Newbie worried that it'll be way harder this time

tufztuf

Hi All - I'm Lisa, (no pic yet, just the photo of bamboo, because bamboo is very strong, like I want to be)

I've gone on diets a few times in my past and have done really well and kept it off a few years at least each time.

In my usual way, though, the pounds have crept back up again and now I've got a good 27 or more pounds to lose.

I'm worried that now that I'm 55 and menopausal, it's going to be a lot harder this time, but I guess I just need to see how it goes.

I've done Weight Watchers before, but I'd really like to do this without the monthly bill, so I'm hoping this will be the place for me. Best wishes to all!

katevarner

It can be done, but it is harder as we get older, particularly holding on to lean body mass. Try not to make it a "diet" is my best advice. Move more. Eat less, but not so much less that you are tempted to overeat or so that you will have a hard time once you lose the weight going back to normal eating. There is lots of great support here, so reach out if you get discouraged.

Good luck!

neworleanslady1

Hi and welcome. I am a Weight Watcher's veteran also and I am actually finding this easier, since calories are a little easier than trying to figure out points. Menopause does complicate things, but it will come off. We can do this together!

tufztuf

Thanks All! The main reason I start gaining weight always seems to be due to INATTENTION - I just don't pay attention and I eat whatever and whenever I feel like it.

So really, I guess it's NOT a diet I look for so much, or a quick fix, but just getting my eating back under control. Having a PLAN and SUPPORT helps me to restore that ATTENTION to what I'm doing - and what I'm doing to my body.

I recently rejoined our local gym, which is expensive, but I've given up a couple of expensive bad habits to defray the cost - namely I've stopped eating out so often and stopped buying $1.80 diet cokes at McD's, which I was doing once or even twice a day. That really adds up!

Well, I need to explore this site a bit more and see how things are done. Thanks again All!

glenner

I have found it very hard since menopause started, but I try to remember that menopause means I am more at risk for other health issues due to the change in hormones(my family has a terrible history with heart and stroke problems) so I have to work harder at it to be there for my grandkids. Joining here helps- when you start recording you realize how the hidden calories have added up. And perhaps the cost of the gym will make you more vigilant about going. I joined a walking track last winter- while part of me said "why pay when you can go outdoors for free" the cheap part of me said "You paid so you are going"!! I found it was too easy to procrastinate before I got the membership- oh, I will go tomorrow or the weather sucks today so I will walk twice as long tomorrow. But when I knew I had paid I had no weather excuses and if I went a few days without going to the track I would get out and go so the money was worth it! Good luck- you can do it!!!!

tufztuf

Excellent point - I thing you're probably right about that!

Pam165

Your history sounds much like mine. I think this time around was time #6 for me to lose weight, and I too was concerned about the menopausal factor. I met my goal in 6 months (by early December) and have been trying to stay stable through the holidays. As hard as I thought this time would be, based on prior experiences, I'll have to say that this time has really been the easiest. It has been easy for me to get myself into a food routine. I committed to myself up front that I would be honest on the food diary. My exercise routine has generally gone south, but I am otherwise doing well--back in Size 4 & 6 again, for the first time in at least 5 years.

I don't really have a strategy for keeping the weight off this time, and my gain cycle is around 5 years. I'm really hoping the diary will be a big help for me and keep me focused, even if I don't keep it everyday.

You can do this, and using mfp is really easy. There are lots of folks who use it and are happy to give encouragement.

Skudsister

Hi Lisa,

I am also a WW who would rather not pay for the tracker! And since I haven't been tracking on here for a while *cough - couple of months at least* I may as well be a newbie! My husband and I took the bull by the horns this morning and braved the scales - the good news is that he has much more to lose than me, the bad is that he doesn't have to fight against the menopause hormones to do it...

Sensible eating for us. Plenty of exercise, much less booze and we shall be rationing the Christmas chocolates that are still in the fridge. I wonder if I could get away with taking the full box of buscuits as a donation for our local cancer support group? They do need biscuits more than me...

Jane

MollyMLawson

Hi all, I am a newbie, too! Someone suggested this site on FB so I thought I'd check it out. I have thought about rejoining WW as well, but hate to pay the monthly fee. Also, I don't really like some of the people working at our center (not encouraging AT ALL), which makes going in there more difficult than it already is. My family belongs to our local rec center, but I haven't used it for quite some time. Yesterday we went to work out and play (the young kids need a place to let out some steam in our arcti temps). It felt so good to work out, breathe hard and sweat. Why don't I do this more often? I took a plunge and signed up for a 4-month fitness pass that will allow me unlimited use of the fitness classes. I plan to get started with yoga. I had an acl replacement last year and have struggled to get back where I once was with mobility and strength. yoga seems like a good place to start. Also, the elliptical is a wonderful machine for my knee.

My bipolar, a sedentary lifestyle, and peri-menopause have "helped" my weight creep up and up. It's a vicious cycle. But I look forward to encouragement and success on my new journey. And I look forward to taking my focus off of myself and what I deem all the negatives about myself and rejoicing in life, health and the opportunities to do great things for God in the coming year!

I am so glad you all are here and sharing your stories! I don't have a phone with apps, so I hope that this site allows me to keep records on the computer. I am going to wander around on the site and see what it has to offer. I'm looking forward to it. Happy New Year to you all!

tufztuf

Thanks Pam, Jane and Molly!

[Molly] You don't need the app at all. I have an iPhone and have the app, but I've been doing everything on my laptop since it's easier to key in stuff with my keyboard.

I've only been on MFP for a couple of days, but it reminds me of Facebook. In addition to discussions within any groups you join, you can invite people to be "friends" and then every time you go to "MY HOME", they'll see your updates and you'll see theirs and you can support each other. So that's what I'd suggest, is to invite a few people to be friends.

[Jane] I did best with WW when I went to meetings for about a month, just long enough to get started. I was able to continue just fine on my own after a while. We had a very nice group here, but I remember years ago attending a single meeting when I lived in a different town and vowing never to go back. It was such a downer in that group! I tried the online WW program and just could not get into it. I never thought the site was all that user friendly. I really like the price for MFP, of course, and really like the opportunities for connecting with others for support.

[Pam] Yay! So there's hope! Some of my coworkers of my age have been complaining that they just couldn't get the pounds off this time. I guess there will still be differences no matter what the age, so I'll just have to see how it goes.

joanthemom8

I used to be a WW member too. Several years ago, I lost 30 lbs in a year with WW, but then I made the grave error of not staying a lifetime member. Then I hit early menopause (at 42) and the weight started creeping back up. I tried WW again about 2 years ago, and couldn't do it. The people at the group were NOT very encouraging this time around. I've been on MFP just over a year - I haven't lost a ton of weight, but I'm in my range now. I think as post-menopausal women, we need to focus a little more on strength training. That's been my weakest area - I've been doing well w/cardio, but I still look "flabby" and my flexibility is really bad. So one of my goals for the new year is to do more strength training, flexibility exercises and balance exercises - I'm going to get started with some kettlebells that I got for Christmas.
Happy New Year to you!