50+ with 50+ To Lose Group

BrynnGetsThin

I agree with Younger about wanting to stay small enough to know who is who (although I feel weird saying that since I just barely joined). I also don't know that I'd card for having separate "topics". I enjoy it being more conversational. I guess if we did do the group we could keep it all under one topic. Or we could have things like "How I'm Doing Today," and "Goals," and "Questions for the Group," something like that. Heck, I don't know.

greenhydrangea

i know what you all mean, I love our group! and I agree with Younger, that you can't see the thread of conversations well, you have to go to each separate topic and look at the conversations. Perhaps groups is meant for groups with a whole lot of members. If so, staying small would suit me just fine.

KeriA

Right now this is an open group but in the past you could make it closed. I am not sure MFP will continue to support that with threads now that it has groups. One thing nice about the groups is it shows all the members and makes it easy for members to find the group and post. Converting to an official group wouldn't particularly mean we would attract that many more members. People would have to search for you to find you. Also as someone said we don't have to use the different threads if we don't want to however we could have a main thread and if someone wanted to start a challenge for the group they could or there could be a thread for recipes we want to share for example otherwise the main thread would be where we basically communitcate with each other. I think that we could start out open and if we start to get too big then we could start a closed version of the group and close the open one. However even though we have 25+ people who have joined this they aren't all posting so it feels much smaller. I have to admit I worry about some who I haven't seen on here for a while though. Right now it has been very busy for me so I want to continue to research the groups. So continue to let me know your thoughts about this. I think MFP wants us to convert over but I am not really ready to do it until life settles down a bit. Great input. Thanks for responding about this.

KeriA

One big glitch in becoming an official group is that I did what someone suggested and searched to see if someone already started a group with our name and yes they have. It is called 50+ with 50 pounds or more to lose. So we would either have to all join that or come up with a different name. Some of us are 40+.

KeriA

This is what I am thinking: Set up a group called 40+ with 40+ to lose. There are some 40s groups but one is for Moms and one is only for 40s not over 40. None of them specify losing a significant amount either. Some of us don't need to lose that much. What we have in common is being serious about watching our weight given the challenge of being older and that really starts at 40+. What I really wanted to avoid in this group were those who just want to lose a few pounds and aren't really serious about getting healthy and fitter and don't have the issues of doing that with the issue of what the process of aging can add to the process. In otherwords I want a group of people that share a similar challenge and have a similar mindset and it is a safe place to discuss and support each other in this process. I feel that if we become official we will have MFPs support. If we don't it maybe hard to maintain the group over time. We can start out public and I think I could switch it later to private if we are growing too large. I feel that we should have a main thread that is like the thread we have now. If one of you wants to post a thread for a specific issue such as a challenge or place to post specific topics fine but the main thread would be where we have a running conversation.

Another idea is to join the existing group we could even start a thread in the group but that seems maybe heavy handed. If you want I could contact the person who started that.

If neither of these options appeals to you we can go with this for now but I really would like this group to continue for a long time since I have much more than 50 pounds to lose and with my age I know it won't be easy and frankly I don't even believe in fast weight loss. I have so far been able to keep from having any loose skin and hope to keep it that way. When I reach my goal weight you all know I will be maintaining it for awhile and after that I feel I will be watching my weight. Yesterday I got the message that I would gain if I ate what I did that day but I actually lost a pound this morning from the day before. What was shocking about this to me was that I hadn't really eaten what I felt was too much or too terribly. Yes it was a far from perfect day. The problem was that apart from an active morning at work there was no time to exercise.

BrynnGetsThin

Does the group have to have a descriptive name? What I mean by that is... could we just call the group something like Keri's Crusaders, or Middle Aged Heavyweights Fighting Fat, or whatever, and then you could just create a post that says READ THIS FIRST that describes the group we're trying to have?

MaryIM

I would prefer to keep our own group and not merge with another. For the same reasons you stated Keri -- being serious about improving fitness, having 40/50 lbs to lose and being in that 40/50+ age range.

I like the idea of naming it something creative, like the suggested Keri"s Crusaders.

And I like your idea Keri, about starting out public and switching to private.

YoungerNextYear59937

I think you make a good point, Keri, that this thing isn't written in stone. We can try it out, and if we don't like it we can always change it. I just want us all to be together; I don't really care how we accomplish that. As far as the name goes, whatever you all decide is fine with me.

KeriA

Great points all, No we don't have to have a descriptive name and we can add keywords so we come up in a search for 50 plus etc.

Susan0816

I don't know the advantages and disadvantages to group status (also public vs. private), I'll support whatever recommendation or decision Keri has to make. I am not on facebook, twitter etc. Even my cell phone is calls only. Please count me in as long as the group is overly large.

YoungerNextYear59937

I had an idea regarding the group name. I strongly encourage all of you over 40 to read "Younger Next Year." It has so much information for those of us who are a bit older. It shows you how to basically feel and physically be like a 40 year old into your 70's. Anyway it was such an inspiration to me that I chose it for my MFP name. I had to add the 59937 because someone had already taken it as a name. Anyway, maybe something with "Younger Next Year" in the name, because that's what we're all striving for. Just a thought.

swimmer54

On this page MFP discusses the new group option: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/mike

He does say that groups can be either public or private. In a private group, a new member must be invited by any current member. Then he talks a lot about site rules. I didn't know there were any. lol. He describes the group as having an administrator and several moderators who are the "enforcers" of the rules. Can't decide whether it's appropriate to LOL here or not. lol.

In browsing groups, some are pretty big which would seem to me to defeat the purpose. However, I guess no one, at this point anyway, ever officially leaves a group. So, even as people drop out, the group could conceivably get bigger and bigger.. Like Keri said, we have some inactive members and don't know their status. I have seen some things on Meetup where inactive members are taken off the list. Somehow that seems wrong to me in this situation. We all know the ups and downs of trying to do this. When I was struggling I'm glad others reached out to me as opposed to removing me from the group.

FYI, the other 50+ group was only started on 11-8-11 and has 8 members.

I want the group to stay small enough so that I feel a personal connection to the other members. That helps me more than anything. And I really like the dynamic of our group. I think some of the organizational possibilities of the official group could be helpful. Like Keri said, a thread for recipes. I really like that idea.

swimmer54

One thing I wonder about....If we change to a group will we lose all our current posts? At the very least, maybe we could copy over any introductory ones.

Another thought, if we go official, it appears to me that each of us will have go to the group page and join this group. So, anyone not current wouldn't be doing that. If it's possible to keep this thread we could leave our "forwarding address" in case any inactive members come to find us.

KeriA

I had an idea regarding the group name. I strongly encourage all of you over 40 to read "Younger Next Year." It has so much information for those of us who are a bit older. It shows you how to basically feel and physically be like a 40 year old into your 70's. Anyway it was such an inspiration to me that I chose it for my MFP name. I had to add the 59937 because someone had already taken it as a name. Anyway, maybe something with "Younger Next Year" in the name, because that's what we're all striving for. Just a thought.

Great Idea - I like it

KeriA

One thing I wonder about....If we change to a group will we lose all our current posts? At the very least, maybe we could copy over any introductory ones.

Another thought, if we go official, it appears to me that each of us will have go to the group page and join this group. So, anyone not current wouldn't be doing that. If it's possible to keep this thread we could leave our "forwarding address" in case any inactive members come to find us.

When starting the group there is a place to invite all the people you want (people who joined this thread). So each of you will get an invite for the group. I think the other moderators are those who start a thread but not sure. Yes I will copy the introductory information. You do leave a post with the link to the new group up on the old thread. I will continue to check it too. Again today is relatively busy for me so don't expect it yet. Maybe tomorrow will be better. My Mom had surgery today.
:flowerforyou: Keri

greenhydrangea

hope your mom's ok, Keri. thinking about you.

MaryIM

Hope your Mom's surgery was a success.

swimmer54

Best wishes for you and your mom Keri.

KeriA

My brother and neice did most of the hospital duty today. I had to get caught up from the week but I went over tonight and my Mom seems like she is doing well. Thanks for all your good wishes.

YoungerNextYear59937

Maybe we could be something like 50+, but Younger Next Year, or something on that order. I suggest you all read the book, there is one specifically for men and one specifically for women. It tells you how to be strong, fit and sexy into your 80's and beyond. Now who doesn't want to be all those things? :happy:

Keri, am thinking about you and your mom. Which hospital is she in up there? My mom was in Swedish--I was very impressed with the care she received there.

KeriA

She is at UW. I am going to go for a run and then go by for an hour. I am wondering if she is coming home today or not.

Well all this has taken a toll on me. I have decided to accept I have gained and have changed my MFP weight. This is a first for me. I have also changed my goal to 1 pound loss a week. I don't think what I had it set at is sustainable but I might go back to it later. I want to set it at something I can achieve whether life is cooperating or not. However I know that if I really eat that much I won't lose so I will try to stay under my goal. I haven't been drinking enough water that is for sure and not as much exercise as usual. Meals have been hard to be able to make as well on some days. This is really the most important. I am trying to get things settled down a bit. Maybe I will have some progress by the end of the month but I am not giving up.

YoungerNextYear59937

I have been there and I understand. Take a deep breath and try to relax, although I know that is hard to do. Just don't give up. Don't worry about goals for now, just take each day one day at a time and do your best. Know we are thinking of you and pulling for you and are here for you.

~Joni

BrynnGetsThin

Hi everyone, sorry I disappeared. Sister was taken to hospital a few nights ago with chest pains and I drove down to be with her (she's about 100 miles away). Turned out to be her gallbladder with severe pancreatitis, so they did an emergency surgery. She's still in hospital till her labs get back to normal, but after that she should be okay, with rest, as long as she starts eating a healthier low fat diet. I'm not working right now, so will be staying with her till after Thanksgiving, and longer if necessary, to clean and cook and help her out. We both live alone. We're actually even talking about moving in together now. I'm not going to try to do MFP till things get back to normal, but will be eating healthier and lighter with her, so maybe I can lose anyway.

Keri, hope your mom is doing better, and remember to be patient with yourself with all the stress in your life right now. And everyone else, don't work too hard.

See you all down the road a bit, probably, and thanks for being so great. Wishing everyone much success as we approach the holidays.

Brynn

YoungerNextYear59937

I'll be thinking about you and your sister, Brynn. Be sure you take care of yourself as well as your sister. I have taken care of post-op family members in the past and know it's easy to stop taking care of yourself. It sounds like your focus is right where it should be--with your sister and eating right. Don't worry about MFP other than giving us short updates about how you and sis are doing. Bless both your hearts!

~Joni

swimmer54

Maybe we could be something like 50+, but Younger Next Year, or something on that order. I suggest you all read the book, there is one specifically for men and one specifically for women. It tells you how to be strong, fit and sexy into your 80's and beyond. Now who doesn't want to be all those things? :happy:

I like your idea for the name Joni. I like the reference to 50+ combined with the younger idea.

Mary

KeriA

Resetting my weight and calorie goal seems to be working probably psychologically since it takes longer for your weight to adjust to calories. Anyway the added pounds are starting to come off. Went to Aquafit today but not the weight training my shoulder doesn't feel quite up to par right now. Hope we all have agreat week.
Keri

lhershaw

I found this thread thru KeriA and would like to join in

KeriA

Welcome Ihershaw, Boy I am impressed you found this thread/group so fast.
We usually by telling a little bit about ourselves and our major health and fitness goals.
Looking forward to getting to know you. This is a great bunch of people here.
Keri

CRody44

Hi Keri,
Got your message inquiring how I was doing. I’m still alive and kicking. I moved over to LiveStrong to log my food because they also have a diabetes tracker which graphs my blood glucose in relation to my carbs/calories/fat/protein. On October 9, I started eating and exercising Paleo/Primal and since then, I have my diabetes completely under control and have lost another 12 pounds, down to 242. I haven’t felt so alive and energetic in over 40 years. I’m walking 30 minutes, 1.7 miles a day, three days a week and working out with 35 lb. Kettle Bells three days a week. I’m trying to get an appointment to have my Lipid Panel and A1C done. My blood glucose and blood pressure are both so good now that I hope to talk my doctor into getting me off my medication. I have been taking statins and have been experiencing some cognitive problems as well as muscle weakness and sleep problems. I really want to get off them. From the reading I’ve done, I wonder if they do more harm than good. The size 42” waist wardrobe that I bought for our cruise in August I can now pull down over my hips. I’m going to put off buying anything smaller until I hit 232, which will be 100 pounds lost. I hope to me there by Christmas

I read a few pages back, and, Keri, sorry to hear about your Mother. Hope she won’t have any complications in recovering.

Chuck

KeriA

Chuck,
It is so nice of you to let us know how you are doing. I am so glad it is all good news too. We miss you but we want the best for you and want you to concentrate on what is working for you. Just brought my Mom back today and this morning some of the regain has been relost. So things are hopefully calming down. I have read about the Paleo diet since another friend on here mentioned it. I hope you are able to get off the meds soon and I suspect you will.
Thanks for the update. Yay Chuck!