60 yrs and up
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My thoughts today:
Firstly.
Going to a gym will not happen soon (or possibly ever) for me. It just feels like more trouble than it's worth.
The idea of swimming sounds great but it's everything else that goes with it I don't like - changing into a swimsuit before or after driving to the pool (we have a nice YMCA here), getting OUT of the pool feels like a weight has been tied to my waist and legs, taking off the wet suit, drying off, putting on bra and clothes before or after driving home. I swam for some months when I was first getting osteoarthritis.
I also worked on the various weight machines at the same Y a couple of times a week for a while but did not like the process of dressing and driving there and back. Also didn't like having to wait for the machine that I needed.
When exercise happens in my life (right now going to the grocery store is exercise). it needs to be something I can do at home or in the yard/sidewalk.
I could change, I guess.
Secondly.
Thank you to the person who posted the link to the AARP Staying Sharp / Weigt Loss after 50 / Whole Body Reset information. I met with a dietitian when I was still working at IU and what they are saying matches with his advice to me as well. The high protein meals do help with feeling better after I eat. I just haven't quite got it to the level I need.
I did try something new yesterday and loved it. I had bought some Chobani Complete vanilla Greek "advanced nutrition" yogurt which was a little tart. I scooped out a serving (3/4 cup) and drizzled a tablespoon of honey over it. I usually use sugar sweetened berries but had ran out and was very impressed by the texture and contrast of the honey. 17 g protein.2 -
@kind_woman You don't have to go to a gym to get a good workout. Choose an exercise you enjoy, start slow, and gradually increase your time/intensity as your fitness increases. If you choose something that is enjoyable to you, you are much more likely to stick with it. I love Greek yogurt...17 g of protein is a great amount of protein for 3/4 cup!
@Timberlan127 I understand what you mean about being consistent with strength training. That is hard for me as well. I get some strength training with the pool workouts...we use aqua dumbells, splash boards, etc. But I know it's not like regular weight training workouts.
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@kind_woman I also understand what you mean by going to the grocery store being a workout in itself. It was like that for me, too, when I first started. Remember every bit of movement counts. When I first started trying to get some intentional exercise I started with just 5 minutes and every day added 1 more minute. It was slow at first. I eventually started walking to the beat of a metronome and gradually increased it as well. I just walked the interior of my house. Luckily I have a large open floor plan so I didn't feel like I was just walking in circles. Like you I started 100 lbs overweight.4
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Thank you for the encouragement. Right now housework and anything that requires any standing is hard. Walking is usually easier but still a challenge. I will take hope from yours and others' experiences here.3
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Hey all! Welcome to the newbies 🖐
I am exercise phobic myself 🤣 and have yet to actually develop the habit of anything.
I do try to be more mindful about just moving around a bit more vs being super lazy and 'thrifty' with my movements 😉
Weight-loss is largely about diet, but healthy bodies (and minds apparently) need at least some base level of exercise which I do plan to incorporate more once I lose more weight because I think I might find it more enjoyable then...but for now my focus remains on food.
What I have done is find YouTube videos that are easy (beginners) and sorta fun. And short! Maybe you will stumble across something you don't mind? And you can do as much or as little as you feel like at the time - your remote is all powerful that way 😁
Like 15 minute beginners Tai Chi or chair zumba (surprisingly entertaining) or basic yoga (my balance is soooo bad) or Leslie Sansone walking videos (she is so darn encouraging). I found one with balance exercises so was doing that for a week or so then forgot apparently hmm 🤔, that one wasn't really exercise but boy do I need to improve my balance!!
I do like working in my garden here and there, so Spring is certainly helpful that way 😊 and unless your home is absolutely spotless you can always busy yourself dusting or clearing out a closet, which rewards us with job satisfaction as well as moving our bods!
You do you boo, and every step we make in the right direction - whether that is activity or food - is a good thing and to be congratulated! Not minimized. This journey is long (lifelong!!) and we just need to keep on keeping on! 💯
Stepping off the soapbox now...😛9 -
Agree with @BCLadybug888 . There are so many YouTube videos for all fitness levels that are so good. Chair Zumba? Hmmm. I may have to look that one up! But just moving more in any capacity is a great start. What's that saying? A body in motion tends to stay in motion ( and vice versa)2
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So many posts about water and pools ... I love to swim! Wish I could sign up for swimming at the Y next door to me ... however, I need to wear an adult diaper ... that kind of keeps me on dry land!5
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clarity8796 wrote: »Long time reader, first time poster.
I’ve been on MFP since 2014, with ebbs and flows in my participation. Steadily here for the last couple of years.
I’m 60, and have had a couple of health scares. I identify much more closely with a sloth than with anything athletic.
I’ve lost around 46 lbs during the plague. I have around 40 to go, give or take. I am not as concerned with the number on the scale as I am percentage of body fat.
I have been stuck at my current weight for 7 months. I have also been dealing with a stressful situation for 7 months. I’m inclined to think that the two things are related. 😉 I’m also just happy that I am maintaining what I have lost instead of regaining. I’ll take all the wins that I can get.
I am already friends with some of you, and thank you again for inspiring me! If we aren’t friends and you would like to be, feel free to add me.
You have done really well to maintain your weight through the pandemic. I can't say the same but I am determined to get it right this time. I know what you mean about getting older and worrying more about health concerns. That's why I am trying to do the research and put more thought into it this time. I want a total life style change.1 -
@Clarity8796 Your to be commended for maintaining during a stressful time. That has been my downfall in the past. Well done!0
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kind_woman wrote: »My thoughts today:
Firstly.
Going to a gym will not happen soon (or possibly ever) for me. It just feels like more trouble than it's worth.
The idea of swimming sounds great but it's everything else that goes with it I don't like - changing into a swimsuit before or after driving to the pool (we have a nice YMCA here), getting OUT of the pool feels like a weight has been tied to my waist and legs, taking off the wet suit, drying off, putting on bra and clothes before or after driving home. I swam for some months when I was first getting osteoarthritis.
I also worked on the various weight machines at the same Y a couple of times a week for a while but did not like the process of dressing and driving there and back. Also didn't like having to wait for the machine that I needed.
When exercise happens in my life (right now going to the grocery store is exercise). it needs to be something I can do at home or in the yard/sidewalk.
I could change, I guess.
Secondly.
Thank you to the person who posted the link to the AARP Staying Sharp / Weigt Loss after 50 / Whole Body Reset information. I met with a dietitian when I was still working at IU and what they are saying matches with his advice to me as well. The high protein meals do help with feeling better after I eat. I just haven't quite got it to the level I need.
I did try something new yesterday and loved it. I had bought some Chobani Complete vanilla Greek "advanced nutrition" yogurt which was a little tart. I scooped out a serving (3/4 cup) and drizzled a tablespoon of honey over it. I usually use sugar sweetened berries but had ran out and was very impressed by the texture and contrast of the honey. 17 g protein.
I don't use a gym either. It is too much of a drive to get there. But I walk every day and I have an elliptical. You can lose weight just by walking and it doesn't have to be fast. With two dogs I don't go that fast. Exercise needs to be something you don't mind doing or you won't do it. I like the AARP challenge because it id simple to follow and it has helped. It's not always easy to get 25 grams of protein but at least it's a goal to shoot for and I do find I'm not as hungry if I get the protein.0 -
There a lot of videos on You tube. Also Silver Sneakers has a lot of videos just for seniors and you don't have to belong to Silver Sneakers to use them. They have them for balance, aerobics, yoga and strength. Many of them are short so if your looking to do just a few minutes here and there you can. There's lots out there it's just getting the time and inclination to use them. But any step forward is a plus. One slow step at a time works best in the long run.2
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I must say how lucky I am to have stumbled across this forum. You guys really make me feel good about taking steps forward, no matter how small and getting outside of my normal circle of things.
I am noticing I am feeling better about myself (see it's working). I got my 26 g of Protein this morning and it's all because you kept me thinking.
Spring is helping my mood too - flowers, grass, trees, warm air.9 -
kind_woman wrote: »I must say how lucky I am to have stumbled across this forum. You guys really make me feel good about taking steps forward, no matter how small and getting outside of my normal circle of things.
I am noticing I am feeling better about myself (see it's working). I got my 26 g of Protein this morning and it's all because you kept me thinking.
Spring is helping my mood too - flowers, grass, trees, warm air.
You are doing great !! The small steps count the most and are the ones we tend to make habits in the long run because we know we can do them. I agree this is a fantastic group. Everyone here is so helpful and supportive and it does make a difference.3 -
I am feeling great today. I haven't been able to walk for the last 2 weeks because my dog had surgery and I stayed home to keep him calm. So it feels so good to get out and walk. It's also a beautiful day here and everything is blooming. Definitely a mood lifter.3
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Hi, all - great to see so much supportive conversation and some new people here on this thread!
I'm just in to say "hi and welcome" to the new folks, add some update-y chat.
It's finally warming up here (USA, Michigan, center of palm). It stayed cold relatively long this Spring (routinely below freezing overnight), now it's decided to suddenly move to 80F plus daytimes (and it's not a dry heat!).
I haven't been out on the water yet (water takes a while to warm up enough to be safe for those boats that are 12 inches wide at the waterline - well, for the people in those boats who may end up out of them, and in the water, after a Winter of slightly-rusting technical skills!).
However, I've gotten in some bike rides on the local road/trails, which is wonderful, after a long Winter doing indoor exercise (that I admit I enjoy less). The wildflowers, though later than average, have been excellent on those rides. Earlier, there were Trout Lilies and Spring Beauty. Now, in one wooded stretch of my regular paved trail, the Trout Lilies have withered, but there are big patches of beautiful Trilliums. (Lots of nice umbrella-esque Mayapple leaves, too, but no blooms on those yet.)
It's so good to get out there, finally!
Other than that, not much going on with me: Still hanging around MFP to maintain weight, and online-socialize a little.
Wishing everyone a delightful, productive Spring!
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Hi! 58 here so I don’t quite qualify yet but I will soon. Looking for friends, any and all feel free to add me.3
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Hey there. Just started myself. 62 male from VA. Lets support each other. I am attempting to lose 30 pounds. Look forward to your progress..... maybe we can challenge each other.
I'M from VA too. Tell me your name and I'll friend you. That is if you don't mind? That's the only way I can find you. My name is Belinda Matney @ chuckees130.3 -
@AnnPT77 Glad you're finally getting some warmer weather. Weather is weird here but that's par for the course in KS. Cold last week; 94 yesterday, and 90s for the rest of the week. About 20 degrees above average.
Welcome to everyone new on the thread. I'm new also. Well, new poster but I actually started logging in MFP on Aug 1, 2021. I've been reading along for awhile but finally decided to join in the conversation. I love the encouragement and support here.2 -
Good Morning Everyone and Welcome to all the new people. New England weather has been up and down too but nothing above 70's so far. I'm finding that weight loss in my 70's is very up and down like the weather. One day I will lose .6 of a pound and the next day I will gain a pound and a half, then stay the same and finally go down 1.8 pounds. I used to just get a steady loss or stay the same. So I have found now that I need to have patience and remember as long as I stay the same or lose by the end of the week that I am doing good. I'm only walking today. When I go out in the morning ( shopping day today) I don't seem to get back to exercise. But I will try to get my 10,000 steps in. I hope everyone is doing well. This group is the best for support, encouragement and help!!!0
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Love the woodland picture Ann. Beautiful place to walk or ride a bike.0
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Timberlan127 wrote: »Good Morning Everyone and Welcome to all the new people. New England weather has been up and down too but nothing above 70's so far. I'm finding that weight loss in my 70's is very up and down like the weather. One day I will lose .6 of a pound and the next day I will gain a pound and a half, then stay the same and finally go down 1.8 pounds. I used to just get a steady loss or stay the same. So I have found now that I need to have patience and remember as long as I stay the same or lose by the end of the week that I am doing good. I'm only walking today. When I go out in the morning ( shopping day today) I don't seem to get back to exercise. But I will try to get my 10,000 steps in. I hope everyone is doing well. This group is the best for support, encouragement and help!!!
Judging from what I've read in the Community here, and various outside reading, that up and down pattern is the most common at any age. If you used to lose steadily, I think you may have been unusual back then. It's not from fat gain/loss, the thing we really care about. It's just shifts in water retention, and/or varied amounts of food/drink in the digestive system, on its way to becoming waste.
If you haven't previously seen it, this is a really good read:
https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations
We see people here often post about being freaked out because they "gained" or "plateaued", and it turns out they're just stressing over normal fluctuations . . . some even get so frustrated that they rage-quit, which is dysfunctional, obviously!
What really matters is the weight trend over time. For example, if I'm meandering up and down one week between 128-132 pounds, and a couple of weeks later the range of meandering is 126-130, I'm losing fat. Fat loss shows up in the trend over multiple weeks.
If you don't have a weight-trending app, perhaps that would be useful? They aren't a magic crystal ball, but use statistics to try to estimate the direction of body weight that's being masked by those ups and downs. There's Happy Scale for Apple iOS, Libra for Android, Trendweight with a free Fitbit account (you don't need a Fitbit device), Weightgrapher, and others. I use Libra.
Just FYI, here's a random sample of my Libra chart when I was losing weight quite slowly (by intention, since it was (re-)losing a few vanity pounds that had slowly crept on over about 4 years after my initial weight loss from obese to this range). The solid downhill-ish line is the estimated/statistical trend. The vertical lines connect each daily weigh-in to the trend line. Notice how the ends of the daily lines jump all over the place, above and below the trend line? This is especially visible with slow loss, but my initial loss looked pretty similar, just a steeper downhill slope to the trend when losing faster.
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chuckees130 wrote: »Hey there. Just started myself. 62 male from VA. Lets support each other. I am attempting to lose 30 pounds. Look forward to your progress..... maybe we can challenge each other.
I'M from VA too. Tell me your name and I'll friend you. That is if you don't mind? That's the only way I can find you. My name is Belinda Matney @ chuckees130.
@chuckees130 and @tjjm1850 not from VA but am from MD, is that close enough?
My daughter lives in Salem so I visit a couple of times a month and will be moving there in 2-3 years. Welcome to MFP.
So glad that @AnnPT77 has nice weather, it was in the 40s and rainy/windy here all weekend. BRRRRRRR! Wondering if it'll EVER warm up.1 -
Greetings, all. Welcome to the new folks. You've in good company here. Lots of support and encouragement.
No major changes at Casa Steve. My wife's myeloma continues to be dormant. She's still in a lot of pain. Confused and sleeping a lot. We're taking her on a road trip to her family cabin in a couple of weeks. That will be an adventure and/or an ordeal. 😁
I'm dealing with depression and not getting enough exercise. Gaining weight slowly. I'm going to check in here more often and try to get some discipline back in my routine.
Keep up the good work, all. Your efforts are an inspiration.9 -
Hi, I'd like to join you. I just turned 66. covid weight has been my downfall. I lost 10 lbs right before covid, then gained those 10 and then added another 20. Yikes. I'm down 11.4 pounds so I'm on my way. I refuse to add the 10 and the 20 together.
I'm tracking like crazy and cut back wine to a glass a week. I've always walked about 4 to 8 miles a day. I've just started going back to the gym. I have tendonitis in my shoulder so I'm going to physical therapy and lifting little tiny weights until things improve.
I've done this before and I'll do it again.
Lots of good wishes to all of you on reaching your goals1 -
Another paddling night cancelled due to miserable weather and white caps on the lake. Will spring ever arrive??
For those of you who don't enjoy exercising, here's a little anecdote I'd like to share: I retired three years ago and to "celebrate" turning 60 I had blood work done so we'd have a baseline on record. Unfortunately I have been struggling with weight creep ever since I retired. After losing 90 pounds, I've found that having unlimited access to food throughout the day has been a difficult transition for me. But one positive change that I have made since retiring is that I'm moving more. I spent my working life behind a desk and when I started my weightloss journey my goal was to do something (mostly walking or a deep water running class) for 45 minutes a day. But now in retirement I average around 15,000 steps per day plus other activities. I recently had blood work done again and guess what? Despite my calorie intake going south and my weight going north, my numbers were actually better than they were at age 60.
They say "You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet" but in some ways that's exactly what happened. Exercise does incredible things that we can't always see. My body was designed to move and when I am sedentary, things slow down, clog up, and don't work the way they supposed to. It's kind of like how a car battery goes flat if you don't drive your car.
Do I enjoy taking the dogs for a snowshoe at -30C? Not really. Is it tedious to have to do so much shaving before I can go to the pool? Yep. But my blood work speaks for itself and so I'm compelled to continue doing what I'm doing because I now have proof that my activities result in wonderful things happening in mysterious places. And here's another thing: it's also good for my mental health.
As for my eating, I'll just have to put on my big girl panties and tackle each day as it comes. But honestly, that's just what we do about most things at our age, isn't it?6 -
Timberlan127 wrote: »Good Morning Everyone and Welcome to all the new people. New England weather has been up and down too but nothing above 70's so far. I'm finding that weight loss in my 70's is very up and down like the weather. One day I will lose .6 of a pound and the next day I will gain a pound and a half, then stay the same and finally go down 1.8 pounds. I used to just get a steady loss or stay the same. So I have found now that I need to have patience and remember as long as I stay the same or lose by the end of the week that I am doing good. I'm only walking today. When I go out in the morning ( shopping day today) I don't seem to get back to exercise. But I will try to get my 10,000 steps in. I hope everyone is doing well. This group is the best for support, encouragement and help!!!
Judging from what I've read in the Community here, and various outside reading, that up and down pattern is the most common at any age. If you used to lose steadily, I think you may have been unusual back then. It's not from fat gain/loss, the thing we really care about. It's just shifts in water retention, and/or varied amounts of food/drink in the digestive system, on its way to becoming waste.
If you haven't previously seen it, this is a really good read:
https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations
We see people here often post about being freaked out because they "gained" or "plateaued", and it turns out they're just stressing over normal fluctuations . . . some even get so frustrated that they rage-quit, which is dysfunctional, obviously!
What really matters is the weight trend over time. For example, if I'm meandering up and down one week between 128-132 pounds, and a couple of weeks later the range of meandering is 126-130, I'm losing fat. Fat loss shows up in the trend over multiple weeks.
If you don't have a weight-trending app, perhaps that would be useful? They aren't a magic crystal ball, but use statistics to try to estimate the direction of body weight that's being masked by those ups and downs. There's Happy Scale for Apple iOS, Libra for Android, Trendweight with a free Fitbit account (you don't need a Fitbit device), Weightgrapher, and others. I use Libra.
Just FYI, here's a random sample of my Libra chart when I was losing weight quite slowly (by intention, since it was (re-)losing a few vanity pounds that had slowly crept on over about 4 years after my initial weight loss from obese to this range). The solid downhill-ish line is the estimated/statistical trend. The vertical lines connect each daily weigh-in to the trend line. Notice how the ends of the daily lines jump all over the place, above and below the trend line? This is especially visible with slow loss, but my initial loss looked pretty similar, just a steeper downhill slope to the trend when losing faster.
Very Interesting. Thank you for all the info. I feel better. When I was younger my knees weren't as bad and I exercised a lot more so that might account for the steady decline. I was losing fat then. Where as now although I exercise it's not as much as before so as you said I'm seeing more water weight fluctuation. I did lose 2 pounds this week. So I am very happy with that. But I appreciate the insight. I will remember that on the days that the numbers pop back up. Thank you!!1 -
Welcome @ GoRun2. Sounds like you're well on your way to getting rid of those extra pounds, and you've already got some fitness habits soundly in place. This is a great thread for encouragement and support.2
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@alteredsteve175. I'm new here but have read much of your story. An ongoing serious illness of a spouse or child has got to be the worse thing a person can go through. Caregiving is exhausting both mentally and physically. So sorry you are going through this. With depression I know taking the time and energy to exercise and eat right is the last thing you want to do. But if you can just make yourself go, the exercise in particular will probably help you feel better. After attending 5 hour long water aerobics sessions this week I'm amazed ar how good I feel. I feel happier and more energetic. I hope you have someone to talk to to help with the mental side. Please take care.4
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@ridiculous59 That's so amazing! I hope I can also see an improvement in my blood work and blood pressure when I go for my annual physical this summer. A goal if mine is to get off both cholesterol and blood pressure meds. Also, wow, 15,000 steps a day! Just wow. Does that include any intentional exercise like your deep water running or intentional walk. So impressive. And I'm sure you'll get the pounds off too.0
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alteredsteve175 wrote: »Greetings, all. Welcome to the new folks. You've in good company here. Lots of support and encouragement.
No major changes at Casa Steve. My wife's myeloma continues to be dormant. She's still in a lot of pain. Confused and sleeping a lot. We're taking her on a road trip to her family cabin in a couple of weeks. That will be an adventure and/or an ordeal. 😁
I'm dealing with depression and not getting enough exercise. Gaining weight slowly. I'm going to check in here more often and try to get some discipline back in my routine.
Keep up the good work, all. Your efforts are an inspiration.
Hang in there Steve! Breathe the fresh air on your “Trip”1
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