I am SuziQ and I reside in sunny South Florida. I am 55 years old (now 56) and have decided I must do something now, if I want an active and happy retirement. I am a former WW and have found myself losing the same 40-50 pounds every 10 years or so.

I am a widow (almost 11 years now) (now 12 years). We had a beautiful relationship and I missed him every day. I was very fortunate to find the one and am thankful for the time we had together.

I have had one major relationship since my husband’s passing. My boyfriend died in January 2018 after we ended the relationship. He had many issues mostly being an alcoholic which he hid very well. I was there for him for the first two “falling off the wagon” situations and when the third happened realized I was not going to make him better, he needed to make himself better.

As for my current status I am single and live alone. I find this makes my get back to healthy changes much easier since I do not have to have temptation foods in the house.

I am in good health and although the body is starting to show its age I feel I am young at heart. I love to mix and mingle with people of all ages and backgrounds.

I am currently employed and work in a decent environment. The hours and demands can be quite stressful but since I am in a continuous learning environment and feel appreciated I am quite happy with my current situation. As with most I have some complaints, but also realize there is no perfect employer.

I have been finding we can lose weight like we did in our 20s, 30s, and 40s. Again, I am very fortunate to be healthy and do not take any medications or have any major health issues. TG! What I have found, for me, is it took me a lot longer to get motivated to do something. I basically sat on the couch for two years and just the thought of getting back in to shape was overwhelming.

I started to realize I was terribly out of shape and needed to do something now, if I wanted to remain in good health. The fates would not be kind to me, if I continued on the path I was on.

I do not like the word exercise. I love the word activity. My challenge in the beginning was getting active. Since I was out of shape I started walking in place doing mundane chores such as washing the dishes, during commercials, and folding and putting away laundry. I made a rule that I could only put away one type of clothing at a time (short-sleeved shirts, panties, dress pants, etc.). When I started tracking it was amazing I was actually getting between 1000-2000 steps in just stepping in place. I started to add a morning walk (I am a very early riser) every other day and incorporated some light weights.

I started right off the bat with my diet. As a former WW (Weight Watcher) I already knew the benefits of recording my intake and pre-planning my meals. I plan my breakfasts and lunches for a week with dinners I am a little flexible, but stay within my calorie goal. I do not eat my exercise calories, except for special events. My diet is mostly plant based, but I am not a vegetarian.

Tips

• Record everything. Every taste, every sip, every slip. In your notes write your mood and/or the situations you met throughout your day. Remember (this is my favorite WW coaches saying) nothing tastes as good as thin feels.
• Start slow. Baby steps work. When we set too high of a goal we overwhelm ourselves. We think OMG I will never hit that mark. Celebrate every pound, it’s OK to pat ourselves on the back.
• Step in place as often as you can. Conference calls, brushing your teeth, folding laundry, etc.
• This process is about loving yourself. As women we want to nurture everyone around us, but we almost never nurture ourselves. We must wrap our arms around ourselves and love us at the level we want to be loved.
• If you live with your family have “me” shelves in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. Put your food in those areas. If you know where your food lives and only concentrate on those areas it’s easier to avoid culling through those areas when you find you are hungry.
• Prep your food. Wash and prep the fruits and vegetables so they are ready when you find you want to graze.
• Keep those measuring cups and spoons on the counter and use them. Our eyes seem to underestimate how much we are actually putting on our plates.
• Keep a list of non-food related rewards for when you hit some of your goals. Some ideas include a new top, going to a concert, meeting a friend at a new park, or taking a painting class. EDIT: Yes, we are now under corona-19 watch restrictions. My new non-food related rewards are mostly home-based. I have been rewarding myself with ordering a new pair of sneakers, hitting one of my to-do list items, calling a friend, doing a facial, and a host of other “me” things.
  
  As I am sharing this it is a reminder to me of the things I have incorporated and must continue to practice as I move in to a healthier life. I have been slipping in some areas which I think is due to the holiday blues. EDIT: This was written around Thanksgiving 2019. I have gone through the “fire” and am in a much better state of mind. EDIT: Went through a new fire (covid-19) and need to get back on track!!.