50's and flying high!

wow.. not much posting going on in here.. guess the idea for a group support system didn't pan out.... hope everyone is doing well and have a great December all! Cheers!

Good morning everyone - and a warm welcome to Library Deb, CariJ and MargS (or if you're in the midst of a hot flash.. a cool welcome??)
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Library huge congrats on your superb accomplishment in the weight loss - well done YOU! and I totally agree... it's not about the actual "poundage" loss anymore at this stage, altho the numbers are still important but it's more about getting to where I FEEL good!

Cari - yeppers.. haven't figured out exactly the calorie count for a hot flash, but by god they count!! So does shivering btw LOL @ the personal tropical vacay - does hubby bring you a frozen margarita during those times to assist?? HA1 also mega congrats on your weight loss - that's fabulous! What a tremendous accomplishment - total kudos to you!!

Margaret - yup wine absolutely counts as fruit... in fact I considered going on an all fruit diet once (grapes only in liquid form.. ha! kidding!!) but makes ya think of the "juicing" theory in a whole new way, eh? I could totally get into that!

I saw these posts on another thread and freely admit to cutting and pasting them to copy here (I don't think I infringed on any copyright laws by doing so)... but these are a couple of posts by menopausal or post menopausal women and when I read em I thought.. omg.. yup... that's me sometimes!! so thought i'd share in case it resonates with anyone else.. kinda nice to know we aren't actually losing our minds some days??





Topic copied from another thread:

Resiliency. This word keeps popping into my head during this transition. My husband asked which symptom bothered me the most, and I said it wasn't so much the individual symptoms, but rather that I just feel less resilient than normal. Perhaps it's the lack of sleep. Perhaps it's the random hormonal changes themselves. But yes. Smaller things set my teeth on edge. Slights hurt more than they should. I just feel less resilient. And with that in mind, I move forward! cheers!

For me, what I hate most is the fact that so many physical and emotional aspects of daily life are now no longer within my control, or situation-dependent... they are controlled by wayward fluctuating chemicals streaming around my body.

Slights hurt more than they should. Lol. I can take gentle teasing and twist it into a grievous insult of epic proportions. When I'm "not in my right mind" that is. I hate not having my normal emotional responses. It's like aliens took over the body.Not being able to sleep, even though I am completely exhausted and yawning my head off. Grrrr. But.... moving forward also!

Hiya Aspen and welcome!! There's no question at this stage of our life it's way more work and effort to lose the excess weight - but it truly CAN be done!! I don't think I actually believed that myself when I first came to MFP... but surrounding myself with other women my age who WERE doing it, and the support, encouragement and laughter along with learning about nutrition and the importance of moving my parts, helped tremendously and once the weight started coming off, I realized I really could do it - I honestly think that's a big part of it is believing deep down inside you really can do it. That said, my first month on here I almost packed it in because I was SO frustrated because I was doing everything right (so I thought) and nothing was happening... my friends talked me off the ledge thank goodness.. and I finally stopped flipping out and just got down to basics and eventually my body learned to trust me again.
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I hit my goal weight at the end of last year - about 45-50 lbs gone in total... but this year I regained 18 lbs.... and I let a lot of the old bad habits and vicious mind games come back. I convinced myself as the regain was happening that it was only 5 lbs.. then only 10lbs... the fact that I was starting to look like a sausage about to split open on a BBQ in my clothes was still a sign I chose to ignore... and began consoling myself with a bunch of crap and then of course, would feel bad and console myself again.. well ya'll know the cycle...

Anyway... a few days ago I finally got up the guts to get back on the scale and reality slapped me in the face.. and the belly.... and pretty much every other part in between!!
So now is enough. I refuse to end this year feeling crappy about myself mentally and physically. I know I can't lose it all before the end of the year that's completely unrealistic, but I can start making those changes and going back to basics today, and that's what i'm gonna do.

Congrats to you on making the decision to get healthy Aspen - we really CAN do it.. and we'll be here for ya!!

Welcome Marsellient! LOL @ the fruit.. yep... I hear ya! huge congrats on maintaining AND such success on your loss; you've done awesome! Love the idea of the small group training.. and I agree about the support factor - thanks for joining in!

Because im a type 2 diabetic, my ratios are set to lower carbs and higher proteins AB... I've just started logging again today.. but if you go to my diary and in the bottom left corner run a report for say jan-july 2013, it will come up on the screen showing the breakdowns if that's any help... ?

Good morning everyone!

I imagine it's getting to be a crazy busy time for everyone in this group - among all the other hats we wear, the holidays present their own special challenges, don't they? As much as we may look forward to getting together with our friends and family and the celebrations, most of the prep work for it all (including becoming the social director LOL) falls on us - sleep goes down, stress goes up, and throw in an occasional hot flash or an emotional hormone raging thru us meltdown, and it's no wonder we may turn to (insert comfort food of choice here) now and then! So just wanted to say hang in there ladies! and take care of yourselves too during this time, if nothing more than to just stop and breathe now and then if you can, and try to work in a few laughs during your day.. it not only burns calories, but releases the happy endorphins - and may just keep ya sane TOO LOL!

Now that you've (hopefully) had a chuckle for the day.... I happened across an article on the web this morning - I know most of us have already learned much of this, but thought it seemed like a good "refresher" for me at least while trying to get back on track and reach my goal so thought I'd share..
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by Manuel Villacorta

Every calorie counts once we reach our 50s. But most of us tend to keep eating like we're 25. That's a problem because our metabolic rate has decreased ... as much as 5 to 8 percent every decade. To lose weight, we have to adjust to this slower metabolic rate. That doesn't mean counting every pea, but it does mean every calorie counts.

Another concept Baby Boomers need to embrace is healthy eating doesn't equal weight loss. If you're thinking, "I have cut out all processed food. I eat organically and I mainly eat salmon and olive oil, but I'm not losing weight." You could be organically growing your waistline.

It's important to note that a serving is a serving. A half cup of brown rice is the same as a half cup of white rice when it comes to measuring portions for weight loss. Will the brown rice pack more power in terms of fiber and other benefits? Absolutely! But will it make you lose weight faster? No. And can you eat more of it because it's healthier? No.

This is an essential concept to grasp because so many people assume eating heart-healthy foods like salmon, olive oil, avocado, brown rice and sweet potatoes means free rein to eat unlimited portions. But it's all about portion control, no matter how heart-healthy, low-fat, organic, gluten-free or low-carb that food may be.

Outsmart Your Hunger Hormone: A hormone called ghrelin controls hunger and drives our appetite. If we don't understand,monitor and control our ghrelin, we can forget about losing weight. Ghrelin is one of our bodily survival tactics--a hormone secreted in the stomach to ensure we eat. Research now shows that ghrelin spikes due to lifestyle behaviors like delaying and skipping meals, lack of sleep, after exercise (especially in females), avoiding carbohydrates and the act of losing weight. To keep ghrelin in control and lose weight, remember to:

· Eat breakfast within an hour of waking. It's the most important meal and drives your entire day. It determines how much you're going to eat at 4 p.m. It will control ghrelin and set you up for success.

· Do not skip meals. You need to eat every three to four hours to control ghrelin, so depending on how many waking hours you have, you may need four meals or you may need six.

· Try to combine carbohydrates and proteins at every meal or snack. This way, you get the optimal blend of nutritional elements to fight cravings, control hunger, gain energy and stimulate fullness. Protein increases your metabolism while carbs lower ghrelin, help with brain function and decrease cravings.

For lunch, try a salad with chicken or fish. Add a carbohydrate such as quinoa, garbanzo beans, lentils or brown rice. Snack on an apple and a piece of turkey, low-fat cheese or a hard-boiled egg.

· Don't focus on the time you stop eating. Instead, follow the 70/30 rule, which means you should eat 70 percent of your calories before dinnertime and 30 percent at dinner, whatever time that may be. Just make sure you have 90 minutes to digest so you can sleep comfortably.

· Stay hydrated. You've heard it a million times, but drinking water is essential for keeping energy up, aiding metabolism, burning fat and more. It's the fluid your body needs for life, and it's an instrumental part of weight loss. Other fluids can be useful, but water is obviously the best choice because it is calorie free.

But you can forget the whole eight glasses a day thing. Just relax and remember to have a healthy amount of water whenever you think of it. Thirst can confuse your sense of hunger so make sure you stay hydrated.

Many women tell me they're eating healthy, staying active, doing very well in general yet they're gaining weight. It's easy to put on a pound a year during peri- and actual menopause, which often adds up to 10 to 15 pounds in the midsection.

There are a few reasons this happens. On average, women tend to become less active during this time. Metabolism and muscle mass decrease, and hormones change. Of course, your body's hormones have a direct impact on your appetite, metabolism and fat storage so weight gain during this time is more likely caused by hormones rather than overeating.

In your younger years, you may have gained in the hips and buttocks, but now you'll notice you gain in your waist, which has to do with low estrogen. So what's the solution? Typically, you have to eat less. On average, menopausal women need to eat about 200 fewer calories a day.

To give you enough carbs to fuel your brain and prevent sugar cravings, I recommend a 45% carbohydrate-30% protein-25% fat formula.

If you're approaching menopause and haven't yet gained, start cutting 200 calories a day from what you're used to eating, and that will help you maintain the healthy weight you currently enjoy. The tricks described above can help you outsmart your hunger hormone. Also, begin weight training to build muscle mass because muscles break down as we age. Remember muscle mass drives your metabolism so if you keep it strong, your body will regulate your weight as an added bonus.

If you've already gained weight because of menopause, It's a little more challenging at this time, but if you increase everyday activities like walking and taking the stairs, you'll find it much easier to achieve your goals.

While it's possible to lose weight simply by cutting calories, it may not be what I call quality weight loss. You may decrease muscle mass and bring on depression, hunger, cravings and unsustainable behaviors.

To give you enough carbs to fuel your brain and prevent sugar cravings, I recommend a 45% carbohydrate-30% protein-25% fat formula. By carbohydrates, I mean whole foods, like fruits, grains, quinoa, brown rice or legumes, and sweet potatoes ... not processed foods. This formula also delivers enough protein to prevent muscle breakdown, keep your metabolism going and control ghrelin. It also ensures you get the good fats you need for your health and that you enjoy what you eat.