55-65 year old women's success?

Cheryl7777

@1Nana2many Well said, thank you for sharing.

mk2fit

Woo hoo @1Nana2many!

griffinca2

Agree w/1Nana2many; it needs to be a lifestyle and not a "diet" with an end date. Make changes you can live with the rest of your life--if you can't stand cauliflower (I don't like it either); then don't buy it because some diet tells you to. I use regular half & half in my coffee (ditched the powdered stuff) and eat regular cheese--the other stuff had added sugar (helps with the texture & taste). I still eat cake, cookies, pizza, etc., but not all the time. I too am a sugaraholic (mostly chocolate), so I try to keep it under control. It may take you a while to play with your portion sizes and macros; but do what works for you and don't leave out the foods you love, just eat smaller portions of them less often. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

odirish

Thanks for the replies. I need to get back into the gym. I definitely don't drink enough water either. I hate water, but I'm not a soda person either. I'll go back into my food diary and fill in exactly what I ate yesterday and I'll probably be blown away about my mindless eating. I'm going to stick around this time and try to stay on track. I just had a scare. My left arm and my lower lip went numb but only for maybe 10 seconds. I had an ultra sound done on carotid artery and good news there is no blockage. Drs think this is viral. (I never heard of that)

odirish

Well I didn't do too bad. Hopefully this will post
Totals 1,624 199 54 78 13
Your Daily Goal 1,510 189 50 76 21
Remaining -114 -9 -4 -1 7
I actually thought that I didn't eat enough

odirish

Well I didn't do too bad. Could be better
Totals 1,624 199 54 78 13
Your Daily Goal 1,510 189 50 76 21
Remaining -114 (calories) -9 (carb) -4 (fats) -1 (protein) 7 (fiber)

griffinca2

odirish, take it one day at a time and if you mess up get back up and start over. Rome wasn't built in a day and you're going to have bad days and good ones along the way. You only fail if you give up. BTW, never heard of going numb as viral either; did they check to see if there was a blockage anywhere else?

odirish

yes, I had an ultra sound on my carotid artery and everything is clear. I also have bursitis in my left arm and technician said it's possible that the inflammation could be pinching the nerve.

JanetMMcC

ilikegardens wrote: »

I waited too long for the surgery, but as my doctor said, that's water under the bridge.
Slow and steady, my new mantra...
Karen

Yup, water under the bridge, like my waiting until I was 62 to get serious about weight. We start from where weare, and all progress is worth celebrating, so welcome and celebratory cheers.

JanetMMcC

Cheryl7777 wrote: »

Thank you. I'm glad to hear your making progress on the stairs. Right now I can't walk up the stairs to my bedroom. There are 10 of them and my legs are still so swollen it feels like they weigh an extra 50 pounds each. I'm doing my exercises and practicing on the stairs twice a day. I have a hard time walking as my house is small and the walker makes it difficult. I sure hope all this will be worth it in the end. I guess I'm suffering some post operation depression too.

How are things going? Has the past week brought any relief from the swelling?

JanetMMcC

odirish wrote: »

Hi I belong to this group but I'm mostly a lurker. I have been beating myself up trying to lose this weight. I am currently at 193 and my goal is 145/150. I have problems sticking to any sort of diet. I have no willpower. I lift weights (for 18 years now) but diet is 90% of the success. I don't really have any questions, I'd just like to follow along. But

You're where I started, including goal range - except that I started at 213 lbs. What helped me get going was a doc's suggestion to cut out all white carbs, going to brown rice, whole-grain bread and such. Granted, one of the biggest results was an end to snacking on candy, chips and cake. But it worked for me, and maybe it could help you. Best of luck!

JanetMMcC

odirish wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I need to get back into the gym. I definitely don't drink enough water either. I hate water, but I'm not a soda person either. I'll go back into my food diary and fill in exactly what I ate yesterday and I'll probably be blown away about my mindless eating. I'm going to stick around this time and try to stay on track. I just had a scare. My left arm and my lower lip went numb but only for maybe 10 seconds. I had an ultra sound done on carotid artery and good news there is no blockage. Drs think this is viral. (I never heard of that)

Coffee, tea, &c also count. Water plus lemon plus sweetener = lemonade. I also like water with a smaller amount of unsweetened lemon or lime juice.

And from what I've read, there's not really a need for 8 cups, if you're eating a good amount of fruits and veggies.

snerggly

I am glad I found this thread. I was about to give up. I am trying the lose the same 25 pounds since my hysterectomy 10 years ago. I am 5'5.5 and a 155 lbs. My doctor says that I am obese. I am also 56 years old. I will be reading updates on this group. I need the encouragement. I just switched to a low calorie plant based diet two weeks ago, doing it slowly but plan to be 100 percent plant based by the end of July.

Thank you for all of these postings.

griffinca2

snerggly, I disagree with your doc; I'm 5'3" and weighed 155 at one time and I was NOT obese (border line perhaps (and over fat for sure)), but not obese! Anyway, make changes you can live with the rest of your life; this is a marathon, not a sprint. I found trying to follow someone else's diet didn't work either; what worked for me was watching the portion sizes and cutting back on sugar (natural as well as the added--but especially the added). I still enjoy cake, cookies, pizza, etc., but only occasionally; so experiment with your eating plan and do what works for you--including being plant based by end of July. Take care and have a wonderful 4th!

AnnPT77

snerggly wrote: »

I am glad I found this thread. I was about to give up. I am trying the lose the same 25 pounds since my hysterectomy 10 years ago. I am 5'5.5 and a 155 lbs. My doctor says that I am obese. I am also 56 years old. I will be reading updates on this group. I need the encouragement. I just switched to a low calorie plant based diet two weeks ago, doing it slowly but plan to be 100 percent plant based by the end of July.

Thank you for all of these postings.

Seconding what @griffinca2 said: At 5'5.5", and 155 pounds, your body mass index (BMI) is 25.4. The obese range of BMI starts at 30 and goes up from there.

BMI 25-29.9 is the overweight range.

Unless there's something remarkably unusual about your body configuration that your doctor sees but we don't, you're only a small amount above the normal weight range (BMI 18.5-24.9). At your height, the normal range in pounds would be 113-152 pounds.

You can do this! I'm 60 y/o, and lost 60+ pounds in less than a year, mostly during 2015, now in maintenance mode at 120 plus or minus 3 pounds (I'm 5'5", with a narrow build).

ilikegardens

Yup, water under the bridge, like my waiting until I was 62 to get serious about weight. We start from where weare, and all progress is worth celebrating, so welcome and celebratory cheers.

Janet, thanks for the welcome! I'm hanging in there, some days are so much more challenging than others...

Cheryl, How are you feeling?

Karen

mk2fit

@snerggly I agree with the other ladies. You are nowhere near obese. I topped out at 190# and I am 5'7". I was this close to being obese but my BMI was 29. Lost all of that extra weight and have been at maintenance for a little over a year. Anyway, you have come to the right place. Lots of us have been there, done that and are here to offer whatever advice you want (and maybe some you don't). Best wishes on your journey. You CAN do this!

Cheryl7777

@ilikegardens Thanks for asking. I'm improving slowly but daily. I've mastered the stairs so can go up to my bedroom and sleep in my bed. That's wonderful. I finally faced the scale this morning and was devastated to see a 20 pound gain. I know I'm still very swollen from my surgery so it has to be mostly fluid retention, but it sure was a blow. I won't let it make me give up though. My daughter took me down to a walking path by the river so I can actually stretch out and get some steps in. We're going to do that for 3 days a week for starters. That will help the swelling as well as burn some calories. I sure was tired when we got home today though. Again, thank you so much for thinking of me and asking how I'm doing.

mk2fit

@Cheryl7777, great walk! Best wishes on your recovery. Do not let that gain get you down. It is all a part of what is happening.

robinhager3998

Hello everyone! I just turned 59, and I hope I will be close to my goal before I turn 60 next year! I have found that I HAVE to track my food, even if I have made bad choices for the day. I hope to get some encouragement from you all, and I hope I can help you as well!

maryandron1

I am 66 years old and having such a terrible time. I know I sabotage myself at times by not doing what I need to. I also cave in to my husbands wanting to eat out. I buy healthy food but he brings in the fantastic sweets. I am really looking for help to help me out with my own faults. I have no real encouragement. I feel awful and when I had lost weight I felt great. I now do the yo-yo effect. Had gotten down to 517 but now am at 175Everyone on here seems to be doing well. Sometimes I just want to cry. Suggestions from you wonderful people would be greatly appreciated.

ilikegardens

@maryandron1, Hang in there. We all face challenges. I only started to get serious about weight loss (again) about 8 weeks ago. It's slow, I hit plateaus, but I've lost a bit and I feel better.Cheryl and I are both recovering from hip replacements, and I think we get impatient!! About your husband and the fantastic sweets: I used to complain about my husband's junk food purchases, and then I just thought, "no, I have the choice to eat or not eat this stuff. And I choose not." So far it's worked. Focus on helping yourself feel good, both physically and mentally. Focusing on my weight is usually a bad idea, but I like making sure my activity level is pretty high. I also like eating better because I don't retain water uncomfortably.

As for suggestions: when I just want to eat I try to fix a high protein snack, which can fill me up for hours. My favorite right now is a vanilla flavored protein shake with a peach (protein powder, peach, ice, and a little water). I put most in a glass to drink, but I pour about 1/3 cup over nonfat greek yogurt. Yes, it's about 300 calories, but it lasts for hours. And it tastes great.

@cheryl7777, I'm glad you got out for a walk, and very glad you can sleep in your bed! I know how discouraging fluid retention can be. But it will go away!

@robinhager3998, Happy birthday! Yep, I'm with you on the food tracking. I have to. Period

griffinca2

maryandron, ilikegardens is right, put it in the pantry and out of sight (it's hard I know). Just small changes that you can maintain the rest of your life; and if you slip up, forget about it and start over--just don't give up. I'm 65 (be 66 is Sep) and lost 11 lbs last year. Fell and broke my wrist in Dec and had to eat whatever my husband fixed for me (did this and didn't gain). Just tried not to overeat; if he gave me too much, I had him put it up. I still eat cake, cookies, pizza, etc. (I even ate a doughnut Sun), just see them as a treat to have occasionally. We're here for you (so rant away if you need to); take care!

1Nana2many

Maryandron1: I know how tough it is. First and foremost, don't beat yourself up mentally. This is something it took me a long time to learn. Know that you are not alone in your struggles. I know eating out can really be hard. Things I have had some success with: If at a restaurant, asked the waiter to bring you a carry-out box as soon as you get the meal and put half of everything in the box and save it for another meal later. Order the kids meal or equivalent. I still go to McDonald's really want a burger and fries, instead

1Nana2many

FRUSTRATING BUTTONS!! To continue, instead of ordering the quarter pounder and large fires, I now order a regular cheeseburger and small fries. As soon as I get to the table I divide the fries in half and either throw half of them away or share them with someone else. I still feel like I had a treat food, but I didn't ingest 800 calories while doing so. I still want to kick myself for not figuring out that I could eat a lower calorie meal

Clear the counters in the kitchen. Don't leave food sitting out to be seen every time you walk through. Especially the high-calorie stuff!

Tell your husband that you love him and you'd really appreciate his support in this. Tell him you really want to succeed so you will be around and in healthy shape and not a heart attack statistic. He doesn't have to diet with you, but simply ask him not to push food at you because it's difficult for you to change your habits. There are some who will bash me for telling you this and I want you to know right now that I am not blaming your spouse. I just think it's important that you share your goals and let him know your struggles so he can't say he is unaware.

You and only you can decide what you are putting in your mouth. You have to learn to make healthy choices at every meal. You have to balance out your calories to stay within your calorie goals. If you mess up and you will, you have to wake up tomorrow and start fresh with your goals in mind. Put yesterday behind you and move forward every single day. Don't beat yourself up, just start again. You are never a failure if you just keep trying. If you've got to have a sweet treat, try having 1/4 of what you once might have eaten so you don't feel deprived. One or two bites taste just as good as three doughnuts! Weigh it, log it, be honest with yourself. If it's easier to keep your diary private to keep you honest with yourself, do it. It's a tool for you to use to know what and how much you are eating. That is it's soul purpose. Don't let anyone harass you into sharing if you don't feel comfortable doing so. Even though I am doing well, I still don't trust myself not to overeat and so I rarely input any exercise because I don't want to see those extra calories available to me.

Don't politely accept any food offered because someone is trying to push you to eat it. I have discovered that since I only get so many calories per day, I am going to pick how I spend those calories! You have to learn what foods keep you feeling fuller longer. I figured out a long time ago that if I drank a glass of milk every morning I wasn't starving by 10:00am so I have my glass of milk and cup of yogurt every day for breakfast. For whatever reason, that's the one meal I don't mind eating the same thing for every day. I usually start getting hungry again just before lunch when I stick with my high-protein breakfast.

Get in touch with what a real serving size is. Stick to your daily calorie goal. When you're out of calories, you're done eating. Make smart choices so you don't run out of food before you run out of day. There will always be foods to tempt you. Have a taste, not a ton of calories. It really, really is about eating fewer calories than you burn every day to lose weight. Are you eating out of boredom or because you are actually hungry? I struggle with this.

I will preach it again and again: VALUE YOURSELF enough to believe that YOU ARE WORTH THIS EFFORT!
Stepping away from the soapbox now...just know this: You CAN do this, just show up every day and begin as if it's the first day because it is.

mk2fit

Wow, excellent advice @1Nana2many! @maryandron1, if I might add one more thought...I used to buy a chocolate bar every week and break off one square every night as my special treat. That way I still got my sweet treat. This can work for lots of things - fries, chips, alcohol and even ice cream and pizza. Sometimes a little goes a long way; just remember to log it and account for it in your day.

griffinca2

Totally agree w/mk2loser & 1Nana2many!!

Charlottegetfit2

I'm so happy someone told me about this group. I am 61-years-old. I have struggled with my weight for several years now. Gone are the days of 125 lb. when I thought I was overweight!!:) I am now 175 lb. and struggling to lose the first 5. I am on medication for anxiety known for adding weight and it does seem like I gained 15 lb. overnight after starting the med, but it has helped my anxiety tremendously. So, my goal is to lose 40 lb. I go to the gym 3 times a week on average, which I know is not enough. Some days I log my food, others, not so much. I really need support and motivators. I truly feel that by being on MVP and finding this group I am going to succeed at reaching my goal and I will be meeting some terrific people in the process.

AnnPT77

rockyniki wrote: »

I'm so happy someone told me about this group. I am 61-years-old. I have struggled with my weight for several years now. Gone are the days of 125 lb. when I thought I was overweight!!:) I am now 175 lb. and struggling to lose the first 5. I am on medication for anxiety known for adding weight and it does seem like I gained 15 lb. overnight after starting the med, but it has helped my anxiety tremendously. So, my goal is to lose 40 lb. I go to the gym 3 times a week on average, which I know is not enough. Some days I log my food, others, not so much. I really need support and motivators. I truly feel that by being on MVP and finding this group I am going to succeed at reaching my goal and I will be meeting some terrific people in the process.

For me, I think the biggest help really was to log my eating, consistently and as accurately as possible (weighing food is best, and quicker than measuring once you learn the tricks). Log even if you go over your calorie goal. That way, you know where you stand.

You can go back over your diary, and if there was a day that didn't hit your goals, think about why, and make a plan for next time. (For example, I've learned that potlucks or buffets are tough for me, and that I'm more likely to eat over goal on days when I don't get enough sleep, so I work on improving in those scenarios.)

Over time, reviewing my diary helped me identify the foods that 'cost' more calories than they were worth in tastiness, satisfaction or nutrition, and replace them with others that better met my goals.

And gym 3 times a week is great - do what's manageable and enjoyable, so you stick with it. Exercising will help you hold onto strength and muscle while you lose fat, help with mood, and let you eat a bit more while losing at any given rate. You have a great start on your exercise routine - that's wonderful!

I started at age 59 (now 60), have lost 60+ pounds since April 2015, and am now at goal weight (120). You can get to your goal, too - slow & steady wins this race, like so many others!

griffinca2

Agree w/AnnPT77, finding something you can stick with and is manageable is the key. If you try to over-do you may end up over-training and defeating your purpose. I'm 65 and only hit the gym 3 days a week (on average, I sometimes miss); I try to keep busy during the week doing other things (house cleaning, etc.). Biggest thing that worked for me was cutting back on overly processed food, watching my portion sizes, and watching the sugar intake: do what works for you, not what some diet says to do. Remember it is a marathon and not a sprint, a lifestyle, not a "diet" with an end date. Good luck and keep us posted!!