Newbie

klupal

Hi, I am new to the group and just turned 60. I have struggled with my weight for a few decades. When the pandemic hit I focused on losing weight and my fitness pal helped with the weight loss (40 lbs). When we were able to see people again, socializing with friends, wine nights caused my weight to creep back up again. And gained it all back. I'm back on this app to get back on track and I'm interested in joining a group of like minded individuals who are over 50.

AnnPT77

Hi, and welcome, @klupal!

It would be nice if we could get this group going again, so don't be afraid to boost it in the Introductions/Getting Started parts of the Community on threads where it seems appropriate . . . and of course keep posting yourself. It seems like a lot of people 50+ arrive here on MFP looking for support. There's value IMO in interacting with the general MFP population, because weight management challenges aren't totally different between age groups, but it's nice to have peer groups, too.

I see @mtaratoot and @UncleMac here sometimes recently, but we don't seem to get notifications when there are new threads, just when someone comments on ones we've bookmarked or have commented on.

I can empathize with where you are: I came to MFP at age 59, after decades of overweight/obesity. For me, fortunately, something about it stuck. I lost around 50 pounds - class 1 obese to a healthy weight - in just under a year, and have been hanging around here to maintain a healthy weight since, now age 67. I've been up and down a few pounds during that roughly 7 years, but all in the normal BMI range and the same jeans size.

I know myself well: I need to keep commenting, keep participating in the Community, to keep my head (and body!) in the game. I so much want to stay at a healthy weight: My formerly high blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides have been solidly normal since part way through that initial weight loss, and as I got to maintenance range and stayed there a while, my joint paint/discomfort (from some arthritis and at least one torn meniscus) were dramatically reduced in both frequency and severity.

Getting stronger and fitter helped, too, but working on that was easier at a lighter weight, plus being lighter just generally makes it easier and more fun to move, in daily life or intentional exercise. I used to lumber through the world, kind of a fat-woman waddle TBH, but I feel (and I think look) much livelier now.

I wish you huge success with your goals, because it's been really a powerful quality of life improvement to make progress in that way. Best wishes!

mtaratoot

I'm for sure over 50, but some people don't realize it.

I was out the other day and some "youngster" in his 30s asked, "Do any college students ever come here?" Staff said some. I said, "Mostly just us old folks." Kind of funny, but most of us are over 50 or WELL over 50. One regular is over 80. Anyway, this fellow asked how old I was. I answered my standard answer, "Yeah, how old am I?" I actually usually say, "How old would I be if you didn't know how old I was?"

He said, "I guess 40s?" I took off my hat and showed him the solar panel on top of my "graying" hair and said, "Even with THIS?" He said yeah. So I confirmed; "Yep; I'm 42." My friend to my left laughed. I told him, "You know I was 36 for so many years and decided a couple years ago it was time to be 42."

I found the whole thing kind of humorous.

Welcome to this little back-water of MFP.

"You kids; get away from there!"

UncleMac

I don't get notifications either @AnnPT77... not sure what's up with that...

Yesterday for the first time since October of last year, I dropped by the local liquor store. They have a sign at the cashier saying something to the effect that "If you are age 30 or younger, please have your ID ready to be verified"

So I asked the cashier if she would accept my gray beard in lieu of ID. She said that was acceptable.

Welcome @klupal!!