Hello - Intro

lynnvarian

Hi all, I am 50 and post-menopausal. I am back and would like to lose weight. Last year I put on weight rather quickly - it seemed the gain was not in proportion to my eating. ( I could be in denial ;-)) I ate "healthy", walked, hiked and yoga'd all summer and lost nothing! I felt better for the good food and exercise, so there is that. I know way too much about nutrition and diet - and that hasn't helped! In fact, at times I have felt more confused about what I should do/eat.

Today I took my measurements, weighed myself, and am working on a "keep it simple sweetheart" plan. Starting with what is working: I love yoga, walking, hiking, and my elliptical for exercise. I am lucky to live in a beautiful place with no shortage of gorgeous and challenging hikes. Those are exercises I know I can stick with. When I can get my belly out of the way, the yoga I practice incorporates lots of weight bearing and strengthening postures.

I take vitamins and supplements that I feel are right for me. I went and did blood work - a complete panel - I am concerned about my thyroid and inflammation (lovely genetics I have). I will get those results in a few weeks at my appointment.

So that leaves me with choosing a way of eating that is live-able and conducive to weight loss, planning for and controlling environmental factors (read: snacking husband and daughter who continue to enjoy foods that are my triggers - so the stuff is in the house), and building a support group.

As for the diet I am thinking whole foods, with a focus on lots of veggies, lean protein, and some fruit. I am up in the air about grains. I have an gluten and oat sensitivity and generally feel better when I avoid those. Sprouted grains seem easier on my system.

I would love to connect with others and hear what has or hasn't worked, and share support and feedback.

Lynn

Crochetluvr

Hi, Lynn! I am back, too, after having gained back 20 pounds of the 50 I lost here.

I am also a T2 diabetic so I concentrate on carbs, which in addition to keeping my blood sugar down also helps me lose weight. I, also, concentrate on protein and vegetables, but I do fit a treat a day into my numbers. I don't worry about sugar from fruit so much, just refined. I live with a guy who is trim and in great shape and can eat most anything in any amount (talk an entire pint of Haagen Dasz in a sitting) and not gain an ounce. But I have simply accepted that there are things I can and can't do. As soon as I start reducing the amount of grams of carbs I consume per day, I start losing....and start feeling better, too.

There are those who say why count carbs if you don't have a medical condition that warrants it? You don't have to. But I did low carb even before I was diagnosed as T2 and lost weight. You don't have to go as low as me...I try to keep my count under 100g a day....and it will probably still make a difference. Only a week ago I was dragging....no energy, no motivation. Now I feel the difference...it's amazing!

canadjineh

I'm watching my carbs too - keeping it between 100-150 net carbs after subtracting fiber grams. I'm not concerned with # of fat grams and I'm doing a healthy amount of protein, not HIGH protein. My trick for maintenance is that I have a "carb meal "with a 3:1 ratio to fat and the other meal focuses on fat with a 3:1 ratio to carbs. Breakfast is anything goes except for processed carb/fat combo foods. So far so good, maintaining easily for 6 months now. Separating the higher fat from the higher carb helps prevent insulin from storing the fat from your meal. There's an interesting new study done by National Institutes of Health that was quoted in the New York Times on Sept 2 or 3rd you can google about this and the positive health effects compared to low fat regimens.

Peppah7

Welcome ladies, glad you're here. Canajineh, I'll have to look for that article, sounds interesting!

sab1157

Welcome!