60 yrs and up

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  • tjharleygal55
    tjharleygal55 Posts: 278 Member
    I really enjoy reading all of he posts from others in my age group! @AnnPT77 I agree with so much that you are mentioning to people. Very sound advice, seems to me, anyway. What is your background? You have PT in your user name, was that your profession?

    Question? Has or is anyone else doing the Spring 5% challenge through MFP? I have found it very helpful in staying on track with my exercise and eating.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 28,199 Member
    tjharleygal55 wrote: »
    I really enjoy reading all of he posts from others in my age group! @AnnPT77 I agree with so much that you are mentioning to people. Very sound advice, seems to me, anyway. What is your background? You have PT in your user name, was that your profession?

    Question? Has or is anyone else doing the Spring 5% challenge through MFP? I have found it very helpful in staying on track with my exercise and eating.

    PT are my middle and last initials. I'm not a personal trainer, I'm a retired IT person (developer, then manager, then data geek (data quality management) internal consultant role part time in the first years of retirement)).

    I've always been a curiosity-motivated person, interested in learning. In IT, continuous learning is a survival skill - technology changes constantly, and I'm also easily bored, so I chased the changes instead of settling into supporting more aging technology. As a developer, I also needed to learn rapidly about the business functions for which I was designing/writing software and data, some of which were completely new to me.

    My relevant training background is that I started rowing in my mid-40s after cancer treatment, and even competed in masters rowing (on-water and machine), all while remaining class 1 obese (yikes!) for over a decade. ("Masters" in rowing just means post-collegiate age group people, not elite performers. I do OK for my current 60-69 lightweight competitive class, but not stellar/elite; and don't much compete nowadays, just row a lot for fun.)

    After a few years of rowing, I decided to pursue certification in rowing coaching from USRowing, and was certified to level 2 at the time. (Haven't kept up with - or at least haven't documented and sent in - my continuing education to stay certified.) I also pursued excellent coaching for myself (went to rowing camps coached by coaches from high-level collegiate programs, former Olympic rowers, etc.). Those experiences gave me interest and helped me find lots of good information resources about fitness-related topics. Some of that information is general exercise science/kinesiology stuff, like what personal trainers might learn, but applied more narrowly to rowing specifically.

    I've also been vaguely interested in cooking and nutrition for years. (I became vegetarian at age 18, needed to learn how to do that in a healthy way, which is a little technical - and was more so back then because it was thought that we had to eat certain food combinations all in one meal to get complete protein from plant sources. More recent research has revealed that the body can do some juggling of amino acids over hours or so, so we needn't combine things in the same meal.)

    On top of that, I've learned a tremendous amount from posters here on MFP. After reading for a while, one figures out which people have actual knowledge and expertise from good, science-based sources. Some of them are professionals in exercise science or nutrition in one way or another, though most are not trumpeting that, just giving great information in a low-key way.

    Thank you for your kind words, sincerely.
  • Arc2Arc
    Arc2Arc Posts: 484 Member
    Checking back in. Nice to "see new faces" along with the regulars. Thoughts and prayers to @alteredsteve175 and others facing challenges for themselves or loved ones.

    After an intestinal procedure in October went better than hoped, I got clearance to resume hiking and minor conditioning at the beginning of March and skiing at the end of March. Skied every day from March 31 to a couple of weeks ago, felt great and conditions were fantastic. Who knew hiking was such good preparation for skiing?

    Resumed the Stairmaster a couple of weeks ago and now almost at steady state for that. Planning on adding resistance training within a week or two and the gym rower thereafter. At the same time I'll be golf and ski conditioning. I'm 61 and don't feel all that different than in my 30-s. I offer this to hopefully expand and reinforce collective thinking as to what we can do after 60, as others have done.

    My weight is on target as I enter my 5th month of maintenance.

    Let's have a productive and rewarding Spring as we prepare for Summer.
  • tjharleygal55
    tjharleygal55 Posts: 278 Member
    @AnnPT77 Wow, I’m impressed with all of the rowing! I’ve never had the opportunity to do it on water, only a couple of times in a gym. It was a very good workout! Sorry for the assumption about the PT. My SIL is a personal trainer, so I just kind of thought with all of your knowledge base that you might be also.

    @risinghope There’s no shame in being on your knees for a while when getting back on the SUP! It’s a great way to get the feel, balance and confidence back. Last summer I actually started trying a little yoga on my board when I’m on the lake in front of my house. Talk about needing balance! I got wet a lot. 😂
  • tjharleygal55
    tjharleygal55 Posts: 278 Member
    @Pdc654 Your story is awesome, Patti! Thank you for sharing it. We all get encouragement from hearing success stories like yours! Thank you for having the courage to post it here! Keep up the great work. ~ :)
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 279 Member
    @thharleygal55 Thank you!
  • Timberlan127
    Timberlan127 Posts: 239 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Timberlan127 wrote: »
    I haven't read the book either Ann but AARP has a challenge going on right now that breaks down what the book says and you can go through it in 10 steps. It was interesting and helped me to get back into thinking healthy. I loved all your info. I'm glad you were willing to spend the time sharing it. I am also a yoyo dieter and it's probably why I have had so much trouble getting started and losing weight this time. My body is tired of the constant up and down. I don't want to lose a huge amount each week but I'd like to see it consistently working. Now that I am counting calories again I am seeing some progress. Now I need to stick with it and not get caught up in the sweets again. They are my addiction. 🙁

    Do you have a link or something for the AARP challenge, @Timberlan127? I'm thinking some other folks here may be AARP members who could benefit. (The article in their magazine looked pretty sensible, though they didn't sound enthusiastic about calorie counting, in which I'm 100% a believer. I think it was in an issue a couple of months back . . . I'd say which date but I already recycled that issue, unfortunately.)

    As a high-level generality, I think the way a history of extreme yo-yo dieting makes future loss harder is through a combination of:
    * very gradual muscle mass loss (via fast weight lost, maybe too-low protein besides),
    * regain of mostly fat during the regain stage (very little muscle regained)
    * gradually slowing daily life activity (because movement is harder/less fun with less muscle mass, so we get out of the habit, essentially, and habits of less movement persist), plus
    * adaptive thermogenesis.

    The effects of each round could be small, but add up after multiple rounds of yo-yo.

    The good news is that both loss of lean mass and habits of reduced activity can be reversed. For the lean mass, manageably strength-challenging exercise is the route (slow but effective, even at our age) plus good nutrition (especially but not exclusively adequate protein). For the habits of reduced activity, part of the answer can be manageably and gradual increasing exercise frequency, duration, intensity, or type, plus this sort of thing to reverse habits of daily life inactivity:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

    There was a thread about damage from yo-yo dieting where I posted in more detail about this, if anyone wants the whole nine yards version:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/46709680#Comment_46709680





    https://stayingsharp.aarp.org/about/brain-health/weight-loss-after-50-preview/

    This is the link to the AARP challenge. I really liked it because it took you through the challenge step by step. They emphasize men eating 30 grams of protein at EVERY meal and women 25 grams. They said it was very important to keep up our muscle mass. Going through the steps really helped me start to get back in the right mind set. It's a program that was developed just for our age group. I thought of getting the book since it's on Amazon. But I think the challenge made it easier to go through than trying to read the book. I was having the same problem as a few people mentioned above. I would lose a few pounds and then even though I stuck to it I would gain them back. The program has made my weight loss so far more consistent. I've just started ( 4 weeks) but it is working so far. I do think as we get older it is much harder to lose the weight and it is much slower but I know I feel so much better now than I felt 4 weeks ago and I've only lost 10 pounds. I know I would like to be healthier and more active so this is a good start toward that goal. It is hard to get that amount of protein at each meal. I don't always make it but it does make me conscious of getting more protein. Weight comes off so much slower the older we get so it's more frustrating. It can be done though as many success stories show us.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 28,199 Member
    Timberlan127 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Timberlan127 wrote: »
    I haven't read the book either Ann but AARP has a challenge going on right now that breaks down what the book says and you can go through it in 10 steps. It was interesting and helped me to get back into thinking healthy. I loved all your info. I'm glad you were willing to spend the time sharing it. I am also a yoyo dieter and it's probably why I have had so much trouble getting started and losing weight this time. My body is tired of the constant up and down. I don't want to lose a huge amount each week but I'd like to see it consistently working. Now that I am counting calories again I am seeing some progress. Now I need to stick with it and not get caught up in the sweets again. They are my addiction. 🙁

    Do you have a link or something for the AARP challenge, @Timberlan127? I'm thinking some other folks here may be AARP members who could benefit. (The article in their magazine looked pretty sensible, though they didn't sound enthusiastic about calorie counting, in which I'm 100% a believer. I think it was in an issue a couple of months back . . . I'd say which date but I already recycled that issue, unfortunately.)

    As a high-level generality, I think the way a history of extreme yo-yo dieting makes future loss harder is through a combination of:
    * very gradual muscle mass loss (via fast weight lost, maybe too-low protein besides),
    * regain of mostly fat during the regain stage (very little muscle regained)
    * gradually slowing daily life activity (because movement is harder/less fun with less muscle mass, so we get out of the habit, essentially, and habits of less movement persist), plus
    * adaptive thermogenesis.

    The effects of each round could be small, but add up after multiple rounds of yo-yo.

    The good news is that both loss of lean mass and habits of reduced activity can be reversed. For the lean mass, manageably strength-challenging exercise is the route (slow but effective, even at our age) plus good nutrition (especially but not exclusively adequate protein). For the habits of reduced activity, part of the answer can be manageably and gradual increasing exercise frequency, duration, intensity, or type, plus this sort of thing to reverse habits of daily life inactivity:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

    There was a thread about damage from yo-yo dieting where I posted in more detail about this, if anyone wants the whole nine yards version:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/46709680#Comment_46709680





    https://stayingsharp.aarp.org/about/brain-health/weight-loss-after-50-preview/

    This is the link to the AARP challenge. I really liked it because it took you through the challenge step by step. They emphasize men eating 30 grams of protein at EVERY meal and women 25 grams. They said it was very important to keep up our muscle mass. Going through the steps really helped me start to get back in the right mind set. It's a program that was developed just for our age group. I thought of getting the book since it's on Amazon. But I think the challenge made it easier to go through than trying to read the book. I was having the same problem as a few people mentioned above. I would lose a few pounds and then even though I stuck to it I would gain them back. The program has made my weight loss so far more consistent. I've just started ( 4 weeks) but it is working so far. I do think as we get older it is much harder to lose the weight and it is much slower but I know I feel so much better now than I felt 4 weeks ago and I've only lost 10 pounds. I know I would like to be healthier and more active so this is a good start toward that goal. It is hard to get that amount of protein at each meal. I don't always make it but it does make me conscious of getting more protein. Weight comes off so much slower the older we get so it's more frustrating. It can be done though as many success stories show us.

    Thanks for taking the time to share the link, @Timberlan127 - I'm going to take a look tonight, see if I can glean more info than I got from the article in AARP magazine. I'm sure others will benefit, too!
  • Timberlan127
    Timberlan127 Posts: 239 Member
    I loved the AARP Challenge because it has 10 steps and goes over the main points from the book. Each step is short so even if you don't have a lot of time you can gain from it. I don't have the time to read a whole book but this was perfect for me. The diet is designed just for seniors. I was struggling to get the weight off consistently and this did it for me. I hope others find it helpful.
  • nsk1951
    nsk1951 Posts: 1,189 Member
    I am not a member of AARP ... but after reading some of these posts, and my recent experience eating out at Denny's ... I might want to reconsider. ... I didn't know it, but AARP provides a 15% discount on meals at Denny's ... and the new city I am now living in still has one ... the village I came from had lost theirs to closure about a year ago. ... I really do like Denny's. Those 55+ meals are 'just enough' food on the plate!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 28,199 Member
    nsk1951 wrote: »
    I am not a member of AARP ... but after reading some of these posts, and my recent experience eating out at Denny's ... I might want to reconsider. ... I didn't know it, but AARP provides a 15% discount on meals at Denny's ... and the new city I am now living in still has one ... the village I came from had lost theirs to closure about a year ago. ... I really do like Denny's. Those 55+ meals are 'just enough' food on the plate!

    May not apply for you, but I joined AARP as an "associate member" (under their age threshold for regular membership at the time - in my 30s or 40s, can't recall . . . after my homeowners' insurance agent told me that I could get a discount of a couple hundred dollars yearly on my policy if I was an AARP member. (It was not AARP sponsored insurance, BTW - another company. There were various organizations that would qualify a person for the discount, that just happened to be the one that worked best for me.) Pay (then) around $15 a year to save a couple hundred a year? Sign me up!

    They have some OK senior-focused exercise video content online, too.
  • nsk1951
    nsk1951 Posts: 1,189 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    May not apply for you, but I joined AARP as an "associate member" (under their age threshold for regular membership at the time - in my 30s or 40s, can't recall . . . after my homeowners' insurance agent told me that I could get a discount of a couple hundred dollars yearly on my policy if I was an AARP member. (It was not AARP sponsored insurance, BTW - another company. There were various organizations that would qualify a person for the discount, that just happened to be the one that worked best for me.) Pay (then) around $15 a year to save a couple hundred a year? Sign me up!

    They have some OK senior-focused exercise video content online, too.

    I used to belong to AARP back when I was just at the age for them to send me ads to join .. and kept it up for about 15 years but found over time that I was not enjoying the magazine and didn't use the discounts in my lifestyle ... so it became a waste of money during a hard financial period. Maybe I ought to take another look.

  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 279 Member
    @Timberlan127 Your story sounds similar to mine. I have been able to lose weight before but have not been able to maintain successfully. It seems like when there was a significant life change I found myself gaining again. My focus changed from taking care of myself to whatever new life event demanded my time and attention, be it a demanding new job, or caregiver for my parents toward the end of their lives. Somehow I feel this time will be different. I know that I will most likely need to log the rest of my life. I also know now that maintenance is going to require attention and focus just like losing does. Condolences on the loss of your dog. I understand how that could easily derail you. Here's to successful weight management for life.
  • Timberlan127
    Timberlan127 Posts: 239 Member
    nsk1951 wrote: »
    I am not a member of AARP ... but after reading some of these posts, and my recent experience eating out at Denny's ... I might want to reconsider. ... I didn't know it, but AARP provides a 15% discount on meals at Denny's ... and the new city I am now living in still has one ... the village I came from had lost theirs to closure about a year ago. ... I really do like Denny's. Those 55+ meals are 'just enough' food on the plate!

    I didn't know that Denny's had 55+ meals. I will have to look into that. We don't have a lot of Denny's around here but they are in a shopping center that we go to occasionally. Thank you for that tip. It's nice to know that some restaurants offer smaller portions.
  • Timberlan127
    Timberlan127 Posts: 239 Member
    Pdc654 wrote: »
    @Timberlan127 Your story sounds similar to mine. I have been able to lose weight before but have not been able to maintain successfully. It seems like when there was a significant life change I found myself gaining again. My focus changed from taking care of myself to whatever new life event demanded my time and attention, be it a demanding new job, or caregiver for my parents toward the end of their lives. Somehow I feel this time will be different. I know that I will most likely need to log the rest of my life. I also know now that maintenance is going to require attention and focus just like losing does. Condolences on the loss of your dog. I understand how that could easily derail you. Here's to successful weight management for life.

    It does sound like we have traveled a similar road. Also when I was younger I could take the weight off so easily that I didn't worry too much. When things were difficult I ate, when the weight got too high I would diet. But at 72 the weight doesn't come off easily any more and now I am concerned that health issues are going to crop up if I stay on this path. My knees bother me when I put on the weight. So yes let's make this a forever life style this time. I also know I will have to log for the rest of my life. When I give that up I definitely over eat. So success for both of us.
  • Timberlan127
    Timberlan127 Posts: 239 Member
    Pdc654 wrote: »
    @Timberlan127 Your story sounds similar to mine. I have been able to lose weight before but have not been able to maintain successfully. It seems like when there was a significant life change I found myself gaining again. My focus changed from taking care of myself to whatever new life event demanded my time and attention, be it a demanding new job, or caregiver for my parents toward the end of their lives. Somehow I feel this time will be different. I know that I will most likely need to log the rest of my life. I also know now that maintenance is going to require attention and focus just like losing does. Condolences on the loss of your dog. I understand how that could easily derail you. Here's to successful weight management for life.

    It does sound like we have traveled a similar path. I have always gained weight when things were difficult and then taken it off when they were back under control. The difference now is that the weight just doesn't come off as easily. I'm not as active and even when I am the weight is much harder to come off. At 72 I know I need to make this a permanent change before I start to have real health issues. Even now my knees hurt and I have a lot more aches and pains. So like you I know I will have to log for the rest of my life in order to be accountable. I have about 80 pounds to lose. But right now the weight is coming off. As long as I lose a little each week I will be happy. So hears to success for both of us.
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 279 Member
    @Timberlin127 Let's do this! The tortoisewon the race. Consistency will get us there.
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 279 Member
    @Timberlan127 Just realized I misspelled your user name in the above post. Sorry. Also, I wanted to ask you, have you tried water aerobics? It's wonderful for people with joint problems. It feels so good. I started taking it about 20 yrs ago when I was having some hip problems. I take the ones that are faster paced. High intensity but low impact. I started back again this week and my vertigo issue is actually less in the water than on land. I didn't go for 2 years because of covid. Then went a couple months last fall then stopped again when I got the labyrinthitis (inner ear) which caused my vertigo.

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