55-65 year old women's success?

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Replies

  • jodya56
    jodya56 Posts: 2 Member
    So encouraging to hear success
    Stories! I really need to make healthy life changes. For some reason this time feels different. Was off all week and went on a major cleaning binge. The most activity I've had in a long time. Maybe just the jump start I needed to being more active along with tracking food.

    Thanks to everyone For motivation and support

  • AmyMgetsfit
    AmyMgetsfit Posts: 636 Member
    I am 60 years old. I am trying to lose about 25lbs. I am doing it very slow because the skin at this age isn't as resilient as our younger days. The last thing I want is baggy skin because I lost weight too fast and my skin couldn't keep up. I lost 4 lbs in October and I am happy with that. I am lifting weights so that should help.
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Amy, Believe it or not, the weights will get you where you need to go! Cardio (no more than 15 - 30 min) is good for your heart, but lifting the weights will help to build muscle (p.s. you won't get big), which burns calories, and will help somewhat w/the sagging skin. That, and it is good for your bones to boot! I weight train three days a week w/abt 20 min of cardio after my weight session (and I'm 65). B)
  • MorningJogging
    MorningJogging Posts: 6 Member
    I successfully managed my BMI down to 22.2 kilograms for many years. At the age of 51, my BMI was reached to 25.8, and I was told my cholesterol was a bit high. So I decided to go on Diet & Exercising. It's been 20 days exactly while I've lost 2 kg already. Another 6 kg to go! Won't be easy, I know. The key to success is to keep recording daily what I eat and how I exercise.
  • MorningJogging
    MorningJogging Posts: 6 Member
    edited November 2015
    Once the weight is down. For maintaining it, I wouldn't usually bother too much recording.



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  • Eleted
    Eleted Posts: 121 Member
    Good morning. Has anyone experienced low blood pressure after losing weight? Ive lost 30 lbs and my normally lower pressure went down even more and its been frustrating with light headedness!!!
  • pstegman888
    pstegman888 Posts: 286 Member

    Eleted wrote: »
    Good morning. Has anyone experienced low blood pressure after losing weight? Ive lost 30 lbs and my normally lower pressure went down even more and its been frustrating with light headedness!!!

    Be sure you are drinking enough fluids (and remember that some beverages are slightly diuretic, so hydrate with water as much as possible). If sodium is not a problem, make sure you don't go too low on salt, as it will help hold onto fluids and increase your blood volume. Best to get checked out by your doc, too.

  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,762 Member
    Eleted wrote: »
    Good morning. Has anyone experienced low blood pressure after losing weight? Ive lost 30 lbs and my normally lower pressure went down even more and its been frustrating with light headedness!!!

    Be sure you are drinking enough fluids (and remember that some beverages are slightly diuretic, so hydrate with water as much as possible). If sodium is not a problem, make sure you don't go too low on salt, as it will help hold onto fluids and increase your blood volume. Best to get checked out by your doc, too.

    Yes, please discuss this with a dr. But do make sure you are hydrated, caffinated drinks act as a diuretic, so drink plain water.

  • Eleted
    Eleted Posts: 121 Member
    Thanks you guys. I visited my doctor right away but wondered if this was common. He said the same. Appreciate the advice very much!!!
  • krenwren
    krenwren Posts: 136 Member
    hi all just checking in. Travel, dinner parties etc have slowed and reversed progress but I still feel in control! back to work!!!!
  • sharonmc626
    sharonmc626 Posts: 5 Member
    What a brilliant group i am 56 and lost 28lbs 2 yrs ago and have put it all back on so trying again , sometimes i feel whats the point at my age but after reading all the posts know its hard but can be done
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,762 Member
    What a brilliant group i am 56 and lost 28lbs 2 yrs ago and have put it all back on so trying again , sometimes i feel whats the point at my age but after reading all the posts know its hard but can be done

    Yeah the secret is to just do it. You put it on, you can take it off. Log regularly, forgive yourself when you mess up, and just keep eating a little less and move a little more. Repeat.

  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    And look at it as a lifestyle; make changes you can live with--if you hate broccoli then don't eat it. Exchange canned veggies (keep some for emergency dinners) and use frozen (keep better than fresh) and start watching your starchy carbs and sugar. I still eat bread and potatoes, etc., just don't eat as much as I used to. I'm 65 and lost 12 lbs doing this. B)
  • sharonmc626
    sharonmc626 Posts: 5 Member
    Thank you all for good advice
  • tallee
    tallee Posts: 22 Member
    I am 55 and have been losing very slowly, but steady! Slow and steady wins the race! I am down 30 lbs in 6 months. Even tho the 'after' pic is older, I am only about 15-20 lbs from where I need to be.

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  • krenwren
    krenwren Posts: 136 Member
    WOW, you look wonderful, a great inspiration!
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    edited November 2015
    @tallee You look awesome! Congrats on your loss. And @griffinca2 and @retirehappy are right, you have to make it a lifestyle change slowly and one change at a time. We may be old but we can lose the weight. I've lost 50 lbs over the last year and a half slowly but consistently. It's all calories in / calories out. Control your portion sizes, move more, and commit to it. Include weight training and some cardio and you're golden.
  • vicky1947mfp
    vicky1947mfp Posts: 1,523 Member
    tallee wrote: »
    I am 55 and have been losing very slowly, but steady! Slow and steady wins the race! I am down 30 lbs in 6 months. Even tho the 'after' pic is older, I am only about 15-20 lbs from where I need to be.

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    Awesome! Your body looks great in your after pic. Can't see where you need to lose another 10 lbs. My face has gotten too thin. Wish I could take some of my tummy pooch fat and put on my face. LOL. Trying to do more stomach exercises but not helping much. BTW I am 68 and have lost 43 lbs.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,762 Member
    tallee wrote: »
    I am 55 and have been losing very slowly, but steady! Slow and steady wins the race! I am down 30 lbs in 6 months. Even tho the 'after' pic is older, I am only about 15-20 lbs from where I need to be.

    kksc7t0kmgzz.jpg

    You don't look like you need to lose that much :) I love how confident and self assured you appear in that photo. Congrats on a job well done.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,944 Member
    @tallee: You look great! I hope/assume you're feeling better, too.

    And I think you're the best judge of how much further you need to go.

    I've just passed my original (now revised) goal weight, am getting those "don't need to lose more" comments from friends (one even used the "a" word (anorexia) even though I'm firmly in the middle of the healthy BMI range, and above what most of the research-based ideal body weight calculators suggest!).

    I know clothes hide some things that other people don't know. In my case, it's an annoying midsection fat layer that's still creating mini-rolls in the loose skin - and I can tell the difference between fat & skin! Losing that loose skin is going to be slow enough at my age (60 next week), without having that layer of a few pounds of fat still weighing it down & poufing it out.

    Go, you!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,944 Member
    OK, I know no one really needs to see an under-dressed almost 60-year-old woman. OTOH, other people's honesty has helped me along the way, so I'm going to share (slightly scary) pictures.

    I started this weight loss effort on 4/17/2015, at 183 pounds. I've been overweight to obese essentially all of my adult life. I'm 5'5" (5'6" before osteopenia) and have had bilateral mastectomies so completely flat, and may be more muscular than some because I've been quite active for a dozen years. I mention these things because both may affect how to think about my weight compared with others.

    There are several photos. The ones without weight/date labels are from around 2003 (before picture), which is a long time ago, but at a weight close to my starting weight this year, mid-180s; and 8/20/15 (wearing the exact same clothes as 2003), 148.5 pounds. These don't look all that different to me - but notice the difference in how the red shorts fit!

    The fully dressed ones with weight labels are from 6/24/15 and around 7/25/2015.

    The last set (severely underdressed for the sake of honesty to other women my own age) are today, 11/13/15, at 129.2 pounds. I hope to lose another few pounds to get rid of some midsection fat that will limit the ability for the loose skin to shrink, and so I can start maintenance at the low end of a maintenance range. I'm trying to lose very slowly right now, 0.5 lbs/week or less.

    Oh, and if anyone cares, I'm hypothyroid (but medicated) and menopausal (since chemotherapy 15 years ago), and I've been vegetarian since 1974.

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  • csjef5
    csjef5 Posts: 33 Member
    Amazing, well done.
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Totally amazing; agree, well done!!
  • serine2005
    serine2005 Posts: 4 Member
    Omg you've done so well!!! But the best thing is the inspiration and the encouragement you've been to me! Thank you so much!!!! Xx
  • lore11a
    lore11a Posts: 166 Member
    sus5n wrote: »
    Hi everyone! I'm new here. I'm 60 and have been using My Fitness Paul since July. Would like to lose 80 lb. Have lost 13. It's coming off sooo slowly. But I'm starting a Personal Trainer course at my work and I'm hoping the activity will speed up the weight loss. I'm doing 1000 cal a day - difficult, but it seems like that's what it takes to lose anything!

    Nice to have you. It is a little harder to lose as we age but it can be done. I have lost 40 lbs in the last 3 years with watching my calories in and upping my activities. Mainly walking. I do minimum of 10,000 steps a day with a Y spin or cardio class thrown in occasionally.

    I love that I get so many compliments now and feel so much better. I just want to be healthier for my golden years. I am 68 but do not feel it. I am 6 lbs below my goal weight and am on maintenance since May 31.

    Good luck and you have come to the right place for encouragement.

    Congratulations!!!! Good for you!!
  • ReginaPats
    ReginaPats Posts: 14 Member
    I am about to turn 76 in January, 2016. Have to loose 40 pounds. Just visited my Heart Doctor. At my age it is not easy. I have high blood pressure, high sugar. Tired all the time. Can not exercise. It is not going to be easy. Need new members, to help me along. Have to get off sweets. At one time walked 18 to 30 miles a day, miss that.
  • krenwren
    krenwren Posts: 136 Member
    Can your doc recommend an exercise program for you? Cardiac rehab perhaps. Does your community have classes for older adults that you could try? Food is the biggest factor but exercise will help you feel less tired and more empowered. Does your doc have an nurse practitioner or nurse that can help you with your goals???
  • pstegman888
    pstegman888 Posts: 286 Member
    ReginaPats wrote: »
    I am about to turn 76 in January, 2016. Have to loose 40 pounds. Just visited my Heart Doctor. At my age it is not easy. I have high blood pressure, high sugar. Tired all the time. Can not exercise. It is not going to be easy. Need new members, to help me along. Have to get off sweets. At one time walked 18 to 30 miles a day, miss that.

    Set a small goal, like 10 pounds, to start with. Make small changes to your diet so it's not so stressful. Save a few small treats to look forward to. I am doing most of my weight loss with very little exercise due to health problems. Losing weight and doing just a little walking each day should hopefully help a lot toward getting the high blood pressure and blood sugar under control. You can do it! Take it one meal at a time. Everybody is here to help and encourage!

  • SbetaK
    SbetaK Posts: 392 Member
    edited November 2015
    ReginaPats: Your town looks to be a good sized town. Have you looked into maybe going to a swim pool when that has senior programs (like water aerobics) and just moving? You could probably go and not exercise with the class, but stay to the side and just start by trying to swing your limbs, move your legs like walking. The water causes a resistance to your movements that can benefit your muscles. And the best part is being in the water is easier on your joints. Does not feel like gravity is weighing you down. Quite a few public pools have sessions where seniors and disabled people can use them without competition or crowding by the general population. At any rate, somehow if you can find a way to add movement to your day, it would greatly benefit you. Instead of accepting what you can't do, look at things you CAN try to do. Just a little bit each day, and longer if you feel better. Because you are here on this site, you have already taken a step towards better health! Good luck
  • Artemis2121
    Artemis2121 Posts: 42 Member
    ReginaPats wrote: »
    I am about to turn 76 in January, 2016. Have to loose 40 pounds. Just visited my Heart Doctor. At my age it is not easy. I have high blood pressure, high sugar. Tired all the time. Can not exercise. It is not going to be easy. Need new members, to help me along. Have to get off sweets. At one time walked 18 to 30 miles a day, miss that.
    Regina are you getting good nutrition and enough protein? As we age, we don't absorb our nutrients as well, leaving our bodies still hungry. Sweets can also wreak havoc on blood sugar levels. Cooking or using a blender can make vegetables easier to digest. Staying hydrated plus balancing carbs, protein and fat (macros) helps keep my own carb cravings in check. Ask your doctor about recommended exercise for your condition. I use small dumbbells or youtube zumba videos. I have a favorite water bottle I carry around so much, I miss its cheerful red lid when it's in the dishwasher.
    I saw anotherMFP users post, he used a picture of himself with a bag of potatoesweighing the amount of lbs he lost. That visual stuck with me. Would I now pick up and carry or exercise with that much of potatoes (my 30 lb)? Maybe for 30 minutes, LOL. All day? No way!

    Good luck on your path to good health. You will find many helpful individuals. groups and forums here to help you.
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