55-65 year old women's success?

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Replies

  • 2012retiree
    2012retiree Posts: 36 Member
    I'm not so sure I'm a success. After losing 90 lbs. I have been horrible in my eating and calories consumed. Today I was in the ice cream I got for a weekend retreat with friends and only stopped after rinsing the last quart of ice cream down the drain. Each day is a new start, but seems like with all the things going on this week, it is not going well at all. I'm talking thousands of calories over, not just a few hundred. Success is I rid the house of ice cream and won't buy more until day of company. Long term success is questionable, hopefully next week I can suck it up and rid myself of cravings from overeating. This is the very thing I feared at the start of my journey. My thinking and actions are not connecting to what I should do and the fit of my clothes is telling me I'm slipping...
  • evesmom2
    evesmom2 Posts: 231 Member
    You know you can do it....you did it before. If it were me, I'd throw out the ice cream and any other foods that you have troubles with. I can't have Oreos in the house at all..I'd eat the whole package. When I first started this in April, I tossed out anything I couldn't control myself over...out of sight, out of mind. It was very helpful to me in the first month.
  • OneWayOnlyCycles
    OneWayOnlyCycles Posts: 67 Member
    God, you ladies are inspiring! Good for you! All of you! The dedication and determination. I am in awe.
  • spikeyhair
    spikeyhair Posts: 2,078 Member
    2012retiree wrote: »
    I'm not so sure I'm a success. After losing 90 lbs. I have been horrible in my eating and calories consumed. Today I was in the ice cream I got for a weekend retreat with friends and only stopped after rinsing the last quart of ice cream down the drain. Each day is a new start, but seems like with all the things going on this week, it is not going well at all. I'm talking thousands of calories over, not just a few hundred. Success is I rid the house of ice cream and won't buy more until day of company. Long term success is questionable, hopefully next week I can suck it up and rid myself of cravings from overeating. This is the very thing I feared at the start of my journey. My thinking and actions are not connecting to what I should do and the fit of my clothes is telling me I'm slipping...

    You have done really well before so you know you can do it. If getting rid of everything you crave works for you then do it. I can't do that because my husband still likes the odd biscuit or cake so I take each day at a time and log everything even the naughty things and I am losing slowly, even half a pound off or staying the same is better than putting on. Do you exercise? I find that helps me feel more positive and reading posts on MFP is helpful Don't give up YOU CAN DO IT
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
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  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Thanks Nana!! Hope folks want to join; we plan on only doing half (or as many as you can) of the recommended reps. It is not meant to hurt anyone; just to be a challenge--so, if you have to use the counter (that's me) to do the push-ups, do it. B)
  • Eleted
    Eleted Posts: 121 Member
    Good morning all! You have all been very quiet for some time. Well I never got to the arm challenge. But I retire this month and hope to have the time to add strength training to my routine. What are you all doing out there for exercise and good health? Ive been holding at 30 lb weight loss and my BMI is good but I need to tone and get stronger. Have a great day all of you wonderful people!
  • Trina2040
    Trina2040 Posts: 214 Member
    @Eleted congrats on your retirement! You're right, it's been very quiet on this thread of late. For strength training I go to Les Mills Body Pump classes at my gym 3Xs per week for resistance training, but you don't need a gym. There's tons of videos online and other good beginning programs. Check out "The New Rules of Lifting for Women," and "StrongLifts 5X5." Both are online and in book form.

    thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women

    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

    Check back and let us know what you decide to do!

    Cheers!

    Trina
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Eleted, You can check out my diary since it is open. I wouldn't start out with some of the weights I'm using as I have doing this for a while. B)
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    P.S. Congrats on your retirement!! Enjoy!
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,757 Member
    Trina2040 wrote: »
    @Eleted congrats on your retirement! You're right, it's been very quiet on this thread of late. For strength training I go to Les Mills Body Pump classes at my gym 3Xs per week for resistance training, but you don't need a gym. There's tons of videos online and other good beginning programs. Check out "The New Rules of Lifting for Women," and "StrongLifts 5X5." Both are online and in book form.

    thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women

    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

    Check back and let us know what you decide to do!

    Cheers!

    Trina

    Ditto on Trina's suggestions. And congrats on retirement. I can not recommend it high enough!!!

    I wanted to add you may find this 18 min. total body strength training session helpful:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPRXlWepTZk a good starting place. It is part of jessicasmithtv channel, she has tons of great workouts for women of any age. Start with lower weights at home if you don't want to jump into a gym right away.

    A good book is BODY BY YOU: THE YOU ARE YOUR OWN GYM GUIDE TO TOTAL WOMEN'S FITNESS by Mark Lauren. You can probably find this at your local library if you want to review it, very popular book. It helped me to understand the language I kept encountering and also that we have all we really need at home, so no excuses.

    Don't forget walking, it tones the lower body so well.

    I do have a Silver Sneakers membership and my local fitness center has not only those classes available via the membership but a wide array of other classes we can attend, like yoga, Body Flex (similar to what Trina mentioned), Pilates, Zumba, etc. It is a good way to meet others who want to stay healthy too.

    Enjoy this new phase of life.
  • FindingLaurie
    FindingLaurie Posts: 32 Member
    Hi, ladies! What a great find this thread is! :-) I've been post-menopausal for about 10 years. I started going to the gym and working with a personal trainer at age 56. By making the famous "one small change at a time"--seriously--I lost 62 lbs. The very first change was stopping diet Coke. Then I started drinking more water. Then I added a veggie to every meal, etc. But it took me about 18 months, which is TERRIBLY slow for me. I don't think I could have kept it going for that long without my trainer's support. I'm blessed to be able to afford a trainer.

    But then I got stuck bouncing up and down within a 10-lb range for nearly a year, despite 3 vigorous training sessions a week, including serious strength training. I was starting to get discouraged and fall back into old habits, so this weekend I started the Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy. You might want to check into this if you're feeling stuck. It's a 28-day program. Looks really strict/complex if you read through all the rules, but it doesn't have to be complicated. I'm on Day 3 and it's no harder than the way I've been eating for the past 2 years. Basically very clean eating. It's supposed to help reset your metabolism if you've messed it up by "dieting". I stopped drinking coffee cold-turkey; that was the hardest part so far.

    Anyway, you can see in my profile photo that I've had great success even though I still have a little over 40 lbs left to lose. At least now the end is in sight! And I'm 58 now. So don't give up--we CAN do it, even when we slow down a bit. :-)
  • llbrixon
    llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
    Checking in.. I have lost 40 pounds in 9 months. Weight loss for me has slowed down. Inthe past I could lose 40pounds in 6 months.
  • Eleted
    Eleted Posts: 121 Member
    Thank you all for the great suggestions and renewed motivation. Funny that the Fast Metabolism Diet was mentioned above. My neighbor just mentioned that to me on our walk this morning. I'll take a look at that book on Womens Fitness ( written by a man??
  • Eleted
    Eleted Posts: 121 Member
    LLbrixin:: 40 lbs in 9 months is awesome!! That'ss over a pound a week. Good job!
    I wrote this yesterday but it didnt show up to
    Griffin CA. I will listen to your advice on starting slowly with strength training. You are my hero. I know youv'e been at it for awhile! Your diary is not open though, it is private.
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Eleted, thought I opened it; I'll change it. Had issues a while back; all my friend preferences were dumped so that may be what happened to it. Give it a day and it should be available.
  • realcalm
    realcalm Posts: 63 Member
    I've been back at silver sneakers for a few weeks after a long hiatus due to hip replacement and miscellaneous joint pains. So this morning I noticed that my arms are actuAlly regaining flexibility (still hurt! but can move anyway). And when she says "straight and tall!" I actually do it and work my core. Maybe I can recover more mobility than I had thought.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    griffinca2 wrote: »
    Eleted, thought I opened it; I'll change it. Had issues a while back; all my friend preferences were dumped so that may be what happened to it. Give it a day and it should be available.

    FWIW, I was able to see your diary right after I saw you post that it was open - I admit I was curious about how your lifting is going, since we're of similar age. Clicked diary on your profile, clicked exercise diary, and there it was. (And yup, you're a great example! :) ).
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Ann, Many thanks and it's going great. I've had to increase my cals because I keep losing weight; I'm 5'3" and weight around 115-117. I was getting down to 114/115 and I don't want to weigh too little (doesn't look good on older women--makes you look older). Anyway I try to change it up periodically; plan on increasing the weights and decreasing the reps next week and see how that goes for a while. And, P.S.; I turned 66 yesterday.

    For Realcalm, Understand; I broke my right wrist (and I'm right-handed) last Dec and basically had to start over again when I was allowed to return to the gym in Apr. Start out slow and don't overdo anything; you will be able to recover some of your muscle mass and your flexibility (I can almost reach my hand up my back to reach my shoulder again w/my right arm). Pay attention to your body, but don't be afraid to push it (that's how you'll be able to make gains). Remember, there is a difference between pain and soreness from working your muscles--if it causes pain, stop; just don't be afraid of muscle soreness. B)
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    Glad to see activity here again. I love, love jessicasmithtv on youtube. She is great for us older ladies, yet still challenging! I exercise to her aerobic/walking videos on my "rest" days and get most of my strength work from her. Well, that and our strength challenges.
  • Eleted
    Eleted Posts: 121 Member
    Hello Resina! Welcome! This message board is great for support and motivation. Age is not a factor when it comes to getting healthy, getting fit and losing weight. I am constsntly amazed by these women. Have you been using MFP for daily logging or something else? Join us over 60 or younger group to help support you with your goals !
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Hi Resina, And welcome to our group!! Eleted is right; age is not a factor! Don't try to change everything overnight (that doesn't usually work); make small changes over time that you can live with for the rest of your life. If you check us out, you can see that we still eat cake, pizza and the like (just smaller portions, only occasionally). It's about a lifestyle; not a "diet" with an end date. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress; we're here to encourage and up lift you!! B)
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    Welcome Resina! I will be sixty in mid-November and like you, found this group very inspiring. When I first started MFP in January, I read through this message thread and finally was brave enough to add my own messages. I have found wonderful support here. I know you will too.
  • SbetaK
    SbetaK Posts: 398 Member
    edited October 2016
    Mostly lurking here but love reading the success of other women my age. I'm recovering from a shattered knee cap, but finally able to start exercising again. Was pretty active before injury, got really bummed while laid up and wondering how much motion I would regain upon healing. Time marches on, and am now testing the waters every day for any exercise moves I can do again. Each accomplishment motivates me. Have adopted the thought that it is going to hurt as it gets better, haha. But doing it. Went backwards a ways on the weight loss, but finally moving down the scale again. Less weight better for knees.
  • Trina2040
    Trina2040 Posts: 214 Member
    Hi, Nana! It has been quiet on this thread -- I guess we're all busy trying to manage our lives and health. Loved your update. I'm approaching 1,000 days of logging maintaining a 51-53 lb loss for almost 2 years now. It took me about 15 months to lose the weight with moderate exercise and constant logging. I know that I will have to log and weigh myself forever.

    I have sodium restrictions (1500mg per day) which make it difficult to eat in restaurants since most of the selections are sodium bombs, but I manage to work around that issue. Since I've changed the way I eat I find that the foods I once loved are way too calorie intense and I've lost my taste for them; everything tastes too salty. I prefer the foods I eat now -- and they keep me healthy so it's a win-win for me. If I want something that's calorie intense, I have a bite or two and that satisfies me. I never let myself get too hungry. I eat 6 times a day right up until bedtime.

    I use a Fitbit to monitor my daily calories out and log/weigh-in every day for my calories in. While I think the Fitbit overestimates my calorie burn a bit, it must be pretty accurate since I'm maintaining a fairly steady weight at around 125 - 126ish lbs.

    Stats: I'm 5'2.5," and turn 67 in a couple of weeks. I started at 179 lbs, a size 14-16, and now wear a size 4 or 6 Petite or size 2 regular Ladies. For exercise started walking, then joined a local gym, began lifting weights and attending cardio classes 3 to 4 times per week. Lifting weights really changed my body composition. I highly recommend lifting while you lose weight.

    Hope you heal soon!
  • jadefitnow
    jadefitnow Posts: 47 Member
    59, lost 60 lbs 10 years ago and allowed about 15 to creep back on when I had a hip replaced and found a new love (all that eating out!).

    I'm back here, back on track- lost 8 lbs and 8 to go (want that extra lb as a reminder). I'm losing very slooooowly now, but it's going down and not up, and that's the key.

    Glad to find this thread! helps to see all us bada....s chicks staying so young and strong!
  • Eleted
    Eleted Posts: 121 Member
    Trina: You make an excellent point. I too am watching my sodium, not for bp, mine is low, but for inner ear issues and eating out anywhere is a sodium nightmare! Trina, did you stall at certain points? If so , how did you remotivate yourself? Glad this thread is ALIVE again!
  • Trina2040
    Trina2040 Posts: 214 Member
    Eleted wrote: »
    Trina: You make an excellent point. I too am watching my sodium, not for bp, mine is low, but for inner ear issues and eating out anywhere is a sodium nightmare! Trina, did you stall at certain points? If so , how did you remotivate yourself? Glad this thread is ALIVE again!

    @Eleted I understand about your inner ear issues, I have the same problem along with the HBP although since I've lost weight I've been able to cut my HBP meds in half. I actually never stalled while losing, just kept at a steady loss although some weeks were up - some down. The overall trend was always lower until the last few pounds. I weigh in every day then average the week and use TrendWeight.com to mark the downward trend over time. I fluctuate 1 to 3 lbs. up and down. I'd like to lose another couple of pounds but I'm in a healthy weight range so if it doesn't happen I'm still good.

    I do get tired and sore, so every 6 to 8 weeks I take a week off from the gym for some active recovery. I stay active but stop lifting/cardio; just walk, etc. That week off really gives me the energy to stay on track; I look forward to it.

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