnPT77

calmandpeaceful wrote: »

Thank you for sharing your stories. Sorrows shared can be sorrows lessened, even if a little bit. I've gained my weight from coping with my own grief. 5 years ago my brother Jim was dx'd with pancreatic cancer the same week that my 8 year old daughter (adopted as an infant) was admitted to an emergency psychiatric unit. We lost Jim 9 months later, and 3 months after that we had to place my daughter in a residential treatment facility for 19 months. It was arduous and heart breaking. She has been home 3 years and has improved greatly, but it's not been easy. Grief is a biggie. I send those of you who've been through it (husband, mother, so sad) cyber hugs.

So, since the tragic year, I've been working to strengthen myself in many ways. Mostly through head/heart stuff - prayer, meditation, yoga, therapy, relying on friends and husband, recertifying myself so I could go back to work. I'm better inside. Now I want to tackle my own spare tire. I look at my waist and simply cannot believe it's me.

I'm back at a job, similar to a job I did in my early 30s, when I was tall and thin. I'm still tall. But it's weird to be in my field 30 years later and 50 lb heavier. I will never be that thin again - but if I could lose 25-30 lb - I would be so happy.

I'm committing to logging today.

I'm committing to writing in the morning every day this week before work.

You may surprise yourself. I'm 60, joined MFP last July (after starting weight loss in April without MFP), and have lost 60 pounds. I've not weighed this little since my early 20s, at the latest. I would never in a million years have believed I'd see this weight on the scale again in my life, let alone find the process so straightforward and doable.

Starting with the logging is a great idea. Patience is good; persistence is golden. Through them, you can accomplish your goals.

candicer

I got a fitbit for Christmas in 2014. Used it pretty religiously for about 6 months, but it didnt seem to make a difference in my daily excercise routine. I generally have a pretty non-physical lifestyle, unfortunately. After the gym every morning, I come home to do regular household chores, then spend the rest of my day sewing, I'm a professional seamstress, and I dont get a lot of physical activity with it. Which is why i am pretty anal about going in to the gym 5 -6 days a week!

Eleted

Ann PT77. I have been seeing you on here for awhile. You and I are close in age and started weight loss around the same time. But I am down 35 and you 60!!! That is awesome! Could you share your success formula with us? Im slowing down this winter and need some new ideas

jb_2011

Calm, you're doing a very good thing for yourself. Cyber hugs to you, as well. I share a similar spare tire, one that I don't want or need, so it's time to watch it go flat. I'd like it to deflate overnight, believe me. It's taken me awhile to get off my high horse and bow down to logging every day again, aiming to lose a pound each week. Patience and fortitude to us all.

AnnPT77

Eleted wrote: »

Ann PT77. I have been seeing you on here for awhile. You and I are close in age and started weight loss around the same time. But I am down 35 and you 60!!! That is awesome! Could you share your success formula with us? Im slowing down this winter and need some new ideas

Eleted, there is no secret formula beyond the obvious, IMO.

I came on MFP in July, read the stickies ("Most Helpful Posts") in the "Getting Started" and "General Diet & Weight Loss" categories, logged my eating (meticulously, weighing as much of my food as possible) and exercise (estimating conservatively), and followed the MFP process. I eat back nearly all my exercise calories. I've had some over-goal days along the way, sometimes waaaaay over goal. I "save up" calories when they're predictable (being careful not to cut so far it hinders good nutrition), or do some extra exercise, but I don't get upset when it happens (usually it's intentional): I just get back on my regular healthy diet the next meal.

Patient persistence is practically magic. I see people in my MFP friend feed who've succeeded that way big time. People who go to extremes (cleanses, crazy-low calories, frantic exercise, etc.) or who are all angst-y, excusefilled, and dramatic ("Ooo, I'm staarrrving", "I'm a sugar addict and can't stop", "I ate a cheeseburger; why am I a bad person?!?") often don't seem to last long, or go off the rails regularly enough that they don't progress. The people who succeed usually seem to use the standard MFP process to patiently learn a way of eating they can continue for life. They just keep chipping away at it.

I'm vegetarian, and eat lots of whole foods (fruits, veg, whole grains), and mostly cook from scratch . . . but I've done that most of the time for 30+ years while becoming obese. I'm quite active (especially for a li'l ol' lady), but I've been that for a dozen years, and stayed obese (though I did lose some inches at the same weight). What's worked for me is changing my eating to a sustainable, reasonable level.

If you want more details about what I eat or exercise, feel free to friend me - diary's open to friends.

Eleted

Thank you Ann! It's just nice to hear how someone else is succeeding to reinforce that I am doing just fine. It also does demonstrate that it is not the food or diet since you ate similarly all these years. Btw. You are not an old lady. If you are then I am. ( she says with great denial). Thanks so much for your insight!!

lacruiser2016

Well, it seems like I've hit a gold mine with this group! I'm new to MFP, but paid WW for years just to have access to their online trackers, etc. Finally got smart! I am 62, 5'9, and have been very active since my 30's. My husband and I used to own and run a health club, and I taught various classes for about 18 years. Since those days, I've become an avid tennis player.

Now the bad part: at some point all that exercise crossed the line into "overuse injury"! I have arthritis in both hips, have had torn cartilage in both knees, and am three weeks out of a complete shoulder replacement. That probably sounds worse than it really is -- I'm managing the knees and hips with NSAIDS and generic cymbalta (which absolutely gave me my life back), and I'm making really great progress with the shoulder. Fortunately it's my non-dominant side. I got to my goal weight in the summer of 2014 (155), but ever so slowly let it creep back up. Then we had a cruise vacation in early December, then holidays, and I knew the surgery was scheduled right after Christmas, so I've really let it go. Now I'm struggling with only being able to do fairly mild cardio (stationary bike and treadmill) since I'm having to keep my arm in a sling. It will be another 9-10 weeks before I can even begin to do any strengthening upper body work.

Whoever it was that said earlier that you can't outtrain a bad diet was SO right, especially past 50. I've really got to be diligent about what I'm putting into my body, and I'm hoping that MFP will help me get back on track with that. I know from experience that weight loss is definitely possible at our ages, but it seems that it take about twice the effort to get half the result! I'm glad I've found this thread and will come often for support. I'm at about 178 now, so that's a good 20 lbs that need to go.

I'll share one of my biggest challenges: I love wine and generally have a glass or two every day. Yes, I know it metabolizes as sugar...sigh... So, if you have suggestions, bring them on! And thanks to all of you for sharing your stories and encouragement.

AnnPT77

Eleted wrote: »

Thank you Ann! It's just nice to hear how someone else is succeeding to reinforce that I am doing just fine. It also does demonstrate that it is not the food or diet since you ate similarly all these years. Btw. You are not an old lady. If you are then I am. ( she says with great denial). Thanks so much for your insight!!

I know I have a different perspective on "getting old" and "being old": As a cancer survivor (15 years out from stage III breast cancer) and cancer widow, the real alternative to aging is very, very clear to me . . . all too clear.

I love being a "li'l ol' lady" (the "li'l" part is new for me ).

I enjoy getting older: Every birthday is a true celebration, a victory. My striving is not to "stay young" (frankly, that would make me kind of sad). What I want is to be the most creative, bad***, curious, contented, lively-minded, grateful, well-rounded me that I know how to be. Aging is an opportunity to be myself, and like myself as I am, without worrying how others feel about it. Every year can add wonderfulness, in my world, if I play my cards right.

Others can feel free to remain young. You can elect not to be a li'l ol' lady with me, irrespective of either of our ages. But I'm goin' for it!

griffinca2

AnnPT, I was a three-day-a-week gym goer until early Dec 15 when I broke my wrist--my writing hand of course. Once I get the go-ahead from the doc, I'll be back. I turned 65 Sep 15 and will do as much as I can. I wouldn't want to 25 or 35 again; like I'm enjoying being older. Anyway, there's two processes; aging (which you can't stop), and getting old (which you can control). Take care, and good luck on your journey!

1Nana2many

My mom always said "Age is a matter of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter!" I used to tease my older siblings about being older then me so I decided a long time ago that I couldn't afford to be sensitive about my age. I am 59 as of last November and retired from the US Postal Service. No, I don't have a large retirement, but I didn't want to run multiple post offices and so took my tiny retirement and ran. It took a while to get used to retirement, but I like it now and I have 9 grands that I enjoy spoiling a little. I get some interesting phone calls from my 3 year old granddaughter lately. I have been doing good logging and since Jan 4, from 244.7 lbs to 235. It feels like progress and I am slowly adding in more exercise. My husband and I went out to Applebees yesterday and even though the item I ordered was on their "healthy" diet plan it still contained 640 calories. I asked the waiter to bring me a take-out box immediately and before I took my first bite, I divided everything on my plate in two and put it out of sight in the take-out box, then ate the rest making sure I noted how many calories were involved so I could log them. I think the take-home will be my dinner tomorrow night. I am rather proud of myself for staying under my calories and as long as I keep drinking my water I am not really feeling deprived. For those of you who say you hate drinking water...I have always struggled to drink water myself...so much so that my mail carrier when I was working would say "you must be really sick, you're drinking water" because I literally would only drink water when I was ill to keep hydrated. Well, I have FINALLY become someone who can drink water. I do get a little sick of running to the bathroom, but hey, it's exercise isn't it?!!! Hang in there everyone. Every day is a day closer to goal!

griffinca2

1Nana, I also refuse to wear clothes from Bon Worth; don't want to dress like a 20 year old, but. . . ! Congrats on how much you have lost! It may be slow, but it is progress. Good luck & keep us posted.

JanetMMcC

Congratulations, Nana2many!

1Nana2many wrote: »

I am struggling to get enough water in, but I am improving...up to 6 cups a day now.

Don't worry about 8 cups a day.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/upshot/no-you-do-not-have-to-drink-8-glasses-of-water-a-day.html?_r=0
http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp
http://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-no-evidence-we-need-to-drink-eight-glasses-of-water-a-day-researcher-advises