Over 50s Ladies - Our Special Needs
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@sbom1 Woo Hoo for you to be down another pound.
I have a funny. The pants I was so excited to get into really are too large. Even hubby commented on how baggy thy were and he rarely comments on this kind of thing. You all know I have whined about my butt in the front. He said why don;t I turn them around backwards and they might fit better. I did not know weather to laugh or cry.
Also some thing odd. I always wear silver necklace and pendent and silver bracelets. I almost never have to polish them. The last few days they are tarnishing. Wondering if there is some thing changed my new WOE making them tarnish. Some thing changing in my chemistry.0 -
@sbom1--Sure sounds like fasting agrees with you! Yay for the end of the stall and the loss!
@shadesofidaho--That's so great that the pants you were hoping to fit, are too large! Now you'll have to go shopping.
I guess it's no wonder that your body chemistry is changing, with so much changing inside going on.
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Hello Ladies. I have only been here about 3 wks, and hadn't read this thread yet. Today, although I was daunted by over 200 posts, I did read most of them. Please ladies excuse me if this is too long and boring, but here goes...
I am 52 and have not reached menopause yet, but do know that it is harder to lose weight at my age. I used to be an expert at losing weight, the trouble was that I was also very good at putting it back on. Like most people, I wanted to have my cake and eat it too. I've lost hundreds of pounds over the decades and put even more back on. That can't be good, and it was horrible for my self esteem....but there were a lot of other factors that helped contribute to my lack of self worth, but I won't get into it right here. It became an impossible goal to try to lose weight.
The last success I had, if you can call it that, was 10 years ago. I started out at about 260 pounds and lost 100 pounds, and felt on top of the world, sort of, for a couple of weeks anyway. I did it the ultra low fat way, by eating a lot of crappy processed low fat products, by limiting my calories way too low and by exercising like a maniac. I don't know how I thought this would be sustainable in the long run. I was also an overachiever at work, and was the one that my co-workers would turn to for everything. But I hid the fact that my marriage was breaking up and when things got very ugly at home, the weight started to come back. It was purely a self comfort thing. I have always worked full time and have 2 girls. While filing for separation with hopes of divorce, I had severe issues with my youngest child who was exhibiting violent behaviour and had to be hospitalized in the psych ward. This led to me losing my job due to stress and suffering my own breakdown. It was just too hard to maintain the weight loss with crisis in my life. So all the weight came back and more, and I felt like the ultimate failure who had lost everything in her life. I did manage to keep my house and my kids, and I am working on rebuilding my health and self confidence.
Well, this ended up getting a bit heavier than I intended. Sorry if this isn't the place for emotional support. (I haven't worked up the courage to tell my story on the emotional support thread.) I guess my point here is that all kinds of stuff gets in the way of weight loss success. I can look back now and tell myself that when my life was in danger, I shouldn't have been giving myself extra stress because I was gaining weight. That should have been the least of my worries. I can forgive myself now, but I couldn't back then.
I ended up taking all kinds of drugs to try to feel better, on my Dr's advice of course. It started with the sleeping pill, d/t stress, then lead to the antidepressant, then when the panic attacks started, there was another drug for that and another one for anxiety to help me sleep because the sleeping pill wasn't as effective anymore. Yikes.
Then almost 5 yrs ago, my girlfriend was concerned about my health and took me to see her chiropractor who believed in total body/mind/spirit health, not just the state of my spine, but also my nutrition etc. At that point I was 284 pounds, had a bad back, and headaches daily, and my hips were crooked making it hard for me to walk straight. The Dr corrected my spine which I think made it easier for my body to function, my headaches went away and I could walk straight again. But most importantly, he taught me how to improve my diet by eliminating grains, sugar, starchy vegetables, most fruit and processed foods. I started to eat a paleo or primal diet mostly. I lost 40 pounds very gradually over 4 years. I completely changed the way I eat and shop for food. I have made this commitment to myself and do not intend to ever re introduce those foods into my life again. So I know this way of eating is suastainable for me to achieve long term success. It is just happening a little slower than I imagined it would, I think because I am getting older and my metabolism must be slower.
Last September 2014, I was getting frustrated with the slow weight loss, and wanted to step it up a notch. I hadn't started tracking my food yet, except to journal my food daily, and did lose 12 more pounds by new years. In 2015, I started paying more attention to what exactly I was eating. I think paleo is already much lower on carbs that a SAD diet, but I just knew I had to go lower. I suspect that is the case with many older ladies. I've lost another 17 pounds in 2015, thanks mainly to joining MFP, where I was able to actually see how many carbs I was eating in relation to fat and protein.
I have hypothyroidism as well, which I think is important to mention. I am sure that this makes it especially difficult to lose weight. I do take synthroid daily, but must admit, I hadn't seen the rise in metabolism I expected.......until I tried keto this year.
I am so pleased that just by going lower on carbs and higher in fat, I am seeing progress where I had been stalled. The great thing is that my chiropractor is extremely supportive with my plan. I have done a complete turn around in terms of trusting conventional health, medicine and dietary advice ( I don't trust them anymore) and I revel in being the rebel. Oh I forgot to mention, that I ditched first the panic attack meds that knocked me out, then the anti-depressant, then the sleeping pill. I replaced the sleeping pill with "Natural Calm" magnesium almost 3 years ago.
I am really enjoying being on MFP, and popping up in various conversations about all kinds of topics that nobody I know in person has ever had any experience with. MY kids and I are the only people we know who eat this way. It gets tiresome to have to explain to others who think you are crazy for not eating wheat etc. I want some of my friends to accept what I do and be excited for me, but they do not understand. I am so thankful to have found the low carb and keto people here who are going through the same experiences I am, and who know the joys of eating fat.
One of the most wonderful things about eating a high fat diet is that not only do you feel satiated most of the time, but it is extremely good for regulating mood and for providing a sense of well being. If you could see me now, you would never suspect that I had previously suffered from depression.
I am now 215 pounds and I can't believe that I am wearing clothes that I never thought I'd be able to fit into again. My health has improved so much, and I look forward to continuing on my journey with much more self confidence in what I am doing. It might seem like I have a long way to go, but I can look back and know that I have come a very long way, and I am excited to see where this ends up.
Right now my goal is to be the fittest I can be for this summer when I am going on a whale expedition with my sister and mother. We are sharing a small cabin for 3 on the train and I have been designated to sleep on the top bunk ! That is motivating me to continue.
Much luck to everyone on your journeys as well.
P.S. I'm loving the energy from BPC made with 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp MCT oil, keeps me going until supper.0 -
Welcome Kitnthecat,
You have been on quite a journey. Sounds like you are pulling yourself up out of what must have felt like a bottomless pit. Congratulations on your courage to keep fighting for your health. HA you had me about your first line where you said you were 52 and not in menopause yet. I think I would have out a bullet in my head. I guess all of us are doing our weight loss a little bit differently but it is all for the same goal and all of us I think are low carb in one way or another. I hope you get to enjoy that top bunk. I wish I had lost as much as you. Congratulations.
chris0 -
Welcome Kitnthecat,
This is a fine place to get it all out! Very supportive group. Kudos on what you have accomplished and on your goals!
2nd fast day of the week for me ladies, went well again. I am enjoying this! Have a ton of energy, surprisingly.
Starting our countdown before our big 5 1/2 month trip, less than a week now. We usually travel a few months each summer but this year is a long trip. About 3/4 of the time we'll be in apartments and 1/4 in hotels, so I hope to keep losing and not gain as I usually do during these sojourns.
Hope everyone had a good day.0 -
WOW sbom1, 5 1/2 months away. Have a great time. I have not been on a vacation for years and years. I think about 1999 was the last one to Canada.0
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Hi Kitnthecat---It is such an accomplishment to work through so much and get to a much healthier place that you are right now. This is a great group, and you are welcome here. Keep on working to be fit for that whale expedition!
sbom1---Sounds like you're going to have a wonderful summer with your 5 1/2 month trip! You're doing so well with your WOE plan, I'm sure it will keep right on going. Great that you have so much energy! I'm waiting for that phase to hit me.
It's Thursday, so have a great day everyone!0 -
Thank you everyone for your support. You're right Shades, it did feel like a bottomless pit. Sbom1,and wheatlessgirl, thanks for the encouragement. (It felt good to get all that out.) I think that 10 years ago, I was really afraid of what others would think about the turns in my life. But weight loss wise, I was in a different place. The weight fell off, but I was under so much stress, it was not healthy or sustainable.
At this age, I was losing 10 pounds per year, very slow, but maybe it will stick. But since going lower carb, I feel like I have found what works for me. I aim for 5% carbs, and am usually under my 16 g per day, but on the odd day that I go out and my carb count might be in the 20's, I have still found that it has resulted in weight loss. If anything, I feel that this WOE, although very similar to how I usually ate pre keto, is like a magic formula for my body for weight loss. It feels so natural and stress free. I know it helps immensely to track what I eat and try not to go over, but I think it's the lower carb count that is really doing it for me.
Scrambled eggs and BPC and I'm good to go to work. Have a great day ladies.0 -
Hello Beautiful Ladies *waves* I seem to have been chasing my tail this last week. I’ve read all the posts since I last wrote anything sensible on here, and have sent you all love as I read – hope you felt it
Just had no time to reply to *everyone* that needed it and didn’t want to miss anyone, so replying has had to wait 
@Shades I’m so, so excited for you that you’re tracking so well. That was a long dry spell and you kept on keeping on, and so deserve the success that you’re now seeing! That’s fantastic about those trousers/pants, though I hear you that you’d hoped to wear and enjoy them. I guess you could hang them on the wall and enjoy them that way? I wonder if keto-acetone is escaping from your pores to ‘upset’ your silver jewellery? If ever you want a ‘virtual vacation’ I write a journal with photos each time we take a holiday so you can visit quite a few places in the southern hemisphere at www.mayL.id.au
@RATSMITH So happy that you have found your energy – particularly after that awful gastro!
@sbom You’re doing incredibly well, congratulations for all your hard work! Maybe I need to do a fast because sure as heck, nothing else is working for me right now
Wow, your trip sounds amazing – are you travelling far or to many countries?
@Kitn I feel so honoured, as a part of this group, that you felt safe to share your story with us. And so very sorry that you’ve had to endure all of these things in your life
This thread absolutely *is* the place for emotional support, please always feel that you can share here. Your total weight losses remind me of a saying that I love – a quote, I believe, by Elizabeth Taylor ‘If I’d kept off all the weight I’d ever lost I’d be hanging from a charm bracelet!’. I’m so glad you’re here Kitn, and the way you’ve come through your trials with such strength is truly inspirational.
@wheatless I hope you gain the super-energy stage very soon
For me… I took my granddaughter to my naturopath and he’s given her some supplements so I’m happier about her mental state. It breaks my heart when she suffers panic attacks because I know it was my genes that have given this to her. That’s not something that any grandmother wants to ‘gift’ her grandchildren But she seems to be picking up, and has 2 weeks school holidays soon so that will help too. I’ve convinced myself that me worrying will not help my son to keep his job so I have ‘let go and let God’ with that. The fear of the snake in my house (8 days ago) is mostly fading, though I am definitely still affected, turning lights on where I’d normally walk in the dark from room to room etc. And the baby bird incident is in the past and I’ve let go the upset of all that.
I’m as patient as all of us here with my weight but was really fed up with it this morning. I’ve been hungry this past week even though I’m eating almost all my calories each day. If I said that elsewhere in these threads they'd tell me to eat more, but I'm putting *on* weight. I've been eating between 1400 and 1500 calories a day with very little exercise this past week. Probably eating too much, but I've been hungry! I 'hit my groove' and was losing weight on 1150 to 1340 calories a day for a nice 6-day run, but have been hungry since then. I suppose I have to just wait (weight, LOL) until the next 'not hungry' stage kicks in. My weight was down to a wonderful 83.9 kgs last Sunday - now I'm up to 84.6 this morning. My waist is thicker again, and I'm honestly feeling fatter this week too. Oh well. I had to be patient to get from 88.3 kgs to where I am now and guess I have to remain that way. There's no other option after all ROFL
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Oh and I meant to say - if anyone is happy to be addressed by their real name in this thread, please do say so! Mine, as you would guess, is May.0
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Hi Ladies, May I join you? My name is Tina, I am 59 and had wls 10 years ago. Lost (and kept off) 100 pounds but never lost the last 60. Trying again for the 100th time! I used to drop several pounds a week on lc, but now my body just fights to keep every pound! I must say, I am so glad to hear about the weight fluctuations because that is exactly what is happening to me! I thought I was doing something wrong!
Today is day 33 of lchf. I lost 5 pounds, gained back 2, think I have lost those two, but I was starting to obsess over the scale so forced myself to stay off until Monday.
After trying other apps to track, I found mfp. I have a question- sometimes I can see my macros and sometimes I can't. It's like looking at 2 different apps?
My macros are set at 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fat. I have the calories at 1374.
Feel so much better on this way of life. Don't ever want to go back.
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Welcome Tina, The fluctuation is so frustrating. I am finally dropping tenths of a pound st a time. It is so painfully slow. No idea why your macros are not showing up all of the time. Are you using your phone? I do not have a cell phone so no help there. I am doing just about the same macros. I did go to Fitday to track my foods and it seems to end up pretty close 5 % Carbs and a bit higher protein 33% ish and about 65% ish fats. For some reason this seems to be working better for me when I do not have to force the fats. But this change after three months of losing the same dang three pounds over and over has only been since March 14 so I am not sure if it will continue. Stay tuned. LOL0
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Welcome Tina and yes, you may most certainly join us. The more the merrier. *And*, as you've seen, we can gain some peace and patience about our slow weight losses together because we're not comparing our journey to that of men, or younger women.
My daily goals are 0-20 grams Carbs, 110-130 grams Fat and 60-80 grams Protein equalling about 1450 calories. I was losing nicely a week ago on that but the same magic formula is failing this week ha ha!
I do weigh daily because that's best *for me*. Last Friday I weighed 84.4 kgs. This morning I was 84.6. If I hadn't weighed daily I wouldn't know about the 84.3 that I got to on Mon, Tue and Thu, never mind the 83.9 last Sunday. And although I did feel a little frustration at being up this morning, I still have the joy of knowing I'd reached 83.9 once so I know I can do it again if I behave
As Shades said, the phone app is completely different to the computer version of MFP. I barely use the app unless I want to scan a barcode so I don't know much about it either.
All the best with your 60 lbs. I have 27 lbs to lose (and perhaps up to 9 more after that).0 -
One very small point that may be of interest to you Tina... Those of us in this thread (in other words mature women, or younger women with PCOS) have all found that we actually *do* have to count calories. even though we are LCHF or keto. I know men and other women don't have to, but so far each and every one here doesn't seem to achieve any success without it.
If you can be the exception to that rule then more power to you - we'll all be cheering you on - but just thought I should mention it
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Welcome, Tina, to our merry little band! I joined this month and have found lots of support and help. As of this morning, I'm down by 10 lbs! That's phenomenal for me, and the difference is LCHF. I'm at 219.2, so I have a long way to go. I try to stay pretty close to my macros, 5% carb, 20% pro, 75% fat and around 1400 calories, so we're pretty much in the same boat. I weigh every day, too. If I avoid the scale, I tend to stray...
You'll find lots to read under the LCHF banner, so enjoy!0 -
Good Morning Ms May!
I am Rebecca and I am still doing really well today. Thursdays are usually rough for me but yesterday went pretty well. Treatments are almost over and they seem not to be affecting me as badly. So ready to have it over with so I can "get on with it". Whatever it is!
Fridays are good days for me as I get my Grandflowers (youngest son's daughters are Lilly & Rose) for the weekend. We are finally getting some dry sunny (but not yet baking) days here in South Texas. Blue bonnets are out and I'm hope to snap some pics.
Reading about the snakes has me a bit concerned. My home is in the middle of a field and I don't landscape (I've always said I'm allergic to green....) so I'm sure we will be seeing some soon. ug
Once again I wanna say THANKS to everyone for the supportive feel of this group. It somehow helps to know that there are others out there struggling with similar issues and learning how you are coping/dealing/working thru them. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to share some of my story.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day.
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I LOVE this thread. Welcome kitncat. you are in the right place for sure.
can i share my low carb dilemma with you guys? (if your answer is no, now is the time to skip to the next post).
In January i started reducing my carbs by counting net carbs. Got down to 20 net carbs a day. In 9 weeks i lost 15 pounds, as well as 5.7 inches around my waist etc.
So, i took what to me seemed like the obvious next step, and switched to counting carbs. I bought myself some keto strips and tried to keep to 20 carbs a day.
and it has been a DISASTER!!!! I am hungry all of the time. i am sleeping terribly. I am eating literally thousands of calories more per day than i was when i was counting net carbs. I am craving sweets. i am miserable. I am scared to get on teh scale but if i am managing to maintain without gaining, it would be a miracle.
So, fellow travelers, what do you advise? Shall i go back to net carbs, or shall i tweak my eating and keep on aiming for the holy grail of ketosis?
I could really use your help.0 -
Hi Cathy, Congratulations on your great weight loss! Great accomplishment!
I'm only 28 days into this, but without looking at your food diary I'm guessing that you're not eating enough fat. That's the thing that fills and satisfies you so you don't crave sweets.
When you have cravings, have a BPC or some other portion of fat. Are you low on magnesium? That will affect your sleep. There's a magnesium thread you can read that has lots of info on it.
There's lots of help here, so read, read, read, and you'll learn a ton! All the best to you as you go forward!
@Rebecca---what cuties! You must be a very happy and proud grandma!
Ellen0 -
@ Cathy If counting the net carbs worked for you then I would go back to that WOE. There is no right or wrong just do what works for you.0
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That's very true, there are no right or wrong ways to do this. I think I am way more patient now that in previous weight loss attempts, and that is good. And May, I agree with you that it helps greatly to track calories. I know I can't eat as many calories as I could get away with when younger.
It sure has been interesting to me to observe what seems to be working for me now, compared even to the primal diet I had been eating for the past few years. I found that while primal/paleo I still had the odd cravings, despite giving up bread for good 2-3 years ago. I was still eating the odd serving of rice or potatoes, and even ice cream ( used to make my own sometimes with cream, milk and xylitol, not sugar )! No wonder I wasn't losing weight with my thyroid issues. But since lowering the carbs even more, things have become easier. I don't have any more cravings usually. When I feel I need something to snack on, I'll reach for something with fat and protein, like some macadamia nuts, or even a slice of butter, but I still have to watch the calories. I think the fat satisfies me enough to stop snacking much sooner than I used to. Very interesting, and such a feeling of control, just to observe myself stopping the eating, especially in the evening when I used to do most of my overeating.
It's also interesting to me that I have so much energy. I think this is very sustainable and it has given me much confidence that I will succeed this time, in losing the rest, eventually.0
