65, can we bring the body back one more time?

gingerbeericecold
gingerbeericecold Posts: 23 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Was thin and athletic when I was younger -- clear up to 48 years old, and then the gain began very slowly but consistently till I am now 65 and 40 pounds over my goal. Got run over by a car two years ago (I was on the sidewalk!) and it has been really hard to come back from that, but competed in dragon boat racing (we won 7 medals this year) to firm up the flesh and am now ready to diet and increase exercise. Tried keto, but hated it. I've cooked from scratch, healthy, fresh, organic all my life and won't give that up. But I can count calories. Been trying to hike 90 minutes 4 days a week. Very steep mountains around here. Am about to try my third pair of boot/shoes in my effort to find the most comfortable. A knee injury (from the car run-over) has so far kept me from mountain hiking every day. Every other day is as good as it gets for now, but I started with two miles just twice a week and am up to over four miles three times a week in just three weeks. I bought a fitness watch which has pleased me mightily so far. Even has GPS to track my path up the mountain. Cool.
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Replies

  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    I am only 67 - and yes, you can!
  • gingerbeericecold
    gingerbeericecold Posts: 23 Member
    Imaginemary you seem to be on a similar path as me and you too are finding your own diet. Very glad to meet you online. I was also very worried about the plastic watch, band but I don't seem to have a problem with the one I got, except it's annoying to wear a watch after a whole life of mostly not wearing a watch. Update on my workout: I've now either hiked or worked hard three days in a row!! I'm usually really knocked out every other day. I walked nearly six miles on Friday and was tired on Saturday so took a shorter, steeper route which proved to be killer - so much for that strategy - and then cleared out a storage unit on Sunday. That storage unit really whipped me. My body hurt so bad I could barely walk after three hours of that. But its done at last! Today, going to try to do a mild hike just to train toward the habit of daily walking.
    Neugebauer52 thanks for the encouragement!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Go, Girl! You got this! <3

    P.S. I have a family member who is in her mid-70's, has had Parkinson's disease for several years now, and still goes backpacking with her husband and still carries her own stuff. They just got back from a trip a few weeks ago. She's awesome! If she can do it, we can do it! :D
  • annliz23
    annliz23 Posts: 3,240 Member
    Hi all, I'm 56 and a firm believer you can stay healthy no matter what your age, my mum was very active till 76 only slowed down due to the dementia but physically she was still great till 84 when she had a fall, she was always an avid walker which I'm sure helped her.
    Good luck everyone.
  • gingerbeericecold
    gingerbeericecold Posts: 23 Member
    What inspirational comments! There are three people on my dragon boat team that are over 70. I think our oldest is 74 (he was my bench mate this summer and is in great condition). BTW dragon boat racing is excellent exercise for people with knee, hip or low back problems. It's still a full-body workout but you don't put any percussive weight on your lower joints. My bench mate is having knee surgery now that the racing season is over, so you can see that racing is possible even if your knees are bad.
    Several of my teammates have had back surgery (including me) and I actually joined the team 6 months after I got run over by the car to use racing as physical therapy (because I knew I'd get competitive and push myself). There are many dragon boat teams for "golden" age racers, blind racers, and cancer survivors.
    Last year we had a race team come to our competition that was made up of women of all ages, many over 200 pounds. They were getting in shape and having a great time doing it. Loved seeing that.
    So, it has been five days since I joined this site and I've lost one pound. I'm still tinkering with my diet to find what gives me sustained energy as I seem to have several low energy days each week. I just added both MSM and Hemp protein to my lunchtime smoothy and today was a low energy day, but nothing as low as last week - so I think it's working.
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    no no no, cannot be done, nothing can be improved, buy a pickax and dig your own grave now.... 🤣
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,953 Member
    You've got the needed attitude and strategy, so I think you'll do fine.

    Using MFP, I lost about 50 pounds at age 59-60, after literally decades of obesity, and have maintained a healthy weight (5'5", mid-130s) for 4 years since. (I'm now 63, 64 in November.)

    No keto or low carb for me, BTW, just sound, balanced nutrition at the right calorie level (plus a few treats now and then for pure pleasure ;) ).

    I was pretty active even while obese, and now row on water 4 days a week in season, and go to spin class 2 other days. I feel better physically than I did in my 40s, and my formerly bad cholesterol/triglycerides and blood pressure are back in the normal zone. Even my bad knees hurt much less, with less weight to haul around.

    Expect success: Best wishes!
  • annliz23
    annliz23 Posts: 3,240 Member
    A super day today 2 main walks 16241 steps knees not too bad today but hip a bit sore.
  • annliz23
    annliz23 Posts: 3,240 Member
    LAT1963 wrote: »
    no no no, cannot be done, nothing can be improved, buy a pickax and dig your own grave now.... 🤣

    My husband has a spot for me under the rose tree.
  • Hollis100
    Hollis100 Posts: 1,408 Member
    edited October 2019
    Ke22yB wrote: »
    ?? why not Age 60 HBP over 365 pounds fairly sedentary age 71 195 pounds run 5 days a week average 5 miles a day and decided to lose about 20 more pounds and begin to train for a half marathon next spring
    You can do whatever you decide to do for yourself
    I have a hat that says " older than dirt" and a tee shirt " All Men are created equal, but the best can still run in their 70s" because I get asked a lot why do you do ?? this at your age? because I can folks and it feels real good

    Exactly right @Ke22yB Such a great post.

    OP, sounds like you're physically active and motivated. Throw the age thing out the window. I wish you much success!

  • goslowmo1
    goslowmo1 Posts: 4 Member
    Age 72 and about that much left to lose after losing 22 pounds in the last couple of months. Have been battling my weight all of my life, but recently found out I have kidney disease so am trying to do what I can to eat more healthy and slow progression down, Have not had much energy to exercise and it is just this week cooling down here in Tulsa so I hope to be able to begin a regular exercise routine. Belong to the YWCA so no really good excuses I suppose. Looking for encouragement, friends, and motivation. Also work part time for registered and licensed dieticians so, along with the supplements I purchased there and seeing one as a patient after hours, I have good support during those work hours.
  • KealoloSue
    KealoloSue Posts: 16 Member
    Lat1963 wrote: : no no no, cannot be done, nothing can be improved, buy a pickax and dig your own grave now.... I think I'd have to work out a lot to be able to swing that pick ax and dig that deep. Better get to working out!
  • goslowmo1
    goslowmo1 Posts: 4 Member
    Down a full 25 lbs now and ready to go for the next 25, and the next, and the final 25. Walking momentarily trying to determine the best location where I am safest and still can get a good walk in.

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