Nearly 70 and wondering what's to do

alsyman
alsyman Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Introduce Yourself
I've just turned 68 and having tried to loose weight unsuccessfully in the past have decided to try again.

I gave up smoking about 8 years ago, unfortunately too late as it had taken its toll leaving me with (albeit presently mild) COPD.
Needless to say my weight, despite my efforts to stop it, increased from 90kg to 114/115kg over the following 18 months.
Since then I have tried to reduce weight again a few times but never successfully. Even my GP was baffled. For example at one visit he said that it was almost as if my metabolism was slowing down each time I reduced food intake.

One of the other problems I had been suffering for many years was high cholesterol, for which I was taking statin on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, last summer I began to suffer severe aches and pains which were suspected to be a side effect of the statin, so I came off them.
Two of the strangest things happened, in addition to the pains disappearing.
First, after 3 months (and even now almost a year later) my cholesterol remains stable, and second I lost 8KG within a month - without having changed my diet and without having increased my daily activity.

My GP suspected that the statin could have been reducing my metabolism, but I'm not so sure because my weight loss stabilised at around 105kg - where it remained.

After such a long time at 115kg I was happy to be down to 105kg so did not take steps to reduce this any further - until last week when I decided to try and get down to at least 100kg by the autumn.

I registered here and set up my profile/diary and having set my goals it was determined that I should not exceed 1500 calories a day (based on a sedentary profile) to lose 4kg by mid August.

Over the last 7 days my average calorie intake has been 1250, but in addition to my 'sedentary' activities I have been religiously walking the dog for 4 - 5 miles per day so my net intake has been about 7/800 calories less than target.

My weight as of this morning is 105kg - absolutely no loss in a week.

So that's me - in detail ;)

I know it is early days yet, but I would have expected to have seen even a marginal decrease in weight over the week, and bearing in mind cardio exercise is difficult for me, I wonder what else I could do to try and speed up my metabolism and burn calories a bit faster.



Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,889 Member
    I'm sorry for your health problems, but it's aggravating that your doctor talks about your metabolism instead of telling you what you need to do to lose weight. Because to lose weight, you have to do, not try. But it's not that difficult, you just have to eat less. But you have to do it for real, not just think you are; 1500 calories is the absolute minimum for a male, and that's if he's short, elderly, inactive AND just want to lose a few vanity pounds (if guys have that). So no reports on hunger after eating 1250 calories for a week, indicates inaccurate logging. You need to log correctly for calorie counting to work. And you need patience; at your weight, you can lose up to 2 pounds per week if you do everything correctly, but you also have water weight fluctuations that can mask that amount, and more.
  • alsyman
    alsyman Posts: 2 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    So no reports on hunger after eating 1250 calories for a week, indicates inaccurate logging.

    The figure of 1500 was set by MFP when I entered my goals, which was to lose 1 kg (ie 2 pounds) per week. It calculated that based on my profile the target should be 1500 cals/day.

    As far as recording is concerned, I can assure you it is accurate (unless I am sleepwalking to the fridge in the middle of the night).
    My wife says I am becoming a pain because I ask her to weigh everything she prepares and confirm every ingredient, and so far every food I have taken is already in the MFP database - and the figures for those seem to be accurate (at least those I compare have been).

    As far as hunger is concerned, I did not mention it because to be honest hunger (and thirst too) are feelings I have never suffered from despite there have been periods in the past when I have had practically nothing for a couple of days - such as when I used to spend a few days trecking across the hills in my youth and we did not carry too much to eat, stopping at 'hostelries' every few days.

    Also - in an effort to take the frustration/boredom out of dieting, and to minimise the will power required I tend to follow the routine of one day with very little (as low as 5/600 calories (such as some fruit and a bowl of porridge), then the following day eat at a normal level of around the 2500 calorie level.

    With regard to fluctuations, I weigh myself in my underwear on the same scales at the same time (when I get up) every day before even having a drink.

    At this stage I not overly concerned - and will keep at it, but would have expected to see even a small amount of change by now.
  • eminater
    eminater Posts: 2,477 Member
    alsyman wrote: »
    I've just turned 68 and having tried to loose weight unsuccessfully in the past have decided to try again.

    I registered here and set up my profile/diary and having set my goals it was determined that I should not exceed 1500 calories a day (based on a sedentary profile) to lose 4kg by mid August.

    Over the last 7 days my average calorie intake has been 1250, but in addition to my 'sedentary' activities I have been religiously walking the dog for 4 - 5 miles per day so my net intake has been about 7/800 calories less than target.

    My weight as of this morning is 105kg - absolutely no loss in a week.

    I know it is early days yet, but I would have expected to have seen even a marginal decrease in weight over the week, and bearing in mind cardio exercise is difficult for me, I wonder what else I could do to try and speed up my metabolism and burn calories a bit faster.

    Hi - Please stay with it. It might take slightly longer - especially if you are increasing activity. Just wait another week, you will start to see the scales slowly.

    You health is so important to you - and all these changes you are making will be having a difference.

    Make sure to drink plenty of water - this will also encourage an initial bit of water weight off which might give you the boost you need.

  • dejavuohlala
    dejavuohlala Posts: 1,757 Member
    alsyman wrote: »
    I've just turned 68 and having tried to loose weight unsuccessfully in the past have decided to try again.

    I gave up smoking about 8 years ago, unfortunately too late as it had taken its toll leaving me with (albeit presently mild) COPD.
    Needless to say my weight, despite my efforts to stop it, increased from 90kg to 114/115kg over the following 18 months.
    Since then I have tried to reduce weight again a few times but never successfully. Even my GP was baffled. For example at one visit he said that it was almost as if my metabolism was slowing down each time I reduced food intake.

    One of the other problems I had been suffering for many years was high cholesterol, for which I was taking statin on a daily basis.
    Unfortunately, last summer I began to suffer severe aches and pains which were suspected to be a side effect of the statin, so I came off them.
    Two of the strangest things happened, in addition to the pains disappearing.
    First, after 3 months (and even now almost a year later) my cholesterol remains stable, and second I lost 8KG within a month - without having changed my diet and without having increased my daily activity.

    My GP suspected that the statin could have been reducing my metabolism, but I'm not so sure because my weight loss stabilised at around 105kg - where it remained.

    After such a long time at 115kg I was happy to be down to 105kg so did not take steps to reduce this any further - until last week when I decided to try and get down to at least 100kg by the autumn.

    I registered here and set up my profile/diary and having set my goals it was determined that I should not exceed 1500 calories a day (based on a sedentary profile) to lose 4kg by mid August.

    Over the last 7 days my average calorie intake has been 1250, but in addition to my 'sedentary' activities I have been religiously walking the dog for 4 - 5 miles per day so my net intake has been about 7/800 calories less than target.

    My weight as of this morning is 105kg - absolutely no loss in a week.

    So that's me - in detail ;)

    I know it is early days yet, but I would have expected to have seen even a marginal decrease in weight over the week, and bearing in mind cardio exercise is difficult for me, I wonder what else I could do to try and speed up my metabolism and burn calories a bit faster.


    alsyman wrote: »
    I've just turned 68 and having tried to loose weight unsuccessfully in the past have decided to try again.

    I gave up smoking about 8 years ago, unfortunately too late as it had taken its toll leaving me with (albeit presently mild) COPD.
    Needless to say my weight, despite my efforts to stop it, increased from 90kg to 114/115kg over the following 18 months.
    Since then I have tried to reduce weight again a few times but never successfully. Even my GP was baffled. For example at one visit he said that it was almost as if my metabolism was slowing down each time I reduced food intake.

    One of the other problems I had been suffering for many years was high cholesterol, for which I was taking statin on a daily basis.
    Unfortunately, last summer I began to suffer severe aches and pains which were suspected to be a side effect of the statin, so I came off them.
    Two of the strangest things happened, in addition to the pains disappearing.
    First, after 3 months (and even now almost a year later) my cholesterol remains stable, and second I lost 8KG within a month - without having changed my diet and without having increased my daily activity.

    My GP suspected that the statin could have been reducing my metabolism, but I'm not so sure because my weight loss stabilised at around 105kg - where it remained.

    After such a long time at 115kg I was happy to be down to 105kg so did not take steps to reduce this any further - until last week when I decided to try and get down to at least 100kg by the autumn.

    I registered here and set up my profile/diary and having set my goals it was determined that I should not exceed 1500 calories a day (based on a sedentary profile) to lose 4kg by mid August.

    Over the last 7 days my average calorie intake has been 1250, but in addition to my 'sedentary' activities I have been religiously walking the dog for 4 - 5 miles per day so my net intake has been about 7/800 calories less than target.

    My weight as of this morning is 105kg - absolutely no loss in a week.

    So that's me - in detail ;)

    I know it is early days yet, but I would have expected to have seen even a marginal decrease in weight over the week, and bearing in mind cardio exercise is difficult for me, I wonder what else I could do to try and speed up my metabolism and burn calories a bit faster.

    Sorry to read about your health problems they seem to creep up as age goes up I'm 70 almost 71. I have had a bad year health wise. 1 week is no time at all to be disappointed it will come off, you need to make sustainable changes so that it becomes a lifetime change of eating style. Keep a good diary on here and invite some friends on mfp who you can relate to. Be sure to be a supportive friend that will help you stick with it and he advice from others. Good luck to you you have done very well so far

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