55-65 year old women's success?

mk2loser wrote: »

@JanetMMcC, yikes on the cost of the mat! I do have a "yoga" mat, maybe that would work?

I have these at home.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RZV1NB2/ref=sxr_pa_click_within_right1?pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2329824862&pf_rd_i=work+out+floor+mat&pf_rd_r=1K25STDBP9J8VETZG0R1&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&psc=1

@griffinca2 you are so right! We all do what works best for us. For me, my elliptical and rowing machines are great, plus running/walking and aerobic dvds and youtube.

@nowine4me - for me, it has been extremely difficult to lose weight with menopause. And, much easier to gain weight! I have had to increase my calcium intake and make sure that I am getting enough weight-bearing activity too.

Two victories to report! Yesterday I had to replace the batteries in my food scale! I figure that's a good sign ALSO today (ta-da!) I finally broke though what seemed like a plateau and lost an additional lb! Woo-hoo! I say "seemed like"- because even though it seemed like the scale was stuck forever, it was actually only 9 days. Given that I'm eating like a piggy- constantly all day and well into the wee hrs (purposely slowed down my loss in an effort to avoid saggy skin as much as possible), I'm pleased.

trina1049 wrote: »

nowine4me wrote: »

I'm 51, but would like to toss out a question if this group doesn't mind. I have not started menopause, but am really anxious about it. It seems like something no one talks about (not even my mom). I have lost 40 pounds with 40 to go to hit 135, which seems about right for my 5'7" frame, but am wondering if it really is significantly harder to lose/maintain once you hit menopause, and what to expect.

Hi, I'm 5' 2." and 66 years old. I've lost 51-53 lbs (fluctuations) and did not have any problem losing weight post-menopausal. I've actually been more successful after than before because I found what works is portion control, calories in/calories out and increased exercise/activity. I lost weight consistently over time because I logged and weighed my food every day.

I know that I would have been successful sooner if I had educated myself about nutrition and began counting calories several years ago. I'm now on maintenance and have been at a healthy BMI for over a year. I still log, weigh my food, and myself every day without fail.

In my opinion, menopause has very little to do with weight gain. It's just that as we age we tend to become more sedentary but continue to eat causing a calorie surplus (eating more calories than we burn). That's what happened to me and so I gained weight but didn't understand how to lose it in a healthy way until I found MFP.

I agree with all of this and it was the same for me. I had a serious back injury which really caused a decline in my activity level when I was in my 50's, it did me in. I didn't really change my eating habits to match my activity level.

Once I realized that my world wasn't over and I could still exercise and watch calories via MFP I was successful losing weight.

I highly recommend doing some strength training to optimize success!

nowine4me wrote: »

I'm 51, but would like to toss out a question if this group doesn't mind. I have not started menopause, but am really anxious about it. It seems like something no one talks about (not even my mom). I have lost 40 pounds with 40 to go to hit 135, which seems about right for my 5'7" frame, but am wondering if it really is significantly harder to lose/maintain once you hit menopause, and what to expect.

Like Trina and Luluinca, I do not really believe that being past menopause has much to do with weight loss. I retired October 1, 2014 from a small town post office job where I was on my feet for the first three hours and very active for much of the day, up and down from desk to window to come home and sit much of my day. I went through a short depression because I really didn't realize how much I associated who I was with what I did for a living. I snacked A LOT out of boredom. Not a good thing. I managed to gain 25 more pounds on top of already being 50 pounds overweight. I finally had had enough about holiday time last December and found MFP. I made the mental commitment to log every bite every day on January 4th of this year. Because I REALLY made that commitment, I am succeeding. I struggle with valuing myself enough as I believe many of us do. I don't trust myself enough yet to input my physical activities because I would give myself permission to overeat and end up back where I started. The hardest thing for me is breaking the habits of saying yes when offered food and not eating when bored.

My advice to you is get a handle on your calories now, where ever you are at in life and stick with it. When you mess up, put it behind you and get back on track. I think if you took a poll of people who have managed to lose the weight, you will find more people who wish they'd done it sooner rather than later. I really do believe it is a simple matter of eating fewer calories than you burn every day. It's ok to taste every food you love at the pot luck, but make it a teaspoon serving, not a cup and be prepared to log it...when you're honest with yourself on how much you really ate, it makes you think twice about whether or not you really need to eat some things. My most needed mantra: "YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!"

nowine4me, Agree with posts above. Along with watching portion sizes, what will also help is to cut back on sugar (it turns up in the most unlikely of places (especially added)) and cut back on overly processed foods--I still eat pizza, cake, ice cream and the like, just not very often. Did this early last year and lost 11 lbs (and I'm 65). I also weight train three times a week (unless life gets in the way and I can't make it). Agree w/1Nana2many, that if you mess up you put it behind you and get back on track. It is a lifestyle, not a "diet" or a "project" with an end date. Good luck and keep us posted.

nowine4me wrote: »

I'm 51, but would like to toss out a question if this group doesn't mind. I have not started menopause, but am really anxious about it. It seems like something no one talks about (not even my mom). I have lost 40 pounds with 40 to go to hit 135, which seems about right for my 5'7" frame, but am wondering if it really is significantly harder to lose/maintain once you hit menopause, and what to expect.

I last got to my current weight when I was in my 30s. I had a hard time losing then, and more than gained back everything I'd lost.

My current loss started when I was 61. I would never have believed it could be this easy.

Calories in < calories out: lose weight.
Calories in = calories out: Maintain.

And it's so much easier to keep track with a smartphone and app than with pencil and paper!

FWIW, I used to be 5-7.5, am now 5-6. I'm aiming to stay between 140 and 145.

I am so glad to have found this thread. I am 64 and have about 30 pounds to lose. It's harder at this age but not impossible. I have realized that the older I get, the more that I draw inspiration from others who are working to achieve the same goal.

cory17 - I understand about motivation. It has taken some time for me to truly get motivated. I procrastinated for too long. I didn't BELIEVE I could lose weight, I didn't BELIEVE in myself. I might lose a few lbs but then would sabotage my efforts. I finally decided to do it on faith and at least give it a true effort. I have just begun this journey and have asked friends and family to pray for me. I am using a Fitbit Flex which connects to MFP. If I don't get in enough exercise MFP deducts my Calories to be consumed. I want my calories so I am using that as a motivation to be active. I also recently bought a Rhythm heart rate monitor that I can wear when I am doing cardio or weights. I checked it against the HR on the gym cycle and it matches. I use it to encourage me to get moving.