50+ with 50+ To Lose Group

KeriA

OK I did it. I created our group. I invited all who posted on this thread or joined it. Here is the name I picked. 40/50+ but Younger next Year. Here is the address of the group http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/820-40-50-but-younger-next-year .
I will post a notice on my updates as well. I will be checking both threads daily for now.

Keri

KeriA

Hello! Anyone ready for a restart?
I started this thread a while ago and then we morphed into a Group. Well I realize the Group thing just wasn't working. When I did challenges on it they worked well. I have looked around for a thread that works and just haven't found one that works like this one. So this is an experiment. I am going to see if I can resurrect this one. The idea is age has made losing harder and gaining easier. The other idea is you have significant weight to lose. 50 isn't really important. It could be 40 or 60 or more or less. You don't have to be female. Anyone can join at anytime. The idea is getting and staying healthy and fit not just losing. So ignore the post above. That group is there and I am the moderator and will reply and post if others are but I like the thread format better. So here goes.

KeriA

I will start by posting in a format that works for me but feel free to find one that works for you. Anyway introduce yourself for your 1st post.

Introductions:
I am 64 but my birthday is next month. I am an almost empty-nester. My "baby" is half way through college. My son is married and well launched. No grandkids yet but lots of grand nieces and nephews. I lost 40 lbs on here when I was underemployed during the economic downturn but I am back working full time in my field and am loving it. However going back to work resulted in gaining a lot of what I had lost due to being too busy to eat right and exercise as much. I have stopped that. I am exercising regularly and eating much better. Not easy with office food temptations. Now the goal is to lose what I gained back and more. So this truly is a restart for me.

I will start with my goals/focus I have set for the spring:
1. increase my exercise slowly from 3 days of aquafit a week
2. increase my water intake,
3. keep under my calorie goals,
4. get enough sleep,
5. making healthy meals at home,
6. eat healthier breakfasts

My exercise right now consists of a pretty rigorous Aquafit Class 3 times a week which keeps me well stretched, provides great cardio and resistance training. I have been told not to run anymore (arthritis) after doing C25K on here , but I can walk. I broke my leg a while ago and still need to get back into the shape I was in before that. I want to add some weight training in beyond the water weights.

My weight loss goal is simply to start losing.

How about you?

KeriA

Some helpful information as to how to find this thread after posting once. At the top of this page where the title of the group is to the right is a star. Click on it so it is highlighted (yellow). When you want to post here again go to the Community Tab at the top of the page then click on My Discussions and you will see your favorited threads.

Cpagali

Hi. I've been on MFP for nearly 50 days. I am extremely obese and unfit -- probably in the 100+ to lose category. I've decided not to have weight loss as a goal, this time 'round, because experience has taught me that it just makes me crazy. (At my request, my husband has kept our scale hidden for years. )

This time, I just want to establish healthy habits that will last me for years. I want to run a marathon, not a sprint (metaphorically speaking. Definitely not ready for literal marathons yet!). I suspect that my goals in this "get healthy" marathon are going to change over time.

Here are the goals that I am starting with:

1. Plan my food for the next day every evening
2. Log my food intake every day (including unplanned food).
3. Stay within calorie limits
4. Stay within the limits that I set for sodium intake
5. Meet the targets that I set for protein intake
6. Meet the targets that I set for iron intake

I've decided not to stress about carbs and fat for now (which is very, very hard after decades of being obsessed with them), but I assume that if I stay within calorie limits and meet my protein targets, my fat and carb intake won't be excessive.

I eventually want to set some exercise targets, but for the moment, I just want to get established in a good solid habit of planning, logging, and (more or less) sticking to the plan.

A couple of the goals that you have listed for yourself are essential to my own success, too. I haven't written them down, because I'm not sure how to measure them, but I'm working on them nevertheless. One of these is to get enough sleep. The other is to make healthy meals at home.

I've planned and logged for 48 days straight, which I'm really happy about, and I've stayed within calorie limits for the vast majority of those days. I had trouble meeting protein and iron targets at the beginning, but I've gotten much better over time. Sodium is also getting better, though more slowly. It takes time to find low-sodium alternatives for foods that I rely on (e.g canned beans, canned tomatoes, soup stock, soy sauce, cheese), but I'm getting there.

But I'm noticing that, in the past few days, I'm having increasing difficulty sticking to the plan and, in fact, am feeling really resentful about it. Today in particular, I've wanted to just throw the plan out the window and binge on my favourite foods. I'm surprised that it took nearly 50 days for this to start happening, but now that it's here, I need to figure out what to do. Have you had this challenge, sometimes?

KeriA

Hi Cpagali, great job at logging and planning not to mention staying within your calorie goals. As to worrying about fats there are some that help weight loss like those in avocados and nuts. You are wise to limit your focus and take this a step at a time. I try to find an achievable objective to tackle so I can be successful with it and build from there. I am hoping a thread like this will help with the challenges.

Yes I do have that challenge. When I was successfully losing I was really monitoring that resentment level too. Part of my problem is that we never had sweets when I was growing up and really no junk food. I never had a chance to learn how to limit them. I am not into cheat days but I give myself a pressure valve periodically. I would make sure I logged it and I tried to adjust accordingly. So find a way to give yourself something of what you have been missing without blowing it completely. Decide what it is that is making you feel deprived. I guess that is the issue for me. I felt deprived of foods others got to have so I can't lose if I don't monitor that feeling. I am really picky about what sweets I eat because I limit them so why spend my sweets allowance on something I don't really enjoy that much. So when I feel that feeling of being deprived I determine exactly what it is that I am most wanting or missing and try to have some of that without it being over the top. I am really not a big binger but then I just don't have things in my house since I know I can't limit them. So when I feel that feeling I get as small an amount of it as possible and have some and try to adjust by having more exercise, or less calories elsewhere maybe not that day but that week. This week I had a small bag of corn nuts.

It may be day by day process but it is really the weekly calorie deficit over time that matters in weight loss. I never really had foods that were off the list just monitored calories. However I do believe in mostly eating healthy foods. Yes there are foods I don't eat anymore because they have so many calories. I don't have milkshakes now since I wouldn't be able to eat anything else that day but if I really wanted one I would make it at home the old fashion way where there is actually milk in the shake and I could have it a smaller size and exactly the flavor I want. The ones you eat out don't really use milk just ice cream and calories. If you think about it a milkshake should have less calories than ice cream but somehow they have more?

Cpagali

We, too, didn't have many sweets growing up, and I too, had very little practice in controlling them. Interesting. And yes, it's interesting how fast food places somehow do things that add more calories and or sodium than we would have at home. Your milkshake is a good example.

KeriA

Today was a different day. The day started a little late due to snow and freezing. Then I was asked to join a meeting at the last meeting, then I had a site visit and when I got to having lunch it was time to go. So I packed up my lunch and went home but of course now I am pretty hungry. Hope fully it won't throw me off. It was fun going to aquafit last night finally after being ill.

Cpagali

I gave in to the urge to binge a couple of days ago. But I logged it all (I'm sometimes tempted to pretend it never happened) and, miraculously, I've been able to go back to normal patterns. I think there might have been two issues going on. a) Aunt Flo arrived today -- the days immediately before her arrival tend to be more challenging than other days and b) I had the day off, and therefore wasn't following my usual routine. On work days, I prepare a ziploc bag stuffed with raw veggies, and I snack on them throughout my work day. That, combined with Greek Yogurt, have been getting me through the workday without feeling hungry or deprived. On weekends and days off, I don't make that bag of veggies, and maybe I need to. It provides a lot of helpful vitamins, minerals and most of all -- fibre. Maybe I'm a person that benefits from having a similar food routine every day.

Hope the rest of yesterday went okay for you. How was aquafit?

KeriA

Aquafit was great! My week hasn't been routine either and like you I have my routine worked out so I can make my calorie goal. I missed lunch one day and dinner the next but of course you end up hungry later. I had a night meeting I had to staff. So missed aquafit that night. We have had 2 late mornings due to snow. I am lucky that my work lets us use the schedule for the local school district so if they have late start times we do too. Hoping to settle down soon. Saturday morning we go to aquafit. Have a great Friday!

KeriA

Feeling better after Aquafit and should be able to get back to my routine that works. My weight went up this week but came down this morning. Still haven't got it to start down.

Cpagali

Friday and Saturday have worked out pretty well. I was having crazy cravings last weekend. This weekend, even though those same foods are in the house, I haven't felt tempted to go overboard on them. This is good to notice. A bad day does not always mean a slippery slope toward a bad week, or a bad month. It *is* possible to get back on track. Think I'll be ready to start exercising soon.

KeriA

Yes my Friday and Saturday were better for me too. Hopefully today as well for us both. Caught up on sleep too. We have started back into our exercise schedule but haven't added extra. Yes it is possible to get back on track.

DonnaAnn64

Hi all...54 years old and I need to lose 50 lbs minimum..then I can re evaluate I have lost 8 lbs so far .. I seem to be fine during my workweek , but then lookout Friday .... weekends are my downfall!

KeriA

Welcome to the thread Donna, I usually do better on the weekends but sometimes they can be tricky. It sounds like we have good healthy routines and we have problems when we get off them. Good job with the 8 lbs. With my birthday last week I am happy I haven't gained but hope to lose soon. After aquafit yesterday I was helping my daughter long distance with school and summer plans. I think today I am settling down for the week ahead.

lmccowen16

Starting today. Would love to join this group. I will be 51 in May and hopeful to be down 20 by then. Have at least 50 to lose. Doing my low carb/keto thing and I know this 1st week or 2 is going to be rough.

ElizabethAN2017

I would also like to join please. I will be 51 this summer. I had over 50 to lose and now have between 27.6 to 42.6 lbs to go to be in my goal range.

KeriA

lmccowen16 wrote: »

Starting today. Would love to join this group. I will be 51 in May and hopeful to be down 20 by then. Have at least 50 to lose. Doing my low carb/keto thing and I know this 1st week or 2 is going to be rough.

Welcome, hope the week went well.

KeriA

ElizabethAN2017 wrote: »

I would also like to join please. I will be 51 this summer. I had over 50 to lose and now have between 27.6 to 42.6 lbs to go to be in my goal range.

Welcome, great progress. You are well on your way.

KeriA

This week hasn't been my typical week food wise. the highlight was that we tried an aquazumba class on Wednesday. I have been better at water intake. Went to my Saturday morning aquafit class this morning. Today we will be making corned beef and cabbage.

jlbell1967

I would also like to join! 51 in June, starting keto tomorrow.

KeriA

Welcome jlbell. Okay that does it I am going to look up keto. The corned beef we made was good. It has been a good day with exercise, healthy food and low calories.

Hope all have a good weekend.

Make sure you favorite the thread by clicking on the star at the top right of the name above.

Keri

KeriA

Well down to my recent low this morning. Just need a good week to keep it going in the right direction. We hope to get a walk in today.

paxetamore

Hi Keri,

Congrats on the recent low! And I'm so glad you are restarting this thread just as I'm restarting MFP. We did have a great group and fab successes with fitness on here years ago! Looking forward to continuing the journey with you and making new friends here

About me:

I recently turned 49, and I need to get back on track. Several years ago, I lost 40 pounds on MFP then had some rough times and let myself go, like gaining most of that weight back, ugh! Things are looking up, and it's time to get back in shape, a smaller shape.

I'm a mom to a fab 27 year old daughter who has been off doing her own career things for several years in another state, so it's now just me and two cats at home. This is a mixed blessing because of course I miss her, yet I have complete control over my own schedule and how I choose to spend my time.

So, one of my big long-term goals includes time management/discipline:

Being grateful for a flexible schedule and embracing the time commitment to myself for healthy choices.

Specifically, I want to...

Exercise every day for at least 20 minutes.
Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.
Eat more protein.
Drink less wine.
Prepare food in advance for easy daily/weekly healthy selections.
Lose 50 pounds.

This is a restart for me too, and I expect it will take some practice for a couple weeks to get back into the swing of things.

Cheers!
Roxane

ElizabethAN2017

KeriA wrote: »

ElizabethAN2017 wrote: »

I would also like to join please. I will be 51 this summer. I had over 50 to lose and now have between 27.6 to 42.6 lbs to go to be in my goal range.

Welcome, great progress. You are well on your way.

Thanks I now have 25.2 to 40.2 to get to my goal range I hope you had a chance to go for your walk and congrats on reaching your new low

KeriA

Roxanne,
Nice to "see" you and get an update on how it is going. It is funny I am older but not quite an empty-nester yet! Like your goals. They should work!

Lets have a good week.

Keri

KeriA

How did your weeks go? It was not a typical week for me in that I took a day off to take my Mom to a Drs appointment, there was a party for an ex boss and we decided to go out for a last birthday celebration on Thursday. But I was down on Friday morning. Even the celebration was pretty healthy with lots of seafood and salad. Think this week will settle down. We just got back from aquafit and had our healthy breakfast. It is a bit larger than on the weekdays but keeps me satisfied all day.

We have some meals planned for the weekend but still need to do a touch of meal planning for the week. I hope to get a walk tomorrow. Next week I will be posting my monthly goals/focus.

KeriA

I planned to review my goals and progress earlier this month but with Easter and my daughter having some problems at college I haven't really felt it was time. Things have resolved themselves now. So better late than never:

1. increase my exercise slowly from 3 days of aquafit a week I have been partially successful at this but not consistent
2. increase my water intake,same here, there has been some improvement
3. keep under my calorie goals,I have been pretty consistent with this weekly if not daily, in fact weeks where my calories have been slightly higher seem to be better at weight loss than the lower weeks
4. get enough sleep,again improvement but not consistent each night
5. making healthy meals at home,continued progress
6. eat healthier breakfastssome improvement but not consistent

I have a new plan for breakfasts I will try this week. We will see how it goes. I am down to a new recent low. We went this afternoon and we have been adding them in here and there. Hope all are doing well with your efforts.