Hi everyone

NewMe_in2023

I have just signed up this morning. Im 65 and hoplessly trying to drop 30lbs. Now retired and finding i am now less active with this dark wet weather. But I am looking to the future and hope I can find inspiration here . I need to learn more about the sort of food I need to keep me going . Lived all my days with the mindset that the plate must always be finished and there lies the challenge. Thanks for accepting me.

AnnPT77

Hello, and welcome!

I'm 67, been hanging around here since I was 59 (just under a year of weight loss, maintaining a healthy weight since). I've been retired since 2006.

Why "hopelessly trying"? Weight management and fitness can improve at any age. Retirement has the potential to open up more time and attention to devote to those improvements, if they're a priority. If you have specific challenges or questions, post about them. I've found most people in the MFP Community sincerely want to help, and there are a bunch of people who've been successful at our age.

On top of that, at our age I think we're pretty familiar with our own strengths, preferences, challenges: We've needed to work with or around those to patiently chip away at accomplishing lots of big goals in our lifetimes. (I'm talking things like getting an education, building a career, making a home, raising a family, etc.) In some sense, weight loss and fitness depend on the same skills of figuring out our next steps, sticking with them, adding new steps when we can, and so on.

I hear you on the "damp cold" kind of issue. Outdoor activity is my favorite, so I need to find different strategies in Winter. (I live in Michigan, USA - it's cold and snowy, we just came out of a stretch of daytime temps below zero C, with around a foot of snow on the ground.) The good news is that weight loss is more about food intake than exercise, for most people. (It's quicker to not eat 250 calories than it is to exercise for 250 calories, and for many people, easier besides.)

You might like this thread, to meet others in our demographic, at all stages of weight management:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10718336/60-yrs-and-up#latest

Don't panic if you open it up and see old posts: Like any long-running thread here on MFP, the newest posts are at the end, on the high-numbered pages. You can jump straight there with the arrow/number links near the bottom of the page. (It may be good to read the last couple of pages to get a feel for the topics/participants, though.)

Wishing you success!

BeFit2023

One thing I learned was to watch watch I eat and move around. A smart watch has been helpful counting steps and if can buy a treadmill or some other exercise equipment you like. I understand you have cabin fever but if you can go to the mall and walk around to burn calories, hope this helps

snowflake954

I guess I was surprised at the "hopelessly" too. 30 lbs isn't a lot. However the last 25-30 take more patience---that's all. Start weighing and measuring all your food and drink on a digital food scale. Get your daily calorie goal and stay with it everyday. You'll need consistency. Give it a month to 6 weeks to see how it goes. If you're losing on plan just keep going, if not drop another 100 cal from your daily goal. It takes some trail and error. Wishing you the best of luck.

leslielaws

Good Morning! I understand the feeling hopeless! I have been trying to drop 25lbs for forever, it seems. I guess I still get surprised that my 50-something body doesn't respond like my 30-something body used to! LOL! I always seem to find some excuse that I cannot get out to my Tonal and get some exercise. It is now critical for me to lose the extra weight and heal some gut issues I have been having. I also understand the "must clean my plate" mindset - I hate to throw away food. Best of luck in your weight loss journey!

BartBVanBockstaele

AnnPT77 wrote: »

It's quicker to not eat 250 calories than it is to exercise for 250 calories, and for many people, easier besides.

Indeed, for most people, weight loss is about doing less: less shopping, spending less money, less preparation and cooking, less dishwashing, less time spent thinking about whatever delectables there are out there and even less chewing, less digestion and less waste expulsion. What's not to like?

snowflake954 wrote: »

I guess I was surprised at the "hopelessly" too. 30 lbs isn't a lot. However the last 25-30 take more patience---that's all. Start weighing and measuring all your food and drink on a digital food scale. Get your daily calorie goal and stay with it everyday. You'll need consistency. Give it a month to 6 weeks to see how it goes. If you're losing on plan just keep going, if not drop another 100 cal from your daily goal. It takes some trail and error. Wishing you the best of luck.

I second that. I'd add that there is no material difference between losing 3 pounds and losing 30 pounds or more. The only important difference is time. 3 pounds takes less time to lose than it takes to lose 30 pounds, but all the rest stays the same.

Success on your journey. You can do it.

BartBVanBockstaele

leslielaws wrote: »

I also understand the "must clean my plate" mindset - I hate to throw away food. Best of luck in your weight loss journey!

There is also no need to throw away food. Most households have refrigeration these days. And of course, there is always the option to prepare less, then there is nothing (or less) to dispose of either way.
Success on your journey. You can do it. Really.

donnanaystewart

Hi, I am 66 and crashed on healthy eating during the holidays....I only need or want to lose 15 pounds. I lost 25 with healthy eating....
We can do it.

annliz23

Hi all, 60 and retired, I need to lose 12lbs and tone, gainedcover christmas and now have the flu so struggling but I know I struggle in the winter but as soon as we hit spring I get more motivated so I just need to focus.
Good luck.