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jkjkmc
jkjkmc Posts: 1 Member
edited November 21 in Social Groups
Hi everyone,

In a couple weeks, I will be 52. I haven't had a period since March 2014. I lost weight all last year, until October, when issues in my work life and personal life totally overwhelmed me and I began to emotionally eat. The result? MAJOR weight gain! I figured since I had been losing weight all last year without any issues, I could just "take it off" come January. Well, it is currently July and I've only lost 13 lbs. I've never worked out so hard with so little success. I'm 20 lbs. heavier than I was a year ago. I want to reach my goal weight......since I never did last year but was close. I have 28.5 lbs. to go. I'm eating right, I bought a fit bit to track movement, I have increased my fitness significantly, and still I cannot seem to lose. I haven't lost anything in the past 6 weeks. I go up a pound, then down the same pound. I'm at a loss as to what to do, totally depressed. But yet I continue to keep moving, keep trying. Because after scouring the internet and reading about menopause and post menopause, I've realized that if I'm NOT moving, I will gain weight and that scares me more than how I currently feel. I read about MFP and figured I would check it out. Today is my first day logging my food.

Thanks for letting me join your group and share my story.

Replies

  • Sweet_Pandora
    Sweet_Pandora Posts: 459 Member
    Welcome jkjkmc.

    My weight is up and down like an elevator up 2lbs down a 1lb, rinse and repeat.

    Giving up is not an option.

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lb. per week for every 25 lbs. you're overweight, and weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you do everything right but maintain—or even gain. Others you lose a whole lot in a "whoosh." So be patient!

    For the emotional eating, make a list of non-food ways to make yourself feel better. Mine includes guilty-pleasure TV, walking outside, and getting a massage.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited July 2015
    I lost the weight & have maintained for a year thanks to MFP + Fitbit + Trendweight.com. (It's a free website that plots a moving average of your Fitbit or Withings weight without the "noise" of water weight.)

    Here's what worked for me. Connect your accounts at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/fitbit

    Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    Ignore your Fitbit calorie goal and follow MFP's, eating back your adjustments.

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • JustMe2C
    JustMe2C Posts: 101 Member
    Hi, jkjkmc! It can be a struggle (there at the moment myself), but hang in there.
  • Bikerchickmomma
    Bikerchickmomma Posts: 99 Member
    I can sympathize and emphasize with your weight loss efforts. My metabolism has slowed since my early 50's. Yeah, in the past I could fast for a few days and drop a quick 5-7 pounds. Now, I diet (for real) and literally exercise my butt off to lose a pound in 2 weeks (maybe.) It is frustrating. I can only encourage you to never give up. Working out with weights will increase you muscle mass to help with weight loss. I don't like using weights as I find it boring, but if it's a way to move the scale, I'll keep at it. Vary your exercise routines so your body doesn't get accustomed to it. Eat clean and try to avoid processed foods. Good luck!!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Bikerchickmomma wrote: »
    Yeah, in the past I could fast for a few days and drop a quick 5-7 pounds. Now, I diet (for real) and literally exercise my butt off to lose a pound in 2 weeks (maybe.)

    5–7 lbs. in a few days is water—not fat. A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lb. per week for every 25 lbs. you're overweight.
  • magentatoo
    magentatoo Posts: 9 Member
    editorgrrl wrote: »
    Bikerchickmomma wrote: »
    Yeah, in the past I could fast for a few days and drop a quick 5-7 pounds. Now, I diet (for real) and literally exercise my butt off to lose a pound in 2 weeks (maybe.)

    5–7 lbs. in a few days is water—not fat. A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lb. per week for every 25 lbs. you're overweight.

    Thanks, that's where I'm going wrong! .5 lb/week is much more realistic - I won't feel like I have failed and the give up!
  • Bialetti62
    Bialetti62 Posts: 49 Member
    magentatoo wrote: »
    editorgrrl wrote: »
    Bikerchickmomma wrote: »
    Yeah, in the past I could fast for a few days and drop a quick 5-7 pounds. Now, I diet (for real) and literally exercise my butt off to lose a pound in 2 weeks (maybe.)

    5–7 lbs. in a few days is water—not fat. A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lb. per week for every 25 lbs. you're overweight.

    Thanks, that's where I'm going wrong! .5 lb/week is much more realistic - I won't feel like I have failed and the give up!

    0.5 lbs/week seems do-able! I'm 52 and still wish the weight would go away as easily as it went on -- so ideally I'd want lose 5 lbs every 24 hours! ☺️ Portion control, having the energy to exercise some days and staying determined/positive are my "issues" (tend to give up easily and have at least 35 lbs to lose!). Hope to find and provide support here @MFP.
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