75 years old and stuck

doggranny

Hi, I’m a 75 year old female with hypertension (35+ years) and lots of arthritis. I have lost 46 lbs over the past 4 years and would like to lose another 10-15#. Exercise 5+ days a week(lots water fitness classes) and some weights depending what my joints tolerate.
Have been having trouble with consistency in logging last 9 mos. Then I get off track when I need something fast or I’m really hungry and I quit trying to track for the day.
I have been maintaining my weight but my nutrition isn’t as stellar as when I track. Part of it is I’m comfortable at this weight. Need more motivation to be consistent. Increased my calorie allowance to see if that would make logging less discouraging. My 40 yr old daughter doesn’t think I eat enough. I’m scared to regain any weight.
Motivation and suggestions welcome

AnnPT77

Hello!

I'm demographically close (69 F), used to have hypertension (in my case fortunately apparently not genetic so it resolved with weight loss), some arthritis but fortunately still moderate, and am active with exercise.

9+ years into maintaining a healthy weight after losing around 50 pounds, I still log most days. I logged like religion all through loss and the first months of maintenance, but have gotten somewhat more relaxed and skip a day or few now sometimes when things get busy, or my eating is very unusual so would be wild estimates. But I get back to it pretty quickly, because the method suits me, doesn't stress me out, and helps me stay at a good weight.

Increasing calories may be a good thing. I'm a big believer in any plan that is easier, but still gradually leads toward goal. You don't mention how many calories you'd been eating, how fast you lose when you stick to those calories, how many more calories you're planning to eat now, or any other specifics, so it's hard to react to that part in any possibly-helpful way. For sure, under-eating is not a health-promoting plan. For one, there's no getting adequate nutrition on too-few calories, even if the macro percents are achieved.

Also, slow loss is still loss . . . and can be both easier to accomplish, plus incur less health risk, compared to aggressively faster loss. I've needed to creep back a few pounds that had crept on slowly over a long period in maintenance, and doing it very slowly was practically painless . . . and successful.

Consistency in logging can be helpful, for sure. I also rely heavily on routine habits that I follow most days, so I don't have to micromanage my eating daily. I don't eat the exact same things every day, but I've established some easy patterns, save things I eat together often as meals in MFP so logging is quick and easy at this point - probably well less than 10 minutes on a typical day, which seems like a small price to pay for staying at a healthy weight with good health markers, after decades pre-loss of overweight/obesity and problems with blood pressure and cholesterol/triglycerides.

It does take some time to get all of those things set up - the Meals in MFP, the recent/frequent foods lists populated with things I eat often, etc. I also find weighing most food quicker and easier when at home, compared to using cups/spoons, and definitely more accurate than eyeballing portions.

You mention getting off track when you need something fast, or get hungry, then stop tracking for the day. Would it help to make a list of foods you can fix/eat quickly, or that are calorie-efficient and filling for you? Maybe tape that inside a cupboard door to remind yourself when those circumstances arise?

I know I make it a point to keep certain things on hand, often shelf-stable or good keepers in the fridge or freezer that I can pull out under circumstances like that. I have meal patterns I can repeat when I'm especially hungry, when I don't have many calories left, or if I'm short on protein for the day or something similar.

I don't have a specific written list, but I've also figured out reasonable snacks I can get at a convenience store most anywhere, or calorie- and nutrition-reasonable choices I can get at fast-food places if I get hungry when out and about. I also focus more on averaging at a reasonable level for both calories and nutrition over a few-days period, rather than worrying about being exactly exact every single day. The "week view" options in MFP's phone/tablet app help with that.

Someone here once said that losing weight is a type of problem solving process, finding the things that are roadblocks for us personally, then working out manageable personal solutions. It is a bit of a process! 😆

I hope you're able to find a practical route through your current roadblocks, and that you'll be able to lose those last few pounds.

Best wishes!