66yo woman w/40+lbs to lose. Detoxed off all sugar & junk food & need friends with similiar goals.

marymickaela
marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
edited November 20 in Getting Started
I’m a 66yo woman, have been on MFP for many years. In 2012 I lost over 30lbs by dieting and working out for my youngest daughter’s wedding. I looked and felt fantastic. However, I gained it all back. Eating tons of sugar products and of junk food was my way of life for many years.

I was so tired all the time and when I stepped on the scales in Julyt to see I was heading back towards 180lbs something just clicked and I knew I had to do something. I ordered the Kindle version of the “Sugar Smart Diet”, have detoxed off all sugar, junk food and now eat extremely healthy. Am I perfect? NO, but can proudly say you could set a brownie w/nuts in front of me and I have zero desire for it. I’m not a fanatic and just trying to stay off sugar products, junk food and continue to eat healthy.

I lost 10lbs after 4 weeks. However, I had stopped logging and was not getting enough exercise and gained 3 to 4lbs back. This week I’ve now gone back to logging my food as I guess calories do count. I wear a Fitbit and am trying to get more steps in each day and am losing again. If you have similar goals 30, 40, 50 or more lbs to lose and would like to friend me I’d love it. I will be your cheerleader if you’re just starting out and I could use more support from people with similar goals.


Marymickaela

Replies

  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    Hi, I'm 66 as well and am steadily losing by eating TDEE-500 calories. I have not cut out anything in particular and have not gotten into exercising yet. Logging and counting calories is what I do while still having fun cooking. I have about 120 pounds to go. Feel free to friend me.
  • normam101
    normam101 Posts: 1 Member
    I am 59years old. Same with losing and regaining all my life. I had decided I was just too tired, to try again. Yet here I am. Trying again. Unfortunately I am up to 230 lbs. my lowest in adult life has been 170. Sugar, sweets, carbs, these are my addictions. So anyway, maybe we can cheer each other on! Mary I would love to know how a plate of brownies no longer tempt you at all.
  • krysmuree
    krysmuree Posts: 326 Member
    I just want to say that I am cheering you on and that I admire you!
  • marymickaela
    marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    I am following a calorie deficit, nothing more complicated than that. I don't normally bring other discussions on to new threads but I think it important that you moderate the "extremely healthy" claims regarding your current plan.

    I guess you have to understand where I'm coming from, which was eating crap all day, everyday. Going from there to where I'm at I feel is amazing. I never said I eating perfect or vegan or gluten free. My girlfrend is, but she's proud of how far I've come.

    As I said I've stopped eating all sugar and any type of junk food. My diet consists of protein. veggies, fruits and whole grains. So guess I consider where I was a little over 5 weeks ago to where I'm at now is (in my mind) extremely healthy.

    Not trying to compare myself to those of you who are amazing. I knew I had to do something doable for me and that I could stick with. I no longer drink those Diet Pepsi's or Sprint's. Just doing the best I can and feel I've come a really long way in 5 weeks and honestly am proud of myself and feeling SOOOO much healthier.
  • marymickaela
    marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
    I also want to add I had to start logging my calories into MFP again as although I felt I was eating great, those calories do count. so it was back to logging again this week.
  • marymickaela
    marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
    normam101 wrote: »
    I am 59years old. Same with losing and regaining all my life. I had decided I was just too tired, to try again. Yet here I am. Trying again. Unfortunately I am up to 230 lbs. my lowest in adult life has been 170. Sugar, sweets, carbs, these are my addictions. So anyway, maybe we can cheer each other on! Mary I would love to know how a plate of brownies no longer tempt you at all.

    Honestly, I don't think I could have done this without the unwavering support of my girlfriend who has been eating "gluten free" for over a year. She just kept going on and on how much better she started feeling. She recommended the "Whole 30", but I felt it was too strict so went back and looked at the "Sugar Smart Diet" which is very doable. I only had to go without sugar of ANY kind for 6 days. But, you also have to be ready. For me it just clicked. Nobody can make you feel you're ready. I try to consider each day as a new day and although I've been consistent the advice I've gotten thru gf's cheerleading is not to beat ourselves up over a bad day.

    I'm trying not to focus on the scales, although they are my enemy! LOL!! They seem to go up and down, which is why I've also started back this week logging my food on MFP. I also had my family take pics at the beginning and saw an amazing result after 4 weeks so that inspired me even more. After gaining all the weight back from 5 years ago I pretty much had given up. I was an emotional stress eater and with a lot of health problems to stress about. So, turned to sugar as my comfort food. However, once I got all that sugar out of my system it felt amazing to watch my family sitting at the table eating those huge portions of Chinese food and have no desire for it. I normally would have eaten it all.

    My family definitely doubted my ability to stick with this, but as my gf said to me. It scares our family to see us do something different as that's the norm. However when she started eating healthier, losing and looking better, it made her H a believer. That's what I feel I am doing with my family. Plus, the great part is my H's now supporting me in this new journey. My doc is giving me 3mo's on this to see if it brings my blood pressure down or I get put on another med. I don't want more meds.

    You are so worth it. Take it one day at a time and you CAN do this. As you get rid of the sugar cravings fruit will start tasting so yummy and that will tame those sugar cravings.

    Please friend me and I'll be CHEERLEADING YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!!! I'm still very new to eating healthier so we will do this together!

    Mary
  • cidplady
    cidplady Posts: 10 Member
    edited August 2017
    I am the same age as you and have lost 14 pounds in as many weeks (now weigh 130lbs) - I do zero exercise due to mobility issues and so have stuck to a 1200 cal regime which works fine for me but is probably too low for anyone who is even slightly active. The main thing I do is the same as you, to cut out all bread, cakes, biscuits, chocolate etc - except I do enjoy good quality protein meal bars which are a godsend as one of those at lunchtime fills me up until the evening. I also eat a breakfast of 2 rashers of bacon and 4 fresh dates (I know it sounds odd but trust me, it is amazing), after which I have no cravings at all all morning. I snack on an apple or a few nuts in the afternoon if I have a 'slump'.....
  • 125Suz
    125Suz Posts: 4 Member
    I have started tracking too with the goal of losing 26 pounds in total by Christmas. I had a light bulb moment regarding how the 80% (on track) and 20% (weekend) kind of dieting that I usually follow is for maintenance and not weight loss. I don't have any off limits foods other than that they should offer me some nutritional value. I am 53 and 5'2". I have been weighing daily because I take an average of a few days so it makes more sense to me. My sister feels great on whole 30.
  • marymickaela
    marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    I am glad you are making healthier choices but keep in mind that poor blood test results means you aren't in the healthy camp yet.

    I get my guidelines for healthy eating from a reputable national organization. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/

    It has nothing to do with sugar, diet drinks, processed foods, gluten, or vegan.

    That's probably good for most people, but you have to understand that for me the sugar is what led me to my non stop emotional/stress eating. I now at least try to have a salad every day and incorporate fruits in addition to protein of course. It's really nothing weird.

    Glad what you're doing is working for you! I have a great deal of health problems and had to get off the sugar and eating the bag (yes, bag) of Fanny Mae Pixies several times a week. It was bad! It's not like I can't have sugar now, I just choose not to. I'm just looking to get and lend support to people going down a similar path. Sounds like you're not.
  • RedSierra
    RedSierra Posts: 253 Member
    edited August 2017
    More power to the people who have found success with moderation. However, moderation doesn't work for everybody -- it certainly didn't work for me. My own health improved dramatically when I changed what I was eating.

    Maybe it isn't intended that way, but advice telling the OP who doesn't want to eat sugar and junk food that she is wrong comes across as food shaming to me. We're all adults and have the right to eat or not eat what we want.
  • bluesmama5000
    bluesmama5000 Posts: 9 Member
    HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »
    Hi, I'm 66 as well and am steadily losing by eating TDEE-500 calories. I have not cut out anything in particular and have not gotten into exercising yet. Logging and counting calories is what I do while still having fun cooking. I have about 120 pounds to go. Feel free to friend me.

    You're only eating 500 calories. That is dangerous.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    bluesmama5000 wrote: »
    HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »
    Hi, I'm 66 as well and am steadily losing by eating TDEE-500 calories. I have not cut out anything in particular and have not gotten into exercising yet. Logging and counting calories is what I do while still having fun cooking. I have about 120 pounds to go. Feel free to friend me.

    You're only eating 500 calories. That is dangerous.

    I think she means TDEE (MINUS) 500 cal - TDEE-500
  • marymickaela
    marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
    I want give a shout out to all the positive responses. Feel I now have some great new friends which will be a definite help in my journey to get healthy and fit. Can't wait to share and give support to you! We are on our way!!!

    Mary
  • hydechildcare
    hydechildcare Posts: 142 Member
    RedSierra wrote: »
    More power to the people who have found success with moderation. However, moderation doesn't work for everybody -- it certainly didn't work for me. My own health improved dramatically when I changed what I was eating.

    Maybe it isn't intended that way, but advice telling the OP who doesn't want to eat sugar and junk food that she is wrong comes across as food shaming to me. We're all adults and have the right to eat or not eat what we want.

    I agree with you 100%. To me no matter the moderation of junk food I was consuming the weight would not come off because I was too tired to do any extra work. Now that I have cut the junk out I feel better with way more energy compared to before still eating the same amount of calories but able to have larger portions and stay fuller for much longer. I have recently started this so we will see where I am in a month but I have never made it this long before. Protein, vegs, and high fiber is what it takes for my body.
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