What's the best overall approach for someone like me?

DaniH826
DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm pushing the upper end of overweight (28-29 BMI) and have for years. I'm what they call "average" (I'm in a size 14), but I'm not happy about it because I currently weigh as much as I did when I was 9 months pregnant with both of my kids. My youngest is now 15. So really, enough already.

What's the best approach for a person who wants to (realistically) drop about 25-30 pounds and just get strong and be healthy?

I know that those folk who have way more than that to lose might think (what is SHE unhappy about? I would LOVE to only have to lose 30 pounds!) but happiness, as it goes, is a highly subjective thing, isn't it?

I'm 45 and so I'm not looking to get washboard abs or anything like that. I lost about 20 pounds a few years back out of sheer vanity, but found that my vanity wasn't great enough to push me further (my love of food and affinity for personal comfort was greater than my desire for a bikini body, evidently), and in the end I put about 15 of it back on again. I'd rather sit on my couch playing Skyrim than do a bunch of crunches, and that's going to never change.

I just this week started counting calories because I want to put an end to mindlessly shoving food into my mouth and then wondering why my body and the scale reflect that. I'm trying to get a grip that will sustain me for a lifetime, but I'm not trying to build a religion out of calorie counting and/or going to the gym. My goal is to be ACTIVE, not necessarily super fit or anything.

So ... anyone in a similar boat who understands my ramblings and can give me some pointers as to what worked for them?

We actually own an elliptical machine, which I do enjoy somewhat, but I have a very low boredom threshhold. I simply can't do the same thing day in and day out without wanting to stab myself in the face. I have a couple kettlebells and dumbbells and I'm not afraid of lifting. I love yoga and that's about the only thing I've managed to stick with more regularly than anything else (which is usually all sporadic).

I tried Power 90 a few years ago and that lasted all of about a week and a half. Not going to happen. I'm GREAT at starting things (isn't everybody?), but 2 weeks is about the most I can stick with anything repetitive before life gets in the way, something happens, and I allow myself to get sidetracked and eventually quit. I've joined a gym with a friend of mine but then she stopped going and guess what? So did I.

What to do? What to do??

Halps!

Replies

  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
    My advice is change your eating habits slowly...make a few small changes here adn there and don;t try to cut out the things you love. If you have a soft spot for pizza or chcolate then find a way to work those in occasionally or it'll never last. I have found that adding more protein helps me tone up and keeps me feeling fuller longer so thatt's my trick. And don;t expect it to be fast...slow and steady is better.

    As far as exercise....I'm with you on that one I'm not good at sticking with things and P90 is WAY too hard! I could be just as happy on the couch but we're not getting any younger so I decided to exercise for my health not just my weight. For me I find classes are better than solo activities b/c I make friends at the class and want to see them and also if I pay for it it's more incentive to go. So I do 1-2 bootcamp classes a week if I can afford it. I also started jogging....and I hated jogging before. I started a Couch to 5K program and it starts out VERY easy and changes every day to 3 days slowly working up to where you can run a couple miles day. Running is great all you need is good pair of shoes (and a good bra LOL) and you're set. :)
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
    I've joined a gym with a friend of mine but then she stopped going and guess what? So did I.
    Get a trainer and set up a bunch of appointments ahead of time. Having a schedule of appointments will keep the excuses in check.
  • mfoy94
    mfoy94 Posts: 228 Member
    Have you thought of doing something while you workout? Like read on the elliptical, listen to a book on tape even, or just watch tv? Depends on how hard you're working i guess. Your body is mostly made up of what you do in the kitchen, that does NOT mean that you should just quit eating something you like. If it fits into your calories and macros, go with it. I eat chocolate pudding almost every day.... Not just because its great in calcium but because I LOVE it. Its all about moderation. Also I am a strong advocate for pre-logging at least a day before. That way you can sit down, rearrange things, make choices and evaluate it. Also then you can "budget" your food. I dont eat large meals but I have little snacks planned for times in the day. Not because I think it will "boost my metabolism" (because I am pretty sure that has been debunked many times.), but so that if I am hungry I can pick a snack and space them out to keep me full all day. Working great for me :)

    You could do the 30 Day shred, the levels last 1 week and then its something different the next and a third level on the next. (10 days each actually, hence 30 day shred) I love it and it gives great results...

    And of course, give it time. Results dont always come in 2 weeks or even a month. I suggest taking before/ after pictures in something tight fitting or even a sports bra, shorts, leggings, something like that. Also measurements measurements measurements. I hadnt lost a pound in a few weeks but I lost 2 inches from my hips and 1 from my waist.
  • krickeyuu
    krickeyuu Posts: 344 Member
    I am 52 and was in a similar boat. I only wanted to lose about 23 lbs to get back to my pre-wedding weight. I also wanted very much to get off the hbp meds that I was put on 3 years ago. I decided that I needed to learn to eat for my goal weight, so I calculated what theTDEE was for my goal weight of 130. That was about 1500 calories (sedentary, since I have a desk job and don't do a lot after work.) I made small changes at first. I actually started on another site and then switched to this one because they had a biiger food database. I am now down 21 lbs (and holding--maybe a plateau, maybe just my body's happy weight.) I am off my hbp meds as of last month. I now eat much better and my IBS syptoms are almost completely gone--no more heartburn either. Went from size 12 to size 6.

    Feel free to send me a friend request.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Get a trainer and set up a bunch of appointments ahead of time. Having a schedule of appointments will keep the excuses in check.

    I've thought about that but it's really not financially feasible right now.

    I agree that the way to succeed is to be accountable to someone other than myself since it's way too easy to make excuses. I've had all the 10-minute workout insta-movies in my Netflix Queue for like EVER but I just haven't been DOING them.
    My advice is change your eating habits slowly...make a few small changes here adn there and don;t try to cut out the things you love

    Yes, that's exactly what I've been doing over the past years. Changing one thing at a time and making healthier choices. I just haven't been very consistent. Which is why I joined here: To teach myself consistency and to help me keep track instead of eating "whatever I feel like" which just isn't working.

    As far as exercise....I'm with you on that one I'm not good at sticking with things and P90 is WAY too hard! I could be just as happy on the couch but we're not getting any younger so I decided to exercise for my health not just my weight. For me I find classes are better than solo activities b/c I make friends at the class and want to see them and also if I pay for it it's more incentive to go. So I do 1-2 bootcamp classes a week if I can afford it. I also started jogging....and I hated jogging before. I started a Couch to 5K program and it starts out VERY easy and changes every day to 3 days slowly working up to where you can run a couple miles day. Running is great all you need is good pair of shoes (and a good bra LOL) and you're set. :)

    I tried the Couch to 5K for guess what? 2 weeks. LOL. Sad. I hate running. But that was when I was still smoking, so I'm contemplating trying again.

    I think I just need to find some friends and work out with them. Doing it alone is just ... blergh.
    Have you thought of doing something while you workout? Like read on the elliptical, listen to a book on tape even, or just watch tv?

    I do watch TV while on the elliptical and that definitely helps.

    I'm seriously considering doing the measurements also. I will check into that and see if I can keep track.

    I joined MFP for the community also. I'm hoping that whoever ends up on my friends list, will check up on me and give me a swift virtual kick if they notice me slacking (ESPECIALLY after the first 2 weeks ... break the cycle! break the cycle!). I'll be happy to return the favor. :bigsmile:
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    A fitness goal is what kept me motivated. I wanted to be able to run a 5k, more specifically, the Warrior Dash with my brother and my niece. He's about 15 years older than me and had been running for about 30 years. She's 15 years younger than me and has always been athletic. I was pushing 39 and a couch potato. I wanted to be able to keep up with them, and it was six months away.

    Plus, both my parents had died within about a year of each other with heart and lung problems, so while the initial motivation was being able to jump fire, crawl through mud and feed my inner Viking in the Warrior Dash, I knew I NEEDED to take my health more seriously.

    I started with Couch to 5k, tried some other workouts like Zumba and yoga and EA Sports Active on the Playstaion, joined a gym, and by the time I ran my first race a few months later, I was able to keep up with my brother. Shortly before the Warrior Dash, I was able to finish a 5 mile race just a few seconds behind my athletic 25 year old niece.

    And in the process, I was able to lose that 25-30 pounds that I never thought I'd be able to lose. :smile: Since then, I've taken up weight lifting and continued running, even picking up a few medals. And best of all, I didn't have to starve myself to do it. I ate about 1700-2000+ calories a day (after exercise calories) and felt great. Weight loss seemed effortless... it was just a side effect of becoming fitter and healthier.
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
    Your post sounds exactly like me... I'm 5'5" , 50 years old -(next week) and presently at 176 or 174.5 depending on the time of day, previous day's diet,...

    I've always been pretty active and weight wasn't a big issue for me... but then the big M hit. And, I was eating and drinking with abandon and having a GREAT time doing it. I was ignoring the slow creep of my weight. Sure I wanted to lose weight but not enough to actually watch what I was eating and drinking or get my butt off the couch. And then I hit 180/29 BMI... and I had a little come-to-Jesus moment with myself.

    I've been going to the gym for about 6 months, not really tracking my calories. I was on an elliptical 2-3 days a week (recumbant- thank you very much! I can read that way.) And trying to lift about 2 times a week. And it wasn't working at all. and what did I have to show for it? maybe 1-2 lbs.! That's it! 6 months! and 2 freaking lbs!

    Needless to say, I was about to chuck the whole 'healthy' lifestyle and head to the nearest watering hole and crawl into a double order of wings and a pitcher of beer.

    But I had another talk with myself, and an admission that I wasn't trying super hard with my diet... So, I thought back to when I was young and working out all the time (amateur bodybuilder), and I looked at my body type (I tend toward being quite muscular. I've told friends on FB that I'm convinced that my anciet ancestors were the pack mules for the tribe/clan. LOL.) The only thing that has ever really gotten results for me is lifting... heavy lifting. Intense, sweaty, heavy breathing, weight training sessions.

    So I changed my routine. I'm hitting the gym 3x a week and I lift, fewer reps with heavy weights. With very little pause in between sets (max of about 30 seconds). When I leave there, I am a limp noodle. The other two days, I do some sort of cardio work, fast walking, elliptical w/the requisite book in hand - VERY low boredom threshhold. Or on days that I'd really really really don't want to go, I use the xbox kinect and do Kinect adventures, or Jillian Michaels (hate her), or some other active 'game'. I plan on getting Zumba for myself soon. :-) Gotta have some sort of reward other than a measley 4 lbs!

    And, I'm tracking EVERY single thing that goes in my mouth. I do not consume alcohol Monday-Thursday, even if we go out. And that is HARD! I dearly love a cold draft beer. On the weekend, I'm not as strict. I try to watch what I eat and I try and track everything but hey, I'm not perfect.

    So, short story long,... TMI? My suggestion(s)? Think back to how you lost weight before. What worked best for you? What's your body type? What do you enjoy doing?

    But one thing I do know, watch your calories! With me, I have to drop my calories down to 1200 or less to even see the scale budge an ounce... The extra calories that exercise is supposed to 'give' you? HA! That only succeeded in a net weight gain! Everyone warns that I'm not getting enough nutrition with <1200 calories but that is assuming a 'normal' metabolism. Plus I'm using supplements. So I'm sure I'm getting the nutrition I need, just not necessarily through food. So be sure and analyze your diet, what are you 'really' eating?

    I feel for you!... I'm living the same story. Fighting the same battle.
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
    First don't go by what MFP says to cut your calories too... I am very similar in lots of ways to you except I'm not really a person that loves food and I felt deprived at 1200 calories. There are hundreds of threads on here about the TDEE -20% way of calculating your calories - I'd do that if I was you. It bumped my calories up 300 points and that made all the difference in how much I enjoyed my day.

    As for exercise. Everyone is different so hard to say what will get you moving. Maybe look at some other ways to be active (help an elderly neighbor by walking their dog or doing yard work for them, look on MeetUp and find some hiking groups, take the kids skating, beginner volleyball or soccer league (one that doesn't go out for beer afterwards!), etc). If all else fails the elliptical in front of the tv 3 times a week probably doesn't excite you but won't kill ya either. :) Bribe yourself to get on it - new pair of shoes if you ride it 3 times this week, etc.
  • nicleed
    nicleed Posts: 247 Member
    I'm 44 and pre-menopausal and I recently lost weight with the TDEE- 20 percent approach (slowly upping to TDEE - 10 per cent and then 5 per-cent). Incorporated both strength training and cardio.

    Now I have lost the weight, I want to do more heavy lifting to try and retain as much lean body mass as i can while I age. My mum didn't and it saddens me to see how weak she is at 80...
  • stormtruck2
    stormtruck2 Posts: 118 Member
    Unless you have something naughty in mind, the best way to approach me is with a plate of shells and cheese with several hot italian sausages on it.:laugh: In my totally humble and worth what you paid for it opinion, slowly lower your caloric intake to what you think it should be, ie TDEE - 20%, rather than trying to do it all at once. Also, just lose one pound, not all of them, thats too many. So lose just one pound, then when you have, WTH, lose another one. Eventually you will have lost one pound, 50 times or what ever your goal was. Depravation will ruin any diet. remeber it is a life style, not a life sentence. relax, lose one pound at a time, and if you need an emergency Dairy Queen run once in a while, roll with it. Don't sweat the small stuff, and remeber that it is all small stuff.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Somewhere inside is a bodybuilder wanting to come out ... (not cause I ate one somewhere along the way) ... it's actually something I've had as a niggling in the back of my head for some time now.

    Then I get scared and lazy and think "no way is that ever happening." I've never been athletic, ever. But always active.

    Even though my husband would just LOOOOOOOOOVE me getting built. Which might just help get HIS butt back in gear ... but I digress.

    Having said that, I'll stick to counting calories for now and work on getting on that elliptical with some sort of regularity.

    The thought of being 80 shuffling about in a nursing home terrifies me. That's why I'm taking action NOW.

    I SO appreciate all your responses. More than you know. *hugs*
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
    Somewhere inside is a bodybuilder wanting to come out ... (not cause I ate one somewhere along the way) ... it's actually something I've had as a niggling in the back of my head for some time now.

    Then I get scared and lazy and think "no way is that ever happening." I've never been athletic, ever. But always active.

    Even though my husband would just LOOOOOOOOOVE me getting built. Which might just help get HIS butt back in gear ... but I digress.

    Having said that, I'll stick to counting calories for now and work on getting on that elliptical with some sort of regularity.
    Wait wait wait. You have something here. You're being all "Ho hum, I'll just do this ellipti...yaaaawn." So why not try the weights? It might finally be the thing to stick. :smile:
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
    Are you going to a gym? Is your husband a weight lifter? (Mine isn't and I hate to say this,... <whispering> he looks like one of those weak old men when he lifts... kind of embarrassing. I can lift WAAAY more than he can... when it's time to move the couch or rearrange the furniture, he calls me.)...

    If he isn't, or you think he'll slow you down... and he wouldn't mind... ask one of the other barbell boys at the gym to show you some stuff. Or hire a 'male' personal trainer. I say male, because I find that they tend to push you harder than women will (sorry girls) and it becomes kind of a competition. I recommend this because many many moons ago, I trained with a group of 5 men, tried working out with women and it just wasn't the same. I'm not being mysogynistic, it's just our nature I think.

    Either way, find someone to either a) work out with - preferably someone who is already a regular b) show you some basics.

    And check out some books on it.

    Then push yourself. Do weights 3 days a week, then zumba, active video games or some sort of cardio the other two. Personally, after that, I kind of take the weekend off. I'm active, just not going to the gym.

    Next thing you know, you'll realize that you can run up a flight of stairs and not get winded. (Happened for me this week!). You'll feel strong. You'll notice "hey, that new bump is kind of solid,... whoa! that's muscle!" or "hey! what happend to my muffin top?! It's gone."

    I'm there with you... you can do this! and we'll be cheering you on.

Categories