Hello everyone. 56 and single. Gained over 30 lbs in a short time. I quit smoking in November, menopause kicked in last month, and I am on hyperthyroid meds (to lower my metabolism). Ive been a size 2 most of my life (probably because my thyroid gland worked overtime) and suddenly I became a size 10. I lost my job in September and am on unemployment for the first time in my life. Quite distressing overall.

I found this site last month and started using it 2 weeks ago. I'm on it all the time. I'm not losing weight much even though I am eating really healthily now, no processed food, 5-8 servings of fruits and veggies per day, and drinking 8-10 cups of water per day. My exercise is coming along. Since its getting towards springtime here in south Carolina, I'm using yard work as my exercise, I use light housecleaning, too. Today, I found a 20-25 minute workout on YouTube. It's called Jillian michaels 30 day shred. Supposedly you can lose something like 7 lbs, and 7 inches. Since I'm not losing much with what I'm doing, thought I'd try one of these workout things. I just started level 1; there are three levels for 10 days each. I thought I was going to die today. I went much slower than the girls on the video, and still had to modify it down a bit. But I kept moving. Day one of level 1 is over and I will keep this up.

No matter what, I feel so much better that I have quit smoking and am exercising daily, eating well and drinking lots of water.

I filled out all the blanks from this site and it put me on a 1200 calorie per day diet. I stuck to that but went nowhere. I read more about all of this, and found tHat I should be eating more calories. I'm now on about 1600 per day. More than enough. As long as I do not bring my bad foods into the house (chips, ice cream, candy), then I'm good with counting calories. I've slipped up three times since I started. But I just shrugged the slip ups off and kept going. You can really eat a lot if you stick to non processed foods. A whole can of spinach with a bit of Parmesan cheese is only 85 calories. Navel oranges are 45 calories. I cook batches of veggies then freeze them in large portions that I can eat at one sitting. I eat only brown rice. I cook up black beans from dry. Mixed with brown rice and some diced tomatoes is delicious, healthy, and about 300 calories. I've never been much of a meat eater, but I do cook up chicken breasts now and then, and white fish. I was eating catfish, but the fat and mercury content is much too high so i switched to tilapia. I just keep reading about health and slowly am making changes to my diet and exercise.

I started at 141 lbs and today weighed 137.5. Not much of a loss, but I still feel better.

Hello Pelo & Ig,

Welcome. Each day is a new start. It's so easy for me to say that but I ate a whole pack of 'Hit' cookies. About 700 calories. I ate them a lot when I was a child living in Germany (happiest time of my life) so those cookies bring back a lot of good feelings. And, of course, two cookies just won't do. <sigh>

Anyway, I'm starting again today. I hope everyone can do well. Please check in and encourage each other. Log in as often as possible to get/give encouragement. It's so important.

If you're having a rough day, think about what you would say to a best friend and then, say it to yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Go get 'em!!!!

Hey Renate I lived in Germany too. A little town called Butzbach and I went to high school in Frankfurt. Where did you live?

Hello over 50 and Single! I am new to myfitnesspal. I have not been consistent entering my food and exercise on a daily basis, but I will get there. I too do not have any support at home. My adult daughter has not said a word to me and I have lost almost 40 pounds! Maybe it is because she has seen me do this before and gain it all back..on several occasions. A few of my co-workers have noticed and said something, but not many. Oh well, we must carry on and do it for us!

hello, and yep over 50 and single, day 3 here for me. in the beginning i thought if i took 25 lbs off, that would be perfect, but i have already lost about 15 lbs and now since i took those nasty hip and waist measurements here, i think i need to go another 35 lbs. i am determined, but this is really hard. the calorie counter here has helped a lot, since before i came to this site i basically stopped eating. i am going to a water aerobics class 4X a week and on those days i walk my dog at least a half hour and the days i don't go, it's a hour dog walk. from what i have been reading i should also be doing weight training, does that mean i need to buy a bench and weights? any suggestions would be much appreciated!

tyvm renate, never even thought of using cans and i guess when i get home from work i will have to check out youtube

Thank you for responding to my post Take this journey one day at a time, if we mess up brush it off and start again! Keep in touch.