55-65 year old women's success?

Options
1…94959799100…146

Replies

  • spikeyhair
    spikeyhair Posts: 2,078 Member
    Options
    jacobsl221 wrote: »
    I have a crazy doctor. She told me in November that I was overweight (176, ht. 5' 5, age 67) and Prediabetic. She put me on Metformin and said I should lose weight. Started logging in here, and by mid-Feb. had dropped to 163. I told her I had been losing a pound to 1.5 a week and she was horrified! Told me to stop losing weight, or at most 2 lbs per month. Said women my age lived longer with a little extra weight! This was very demoralizing. I thought I had been doing so well. I still feel I have at least 15 lbs to go to fit the clothes I have from last year at this time. Should I listen to the doctor and just give up losing weight or keep losing and benefit my mental health?

    Keep losing you are doing fine doctors are not gods, they have their own prejudices and preconceptions
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,359 Member
    Options
    jacobsl221 wrote: »
    I have a crazy doctor. She told me in November that I was overweight (176, ht. 5' 5, age 67) and Prediabetic. She put me on Metformin and said I should lose weight. Started logging in here, and by mid-Feb. had dropped to 163. I told her I had been losing a pound to 1.5 a week and she was horrified! Told me to stop losing weight, or at most 2 lbs per month. Said women my age lived longer with a little extra weight! This was very demoralizing. I thought I had been doing so well. I still feel I have at least 15 lbs to go to fit the clothes I have from last year at this time. Should I listen to the doctor and just give up losing weight or keep losing and benefit my mental health?

    One of the common rules of thumb is to lose no more than 1% of your body weight per week (you're clearly within that), but to slow down to perhaps 1 pound per week around 25 or so pounds to go, 0.5 pounds per week at perhaps 10 pounds to go. Sometimes you'll see those slower rates suggested to kick in even earlier.

    Why? To be conservative about preserving as much as possible of our existing lean tissue, like muscles - which are especially slow (and hard work) to increase at our age. (Not impossible to increase, however - definitely worth working at, on the exercise front.)
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
    Options
    jacobsl221 wrote: »
    I have a crazy doctor. She told me in November that I was overweight (176, ht. 5' 5, age 67) and Prediabetic. She put me on Metformin and said I should lose weight. Started logging in here, and by mid-Feb. had dropped to 163. I told her I had been losing a pound to 1.5 a week and she was horrified! Told me to stop losing weight, or at most 2 lbs per month. Said women my age lived longer with a little extra weight! This was very demoralizing. I thought I had been doing so well. I still feel I have at least 15 lbs to go to fit the clothes I have from last year at this time. Should I listen to the doctor and just give up losing weight or keep losing and benefit my mental health?

    I'd start looking for a new dr. You are pre diabetic, and have no need for metformin. That is the big pharma speaking through your dr.

    Yes, older people over 65 can carry a few extra lbs. like 5-10 lb., so if you get to the top of your normal range on the standard insurance actuarial based table, that should do it.

    If you are feeling good, not struggling, then go to it. And enjoy good mental health :)
  • jacobsl221
    jacobsl221 Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    Thank you. I have obsessed about numbers on the scale my whole adult life. I ate a cookie today and am punishing myself, even though it was just exercise calories. (It was the last cookie in the house!) Thank you ladies for the support.
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    I did not intend to start a doctor bashing session! I have nothing but respect for doctors and nurses who work under a pretty high-stress pressure every day. Seeing a patient every fifteen minutes every day, not to mention telephone questions, hospital calls etc. is not a job I am capable of doing or do I want. That being said, I do believe we need to be our own best advocates because we know our own story best. We're not dealing with 500 other bodies every week! I think it's a good idea to have another person along when seeing a doctor to get the details you might miss, especially when dealing with a major illness, like cancer, surgery, etc. I think it becomes even more important as we age.
  • lovesretirement
    lovesretirement Posts: 2,661 Member
    edited March 2017
    Options
    @1Nana2many...love your comment on the stressful life of doctors as my DIL is an endocrinologist. The little guy on my profile pic had to be induced 3 weeks early as her blood pressure was climbing as a result of said stress. (He is fine, she is fine and will not go back to work until May.)

    We definitely have to be our own advocate as we know our bodies best. I have had my share of those docs who just follow the protocol when it seems we have the "markers" for this ailment or that ailment. But until they really listen (which there is no time for) to our entire story, they will never get the real picture.
  • SalinitySally
    SalinitySally Posts: 258 Member
    Options
    jacobsl221 wrote: »
    I have a crazy doctor. She told me in November that I was overweight (176, ht. 5' 5, age 67) and Prediabetic. She put me on Metformin and said I should lose weight. Started logging in here, and by mid-Feb. had dropped to 163. I told her I had been losing a pound to 1.5 a week and she was horrified! Told me to stop losing weight, or at most 2 lbs per month. Said women my age lived longer with a little extra weight! This was very demoralizing. I thought I had been doing so well. I still feel I have at least 15 lbs to go to fit the clothes I have from last year at this time. Should I listen to the doctor and just give up losing weight or keep losing and benefit my mental health?

    I think you hit the nail on the head: you have a crazy doctor. Unless you're pretty muscular, IMO at 5'5" you're probably right to aim for 150ish or where you feel the right weight. I'm not sure what she means by "a little extra weight." And do you know a lot of 80 year old overweight women? I don't.
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Options
    Agree w/Nana; I wasn't trying to bash docs either, just saying same as Nana that we should know our own bodies and be able to communicate issues w/our doc.
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    lovesretirement wrote: »
    @1Nana2many...love your comment on the stressful life of doctors as my DIL is an endocrinologist. The little guy on my profile pic had to be induced 3 weeks early as her blood pressure was climbing as a result of said stress. (He is fine, she is fine and will not go back to work until May.)

    We definitely have to be our own advocate as we know our bodies best. I have had my share of those docs who just follow the protocol when it seems we have the "markers" for this ailment or that ailment. But until they really listen (which there is no time for) to our entire story, they will never get the real picture.

    Congratulations on your new grandchild! Our first, a set of twin girls, recently celebrated their 16th birthday. The moment those two were born, the phrase "If I'd known grandkids were this much fun I'd have had them first" had a new meaning for my husband and myself. They were born three weeks early as well, spent a little time in the NICU and have thrived ever since. We also have a set of triplets that arrived 15 weeks early and were micropreemies, none reaching a two pound weight at birth. Thankfully they were born in an excellent hospital with a staff we fell in love with. Those babies are now 11 years old and thriving as well. We also have four singletons and would not trade any of them off! We have a blast with them all.
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Options
    deblcar, Totally agree w/you! I don't work (or live) in an assisted living facility; and hopefully won't end up there. I do my best to take care of myself (I do weights along w/small amts of cardio-don't want it eating into my muscle gains) and eat reasonably well (avoid most processed food). Don't know what may happen tomorrow, but according to II Cor we are supposed to take of our bodies. B)
  • lovesretirement
    lovesretirement Posts: 2,661 Member
    Options
    @deblcar...Yes....couldn't agree more! That's the major reason I (and I am sure most of us on this thread) have made the necessary lifestyle changes! I no longer gripe about it taking over 2 loooong years to lose 52 pounds with 25 more to go. Exercise/weight training is my new passion! Having a personal trainer is my gift to myself...I deserve it! We are Baby Boomers and will go out kicking and screaming! ;)

    @1Nana2many...ahhhh...you are definitely your screen name! This is my first grandbaby and while he was born 3 weeks early, he was 7 pounds! We have said many times that he would have easily been 8 or 9 if he had stayed in a bit longer! He is such a blessing!

  • trailgirl777
    trailgirl777 Posts: 51 Member
    Options
    Hello all, I'm almost the posted age at 52 but love the energy & focus. I seem to have many of the same life issues & hope to join!
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Options
    Welcome to our group trailgirl!! B)
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    Welcome trailgirl777! We're all headed for a healthier future here!
  • birgitkwood
    birgitkwood Posts: 486 Member
    Options
    Curious about your screen name, @trailgirl777 . Are you a hiker? And if so, where?
  • Pooshka2
    Pooshka2 Posts: 207 Member
    Options
    I'm a "chick from 56," turning 61 in January. I started (or, I should say re-started MFP on January 3 with a goal to lose 80 pounds in 80 weeks. As of last Friday, I've lost 13 pounds, averaging 1.4 a week. January was a big loss month (as the first few weeks are typically huge water weight losses), so I look forward to a pound a week from here on. Clearly, I haven't lost a significant amount of weight (yet), but the group interests me, and I enjoyed reading the comments.

    I'm looking at this not as a diet, but as a lifestyle change. My problem is portion control, so diligence in measuring, weighing and tracking has gone a long way in keeping me within my calorie limits. Overindulges are infrequent (and savored), not dwelled on as failures in the ensuing days, and forgotten as I get back on track.

    I haven't started exercising regularly yet. In addition to weight loss goals, I gave up smoking in early December. I'm waiting for my lungs to further recover ~ that, with less "me" in the next few months ~ to better handle cardiac activity.

    Definitely going to keep this page as a favorite, you all will be great inspiration for me and the rest of the group.
  • Pooshka2
    Pooshka2 Posts: 207 Member
    Options
    jacobsl221 wrote: »
    I have a crazy doctor. She told me in November that I was overweight (176, ht. 5' 5, age 67) and Prediabetic. She put me on Metformin and said I should lose weight. Started logging in here, and by mid-Feb. had dropped to 163. I told her I had been losing a pound to 1.5 a week and she was horrified! Told me to stop losing weight, or at most 2 lbs per month. Said women my age lived longer with a little extra weight! This was very demoralizing. I thought I had been doing so well. I still feel I have at least 15 lbs to go to fit the clothes I have from last year at this time. Should I listen to the doctor and just give up losing weight or keep losing and benefit my mental health?

    Can you find a different doctor? These mixed messages can't be good for you, and they don't give her much credibility.

Categories

Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!