55-65 year old women's success?

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Replies

  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
    I love the respect and consideration that we give to each other here on this site and this webpage. I am just happy to have found you all who are close to my age and know the"struggles" we go though to lose weight and to maintain good health. I completely agree- it is WORTH all the effort it takes- we can DO and BE anything!!!!! God is so good!
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Nana, I'll put your sister on my prayer list if you want. Agree that "I can't" is just an excuse. Heard a story of a woman who STARTED weight lifting at 72; so age is just an excuse. Woman ended up with cancer and passed away at 86; but she lifted weights as long as she could. I say "aging process you can't stop, but you can stop getting older;" I believe there is a difference. B)
  • RetiredAndLovingIt
    RetiredAndLovingIt Posts: 1,395 Member
    LaceyBirds..nope, we're good. Thank you for the PM...I didn't take your post personally.
  • StepWise123
    StepWise123 Posts: 180 Member
    Oh Wow! I wondered if there was anyone else on here in the boomer group! Seems like I've been struggling my whole life...either too skinny or trying to lose weight. I've lost 23 pounds since Sept and haven't felt this good in years at 67. I do aerobics and adding in logging in my food has really made a difference. I'm thinking of joining a gym now to add weights to my routine.
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    @griffinca2 That would be wonderful, thank you! Her name is Sandy. @StepWise123 We're all from the baby boomer generation here! Welcome! Congratulations on your ongoing success! When I started, my theory was log every bite and sip every single day, move a little more today than I did yesterday and do my very best to stay within my calorie goal. When I'm out of calories, I'm done eating for a day. Using a food scale made a huge difference for me and for my daughter. It really helps you figure out exactly what a serving size is. My daughter had been measuring, but having a scale really kicked her weight loss in gear. My middle son, his wife and her mother have joined MFP and my son has lost over 50 pounds. Just being aware of the food we eat makes a huge difference in my opinion! Simple things I have changed in my food choices that make calorie differences: we buy 2% cheeses, 1% cottage cheese, fat free milk (work your way down to it by going through 2%, 1%, 1/2% and you won't notice), low fat yogurt, egg beaters instead of regular eggs, lower calorie bread made a big difference, I use Sara Lee Delightfuls...you get 2 slices for the calories of one, turkey bacon. I have cut way back on pasta. I still have it occasionally, but not nearly as often as I once did. When I eat fast food and I do, I will order a Wendy's Apple Pecan salad minus the cheese, half size. I use a little of the dressing and all of the pecans or McDonald's cheeseburger and half a small French fry or their southwest salad with very little dressing. I found a Greek yogurt and salsa dressing in the refrigerator section that is only 45 calories for 2 tablespoons. I love it. Nothing says we can't order the kids meal! Get the apple slices, add a little fiber to your diet!

    Anybody else got some simple everyday suggestions?
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    Excellent ideas @1Nana2many. I swear by the Skinnytaste cookbook and website. I've learned to sub nonfat plain greek yogurt for sour cream (except for cooking - yuck!). Spaghetti squash is a great substitute for pasta. Ground turkey breast or sirloin instead of 80/20 or worse ground beef. Little and gradual changes will make a huge impact while losing. I've added some of these back in while in maintenance, but I am normally (now) very active. My husband makes a killer, low fat ranch dressing. I have been training him ;)
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    @needles85365 welcome to our group! We accept all who want to join!! We do our best to try and motivate each other!. B)
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,757 Member
    griffinca2 wrote: »
    Wikipedia doesn't list any, and from the write up doesn't look like it. I've never had kids and my belly is pretty wrinkly too (and I'm lots younger than her). Wonder if she uses something.

    Powerlifting takes care of wrinkly skin or so all the lady powerlifters seem to claim. I can believe it because it produces lots of human growth hormones, that builds up your skin and muscles. She is amazing but she has been doing it since 57 yrs. So all you ladies in that range, take heart and follow in her footsteps, too late for me, but I am happy with my current path.
  • FHImagined
    FHImagined Posts: 145 Member
    LaceyBirds wrote: »
    RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »
    I understand the reasoning behind the comparison pictures, but do not believe the woman on the right is 74 years old. (that is only 7 more than me!) Do wish I looked like the one on the left, but even though I know it is good for me, I just cant seem to get started on the weight lifting. But I do try to walk 10-15,000 steps a day, which is doing something.

    I wasn't going to say anything, but this bugs me, so I'm going to rant a bit, please feel free to ignore it. This isn't directed at the person who posted the picture or anybody who responded to it since it is all over the Internet. You want to be buff and look like Ernestine, great, I have no problem with that. But everybody talks about how bad fat-shaming is, how you shouldn't compare yourself to others and be fine with who you are and how you look, yet here in a 55-65 and older thread that poor unknown woman is being age-shamed. Having her picture used in this way is just sad, not right and makes me a bit angry. There is absolutely no way to know how old she is, because she is unknown. Her picture was taken by somebody possibly named Chalmers Butterfield sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s - I say possibly named because nobody can find any information on him online, only his photographs. This woman could be 60 or 100, rich or poor, healthy or ill, we just don't know. She looks a lot like my great-grandmother, who lived to 90 and was healthy, thin and active until dementia got her in her last years. This woman doesn't look unhealthy, just older. You could interpret her expression as sad or lonely, but you could also interpret her as being thoughtful. This may have been taken at Thanksgiving and she's taking a break from all that cooking, glancing out to see if her youngest son is pulling into the driveway. She could turn and smile at the camera an instant later and suggest a walk around the block to blow off some of the huge meal. Maybe she's just dozy from Tryptophan.

    This just really bugs me because it seems we women are no longer allowed to get old and comparisons like this tell us we should be ashamed of ourselves if we do and look it. Be at a healthy weight, take care of yourself and enjoy life - if you don'twant or have six-pack abs, you are still OK and don't need to feel ashamed.

    Rant over.

    While I understand what you are stating. But what I see.. is the positive benefits of living a healthy life style. Weight training being one. No judgement on anyone.
  • FHImagined
    FHImagined Posts: 145 Member
    retirehappy wrote: »
    griffinca2 wrote: »
    Wikipedia doesn't list any, and from the write up doesn't look like it. I've never had kids and my belly is pretty wrinkly too (and I'm lots younger than her). Wonder if she uses something.

    Powerlifting takes care of wrinkly skin or so all the lady powerlifters seem to claim. I can believe it because it produces lots of human growth hormones, that builds up your skin and muscles. She is amazing but she has been doing it since 57 yrs. So all you ladies in that range, take heart and follow in her footsteps, too late for me, but I am happy with my current path.

    :)
  • FHImagined
    FHImagined Posts: 145 Member
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HX4saxIfPYw

  • FHImagined
    FHImagined Posts: 145 Member
    Trina2040 wrote: »
    RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »
    I understand the reasoning behind the comparison pictures, but do not believe the woman on the right is 74 years old. (that is only 7 more than me!) Do wish I looked like the one on the left, but even though I know it is good for me, I just cant seem to get started on the weight lifting. But I do try to walk 10-15,000 steps a day, which is doing something.

    You're right, @RetiredAndLovingIt! Ernestine Shepherd is not 74 years young -- she's 80 and still in great shape. Take a look-see (the video is from Feb. 2017). She's my hero, but I'll never look that good, LOL. I read somewhere that she drinks raw eggs before she goes on a run.

    https://youtu.be/hTYogr-Np14

    Thank you.. she is inspiring! So is Deshun Yang.. video above. ^^


  • RetiredAndLovingIt
    RetiredAndLovingIt Posts: 1,395 Member
    hippie_spirit....I can relate to the non-weight bearing...it is not fun. I was non-weight bearing for 12 weeks after breaking my leg!
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Been there myself; broke both bones in my right wrist (and I'm right-handed of course) in Dec 15. Had to sit w/it elevated for eight weeks (and I'm in my 60s).
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    Welcome Hippie_Spirit! You are absolutely right you are too YOUNG to not be able to be active and healthy! I believe well over half of the obstacles we encounter are in our own minds, but if you remember that you CAN make changes to become a healthier you, a little at a time and show up every single day you will be more than ready for that surgery! Eat within your calorie goal, move a little more today than you did yesterday, be honest with yourself about every bite every day and forgive yourself when you screw up. Every day is a new day and you are WORTH THE EFFORT!
  • hippie_spirit
    hippie_spirit Posts: 104 Member
    thank you :smile:
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Agree w/Nana; especially forgiving yourself when you mess up--it happens and we all do it. We just pick ourselves up and get back on track. It's a journey and a lifestyle; not a project or "diet" with an end date. Keep us posted! B)
  • krenwren
    krenwren Posts: 136 Member
    ha I'm back. turning 60 on August 25. Just read the Time magazine article on why diets don't work. pretty interesting stuff. Stuff I already am aware of but need to incorporate into my life. I gained 10 pounds since last year mostly from wine and eating out. I have picked up my activity and will once again start watching what I eat!!!
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    @krenwren Welcome back!! B)
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    wb @krenwren
  • krenwren
    krenwren Posts: 136 Member
    Thanks everyone. 1200 calories isn't very much food! I'm not as active as I want to be. I am not planning to "eat" back my activity calories unless I feel hungry. I can't see myself burning more than 200-300 per day with activity. We'll see!!
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    You know you can do it Krenwren!
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
    Agree w/Nana.
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    Yep, me, too!
  • skinnylady2014
    skinnylady2014 Posts: 101 Member
    Hi, glad I found this group at 63 years young with our unique situations! I lost 35 lbs on MFP in 2013-14, but then let health issues and life itself overwhelm me. Returned here two months ago and also rejoined TOPS a couple weeks ago for in-person accountability. (Was involved in TOPS 20-21 years ago.) Have lost 14 lbs. For me logging all foods is so important!!!
  • jwcanfield
    jwcanfield Posts: 192 Member
    edited June 2017
    krenwren wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. 1200 calories isn't very much food! I'm not as active as I want to be. I am not planning to "eat" back my activity calories unless I feel hungry. I can't see myself burning more than 200-300 per day with activity. We'll see!!

    I don't lose on 1200 healthy calories per day - and that just makes me crazy! That seems to be my maintenance point, no matter what the charts imply. I stay hungry. But at least not gaining. Dance classes 2 evenings per week, 2 miles walk every other day, yard work. Not exactly high energy but not sedentary either. At 66 wish it were easier. It's not so that's that. Absolutely REFUSE to be a fat old woman who looks like grandmothers did in the 1950s!
  • 1Nana2many
    1Nana2many Posts: 172 Member
    @skinnylady2014 we're glad you found us too! The key is to just keep on keeping on. You know what you need to do. Lots of good support here.

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