Over 60 with a full plate of stress

Hello Peggy, I really feel for you, you have a lot going on I was a carer for 27 years until my daughter passed away. You must take care of yourself to. I don't have 100lbs to lose now but still a way to go, I am 69 but I do relate to you on some issues. You can do this but it's not easy, needs patience and time. I hope you can find the strength as you wil feel better. Good luck Peggy

OMG, so much to deal with. You need to make yourself more of a priority.
I started here on 1/1/17. I am 65 and still working full time, and very long hours and stressful, but manageable. One daughter, age 32, single, career oriented (but hearing the biological clock ticking) so no grandchildren. Married 41 years. Friend me if you like!
{{{{Peggyforde}}}}

Holy smokes. I'm so sorry that things are so hard.

I tend to be a "tough love" sort of person, so I hope that's OK. You have got to learn to say "no." As long as you keep saying "yes," they'll keep asking you to take on more. Anyone one of those things would be enough to deal with, but all of them? You're sacrificing yourself, but your kids are adults, and they've got to take responsibility for their own children. If that means they have to pay for daycare, so be it. You are not an on-demand daycare.

Take care of yourself, your husband, and the family who lives with you. In that order. Then, as you have the energy and desire, you can help out the others. Like they say: When you're on an airplane, put on your own oxygen mask, THEN help other people. Good luck to you!

Hi Peggy,
I don't know how you've held it together for so long, most people would be screaming from the rooftops!
But you've replaced that screaming with comfort eating and let's be honest screaming would be healthier!

Peggyforde wrote: »

I have 110 pounds to lose and I struggle daily to keep my bad habits in check.

You have got to reduce this 'struggle' you're tearing yourself apart. Fortunately or unfortunately other family members must and should take on their own responsibilities and help out where it's needed. But, until you can reduce this type of stress, you're always going to revert to comfort eating

Peggyforde wrote: »

My 89 year old father-in-law whom I had been caring for needed to move in with his daughter (who resented the new responsibility) .

I'm hoping this responsibility is one you have been able to shed!?

Peggyforde wrote: »

I care for my other daughter's 2 boys, 4 & 7, after school twice a week because she works very long days and her hubby works nights and care for my sons baby twice a week who just turned 1 while they work. I live on Long Island and my daughter and son commute into the city.

Is there no after school organisations that can take on some of the responsibilities? Sometimes there are highly qualified people that can help to reduce some of the stress by taking the kids 1 or 2 days?

Peggyforde wrote: »

I'm trying to hold everyone afloat and take care of myself but I resort to comfort eating at night when I'm finally alone. I know this doesn't help and although I pay monthly for LA Fitness, I haven't been there in about 5 months. My best friend moved to Florida and we chat regularly by phone but I miss getting together with friends for social and I have lonely moments because there's so few ladies my age interested in a lunch date with me and a toddler.

You need to get out more to find new friends and you will only be able to do that if you reduce your responsibilities.

You need to stock up on low calorie foods that you can eat pretty much all you want and ditch the unhealthy treats (even if you pretend they're for the kids).

When you do look after the kids, get them to join in your new fun regime, you can play in the garden, throwing balls, stretching, gentle jogging, anything that keeps you moving, this has two benefits, it tires out the kids and gets you on the road to becoming fitter. Try 15 mins at first, then increase, you'll be at 1 hour in no time at all and easily burning an extra 300calories each day!
Have a small cookie jar for the kids only, if they play for 30 mins or more. Can you take them for walks around your local views?

Get this into your head, you need to increase your moving, reduce your comfort eating, increase your healthy foods and do this for a target of 1 week!
Once you hit this, your second week will just be easier; because you tend to sneak a snack, monitor all your foods and put them into MFP, don't cheat and weigh yourself, try first thing in the morning, straight after any type of exercise (fun or serious) and before you go to bed, if you see your weight go up, you have just got to get more committed, but once you tip the scales in the right direction, there should be no stopping you! By time you see your 3rd and 4th week out you should be nearly 3-4% closer to your goal and I'm sure you'll want to be another 1% closer by the following week and so on.

Try gardening, painting, as things around you improve, it should help your mindset and these exercises will help to burn some calories too!
Don't start trying to do all at once, this is where doing a little bit at a time will improve everything in time, so start with 15 mins in the garden weeding, digging out the grass from in between the paving stones.

Then inside, paint a radiator after rubbing it down first, do the same to skirting board.
Then continue and possibly try some gentle weight exercising, starting with 2lb weights and slowly working up by repeating the exercises or increasing the weights

"I need a diet buddy with over 100 pounds to lose so we can support each other and deal with life's struggles"
I'm sure you will find plenty of good people on here to help you on your journey to a better life and a healthier life!

If you've got this far, I've just exercised your eyes and probably arms for holding a phone up for last 15 mins ........ you can thank me later!

You've heard of one day at a time but it sounds like you need to celebrate successes one hour at a time. Every hour or when you need a good thought, ask yourself, what was something positive I did in the last hour that made me feel good or got me closer to my goal. It could be as simple as I only ate a half a slice of cheese instead of a whole slice. Add up all the small wins and know how awesome you are!