Will be 60 in 2021 and just too fat

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Hello y’all:
I’m gonna be 60 in June of 2021 I would love to be closer to my ideal weight by then. I’ve had success in my younger years. But just can’t seem to lose any weight anymore. I stay fairly active housework, yard work, walking. But I take in more that burn. Will try to track more like I used to. Gotta do something.

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  • dulcedenisse
    dulcedenisse Posts: 33 Member
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    You can do this! Remember it’s mind over matter! I’m 28 and I feel like my age is already a barrier but if others can be in our shoes and make it happen so can we! Feel free to add me!
  • Blackiex4
    Blackiex4 Posts: 4 Member
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    I will be 62 soon and I am having a hard time losing weight. I am eating only 1200 calories a day but weight isn't coming off. I blew out my knee so I cannot exercise by walking or riding my recumbent bike. I want to lose weight before my surgery in January. Losing weight is tough.
  • 1poundatax
    1poundatax Posts: 230 Member
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    Welcome! I will be 62 in a few weeks. I knew I needed to get serious about my weight to improve and protect my health. I have been making changes gradually since late March. I started logging in August, I now log everything I eat no matter what it is. That helps me to make better decisions though I still eat anything I really want. I check in to see if I really want it or is there another reason, i.e. bordom, stress etc. that is causing me to want to eat. I also check after a few bites to see if I am satisfied. Often I am and I stop eating. I don't stick to a strict calorie level. Some days I am a little under 1000 (rare) and sometimes I am closer to 1400 or even 1500. Generally it works out to about 1250 or so. I aim for a minimum of 150 min. of exercise a week but most weeks I am about 200 min. I don't eat back my exercise calories, for me that doesn't work. Since mid September when I finally had most of my changes in place I have been losing 4-5 pounds per month. I will go several weeks without a loss and then lose a couple of pounds. I will bounce around and then take another loss. I weigh myself daily so that I don't freak out on my weigh-in day if I haven't lost or am even up a little. (I am particpating in another program where I need to report my weight weekly.) I finally learned that this is a life style change- so I need to do it in a way that I can maintain for the rest of my life. I know my way isn't for everyone but it is working for me. I know that you can find what works for you. Just don't give up!
  • Blackiex4
    Blackiex4 Posts: 4 Member
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    Glad that is working for you. Keep up the great work. I think I need to stop weighing myself every day. From yesterday it said I gained a pound. There is no way. Thank you for the encouragement on finding what works for me and to not give up.
  • 1poundatax
    1poundatax Posts: 230 Member
    edited November 2020
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    It is a process and what works for one person won't necessarily work for another. It is about finding a way to live a healthy lifestyle that you can sustain. It is about not giving up which I have done 100's of times. And you are right, there is no way you gained 1 pound over night.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,853 Member
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    Welcome to MFP!

    MFP can be a good tool, if calorie counting suits your personality. It doesn't necessarily make losing weight easy (psychologically, logistically), but it makes it quite simple (it clarifies what's happening, so we can adjust) when used consistently/accurately.

    I started here at about your current age (I was 59) at a class 1 obese bodyweight, where I'd been for around 30 years. By my 60th birthday, I was at a healthy weight, and have stayed at a healthy weight today (coincidentally, my 65th birthday 😉).

    Age is no barrier. In fact, I think we have some advantages: We know ourselves well, and most of us have experience with the skills involved in reaching big goals by taking small steps over a longer time period. (Depending on the person, we practiced those skills by getting degrees, building careers, raising families, saving for retirement, and more.)

    You can do this. Wishing you much success!

    P.S. to @Blackiex4
    Blackiex4 wrote: »
    Glad that is working for you. Keep up the great work. I think I need to stop weighing myself every day. From yesterday it said I gained a pound. There is no way. Thank you for the encouragement on finding what works for me and to not give up.

    Big scale changes overnight like that are almost certainly shifts in water weight, or a different amount of temporary digestive contents (think fiber and such) on route to becoming waste. This is a very helpful short article to read:

    https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations

    Personally, I like to weigh daily because it helps me *understand* which circumstances cause my bodyweight to vary in meaningless way, and recognize that the many-week trend is the important thing. But for people who tend to stress over those small changes, weekly or further apart weighing can be a better overall strategy.
  • Blackiex4
    Blackiex4 Posts: 4 Member
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    Congratulations on your success of weight loss and maintaining. Thank you for the link to the article. I know I can do this and just need to stay positive and stay on the right track. Thank you again.
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 563 Member
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    I'm the same age, and it is harder than when we were younger, but it'd doable, especially with MFP's help. I started in 2015 and lost 30 lbs. I've stayed here, maintaining, but I back slid some with staying home due to Covid, a couple of foot/ankle injuries, etc, and am making a bigger effort again. Honestly, the thing that keeps me at it is my accountability friends here.
  • Blackiex4
    Blackiex4 Posts: 4 Member
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    Yes it is harder than when we were younger. I lost 30 pounds 2 years ago and maintained. But being stuck at home hasn't helped and i gained back some of it. Needing knee replacement isn't making it any easier to lose weight. Having MFP certainly helps me keep on track.