Getting Started (Again) and Could Use Some Friends

yankeedownsouth
yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
in Getting Started
I've been on MFP for what seems like forever and have had great success with it at times. I tend to get almost angry with tracking calories, I think because it makes me limit what I can eat/drink, and then I fall off the wagon. When I was most successful, I had a bunch of MFP friends and worked out regularly and tracked religiously. Oh, and I was in my early 40s.

Now I'm in my mid 50s (!!) and here I am trying again. I've got about 20 pounds I'd like to lose, and I need to get consistent again with my workouts. I'd love some MFP friends who are in similar situations as me. (As much as I love seeing the success of younger people, it's a totally different ballgame after menopause...)

Want to be friends? :)


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Replies

  • hoarc1987
    hoarc1987 Posts: 52 Member
    I’m back at a gym finally doing some light warm up and then alternating upper and lower body exercises but not too hard to avoid anxiety
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,681 Member
    edited June 2023
    Welcome back. I started here in mid 50’s and am in maintenance now. The best advice I ever got here was “treat maintenance like you still have ten pounds to lose”.

    Instead of getting angry, can you reframe it? Make it a game to stay within the calorie goal? Reward yourself if you do, or if you hit some kind of small goal?

    I used mind games. I broke my loss into small bits. New leggings every five pounds. Found a super small dress and hung it crossways in the closet so I had to look at it to reach through to my regular clothes.

    Instead of getting angry, sometimes I simply give in, enjoy life for a day, and then get back on with it.

    One of my weaknesses is chocolate nonpareils. I found some on a trip last week and bought two small cartons home. I got in to them last night. No regrets. I absolutely enjoyed them. Today, back to plan.
  • sharonbostwick
    sharonbostwick Posts: 14 Member
    I am down the road a bit further than you. I guess patience and consistency and more honesty are important at this stage. Cheats stop me from losing. I am restarting mfp, and am a lazy tracker. But tracking leads to success which is so encouraging!
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    springlering62 wrote: »
    Welcome back. I started here in mid 50’s and am in maintenance now. The best advice I ever got here was “treat maintenance like you still have ten pounds to lose”.

    Instead of getting angry, can you reframe it? Make it a game to stay within the calorie goal? Reward yourself if you do, or if you hit some kind of small goal?

    I used mind games. I broke my loss into small bits. New leggings every five pounds. Found a super small dress and hung it crossways in the closet so I had to look at it to reach through to my regular clothes.

    Instead of getting angry, sometimes I simply give in, enjoy life for a day, and then get back on with it.

    One of my weaknesses is chocolate nonpareils. I found some on a trip last week and bought two small cartons home. I got in to them last night. No regrets. I absolutely enjoyed them. Today, back to plan.

    Thank you! I like your suggestion to reframe things and reward myself if I do. I'm definitely going to give that a try next time I resent tracking!
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    sharonbostwick wrote: »
    I am down the road a bit further than you. I guess patience and consistency and more honesty are important at this stage. Cheats stop me from losing. I am restarting mfp, and am a lazy tracker. But tracking leads to success which is so encouraging!

    Thank you! I agree, tracking leads to success. I've ALWAYS had success while tracking, which makes me wonder why I struggle with it so much. :)
  • TheFabulousZ
    TheFabulousZ Posts: 1 Member
    Been on MFP almost 10 years. Once I lost about 60lbs. 40 came back. I've realized there is no magic bullet and that calories do count and I'm back on tracking. I'm quite a bit older than mid 50's so never give up!
  • KellyLouiseGibson
    KellyLouiseGibson Posts: 175 Member
    yankeedownsouth wrote: »
    I've been on MFP for what seems like forever and have had great success with it at times. I tend to get almost angry with tracking calories, I think because it makes me limit what I can eat/drink, and then I fall off the wagon. When I was most successful, I had a bunch of MFP friends and worked out regularly and tracked religiously. Oh, and I was in my early 40s.

    Now I'm in my mid 50s (!!) and here I am trying again. I've got about 20 pounds I'd like to lose, and I need to get consistent again with my workouts. I'd love some MFP friends who are in similar situations as me. (As much as I love seeing the success of younger people, it's a totally different ballgame after menopause...)

    Want to be friends? :)


    Aww I started my healthy lifestyle again the last few days. I'm aiming to lose 5 stone over the next year. Last time I did this was over 3 years ago. I'd love new friends to keep me motivated :-)
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    KellyLouiseGibson wrote: »
    yankeedownsouth wrote: »
    I've been on MFP for what seems like forever and have had great success with it at times. I tend to get almost angry with tracking calories, I think because it makes me limit what I can eat/drink, and then I fall off the wagon. When I was most successful, I had a bunch of MFP friends and worked out regularly and tracked religiously. Oh, and I was in my early 40s.

    Now I'm in my mid 50s (!!) and here I am trying again. I've got about 20 pounds I'd like to lose, and I need to get consistent again with my workouts. I'd love some MFP friends who are in similar situations as me. (As much as I love seeing the success of younger people, it's a totally different ballgame after menopause...)

    Want to be friends? :)


    Aww I started my healthy lifestyle again the last few days. I'm aiming to lose 5 stone over the next year. Last time I did this was over 3 years ago. I'd love new friends to keep me motivated :-)

    ❤️ Thanks!

  • peggycollinscolorado
    peggycollinscolorado Posts: 35 Member
    I'd like to join you. I'm new to MFP but used another community long ago to get a lot of weight off. It came back and now my blood stats are starting to show signs of trouble. I know accountability id key for me. When I succeeded before I posted daily to that community. Made a huge difference. How would we do something like that here?

    One tactic I find very helpful is looking for good, better, best choices. It helps me not get in a perfectionism spiral where I feel like I always have to do the very best thing. That spiral leads directly to rebellion with a big dose of F it.
  • peggycollinscolorado
    peggycollinscolorado Posts: 35 Member
    Hi ladies! I just started a group if you'd like to come join me. My intent is to have a nice supportive and encouraging group focused on making small, sustainable changes over time. Hope you'll come check it out: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/145006-baby-steppin

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