40+ Club: Beating The Winter Bulge

4crazykids

Hi everyone! I am 41, mom of 4, wife and 5th grade teacher. With little time to work out, I was eating very healthy for about 3 weeks and lost 4 lbs. I swear in one weekend of football parties and eating out at my kids lacrosse games, I gained it back. What the heck? Is my metabolism that lame now?

No more crying. I'm dragging my little kids to the Y while the bigger ones are at their High School sports practice 3 evenings a week. I am also getting on my Wii FIt Plus for 15 minutes each morning.

Good luck everyone!

zebras

Frank: Its so good to see you!

I managed to work out three days in a row. A recent record. I'm starting to feel so much better. Its amazing how once you get enough days in a row, you go from complete couch potato to someone who looks forward to working out. I'm walking like a cowboy today. I'm a little sore.

Swissmiss

Frank, I found that all the legal garbage that I had to get through when my dad died helped keep me busy and my mind off of the hurt. Not only did I have to close out his estate...he had not done anything about his will or legal papers when my mom died seven years earlier.

:flowerforyou: 4crazykids, yep, your metabolism gets slower the older you get. I am almost 59 (come Friday) and I think that my metabolism has died. Keep at it. It will be worth it. It just may take a bit longer than when you were younger.

Has anyone had Campbell's Select Harvest Light soups? I am having the Italian-Style Vegetables for lunch today. I am eating the entire can and will have only 100 calories. My husband bought them for me because I was complaining of having the same thing for lunch over and over again every day. These are so convenient. Just pop them in the microwave.

duffyzmom

Frank - Glad to see you back and happy to hear that you and your brother can work together in settling all of your mom's legal business.

Swiss- I love the soups just be careful and watch the rest of your sodium during the day.

4Crazykids - Yep - it is a struggle after 40 - I was just like you last year and that is what brought me to these boards. I could eat clean for 3 months loss 10 lbs and then after a fun filled weekend end up gaining it all back. Strength training has done wonders for my metabolism. As the great Chalene says - it isn't just that you are getting older it is that you are lossing muscle.

Really focusing on clean eating and no alcohol for the next two weeks so that I can celebrate and enjoy my Colts in the Superbowl. We are having a huge party and I hope to make some fan favorites and some healthier options. Any suggestions on the healthier options?

kalmf

The metabolism thing is real, but it's not cement - it will respond - the more you move, the higher your at rest metabolic rate will be. There are older relatives in my family who are barely mobile and the thing they have in common is they didn't make moving their body a priority. I see others of the same age who have energy and vibrancy. There are no guarantees, but I remember this sometimes when I just don't wanna do it.

njjswim

<a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/20/2554/202554.png&quot; /></a><p style="text-align:center;width:420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com">Free Calorie Counter</a></small></p>

need more motivation but so far so good lots of salads and fruit 2 whole days ....Waaaahoooooo

2BLean

Hi Everyone

Frank: Glad to see you! All my best in getting through the matters at hand for your mom and all that it entails. :flowerforyou:

Duffyzmom: What about some Hummus with lots of fresh veggies. That’s probably an obvious one. You could also do a dip w/ Greek Yogurt; either a fruit dip for apples or a dip for veggies.

Stiring: It is weird on having more energy while working out more! It is something I always wanted to implement into my workout routine thinking it would help break the plateau. I’ll keep you posted! Thanks for the reminder on taking my Recovery Week when I am done. I didn’t even think of that once I had your advice on the new rotation. It will work out great because I am going to visit my mom that Friday so I will get in some nice workouts during Recovery Week, have some relaxing time with my mom and start up fresh on my Endurance rotation when I get back! I will officially be done Feb. 6th.

So far so good (only Tues.) but had Chest & Back yesterday and then did the Kickboxing class last night. This a.m. I did a step/cardio workout + Abs. Tomorrow a.m. is Plyo Legs – always tough but good & then Spinning tomorrow night.

Hope you are all having a great day/evening! :happy:

Swissmiss

Duff, salt is my downfall. I love it on everything and a lot of it.

StiringWendel

singfree/Frank....so good to see you. :flowerforyou: I appreciate what you said about your mother and her health. I've learned the same thing from my mother as well. That being said, take the time you need to heal without worrying about your workout schedule or eating habits. Just take this time to be with your family, and when you are ready, the old 'habits' of fitness and nutrition will return.

hisangel, I'm so sorry to hear about your hand! It sound really painful. I hate burns, and I've never had burns like what you've described. Take the time to heal! If you are following your diet properly, you definitely won't gain. So take care of yourself.

angelwings, congrats on the weight loss. Motivation is difficult to maintain. I heard a speech once where the speaker describe the difference between motivation and inspiration. He said motivation is short-term, and inspiration is long term. Maybe you need to look for something that inspires you to workout. Like singfree, much of my inspiration comes from seeing my mother decline before her years in terms of her physical health. She couldn't do half the things I do when she was my age because she given up being active long before she reached 40. My motivation to workout daily comes from my weight/body image. But my inspiration to workout for the duration of my life comes from wanting to be able to walk on my own until the day I die. So......just a little food for thought. And kudos on your children in the military!!

4crazykids, welcome!! Yes, it is easy to put on weight at this age, isn't it? I put on WAY too much over Christmas (probably about 8 pounds, though a good portion of that was water retention). But the good thing is, as karinf pointed out, the issues with metabolism can be addressed through moving more. Like duffy, I can maintain my weight MUCH easier when I am lifting weights, so you might want to think about incorporating some strength training into your routine if possible.

duffy, I don't actually have too many healthy snack recommendations beyond what 2BLean has already suggested (fruits, veggies, hummus, etc). I say just eat in moderation, enjoy the game, and have a great party!! :drinker:

zebras, great job with the workouts!! Working out can become addicting....believe me.

Swissmiss, my husband eats those soups every day for lunch and really enjoys them. They are high in sodium, but otherwise, I think they are a good option for lunch.

2BLean, I'm happy I remembered to remind you about the recovery week...and I'm happy the timing is going to work out. I think it will help you with your next rotation. I am doing my last week of Meso 1 (started this morning) right now. The last three weeks have flown by. I did chest/shoulders/biceps this morning and....yowza!....I'm feeling it in my arms this afternoon. But it's a good (rubbery) feeling. I was talking on the phone earlier, and it was all I could do to hold the phone to my ear. :laugh: I'm loving the results of lifting weights again, that's for sure. I hope your 'doubles' continue to go well.

It's hard to believe that it is Wednesday already. This week is flying by. I'm still eating clean and working out well. I'm not losing pounds (which is fine), but my body is really changing shape rapidly right now. I'm getting more and more comments from people about how ' tiny' I am. I suppose that's a good thing. I'm certainly not back in the shape I was when my profile photo was taken (back before the move), but I'm getting there. I'm really convinced now that, no matter what, next time we move I not only need to keep the diet more in line, but I need to find a way of lifting weights. I saw tremendous cardio and endurance improvements with Insanity (and core strength improvements as well), but, as I said earlier, my body seems to really require some strength training to maintain the weight/shape I like.

Hope everybody has a good day.

singfree

Good morning!

It's really a busy time here at work...end-of-month closing, reports to generate, catch up on missed work---you know, the usual stuff! Hi again, friends! I'm doing well considering the turmoil of the past week. It's time to get back in the saddle with my nutrition and workouts.

Thanks again to all for your help and advice. But as they say, "Life Goes On". I think that it is especially important to pay attention to my health at this time because I am busy and stressed and yes, a bit depressed...even though I think I'm OK. I am now realizing that my life is HECTIC. I need to enjoy this wonderful life, not merely race through it as I am currently doing.

When I start paying attention to my diet and exercise, this should help my mood. Right now I have little ambition to get off the couch. That is not me. I have not let myself grieve through all of this, except for one brief moment on Friday. It's a stupid guy thing. Maybe someday it will hit me and I will cry like a baby for no apparent reason. This is pretty funny telling all of you ladies our "secret". Next thing you know I will ask for directions!!!

Have a great day!!!

Trina22

Hi Frank and all,

I checked in for the first time in about a week this morning and was startled to see your news, Frank. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I expereinced a similar situation 4 years ago when I received that dreaded middle of the night phone call telling me my dad was killed in a car accident. It was life changing for me. I encourage you to really take time to grieve now or it really comes back fiercely if you put it off. My husbands dad passed this summer and he seems to be doing a good job of hiding his grief, or maybe he is just experiencing it differently than I did.

I was in NYC this weekend for my birthday and completely went off my healthy eating program - but I intended to! These last two days I have been doing really well and seem to be totally back on track. Has anyone else had that experience? Ususally if I am off track for a few days it is really hard to get back on track - but not this time for some reason.

Tried a new recipe last night and it was really good - Hungry Girl's Whole Enchilada Soup - only 110 calories per cup and it's really yummy.

Thanks, Trina

duffyzmom

Hi All! Can't believe it is already hump day - some weeks move more quickly than others.

Frank: Just remember that mental health is just as important as physical so make sure you are taking care of yourself. My dad has been gone for almost 15 years now and I still get surprised by moments of grief every now and again. I know as a frequent sufferer of depression - exercise is great medicine for it. I read that piece of advice years ago but honestly after 3 years of consistently exercising - I know really believe it.

Stiring: I forgot to post the Eat for Health tips for this week - Probably because I can't see myself making these a long term habit.
1-Cut back on caffeine if possible get no more than 1 cup of coffee/tea /per day -Sorry not gonna happen - I may be able to cut back to 1 cup of coffee in the morning but green tea is one of my afternoon treats. 2- Use processed food sparingly if you do don't buy any foods with more than 200 mg of sodium per serving (I am cutting back on processed food but I'm not sure I'd qualify as sparingly) 3- Break the sugar cycle (actually not a big deal as I'm not a fan of sweets and eating the 3 servings a fruit a day has really changed how sweet food tastes to me)

Thanks for the superbowl suggestions - I live on hummus so that will definitely be on the buffet but I was looking for fruits and the greek yogurt dip is a great idea.

zebras

duffyz:

Anything but the caffeine! LOL There was a Dilbert cartoon where someone deliberately switches all the coffee to decaf, and Wally is like close to falling down and going "must get help"

tamarads

Morning All! I just wanted to say a quick thank you to you for all the lovely posts, such encouragement and positive advice! Such a great way to start the day! I'd love to get the recipes for the bread and tortilla soup if you all are willing to share them!

Tammy

mkwood10

Good morning all!! It's hump day, the sun is shining in Kansas (for now) and I actually feel human again!!:laugh: The stupid head cold's not completely gone, but I feel a lot better than I did even yesterday. This is day 15, so should be completely over it by the weekend, I hope. Since I'm on allergy meds year-round, I don't get colds very often, but when I do they just wipe me out completely for at least 2 weeks:sick: :frown:

Welcome newbies.........we're a mixed assortment of 40 and 50 somethings.......and we're quite the fun group!!

Duffyz, I could never give up caffeine completely, but I am down to less than one Coke Zero each morning. I usually end up dumping about half of it late morning because it's gone flat. Coke Zero's the ONLY diet soda I've ever been able to stand........no yucky diet aftertaste!!!

Trina............PLEASE share the whole enchilada soup recipe - I need new soup recipes!!!


Headed to yet another meeting...........have a good day all!!!

alf1163

Oh my!! I just realized I have not posted for a while or you guys have posted too much!!!! :laugh:

Great to hear from you Sing!!! As everyone said take care of yourself. It is true what you say, it is imperative that we enjoy life with our loved ones and with ourselves...we never know when our time or our loved one's time will come. :flowerforyou: You are so right about men grieving. When my mother in law passed away I never saw my husband crying but I am sure he did it in private. I have always told him that there is nothing wrong with crying...and asking for directions FORGET IT!! :laugh:

Tex, thank you for the info. I had gotten an email about it. Glad to hear from you!

I am sorry I am not able to answer to everyone's posts. I am glad everyone is doing well. Duffy, I reserved that book from the library and it was ready for pick up. I stopped by today and picked up some CD's and totally forgot about the book. Old age!!! :noway: :laugh: How do you feel following this program?

I am on my 4th week of ChaLean Extreme. I wish I could be lifting heavier but I am still very cautious about my leg. I am telling you, I still feel the pain from time to time. It is very frustrating. Zumba at the AFB is going great, I had 28 students last night. I can't wait for tomorrow night's class, it is so much fun!!! I started at another location (non-military) on Monday and no one showed up, the same tonight. I only get paid per student so both times I wasted my time and gas. Luckily is not that far but I drive an SUV. :grumble: I am going to give them another week and if it does not pick up I am going to cancel my contract. It is not worth it. I really think this is not the greatest location for a class at 7pm. Jazzercise has a class before mine and they have students but they only have about 5 ladies in there. That would not be worth it for me either. They only pay me 70% of $5 that the students would pay for my class. What do you guys think? Should I break my contract? Oh, and I am not finished...then my husband sees me getting ready and he asks where I'm going...he said I did not tell him I was going to be gone 4 nights in a row to teach Zumba. I did tell him but that is how much he listens to me. :grumble: So now he is upset...Ughh!!!! I am inclined to cancel the Mon/Wed class and just offer my svcs as a sub for other locations that the zumba classes are well established. That way I am not commited 4 nights in a row. Suggestions?

Have a great evening!!! :flowerforyou:

singfree

Good morning!

I hope everyone is well today! I'm feeling better each day, but I need to get back to basics with diet & exercise. It's so easy to just sit there and do nothing. That's what packs on the fat. I have a goal to reach in exactly 119 days (but who's counting)? It's our 10th anniversary trip to....(hint: We're flying on Lufhansa)....

Alf, I'm all for honoring one's contract, but if nobody shows up, what's the use? An SUV in Texas??? :laugh: Actually, one of our cars is an SUV (Subaru Forester). It gets decent gas mileage for something with all-wheel-drive. We LOVE Subarus. Since the 70s, this is my 5th one. They last forever! My last one had 250,000 miles on it and never had any major work done. My dream is to have a Mercedes or BMW...just a dream....

Mk, I'm glad that you are beginning to feel better. Just let the bright Kansas sun shine on your face for a while. It's amazing what sunshine can do for your spirits especially in January!

Tammy, we're glad that you are staying here with us. You are a great addition to our "club"!!

Duffy, I'm with you on caffeine. I have it in the morning (this is NOT negotiable). Then I have either decaf coffee or green tea the rest of the day. I tried to cut caff. from my diet at the urging of one of my voice teachers. He said that caff. swells the vocal chords slightly and affects the singing voice. Well, it lasted exactly ONE day. I had such a withdrawal headache I immediately grabbed the nearest espresso...cured!!!

Have a great day!

alf1163

Sing, sie wird in Deutschland in kurze!!!!!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: I am excited for you!!!! We bought our airline tickets to go to Puerto Rico in March for 2 weeks. :drinker:

ChaLean, done!!! This morning. I increased my weights for most exercises which helped me burn much more calories than expected. Woohoo!! :drinker: Zumba tonight with my favorite class, well, my only class :grumble: :laugh: I keep forgetting to turn on my heart rate monitor to see how many calories I burn. I wear every time but I am so pumped up and excited to start the class that I forget to turn it on. :noway: I have been only estimating but I am afraid I am burning a lot more.

Have a wonderful day!!! :flowerforyou:

duffyzmom

ALF - I really wouldn't say I'm following the Eat for Health program but incorporating some of the main ideas. I have definitely cut down on the amount of animal products in my diet and I have increased the fruits and veggies. But I can't see myself limiting whole grains to one serving a day especially once I start marathon training again. and I know with CX push phase coming I'm really going to need to increase my protein for recovery. My goal for next month is to do a better job of monitoring my exercise calories burned.

See you all tomorrow for check-in day

singfree

Alf, sie kann gut Deutsch als Carribbeanerin sprechen!!