Anyone old like me?

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cardfanzz
cardfanzz Posts: 19
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I am 63 but people tell me I look 50 but looking for someone to share my desire to lose weight. I have gained 70 lbs since I turned 40, had a hysterectomy, diagnosed with fibromyalgia, arrythmia, and about ten years ago hypothyroidism. All my friends are still thin. They can go on a diet and lose weight and I cannot. I have tried everything, from weight watchers and Jenny Craig to NutriSystem, protein shakes, Atkins and HCG and probably 20 others. I have lost 20 lbs on the low carb with a lot of exercise and gained it back plus more. Now the exercising is harder due to back pain. I just retired from teaching and blamed it on that. Now I feel better but just can't get motivated to exercise. I enjoy walking but get bored on the treadmill. Have joined two gyms and never went. Wasted all kinds of money on these diet fads. Want to be able to play with my grandkids on the floor. Am 5'6" and weigh 197!!! I was thin my entire life...almost too thin. I look in the mirror and don't know who this person is. Just had to go buy new pants for the third season in a row due to weight gain. I have no will power any more!! My husband does most of the cooking now and I just eat what he prepares. Help!!
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  • calamity71
    calamity71 Posts: 207 Member
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    Hi, welcome. It sounds like you have tried a lot of diets. I have done several as well in my life. I am 40 and have been told I have Fibro. And chronic fatigue. At my thinnest,and early to mid 30's I would wear myself down trying to exercise, which would just kill me. the Doctor at the time told me....don't do it. It is wearing you down. just don't do it. I was frustrated, that wasn't the answer I was looking for. I was doing curves workout and people much older than me were doing it with no issues, for me it was a struggle and then I was wipped out after. The less i exercised, the more crappy I ate.

    I seem to be in remission right now with the fibro. i refuse to admit I have it, and I don't want it to define me. I don't tell people and have changed my attitude.

    I have felt good for the last year....I was at my heaviest, but started exercising slowly. I too, hate the treadmill and prefer to go on a walk. My husband cooks as well. A few months ago I went and bought the "sonoma diet" and started picking things out of that for him to prepare. I do not follow the diet as intended, but instead made some lifestyle changes and eat my cereal in the morning and my lunches are generally on whole wheat bread. Dinner has some grains incorporated into it. I have been getting about 45 minutes to an hour of exercise in daily which has made the biggest difference for me. I don't do it all at once. I take one to two breaks during my work day and walk. then I come home and do something that makes me sweat a little. A faster walk on an incline or something. This past year I have really "upped" what I was doing for exercise. However I understand with Fibro, that can be difficult. Feel free to Friend me.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    good luck. i have found mfp to be a life-changer. i think the difference is that its up to you. you have to have a will of steel and make it happen. other diets prescribe too much to you, and when it's over, or when you hit your goal, the diet is done. this is not a diet, it is a life changing experience.

    try to never say something is boring. ever. boring is a state of mind, it's not really there. if you do not enjoy doing certain kinds of exercises, then don't do them. there are plenty of ways to burn fat. if you enjoy walking, do that once a day for a while. set a specific time everyday that you go for your walk, and stick to it.

    good luck.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    Did the diets fail because you didn't follow them? Or did you follow them but fail to lose weight on them? The difference is huge, so which is it?
  • CarolinaMoon76
    CarolinaMoon76 Posts: 78
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    I'm not in my 60s but I do have an underactive thyroid that doea affect losing weight. You can add me if you like - a thyroid buddy :laugh:

    Also there is a group here for people struggling with thyroid issues.
  • jojo37696
    jojo37696 Posts: 93 Member
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    hi I'm 60 and pretty much have the same issues as you. add me as friend if you like otherwise I recommend joining a seniors group for your exercising. there's nothing like making friends and exercising with them to keep motivated
  • dutchman24
    dutchman24 Posts: 108 Member
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    You're NOT old...just experienced. Yup, some of us "experienced" ones are out here...I'm 65...and rarin' to go....
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    Oh, and P.S. - I'm a little younger than you but have my struggles, too.
  • AliceNov2011
    AliceNov2011 Posts: 471 Member
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    Just sent you an invitation to join our group for women over 40. I think you'll like it!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/9239-the-ladies-who-lunch

    Cheers,
    Alice
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
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    You can do this. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, then you can make this change! Dig deep and find the inner strength that lives there and bring it to the surface. Become the person you already are in your head. And enjoy every step of the journey!
  • JanaCanada
    JanaCanada Posts: 917 Member
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    Hi! 53 yr. old here. I found that everything went "south" when I turned 40. Health issues, eyesight, everything more flabby and gravity taking over,...*sigh*

    Like you, I have tried every fad diet under the sun. The only thing that worked for me is embracing this new way of eating as a lifestyle change. I am fully committed. The best thing about MFP is the daily diary. What a difference it has made! Oh, and the comeraderie. I love my MFP friends. They make me stay focussed and encourage me a lot. :flowerforyou:
  • JanaCanada
    JanaCanada Posts: 917 Member
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    Just sent you an invitation to join our group for women over 40. I think you'll like it!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/9239-the-ladies-who-lunch

    Cheers,
    Alice

    ^^THIS is a fun group!
  • algebravoodoo
    algebravoodoo Posts: 776 Member
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    Y'all are not old!!!!!

    You are not OLD if you are still getting up, getting out and getting going! My mother was old, even though she was only 67 when she passed away. Mama spent most of her days in the house, in a rocking chair even! Her idea of strenuous exercise was shopping day at WalMart! even when she was younger, I cannot remember Mama going for a walk unless it was necessary to get somewhere and there was no other option. (She didn't drive.)

    Realizing the calendar swears I am 48 years old, I feel like I am the same age as most of my coworkers, including our eldest daughter, 30-35ish. I refuse to be OLD! I may age, my skin may sag and wrinkle, but I absolutely will not put myself in the position of losing my mobility due to inactivity.
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    Sounds like me a while back with all the excuses. When a blood clot almost ended my life last March I quit making excuses and decided to start changing my life.For Me and no one else! I don't have the perfect program but I am not in denial anymore. Good Luck!
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
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    I'm 41, but everyone says I really look about 40.
  • hattie2833
    hattie2833 Posts: 9
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    Hey....we're not old (I'm 64). About 6 yrs ago, I went thru a very emotional time. Lost my mother, my husband (to a younger woman) and because of divorce, 3 granddaughters (they were my stepson's girls.) And, it's taken me a long time to start feeling good about myself again. But, I'm enjoying this journey now. MFP is great. I started my diet with Atkins and quickly lost about 15 pds. But I missed my pasta and bread so I started counting calories and changed the way I eat. I spend a lot of time looking on the web for low calorie but good tasting recipes. And WOW! There are some good ones. I just found spaghetti squash and use that for pasta (45 calories for 1 cup) and the turkey, diced tomatoes and spag. squash casserole is very, very good (let me know if your interested in the recipe.) I now have a 3 yr old grandson and 18 month old granddaughter that I get to play with often. And like you, I love getting in the floor with these two. You CAN do this. Set your calorie goal, stick to that goal, log in everyday and watch he pounds go away. Good Luck! This is the best!
  • jdennisj
    jdennisj Posts: 53
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    I, too, am in my early 60s. Any of you feel free to add me if you wish. I enjoy cooking but am rather careful of the things I make for dinner. I am trying to watch my cholesterol and sodium intake. I look forward to planning out my meals through this program - actually my doctor told me about it. He uses it as well.
  • cardfanzz
    cardfanzz Posts: 19
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    I stayed on them and did what I was supposed to do but many of them bothered me. Found that the soy that was in many of the prepared foods bothered me as IBS also. Also discovered that I am lactose intolerant while on the shakes. Was just too starved on the HCG diet and others. I think the main thing for me is the exercise which is so difficult with fibro. I will feel really good a day and do too much and then it takes a week of doing nothing for me to recover from the pains that follow. I have to pace myself which is not helping much with weight loss.
  • Geni_B
    Geni_B Posts: 64 Member
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    Hi, I was in the same boat, someone posted a helpful site on here one time called The Smarter Science Of Slim and I went to that site to get help, also green smoothies help me a lot I replace one meal with green smoothie which you can in your blender blend fresh spinish, celintro, fresh ginger Banana, strawberries, vanilla extract, what ever your taste is, get creative with it, I also found youtube helpful just type in green smoothies in the search bar on the you tube site. I also got on my stair stepper and that helped boost my matabilism. I did not eat three hours before bed time either. You can add old fashioned or steal cut oatmeal to your smoothie to make it more thick and filling. I had to make a lifestyle change because in the past I would loose a lot of weight but then gain it all back and then some. At 55 I knew I had to do somthing that was significant to keep it off today I finally reached my goal weight after 11 months loosing 70 lbs. Now I have to maintian, this site is very helpful and motivating. I hope this helps you. I also read on the internet about tumeric the spice helps with different conditions you can do research on herbs that help with different ailments you tube has info on this too. Any way do your own research this is what worked for me but everyone is different. Geni
    Hi, I am 63 but people tell me I look 50 but looking for someone to share my desire to lose weight. I have gained 70 lbs since I turned 40, had a hysterectomy, diagnosed with fibromyalgia, arrythmia, and about ten years ago hypothyroidism. All my friends are still thin. They can go on a diet and lose weight and I cannot. I have tried everything, from weight watchers and Jenny Craig to NutriSystem, protein shakes, Atkins and HCG and probably 20 others. I have lost 20 lbs on the low carb with a lot of exercise and gained it back plus more. Now the exercising is harder due to back pain. I just retired from teaching and blamed it on that. Now I feel better but just can't get motivated to exercise. I enjoy walking but get bored on the treadmill. Have joined two gyms and never went. Wasted all kinds of money on these diet fads. Want to be able to play with my grandkids on the floor. Am 5'6" and weigh 197!!! I was thin my entire life...almost too thin. I look in the mirror and don't know who this person is. Just had to go buy new pants for the third season in a row due to weight gain. I have no will power any more!! My husband does most of the cooking now and I just eat what he prepares. Help!!
  • jimeads
    jimeads Posts: 7 Member
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    We live one day at a time. And you make choices every single day. Eating the food that your husband prepares is a choice. Failing to exercise is a choice.

    Every morning, get a piece of paper and a pencil. Decide what is most important to you that day and write it down.

    If living healthy and being able to play with your grand children is most important to you, write it down.

    Then, plan what you will do that one day to move towards that which is most important to you.

    The first day it may be to just walk for 20 minutes and cut out sweetened soda.

    Then, do it. It’s just for one day.

    The next day, do it again. It’s just for one day.

    You have the same willpower that we all have. It’s just a matter of the choices you make and how you choose to live your life.

    What’s important to you?

    It’s always your choice.

    (By the way, I’m 61. I’ve never exercised and had high blood pressure (2 prescription meds) and diabetes (3 prescription meds). Then I started to walk a little over a year ago and progressed to running. I’m slow but I’ve built up the endurance to go a long time. I’ve dropped 35 pounds and gotten off all of my meds. Blood sugar and pressure are now just fine. I will run my first half marathon in January. I do not always make the right choices and I still have some weight to lose. It’s tough because I love good food. But, every day, I try again. Never give up! Never surrender!)
  • cherylplinder
    cherylplinder Posts: 11
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    What have they done to address your underactive thyroid?
    Unless that is addressed with medication, it is really hard to lose weight.
    My dad had radiation for an overactive thyroid that left him with an underactive thyroid. He takes Synthroid. He has recentloy had great success at MFP losing weight. He is 73 and very active.
    Hugs!

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