60 yrs and up

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  • Ernest_Nigma
    Ernest_Nigma Posts: 69 Member
    @j29t Sorry to read about your fall, but I like the comment about choices. That seems to be the main benifit from MFP for me, the information to make better choices. Using the app, I'm still gradually trimming some weight. And, in part due to the added info about calories burned by exercise, I've been rekindling a former enjoyment of the triathlon sports. I hope everyone else is seeing progress, or at least finding ideas and inspiration here.
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 1,071 Member
    history_grrrl wrote: »
    I’m especially interested in how people are handling exercise and aging. I used to have more options for activity, especially yoga and walking, but now have various restrictions due to a connective tissue disorder and related problems: can’t lift weights, do isometric exercises, or do anything too high-impact on my feet. I use a stationary bike at home, just started a chair yoga class, and am finding some good Pilates videos online and a channel called SeniorShape that I like a lot (though I can’t keep up quite yet). Would love to know what others are doing.

    i'm a woman, 66, and i used to love working out in my 30s and 40s, but after a long illness in my late 40s through 50s and several injuries, i found i was weak as a kitten and had trouble mentally adapting to starting out at the weakest condition of my entire adult life.

    i think i've found a balance that works for me, and i'm gradually seeing strength increases. i do resistance training, mostly with a cable tower with a 205 pound stack and an olympic barbell, which for now is unloaded when i do deadlifts. i ride a semi recumbent exercise bike, climb the stairs outside or use an aerobic step or stepper, and i recently got a tiny treadmill with a fixed 7% incline, which can be pretty challenging. i try and do at least 40 minutes per day on the bike or steps and treadmill if i'm not lifting, and work out 5 to 6 days most weeks.
  • ThisMagicMoment
    ThisMagicMoment Posts: 39 Member
    After over 40 years of being mostly a daily weigher, I'm toying with the idea of not weighing at all, or maybe just once a month, as I start working on taking off the next 40 pounds.

    Daily weighing is a VERY hard habit to break. (I weigh daily and use a couple of weight averaging programs. At first they were helpful, but not as much lately.)

    Has anybody tried weighing just once a month, or not at all? Was it a positive experience for you, or did you go back to daily weighing?
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,407 Member
    I will continue to weigh every day and mostly ignore the number but instead plug it in to a spreadsheet to get the trend.

    Before about six years ago, I weighed most days... sometimes... and other times went weeks or so between weighing in. I still kept the data. I can see that my real weight loss didn't happen until I made sure to always weigh every single day. It was a way to keep myself accountable. It did take a while to learn that the one-day number wasn't really that important. Like today I am three pounds heavier than yesterday, but not really since I know it's just a one-day thing. If you have been weighing daily for 40 years, you already have the understanding that the day-to-day variation can be large, so you're ahead with that.

    When I go on long river trips or dive trips and am away from the scale, I have no feedback. My last Grand Canyon trip I gained weight over the month, and then kept gaining when I got back. My last Rogue River trip I mostly stayed the same, but I was extremely vigilant with calorie intake.

    My scale gets a visit from my feet every morning I'm home, and that's how it's going to stay.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,638 Member
    .
    ThisMagicMoment wrote: »
    After over 40 years of being mostly a daily weigher, I'm toying with the idea of not weighing at all, or maybe just once a month, as I start working on taking off the next 40 pounds.

    Daily weighing is a VERY hard habit to break. (I weigh daily and use a couple of weight averaging programs. At first they were helpful, but not as much lately.)

    Has anybody tried weighing just once a month, or not at all? Was it a positive experience for you, or did you go back to daily weighing?

    To be honest, it's never occurred to me to switch to anything other than daily, though I know others choose differently for good reasons (for them). I certainly don't think it's best or necessary for all.

    I'm curious, if you're willing to say, @ThisMagicMoment, why you're considering this change after so long? For example, has it become a source of anxiety (or other undesired emotion), or is it just seeming like a drag and an unnecessary task, or something else entirely?

    I weigh daily - have for years, decades I think, starting long before I seriously tried to lose weight. It's just data to me, completely emotion-free, and I'm a data geek (in other ways besides this, BTW). "Data geek" isn't synonym for obsessive, either - at least in my case. Data management (as an IT discipline) was part of my career, and using data to manage processes (not the same thing) became second nature in my work life as well.

    I used to weigh daily and make a dot on graph paper (date on the X axis, weight on the Y axis). When I learned about weight trending apps, I started entering daily weight there instead. It's a completely unemotional thing for me. I do it every day when not traveling, other than the rare day where something unusual happens first thing in the morning and I forget. (Forgetting isn't stressful, either.)

    I probably could get along OK weighing less often, though I think I'd find it a bit anxiety producing if I stopped food logging and went to weighing monthly - maybe just from the habit change? With my current routine, I don't worry about regain (which is not the same as saying I never regain :D ), and I feel like weighing puts some useful curbs around seriously undereating or overeating cumulatively.

    Clearly, your situation - or your feelings about? - differs.
  • ThisMagicMoment
    ThisMagicMoment Posts: 39 Member
    I'm considering weighing much less often mainly as something different to do. I've read so many articles about how fat loss is different from weight loss, and how clothes are supposed to be a more accurate way to tell whether we're making progress or not.

    But every time I put the scale away, saying I'm not going to weigh for awhile, I find myself getting it back out again the next day. I like having that data too, even when the numbers aren't what I want to see.

    Daily weighing is a strong habit at this point, and it's a real challenge trying to break it.

    I just wondered what others' experiences have been.
  • RetiredAndLovingIt
    RetiredAndLovingIt Posts: 1,395 Member
    @ThisMagicMoment …I am feeling the same after weighing daily for years. I don’t think the daily weighing is helping me, so trying something different…weighing monthly. Wish me luck I don’t gain! (But gaining even with daily weighing…so?) Still log my food tho.
  • history_grrrl
    history_grrrl Posts: 216 Member
    Sorry to be a bit late in responding, but thanks to everyone who replied to my query about exercise and aging/medical challenges. I really appreciate the insights and feel inspired by how much people have adapted to new circumstances, adopting new strategies over the years when needed and also managing to keep yourselves strong enough over the years to be able to bounce back somewhat when you get knocked off course.

    @Karlschaeffer: Walking was my passion and main form of exercise for many years. Unfortunately my feet now are so structurally problematic that it’s no longer advisable, and since I’m using a rollater walker outside, it’s just not fun. But I can commit at least to doing walking errands in my neighborhood. The senior centre in my neighbourhood has a walking group; I will look into it, as I suspect the group doesn’t go too far or fast.

    @ridiculous59: Your wide variety of activity is really appealing! I tend to do the same thing over and over, and it not only gets a little boring but also means I’m not working on different parts of my body. For example, I’ve never done anything involving weights but recently got some very light weights (2 pounds each) and have done a few (video-guided) exercise sessions with those. It has honestly never crossed my mind that I can be even a little bit stronger. I’ve never been an outdoorsy type but am impressed by your range.

    @Evamutt: You have been through a lot of medical intervention lately! I can relate. Despite not going to the gym, the 3 miles/hours a day of walking sounds great and more than enough. Almost all my exercise is at home right now, and I have to remind myself that it’s still exercise. I do like the idea of classes rather than solo exercise, but it sounds like, for you, the gym is useful for the equipment rather than the company? Maybe some gym-type equipment at home would help, or maybe you are doing plenty already.

    @AnnPT77: I’ve seen some of your other posts, and I’m struck by how well you know your body. This post is no different; having deep knowledge of what works and doesn’t for you, based on physical challenges and what does and doesn’t give you pleasure, is such an important approach. I also appreciate the reminder that activity can start later in life. Rowing is popular in my area (in fact, I have two colleagues and a student doing it now, and they adore it) though not within my capacity health-wise. I have always wished to bike outside (limited by visual problems), so the stationary bike is my substitute. It might be time to upgrade; I have a little low-tech Marcy, but the Schwinn at my physiotherapy place allowed for greater – though still comfortable – exertion. You have also reminded me that I’m missing the massage therapist at the PT place (haven’t been for many months). I see a physiatrist about once a year, and he’ll be pleased that I’m actually doing some of what he has been suggesting.

    @Zebasschick: Like you, I am struck by how physically weak I am once I get started, but your (and others’) comments are a great reminder of the need to keep it up, even in small increments. I always feel better when I manage to do something – anything! – every day. The last week has been challenging, perhaps because of the weather (the Great Lakes are not always a protection against the heat!).

    Again, thanks to everyone for so much wonderful food (ha) for thought.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,800 Member
    I did go to the gym on Friday & was planning to continue but I didn't put a "have to" on it...I've always swam about 20min in the pool after workout & felt I have to keep doing that so I went in with the "I'll do what I want & maybe something different" & liked it, however...Saturday evening my R heel started to hurt. By Sunday it was swollen & I could barley walk with a lot of pain. Monday I talked to a Dr & he ordered labs & x-ray & got that done. He wanted to rune out injury but thought I may have nephropathy,I'm waiting for his call but I did see on the x-ray report I do have a spur. I remembered I had a problem with that many years ago so for now I can't even go for walk . It is better today
    I weigh every morning. I've been in maintenance for 6yrs with a 20 lb gain then loss but weighing everyday helps me make better choices when I have a hankering for something that's 1,000 calories lol
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 1,071 Member
    historically i have to hold myself back or i overdo and hurt myself, and well, 20 minutes on the treadmill (with its 7% incline) followed by exercise bike i could do, but doing hip abductions and then having to run up and down stairs at my son's condo left me in a world of hurt. i'm doing better, and can't wait to get back to my bike next week!!
  • ThisMagicMoment
    ThisMagicMoment Posts: 39 Member
    RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »
    @ThisMagicMoment …I am feeling the same after weighing daily for years. I don’t think the daily weighing is helping me, so trying something different…weighing monthly. Wish me luck I don’t gain! (But gaining even with daily weighing…so?) Still log my food tho.

    Good luck with monthly weighing!

    I also gain just as easily when I'm weighing daily, so figure I might as well experiment, and see if I can cut down a little on the weighing frequency. Right now, I think I'm going to try weighing once a month, or twice at the most. I can always change my mind and go back to daily weighing.

    In fact, that's probably exactly what will happen because I've had the habit for so many years. A year or so ago, I managed to go three weeks without hopping on the scale, but by that time, I was so nervous that I had gained a lot of weight, that I simply couldn't take "not knowing" anymore. I didn't gain a lot of weight, but it still made me nervous.

    I bought a new scale a few months ago, but it seems to be a piece of junk. If I hopped on it twenty times in a row, I'd get about twenty different readings, so I'm not sure why I bother with it anyway.

    The way my jeans fit tells me whether I'm going up or down, so why don't I just go by that instead of being frustrated every day by the number on the scale?
  • lizhumphreys2013
    lizhumphreys2013 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm 77 and just been told I have high blood pressure which has pushed me into being more serious about weight loss. I need motivating and encouragement so I hope this group will provide both. I want to lose around 25 - 30 lbs
  • trekkie123
    trekkie123 Posts: 250 Member
    The scale drives me crazy. If I have it out I get on it constantly. I had to put it out of my bathroom and I am now trying to weigh myself weekly. I totally agree that I know immediately if I gained because I don’t feel comfortable in my clothes. Good luck to you!!!
  • karlschaeffer
    karlschaeffer Posts: 1,507 Member
    Agree with Trekkie. I have a love/hate relationship with the scale. I weigh weekly, if that, and let my clothes tell me about my weight. But that’s me. You have to find what works for you! Plenty of advice and support here. You Got This!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,638 Member
    ThisMagicMoment wrote: »
    RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »
    @ThisMagicMoment …I am feeling the same after weighing daily for years. I don’t think the daily weighing is helping me, so trying something different…weighing monthly. Wish me luck I don’t gain! (But gaining even with daily weighing…so?) Still log my food tho.

    Good luck with monthly weighing!

    I also gain just as easily when I'm weighing daily, so figure I might as well experiment, and see if I can cut down a little on the weighing frequency. Right now, I think I'm going to try weighing once a month, or twice at the most. I can always change my mind and go back to daily weighing.

    In fact, that's probably exactly what will happen because I've had the habit for so many years. A year or so ago, I managed to go three weeks without hopping on the scale, but by that time, I was so nervous that I had gained a lot of weight, that I simply couldn't take "not knowing" anymore. I didn't gain a lot of weight, but it still made me nervous.

    I bought a new scale a few months ago, but it seems to be a piece of junk. If I hopped on it twenty times in a row, I'd get about twenty different readings, so I'm not sure why I bother with it anyway.

    The way my jeans fit tells me whether I'm going up or down, so why don't I just go by that instead of being frustrated every day by the number on the scale?

    Frustration, stress or other emotions related to weigh-ins seem like a rational reason to reduce weigh-in frequency, to me.

    You'll notice that several of us who are long-term daily weigh-ers (and happy with it) mentioned the weigh-in being hum-drum, just a data point, non-stressful, etc.

    If that's not you, I think it's not essential to weigh daily, especially if your jeans' fit gives you the feedback you need to keep your weight where you want it. Realistically, once in maintenance, we need to do something noticeably dramatic behavior-wise to gain much in a month, anyway.

    I'd often encourage someone new to data-managed weight changes to weigh daily for a while if it's not too stressful, in order to understand their own individual fluctuation patterns. There have been times when if I weighed only weekly, and in maintenance maybe even if I only weighed monthly, where I'd think I'd gained fat if I happened to select an atypically low start day to weigh in, then an atypically high one later.

    The tradeoffs are different in maintenance, though, and you've weighed daily for a long time it sounds like, so you presumably already understand your personal fluctuation patterns pretty well.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,638 Member
    By the way, welcome to the new participants! I think @fabgeekmom, @simlovgin96083, @lizhumphreys2013 are all new to the thread, and I fear I may've missed greeting others by name, but happy to see everyone taking the reins, driving in a positive direction, and joining us here in 60&up-ville. :flowerforyou:
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,800 Member
    Do any of you use the Happy Scale app? It gives the average. You can go into settings & disable the up/down arrrows it gives after each weigh in. I'm in maintenance & gave myself an 8lb range
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,638 Member
    edited September 2023
    Evamutt wrote: »
    Do any of you use the Happy Scale app? It gives the average. You can go into settings & disable the up/down arrrows it gives after each weigh in. I'm in maintenance & gave myself an 8lb range

    Happy Scale is good, but I think it's only available for Apple/iOS.

    There are other similar apps that give a person a statistical smoothing & projection. There's Libra for Android (which I use and like), Trendweight (IMU one needs a free Fitbit account, but not a Fitbit device), Weightgrapher on the web, and others.

    It's useful to realize that they're just making statistical projections (estimates) about trends. It's not a magic crystal ball. I remember one guy here on MFP who was angry that one of these weight trending apps didn't tell him his "true weight". :D (Personally, I don't think we even have a single "true weight" - more like a current range, and a longer-term trend (up, down or level).
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,407 Member
    ThisMagicMoment wrote: »
    I bought a new scale a few months ago, but it seems to be a piece of junk. If I hopped on it twenty times in a row, I'd get about twenty different readings, so I'm not sure why I bother with it anyway.

    What kind of surface is your scale on? Having it on a rug could cause a fluctuation. If the little rubber feet get fur under them, so can that. If it's a digital scale, low batteries can also cause readings to be off.

    Or maybe it is a lemon; exchange it for one that works. I've been happy with mine for many years, and it wasn't very expensive. When I used to have access to a balance in our fitness room at work, I'd sometimes weigh myself right before I rode my bike to work, fully dressed, then weigh when I'd get to work. My scale was always consistent. I think it was a half pound off from the balance, but the same half pound every time. I actually have a second scale, and it's also quite consistent but about a pound lower than the one I use every day. When the one I use finally reaches the end of its life, I'll magically lose a pound the next day even though I know my actual mass is pretty much right between what the two scales tell me.
  • ThisMagicMoment
    ThisMagicMoment Posts: 39 Member
    Well, so much for that. I'm a daily weigher, and no matter how many articles I read about "ditching the scale", I most likely won't.
    Like others have said, it's just too interesting having all that data. Yes, I do understand my fluctuations, and hopping on the scale is usually just something I do.

    I was just toying with the idea of reducing the number of times I hop on the scale as something different to do, but I realize that it makes me more nervous not "knowing my number" than seeing numbers I probably don't like every day. Weighing really does turn into a difficult habit to break, but I suppose it isn't something I need to worry about anyway.
  • history_grrrl
    history_grrrl Posts: 216 Member
    I’m finding some inconsistency in my relationship to the scale. I did get a new one recently, after realizing my ancient one, which I rarely used, was way off (10 lb below my doctor’s office reading!). Also, I have not-great vision and really couldn’t read the tiny numbers. Not sure about the new scale, because my bathroom floor tiles are a bit textured, so the numbers change if I move the thing a few inches. Finally I found a level piece of wood to place underneath, so I think I’m getting consistent, if not totally accurate, data from day to day. But the daily change has been negligible lately, so it’s not much of a source of inspiration and I might switch to weekly for a bit, just to see how that feels. I’m still feeling my way along with my food and exercise situation, and I expect my attitude about the scale’s value is reflecting that.
  • karlschaeffer
    karlschaeffer Posts: 1,507 Member
    I weigh weekly, my BH weighs daily. Agree with Anne, we’re all cults here and hopefully we all can figure out what works for us.
  • karlschaeffer
    karlschaeffer Posts: 1,507 Member
    karlschaeffer wrote: »
    I weigh weekly, my BH weighs daily. Agree with Anne, we’re all cults here and hopefully we all can figure out what works for us.

    Adults not cults.

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