Wanting a metabolism again

ldmoran42

I'm 45 and married. My three sons are grown and gone so now it's my husband and me left in the house. He does not like to eat healthy or exercise and frowns every time I talk about getting fit together. On his days off, if I talk vegetables and healthy meals he says "let's just go out to eat tonight". How can I turn that down. I love to lap swim but hate going by myself, would love to start jogging but it not a pretty site to see me jiggling all over as I do it. My husband has given me a goal though, he said, "you start losing some weight and then you can talk to me about eating healthy and I will start losing weight also". Okay so there was my goal. Menopause, type II diabetes, IBS, and no metabolism is where I smack into a big brick wall. Please tell me that at 45, I can do this and there is a light at the end and it is not just the light in my fridge.

Amy101975

Of course you can do this! And MyFitnessPal is a fantastic tool to help. Start off slow, at your own pace... Increasing water intake, cutting out soda, walking more, eating out less, planning meals. I turned 40 in January and I know I will be the best I've ever been by the time I turn 41. Being here and accountable is step one. Do to for YOU! Enjoy meeting your hubby's challenge, but create your own mini objectives to help you on your journey. I'm Amy, nice to meet you!

MSam1205

You can absolutely get things on the right track! I started in my mid 50's and have had some ups and downs, but I stick with it just about every day. my A1C has gone down, my BP has gone down, and the weight is still a work in progress but I'm not where I used to be! but you do need to do it for you, not your husband, not your kids. and you need to put you first. you can go out to dinner, just make better choices, don't jog, just walk. If you need an MFP friend, send me a request!

CSARdiver

My wife and I were out of sync on health for years. First I was when we were dating, then I slacked. Then she got really serious and I just got serious about a year ago. We still eat out and splurge on good food, but make up for it working out. Now we're getting the kids involved and racing together.

Make small changes that will have dramatic impact over the long term, but realize you may be going this alone. Try and find some larger goal that fitness takes a part of.

Welcome aboard!

blankiefinder

Obviously, you have a metabolism. If you have hypothyroidism that isn't treated, that might lower it, but for the most part, it's not about metabolism, it's about calories in, calories out. I am 44, hypo, so I know it's not easy, but it IS doable. I never thought I could be this size, especially at my age and after so many years.

Buy a food scale, weigh and log everything.

Do cardio if you want, and if you do, only eat back 50% of your calories (if you are losing faster than expected after logging for a few weeks, then up the % you eat back). Lift weights and hit your protein goal to help maintain muscle mass while losing.

Cheat meals that take you over maintenance will sabotage your efforts. Log the cheat meals too (falls under the 'log everything' rule).

Eat anything you want in moderation, keeping in mind that your diet will be easier to stick with if you chose foods that make it easier to stay under your calories without feeling hungry.

Also it would be a good idea to read some of the best advice posts on MFP:
Calorie Counting 101
Logging Accuracy, Consistency, & You're Probably Eating More Than You Think
A Guide To Get You Started on Your Path To Sexy Pants

maillemaker

I'm 44 and I am down nearly 30 pounds since 8/23/14.

The real trick is can you keep it off. I never have been able to so I can't help you there.

thatgumyoulike

blankiefinder wrote: »

Obviously, you have a metabolism. If you have hypothyroidism that isn't treated, that might lower it, but for the most part, it's not about metabolism, it's about calories in, calories out. I am 44, hypo, so I know it's not easy, but it IS doable. I never thought I could be this size, especially at my age and after so many years.

Buy a food scale, weigh and log everything.

Do cardio if you want, and if you do, only eat back 50% of your calories (if you are losing faster than expected after logging for a few weeks, then up the % you eat back). Lift weights and hit your protein goal to help maintain muscle mass while losing.

Cheat meals that take you over maintenance will sabotage your efforts. Log the cheat meals too (falls under the 'log everything' rule).

Eat anything you want in moderation, keeping in mind that your diet will be easier to stick with if you chose foods that make it easier to stay under your calories without feeling hungry.

Also it would be a good idea to read some of the best advice posts on MFP:
Calorie Counting 101
Logging Accuracy, Consistency, & You're Probably Eating More Than You Think
A Guide To Get You Started on Your Path To Sexy Pants

Meh. I was trying insanely to lose weight after my second kid and it was attitudes like this that made me wait and beat myself up before going to the doctor. It was only after completing p90x, getting back to my regular running routine and meticulously weighing and measuring out 1500 cals a day and gaining 2 lbs a month that I gave in and got my thyroid tested.

Now on meds, I've managed to lose 20 lbs in 4 months doing far less.

Yes cico is key, but your thyroid can really screw things up. And my reasoning that I could fix it if I was just diligent enough meant I delayed treatment for at least 6 months.

Sorry I read that again, but my first impression was that you were underplaying how much a role crappy metabolism can play.

blankiefinder

thatgumyoulike wrote: »

blankiefinder wrote: »

Obviously, you have a metabolism. If you have hypothyroidism that isn't treated, that might lower it, but for the most part, it's not about metabolism, it's about calories in, calories out. I am 44, hypo, so I know it's not easy, but it IS doable. I never thought I could be this size, especially at my age and after so many years.

Buy a food scale, weigh and log everything.

Do cardio if you want, and if you do, only eat back 50% of your calories (if you are losing faster than expected after logging for a few weeks, then up the % you eat back). Lift weights and hit your protein goal to help maintain muscle mass while losing.

Cheat meals that take you over maintenance will sabotage your efforts. Log the cheat meals too (falls under the 'log everything' rule).

Eat anything you want in moderation, keeping in mind that your diet will be easier to stick with if you chose foods that make it easier to stay under your calories without feeling hungry.

Also it would be a good idea to read some of the best advice posts on MFP:
Calorie Counting 101
Logging Accuracy, Consistency, & You're Probably Eating More Than You Think
A Guide To Get You Started on Your Path To Sexy Pants

Meh. I was trying insanely to lose weight after my second kid and it was attitudes like this that made me wait and beat myself up before going to the doctor. It was only after completing p90x, getting back to my regular running routine and meticulously weighing and measuring out 1500 cals a day and gaining 2 lbs a month that I gave in and got my thyroid tested.

Now on meds, I've managed to lose 20 lbs in 4 months doing far less.

Yes cico is key, but your thyroid can really screw things up. And my reasoning that I could fix it if I was just diligent enough meant I delayed treatment for at least 6 months.

Twice in my post I mention thyroid. Did you read it? Or just blow it off due to personal prejudice?

thatgumyoulike

blankiefinder wrote: »

thatgumyoulike wrote: »

blankiefinder wrote: »

Obviously, you have a metabolism. If you have hypothyroidism that isn't treated, that might lower it, but for the most part, it's not about metabolism, it's about calories in, calories out. I am 44, hypo, so I know it's not easy, but it IS doable. I never thought I could be this size, especially at my age and after so many years.

Buy a food scale, weigh and log everything.

Do cardio if you want, and if you do, only eat back 50% of your calories (if you are losing faster than expected after logging for a few weeks, then up the % you eat back). Lift weights and hit your protein goal to help maintain muscle mass while losing.

Cheat meals that take you over maintenance will sabotage your efforts. Log the cheat meals too (falls under the 'log everything' rule).

Eat anything you want in moderation, keeping in mind that your diet will be easier to stick with if you chose foods that make it easier to stay under your calories without feeling hungry.

Also it would be a good idea to read some of the best advice posts on MFP:
Calorie Counting 101
Logging Accuracy, Consistency, & You're Probably Eating More Than You Think
A Guide To Get You Started on Your Path To Sexy Pants

Meh. I was trying insanely to lose weight after my second kid and it was attitudes like this that made me wait and beat myself up before going to the doctor. It was only after completing p90x, getting back to my regular running routine and meticulously weighing and measuring out 1500 cals a day and gaining 2 lbs a month that I gave in and got my thyroid tested.

Now on meds, I've managed to lose 20 lbs in 4 months doing far less.

Yes cico is key, but your thyroid can really screw things up. And my reasoning that I could fix it if I was just diligent enough meant I delayed treatment for at least 6 months.

Twice in my post I mention thyroid. Did you read it? Or just blow it off due to personal prejudice?

As I edited my last post, I interpreted the first part about metabolism not playing a roll wrong and caught it on a reread. Sorry. Get so used to the CICO above all you read on here I got blinded by it.

My apologies.

blankiefinder

From my personal experience, I know how discouraging it is to feel like you are doing everything right and not lose. That is when most of us quit. A small percentage of those won't lose due to a medical issue like hypothyroidism, a slightly larger because of hypothyroidism + not actually doing everything right, and the majority because they are eating more than they think.

If anyone is not losing that feels like they should be, I would suggest checking the points I mentioned above, and if all of that is on point, then go see your doctor. If your TSH comes back normal and you're triple checked that you are logging accurately, then I usually recommend asking to have Free T3 and Free T4 levels checked in case it is a hidden thyroid issue.

ldmoran42

Thank you for the advice. I have had my thyroid checked. My Endocrinologist says I am gaining weight or not losing it because I don't eat. I think that is funny because I do eat but sometimes I don't have time (nursing school student). She says I need to eat 7 times a day. I don't eat much and if I have sugar it throws my diabetes off and makes me sick. I love salt and salty things. I am trying vitamins and if you can suggest a good one, that would be great. I drink 1 diet coke a week and the rest of time water which gets boring after a while but everything else makes me sick.

editorgrrl

I'm 46 and have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and I lost the weight & have maintained for almost a year. You can do this!

I followed the advice in the Sexypants post which @blankiefinder posted upthread: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1