Women over 60 - question

I am 58. I have a hard time eating the amount I do eat. Portion control has never been a problem for me. It is eating pastries and ice cream instead of healthy food. Oh and drinking regular coke by the gallon. I have stopped all of that and am eating healthier. I still can only eat so much food or I make myself sick. If I eat a big lunch out, I honestly don't feel like dinner. I am not going to force myself to eat if I am not hungry. It also is harder for me to take the weight off. I can tell my metabolism has slowed down a lot even since my 40's and it was never that high to begin with.

I'm irritated by topics started by 22 YO girls, saying how 1200 wouldn't keep a bird alive and they eat much more and lose weight. And the 20 - 30 YO men telling US how much to eat! Don't get me started.

Metabolism is (1) different for men and women, and (2) slows as you age NO MATTER WHAT. It is just a fact, and all the hectoring posts and polls and success stories will not change that!

Add diabetes into that fray and things can really get tough. I am 58, too, but I could never eat that much....partly because I have to keep my carbs and sugars low.

I stopped reading threads saying if you eat 1200 calories you are starving yourself and killing your body. My Dr. has seen some of my diary pages from here and he has NO problem with what and how much I am eating.

Same here, my dr hasn't seen my diary, but she is well aware of how many calories a day I eat. She has no problem with it, as long as I am not hungry. She is happy I am losing weight. I was getting quite the belly and running a risk of heart disease or diabetes if I had kept it up. I am still having a hard time losing the belly.

I am 65 and I find there is lots to eat on a 1200 calorie diet, but that being said that is my choice for me. Sometimes my caloriies are lower if I am not hungry. If I were to eat more it would be something that I likely should not be eating for weight loss, so I choose to do it my way. Why eat if you don't have the appetite for it. My Dr. is quite happy with my choice of calories. I find on here if you are to high on calories you get told and if you are to low everyone thinks you are going being careless with yourself. My feeling is everyone has to do what works for them.

I'm 64 and my calories are set at 1200. Because I have thyroid disease, and even with meds my metabolism is slow, I seldom eat more than 1300 calories. I tried to eat more when I first started here and gained weight, so I am not going any higher until I reach my goal.

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I just turned 61. I'm eating 1200-1400 cal. Sometimes it's hard for me to eat that much, but then I don't eat grains or many starches. I always have a good breakfast. Sometimes it might be at noon, but it's high in protein and fat. My macro ratios are about 25% carbs, 25% protein and 50% fat. I find that the fat really fills me up and keeps me sated. It's great not to be thinking about food all the time. :happy:

I am 62 and I've been using MFP for about 2 months. I am 5' nothing and currently weigh 251. I try to stay between 1200 and 1600 without figuring in any excercise calories I have "earned". I generally walk laps in water for 1 hour 3 days a week and do a water aerobic class lasting 1 hour twice a week. I am getting back to swimming laps and have been managing to get in 1/4 mile a week. Outside the water I am sedentary and use a mobility scooter for most shopping trips and any but the shortest walks outside my home. My weight loss for 3 months has been 29 pounds. I am a 12 year post surgery open procedure roux and y gastric bypass patient who lost 138 pounds initially and gained back 80 over 12 years.

I have not been starving once on the 1200 to 1600 calories. I am, at this point, determined to find foods that taste as good as their higher calorie counterparts and arming myself with them in order to stay on track. So far it's working well.