Getting old sucks

Since you are dealing with health issues that affect your choice of exercise and how hard you can work out, I'd start off with making sure your food plan supports weight loss. I used to be a fitness and physio rehab professional (pre auto-immune disease diagnosis) and it IS true that 'weight loss (fat loss) is in the kitchen, while fitness is in the gym.' Start with getting some of the extra off via diet before your surgery and you will definitely have an easier time in post-surgery recovery. Best wishes, let us know how things are going on this journey.

HoneyBadger302

Just don't push too hard too fast - I've found I have a couple "memories" (aka old injuries) that might be capable of something here and there, but will very quickly give up the ghost and set me back rather severely. Take your time building up the weights/length/reps/time/etc...probably slower than you feel like you want.

As for losing the weight, yes, that is more in the kitchen than out of it, but I do find it a LOT easier to control my eating if I'm also working out - but if the workouts get sidelined for whatever reason, my self control on shoveling food into my pie hole seems to go right out the window.

bennim1

I am experiencing low back problems for the first time in my life- it hit just a couple of months after retirement, go figure! Gained 10 lbs in two months and ready to get it back off plus an additional 10. After a family wedding and lots of family staying with me, the nightly wine needs to decrease or disappear and walking daily to begin moving again. Here we go! I am only 57 and have fun times ahead!

sheahughes

Getting old does suck. I get out of bed in the morning and have a foot/ankle that is all stiff and sometimes painful (related to a change in my foot/stride pattern due to an old, long gone corn)
My back aches when I have been in one position too long where I used to be able to sit wonky for hours.
Also, I can no longer sit cross legged like I prefer to without knee pain.
Commiserations on the knees, I hope you can get your new knees sooner rather than later.

angnewcomb

As we get older our bodies change. Especially our metabolism! Focus on your goals and how you will get there. I find I snack more when I watch tv, so I have been reading more instead...also, instead of grabbing a snack, I make a cup of hot tea instead.

JBanx256

angnewcomb wrote: »

As we get older our bodies change. Especially our metabolism!

Your metabolism doesn't actually slow down until you're ~60. Yes, bodies change ("Ow my knee! Ow my back!" - me, everyday), but it's been proven that human metabolism is remarkably stable between the ages of 20-60.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34385400/

HoneyBadger302

JBanx256 wrote: »

angnewcomb wrote: »

As we get older our bodies change. Especially our metabolism!

Your metabolism doesn't actually slow down until you're ~60. Yes, bodies change ("Ow my knee! Ow my back!" - me, everyday), but it's been proven that human metabolism is remarkably stable between the ages of 20-60.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34385400/

To add some color to this, however, what some people think is "metabolism" is actually just their "natural" daily burn.

As people age into their 40's and beyond, we tend to get lazier/move slower (reasons vary widely, but aching things, old injuries, professional jobs that are less physical, driving everywhere, watching instead of playing sports....etc), which doubles up on the muscles loss that comes from not doing those things anymore. Little movements - tiny things - can add up to a lot of lost "burn" that people don't even realize they are no longer doing, so they blame it on metabolism, because it doesn't "feel" like they are less active/busy.

I personally also find an interesting pattern that emerges the heavier and lazier/less active I get. Example: at the start of 2021 I was half way through the 75 Hard challenge. I successfully completed the challenge, but as job schedules made working out tough, and financial struggles continued to see no improvement (laid off the end of 2020 in the final round of covid cutbacks), the workouts slipped. After a couple months, they became almost non-existent. The weight started to creep back on. By fall/early winter, between the weight and lack of exercise fit into my crazy work schedules, my smaller active things start to disappear - weekends get lazier/less active, evenings get less active, and the munchies go up, and that compounds the weight, until I start to actually "feel" old - if I let myself.

Oh, and those injuries and such start acting up even more....

It's not metabolism though - it's simply a compounding effect that happens when I don't prioritize exercise and activity. Then those things become not fun anymore, they become not-fun work, and it gets easier and easier to avoid them, until pretty soon, getting out of bed is a chore, and any extra activity results in sore muscles - which doubles down on the avoiding extra movement....it's a vicious cycle!

But it's not metabolism

JBanx256

HoneyBadger302 wrote: »

But it's not metabolism

Absolutely; NEAT and lifestyle changes add up. So many people want to blame their metabolisms though because it's certainly more convenient to have this uncontrollable, intangible thing causing your problems than admit that you're responsible for what's happening to your body, yano? (and I hope it's obvious when I say "you" I don't mean YOU directly, but you know *gestures vaguely*..."you" in a general sense). Of course not saying people are necessarily intentional with that excuse/reasoning, but it's one of those things that is just generally accepted as true and it's easier to stomach than accepting that you used to walk around campus between classes and now you're getting a pastry and 800-calorie "coffee" in the drive-thru before going to sit on your butt at work all day or whatever. And then kids and blah blah blah....yeah.

Several REALLY excellent research reviews have been done on that study I posted (eg, Eric Helms, James Kreiger, etc) and the deeper dig is very enlightening/fascinating IMO

As an aside, I saw your other post (something about 2021 is almost over, how did you do on your goals?) and man I gotta say you dealt with a LOT of crap.

Thanks for the interesting article @JBanx256 and to @HoneyBadger302 making the points about NEAT and how it gets mistaken for metabolism.

It is so true! That is definitely the catch-22 of fitness and wellness: the more you move, the more you move ; The better you feel, the better you feel. And the reverse is true too - the less you move, the less you move ; the crappier you feel, the crappier you will treat your body and will feel crappier and on and on. It is a self-prophesizing cycle. Unfortunately, when you are on the downward cycle, it is very difficult to break. It takes energy and attention to reverse it, especially when it's been a long time and when you are also battered by external events (you are amazing @HoneyBadger302 !)

I stumbled into a downward cycle for the first time in 2016-2020 and it took lockdowns and MFP to snap me out of it. I had a work promotion with waaaaay too much stress and many hours at a desk while I was plagued by injuries so I didn't have my usual stress outlets (like going for a run). Plus my kids needed more of my time and I was falling into poor eating habits (more wine/beer, chips etc). Why is it easier to eat well when you are working out and vice-versa?? I didn't see it for the first couple of years. I had never really gained weight (bc I've always had a fast metabolism - ha!!) so I didn't worry. Even when I did notice, i just accepted it as inevitable in middle-age (another fallacy!) But by end of 2019 I had gained 15-20lbs.

Then....I changed jobs, had surgery for my injury and was told to work from home all in March 2020....thank goodness! My NEAT increased, I paid attention to MFP / eating and I got back to running and weights. It took 1.5 years but I managed to reverse the negative cycle, lose the weight and get back to a good place.

Sorry, that's TMI about me. but it's been an eye opening experience for someone who *claimed to know health / fitness and to be on control of it all. I have way more respect now for anyone trying to reverse a negative cycle.

JBanx256

k8richer wrote: »

Sorry, that's TMI about me. but it's been an eye opening experience for someone who *claimed to know health / fitness and to be on control of it all. I have way more respect now for anyone trying to reverse a negative cycle.

Definitely not TMI as far as I'm concerned, good POV to hear (er....read). Even if you KNOW health/fitness, sometimes it's infinitely more difficult to turn the lens *inward* and see what you're doing (or not), versus observing other people.

I had a knee replacement about 5 years ago-it was such a good decision! Good luck with everything!

pnrbor

Sorry to hear about your knees. Hope the surgery goes well.
For me it was after an accident that I gained a lot of weight (well I lost the covid weight when I was in a coma). I eventually dealt with it by going on a strict, expensive medical diet which ended with me back in hospital after a seizure.
Now I find MyFitnessPal helps and not trying to deal with my issues by eating pointless stuff although it is hard as we also want to go out and enjoy ourselves sometimes.
Good luck for the surgery.

rianneonamission

People say “You’re not fat! Have some cake!”

It's the delusion of people. My BMI is currently 26.2 and I have gained about 4lbs over Christmas/New Year alone, and am 14-20lbs heavier than I was 2 years ago. Yesterday one colleague went "look at you, you have lost so much weight!". I know it was well intentioned, but it didn't at all reflect reality, especially given that she last saw me on Christmas eve. My luck is being tall, so I hide weight gain much more than shorter people.

Ultimately you know where you are. Your doctor does too. If excess weight causes pain: It's a problem. If excess weight caused high blood pressure or high cholesterol: It's a problem.

I find it helps to point out that the invisible things (in my case cholesterol) are not happy with my weight and regardless of whether I'm seen to be overweight or not, I need to get that cholesterol down by reducing my body fat. No amount of saying "you're not fat" has an impact on the health of that person.

And I agree with the comments above re NEAT and metabolism. My neat was up with WFH: Standing desk, lunchtime walks. It made quite the difference.

bonnielassies

Metabolism might not change until you're 60, but for menopausal women fat accumulates where it didn't before! Though lockdown and learning how to bake is definitely why the fat's there in the first place for me!

I am here to commiserate! I have had a knee replacement and a spinal fusion and when I tell people I need to watch my weight they think I am calling myself fat, which I am not. Any extra weight doesn't feel good because I have metal in my body! I've always been really active and pain and perimenopause have slowed me down quite a bit these last few years. Aging is NOT for the weak!!! I feel you!

@stacyrey12 - what a surgery! Good for you for adapting while still staying healthy and fit.

I hear you on the perimenopause! Just shoot me now, it's so bad. The hot flashes are ruining my sleep which makes me grumpy and tired which makes me less likely to workout and eat well. Obviously a bad cycle. I don't think the perimenopause itself is directly slowing me or my metabolism down (harkening back to the earlier exchange in this discussion) - its the symptoms like bad sleep that wreak havoc on our NEAT, motivation and will power.

I did discover an FB group called Menopause Chicks - check it out. Armed with info from there, Ive got an appointment with my doctor to get on top of it. I do wonder if addressing my hormone balance will help with my various aches, pains and injuries. Those are what make me feel old and hold me back from bring in top shape. I will report back!

tcunbeliever

I take DIM to offset the perimenopause symptoms, it seems to help a great deal...though they still sometimes flare up around PMS week, which is super sucky...at least once menopause is official I'll only have to fight one hormone roller coaster.

- its the symptoms like bad sleep that wreak havoc on our NEAT, motivation and will power.

I did discover an FB group called Menopause Chicks - check it out. Armed with info from there, Ive got an appointment with my doctor to get on top of it. I do wonder if addressing my hormone balance will help with my various aches, pains and injuries. Those are what make me feel old and hold me back from bring in top shape. I will report back! [/quote]

About to log on and check them out. Seriously, THE NIGHT SWEATS.

stacyrey12 wrote: »

About to log on and check them out. Seriously, THE NIGHT SWEATS.

So I am no doctor, and I'm probably going to jinx it, but a week ago I started taking Magnesium bisglycinate and it has cut my hot flashes and night sweats in half, and last night I had almost none. I slept through the night!! I kid you not!! 🤯 It comes in a powder form and you make a hot lemon drink out of it just before bedtime. Menopause Chicks recommended it and my chiropractor recommended it for bone health and muscle function, which sounds good too!

k8richer wrote: »

stacyrey12 wrote: »

About to log on and check them out. Seriously, THE NIGHT SWEATS.

So I am no doctor, and I'm probably going to jinx it, but a week ago I started taking Magnesium bisglycinate and it has cut my hot flashes and night sweats in half, and last night I had almost none. I slept through the night!! I kid you not!! 🤯 It comes in a powder form and you make a hot lemon drink out of it just before bedtime. Menopause Chicks recommended it and my chiropractor recommended it for bone health and muscle function, which sounds good too!

Looking into it...

tcunbeliever

I take magnesium every day because I lift and eat low carb and get muscle cramps if I don't supplement...but I had no idea it might be helping with other symptoms, that's cool to know

tcunbeliever wrote: »

I take magnesium every day because I lift and eat low carb and get muscle cramps if I don't supplement...but I had no idea it might be helping with other symptoms, that's cool to know

@tcunbeliever if you didn't have trouble sleeping then maybe you wouldn't see the other effects. Or take it just before bedtime and see if you sleep better!

I think it also improves my recovery time after workouts. I'm no longer as sore or for as long.

@stacyrey12 - so?!? Did you find some?

I've taken Mag Bisglyconate for many years (helps my fibromyalgia sleep and pain issues immensely) and definitely sailed thru menopause with hot flashes only lasting about 30 seconds in the morning when I woke up, and no night sweats at all. Maybe I'm just lucky with menopause, but since no one in my family has been thru natural menopause (all kinds of 'female' problems) I have nothing to compare it to.

BTW, Mag Bisglyconate, Vit. D3 and K2 will keep your bones healthy. I've never taken calcium and at my latest test last year (57 years old) I have the bone density of a 21 y.o. The combo helps keep your calcium levels balanced and being deposited in bone and teeth instead of building plaque on your artery walls too.

Thanks @canadjineh this is good to know! I take D3 and now the Mag Bis but I didn't K2 was a good combo with those. In fact, I don't think I've ever really heard about the benefits of K2. definitely a lesser known vitamin! I will look it up. There is so much darn information out there (and snake oil theories too).