Hello everyone!
It's been a pretty good week. I'm still hoping for nicer weather, but at least we are getting more sun. I've been getting back into the swing of alternating lifting and running days. Some days I just don't feel like lifting, so I'll do extra time on my desk treadmill or walk around our neighborhood a bit more. But that is a slippery slope to losing progress! I need to get heavier weights. I have been using the same 10lbs for years and just adding more reps.
I've had pretty consistent pet sitting on rover too. That gets me out of the house and walking to go hang out with some kitties after work or during my lunch break

37, F, 5' 3"
GW: 120
SW 04/04/2023: 135.0
4/11/23: 134.8
4/19/23: 133.8

Welcome back @k8richly! And I agree with @Antiopelle, @SherryRueter - you’re doing fabulously well! To answer your question, hitting 50 did seem to change things but I realized in my younger years - I was just soooo much more active. Walked everywhere - did not drive. Took steps - no elevator. A impromptu drink with friends may have turned into a night of dancing. I could lose an extra five pounds in three days - but that was probably water from a night of excess not built up fat over the years so that same five pounds can take several loooong weeks!

From a 53 years old: it really depends from person to person. I have a friend who is 10 years older and she went bananas through menopause, she had so many symptoms and she really struggled. But I still feel like I’m 35 😉. I don’t know if it will stay that way, I sure hope so.

No k8richly! I was my most “fiiiiiiine” at 50! Like you it was a milestone where I was going to get in my best shape ever and I did. Even better shape than in my 20s because “muscle” wasn’t a thing. I was just petite, size 3-5, had a flat stomach, and weight wasn’t even an issue. Arguably, i was probably skinny fat.

BUT after 50, it did get harder to lose any extra pounds I put on. Like @sherryrueter says - for a variety of reasons - and for me, I have to keep consciously active. Plus - if there’s any truth to the stress hormone cortisol and weight, I’m a poster
child. 😵‍💫

@Antiopelle - you’re right. It differs from person to person. I escaped any real menopause symptoms (whew) and don’t even recall my mom mentioning one.

Record breaking heat today!

Cortisol 101:

Cortisol is an essential hormone that affects almost every organ and tissue in your body. It plays many important roles, including:

• Regulating your body’s stress response.
• Helping control your body’s use of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, or your metabolism.
• Suppressing inflammation.
• Regulating blood pressure.
• Regulating blood sugar.
• Helping control your sleep-wake cycle.

Things you can do to lower your cortisol:

• Get quality sleep: Chronic sleep issues, such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia or working a night shift, are associated with higher cortisol levels.
• Exercise regularly: Several studies have shown that regular exercise helps improve sleep quality and reduce stress, which can help lower cortisol levels over time.
• Learn to limit stress and stressful thinking patterns: Being aware of your thinking pattern, breathing, heart rate and other signs of tension helps you recognize stress when it begins and can help you prevent it from becoming worse.
• Practice deep breathing exercises: Controlled breathing helps stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, your “rest and digest” system, which helps lower cortisol levels.
• Enjoy yourself and laugh: Laughing promotes the release of endorphins and suppresses cortisol.
• Participating in hobbies and fun activities can also promote feelings of well-being, which may lower your cortisol levels.
• Maintain healthy relationships: Relationships are a significant aspect of our lives. Having tense and unhealthy relationships with loved ones or coworkers can cause frequent stress and raise your cortisol levels.

brittawyatt wrote: »

brittawyatt wrote: »

—Why: I’ve been meaning to start a health kick for a while now, so, today it starts! Visiting friends in one month which will be a good target.
—What: My goal is to lose the 5 pounds that have crept in gradually over the last year. Success will be: my yellow trousers no longer squeeze too tight in the waist.
—How: Drink alcohol 3 days or less per week. Count calories daily and get closer to protein macro targets (actually hitting it is impossible as a vegetarian but I’ll get closer). Take photos of all food before eating. Post daily checkin. (or weekly if that’s annoying ) oh and actually buy groceries ahead of time!

Weekly checkin #1!
- success with 3 or less days alcohol free and within target calories for the week
- Things I found hard was feeling snacky in evenings, or wanting seconds at dinner. I chose a smaller portions if I went back for seconds, and tried to pick healthy snacks or delay if I could
- remembered to photograph most foods except coffees, one breakfast, and a plate of crackers and cheese
- interestingly, even though I still didn’t hit my 20% protein macro target, I think just trying to be conscious of it meant I ate fewer carbs than I might, choosing lower carb calories and perhaps a bit more protein
- Approx 1 lb lost but too soon to tell if that’s just water etc. Will check weight trend at the end of this next week and see if calorie targets need adjustment or are ok.
- Overall: felt like I ate better quality calories and more veg, and felt good about the week

Weekly checkin #2
- success with 3 or less days having alcohol
- Overall success with weekly net calorie goal, however daily targets were less consistent leaving me feeling more hungry some days and overly full others
- Protein macro was consistent with last week - 18% this week vs 17% last week, and total grams are nearly the same
- Things I found hard was - because I was travelling for work and had guests this week there was a lot of dining out and a lot of alcohol- i really wanted to eat more / try more things! Also meant some days I went over target and tried to make it up the next day which was harder.
- remembered to photograph most foods except coffees, a second portion of takeaway dinner :-) and a few snacks
- weight has fluctuated widely over the week (due to inconsistent day to day eating) so still hard to tell a trend but I do feel less bloated and less ick which seems positive. I think I may need to reduce my calorie target a bit though next week.
- Overall: still feeling good about food choices being healthier, and am reflecting on how I can better maintain consistency when eating out alot

@RobinAlex666: you didn't lose 3 pounds of muscle in a week's time, it most probably some fat and some water and maybe some muscle. I you are feeling tired and heavy, just take a break for a week or so - eating at maintenance and a bit less exercise. In the long run it won't matter and you might just feel better.
@Cora0477: you are brave and you are approaching this in a good and healthy way. Acknowledge how you are feeling but also take care of yourself.
@brittawyatt: really great job with the pics !

I did it!! I finished my first 10k in more than 20 years, with a respectable time for my age group of 75-79. There were about 20,000 runners in all so my take is that I finished ahead of about 7,261 of them. Of course, some of those 7,261 were pre-teens and people being pushed in wheelchairs but we'll ignore that. I'm very glad I did it but just as glad it's over. Getting ready for Saturday felt as though it consumed my life for months. I'm taking things fairly easy this week but after that I have some long-terms plans for staying active but with less wear and tear on my legs.

This morning, a local company emailed me photos taken along the race route. If they're expecting to get $29.95 for pictures of me looking like Methuselah's grandmother with a hangover, they're sadly mistaken.

@ cora0477 - Great to read that you feel you are getting better emotionally. SOOO good!

@antiopelle - have a safe trip. Yay on losing a bit while eating close to maint! WOO HOO. Great accomplishment.

@mandycat_Florida - lol... the photos. LOL.... too funny! Yeah...no way I pay for photos that others take of me for events like that. Congrats on the BIG occasion.

Pic from Monday - lots of thoughts about things, but overall, in the end, it was in the right direction good...

I'll keep the question simple. Is $300 a month reasonable?

I'm contemplating a nutrition/mindset/recomposition coach. Is $300 a month reasonable?
She'd like a 12 week commitment up front ($900 total).

It would cover meal plans, that adjust to help rebalance hormones, change meal timings (like "a snack here, because it will help this and that).
I think I would get a lot out of it.
Just was curious to get all of your opinions.

SherryRueter wrote: »

I'll keep the question simple. Is $300 a month reasonable?

I'm contemplating a nutrition/mindset/recomposition coach. Is $300 a month reasonable?
She'd like a 12 week commitment up front ($900 total).

It would cover meal plans, that adjust to help rebalance hormones, change meal timings (like "a snack here, because it will help this and that).
I think I would get a lot out of it.
Just was curious to get all of your opinions.

Well, I definitely think there can be benefits. I've recently signed up for/applied to two different groups/services that come to a fair bit more. One is a business collective (similar to a mastermind group) that will fall under my business costs at $400/month, and also signed up for a coaching and app with a trainer in the motorcycle racing community for $110/month but isn't as extensive as what you're looking at receiving. His normal rates for that service were $200/month pre-app, this was a pre-sale significantly reduced rate.

If you can afford it, and do not feel like you can do it as effectively on your own, then the cost may very well be worth it. Just do your research beforehand, and then all you can do is give it a shot. I would personally prefer to have something I have a window to cancel in though - so if there's a 30 day cancellation of future services, I'd think it may be worth it for you, just make sure that what you're receiving is what you expected when you signed up.

Thanks Ladies!!! That all helps a TON.

@k8richly - Yeah, I know what I should be doing...just having issues DOING it. I make plans and goals and then fail to execute. Lack of....(what is the right word)... discipline. I easily give up/in on my self with food.

I am sitting at 2# down for April. Given my size that's not horrible. I just had wanted to be down 4# instead. But 2 is good. Its evidentaly more sustainable.

I do know my way aroudn a gym. I know macros and what % works well with me. I do wonder if eating X vs Y would make much of a difference. Or pushing my first meal from this time to that tiem would do much. ALL are experiments I could test and see what works best. Try to look at it like a puzzle, a computer glitch to fix (I'm an IT programmer by trade, so when software has a bug, I get into debugging the code and finding solutions to it). This would be similar.

I am going to a free online Binge course this week on FB. and am looking forward to that. Hopeful it has some mindset solutions.

I also am thinking of my menu for this next week. Like what would happen if I put the same Breakfast and lunch all week. Swap up the snacks a little. And have the same dinner each night. It would bring consistency. Could be a little boring but, also..... would be very easy to stay focused on (Not quite the word i'm looking for) . It would be always reliable. I would know what Im having and when. Perhaps it would bring me more peace of mind. I really JUST dont want to continue to gain weight and the last 4# came on in a blink. (okay, they came on in Feb with my fathers passing).

I also think that maybe I do way to much cardio and need to swap it for minutes of strength training and then walking or meditation. so less cardio (we read this all the time). Maybe that would help my hunger hormones as well. and if I swap it for meditation or a walking meditation type thing (like educational podcast or just for fun drama ) that might be beneficial as well.

Ive rambled on a lot.

@k8richly - Hope the birthday party was good. I remember that age and stage as well. I wonder how that stage goes away.....