On my own no more

willowsflight
willowsflight Posts: 4 Member
edited 1:27PM in Introduce Yourself
Hello all. I am Debbie, 56 yo and want to lose 110 lbs. I started just before New Years. Got a Jawbone up, joined here and began my journey. I have lost 15 lbs. so far. I am walking 2-3 miles daily. In bits because I am a desk jockey so I walk at breaks and lunch for 10-15 min at a time. A good start I think as I have not be much for exercise. Now taking a step and entering into "community", that's you all. Getting inspiration from stories, blogs, and recipes.

Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    You remind me of where I was. I have a feeling you are going to do very, very well.
  • fatimaasif46
    fatimaasif46 Posts: 12
    Aw well done :)
  • m7mdth
    m7mdth Posts: 46 Member
    Good start. Keep going.
  • whitecloud987
    whitecloud987 Posts: 3 Member
    Just remember to stick to healthy food options. With all that exercise, don't neglect protein.

    7 kilos in 3.5 months is quite fast. Personally I would slow it down to 1kg per month when I've reach the half way stage. The reason is very important and it is why most people put the weight straight back on. Basically you have to re-adjust your physiology, your thought processes and emotions to your new eating regime FOREVER and the less monthly weight you lose the longer you will have to re-adjust those factors and make them the norm.

    Example. I went on a diet when I reached 90kg, losing 1 kg a month for 18 months. I overshot so I added 8kg when all my friends told me I looked ill at 72kg.
    The important thing is before this diet i had a sweet tooth ( i still do) and if I openned a snickers bar or any chocolate bar I would have to finish it. I would eat 4 to 5 digestive biscuits in one sitting etc (that makes me cringe thinking about it!). By the time I finished my diet 18 months later, I had trained my body and altered my emotions to the extent where it was/is unthinkable for me to eat so much chocolate and I have more or less given up on biscuits( i'll have homemade ones, two or three times a year). Now I stick to 70% dark chocolate and I'm more than satisfied with one square (15g). I can do this because I trained my emotions for 18 months. If I want more sweet things then I'll augment the chocolate within reason with prunes, dried figs, organic dried apricots and such like. Of course this goes for all my diet not just sweet things. It is 20 years later now and I have never since got close to 90kg and it has been quite effortless.
    Recently I have been having a somewhat opposite problem where I need to put weight on without getting fat?!

    So a long slow diet is crucial. You are under the regime of a diet so you put up with it. Once you have reached your goal you no longer want to be under a regime you want to live free and naturally, that requires mind/emotional changes and a physiological change. The physiological changes come for free, the emotional changes get easier as the months go by.


  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
    whitecloud987 wrote: »
    7 kilos in 3.5 months is quite fast. Personally I would slow it down to 1kg per month when I've reach the half way stage. The reason is very important and it is why most people put the weight straight back on. Basically you have to re-adjust your physiology, your thought processes and emotions to your new eating regime FOREVER and the less monthly weight you lose the longer you will have to re-adjust those factors and make them the norm.
    15lbs in 3.5 months is fine for somebody wanting to lose 110. But overall you are correct in that you have to figure out how to make your new way of eating last and maintain your weight loss long term. For me, that means figuring out a daily routine (obviously with some flexibility, I don't eat the same thing every day or anything), but also letting myself enjoy special occasions and not stress about going over.

    Debbie, I started like you - I just started going for walks, before I even joined MFP. It sounds like you have the right mindset for success! I wish you all the best.
  • willowsflight
    willowsflight Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you all for the support and advice. I seemed to settled into a routine with walking and yoga now twice a week instead of only Mondays. I am being braver with new healthier choices and am pleasently surprised. I am encouraged and feeling great today. Thanks! B)
  • mover2
    mover2 Posts: 7
    Good job! Happy St. Patricks Day!
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
    Nice work and welcome to the boards! There are many of us 50+ year olds on here. I look forward to watching your journey!
  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 721 Member
    Good for you!! Keep up the good work!!!
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