Want advice on how to continue progress

Hi, I’ve been using MFP for a year. I’m male, 69 years old. I’m working to make weight reduction part of my health and wellness outlook. I exercise regularly and am very active. I started at 216 and my goal is to get to 195.. I lost about 16 lbs the first 6 months and have added back about 8 lbs. I started tracking my meals again to get back on track. I know weight management is not linear and would appreciate any thoughts from people to create better habits and to control impulsive eating. Thanks!

Replies

  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,259 Member
    Tracking all your food will help. That's key. If you haven't been doing that for a while, give it some time. Find a good calorie target, log everything you eat and drink honestly, completely, and accurately, and then observe the results. If the results don't match expectations, you can revise your target. Rinse and repeat. Find success.

    And STICK TO IT! Don't quit.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,224 Member
    edited January 21
    To control impulsive eating? Experimenting to find the most personally satisfying combination of foods/timing, since all of that is pretty individual.

    Also, take a look at the when and why of impulsive eating: What's the trigger? Possibilities include poor quality/quantity sleep, over-exercise for current fitness level, boredom, habit, social situations that trigger eating, under-hydration, emotional eating, self-soothing, stress and more. If the underlying problem isn't nutritional needs or actual hunger, the best solution isn't food. Look for the root cause, and solutions at that level.

    Tracking was essential for me to figure out the best eating routine for me, to tune in reasonable nutrition and satiation at appropriate calories. When I got here (at age 59), I was also already very active, and had been for a dozen years while staying overweight/obese. Getting the eating side of the situation in line was what I needed to reach and stay at a healthy weight. (I'm now 68, still active, still maintaining weight in a healthy range. I'm 100% less male than you are, though. ;) ).
  • Zachor717
    Zachor717 Posts: 9 Member
    Calorie deficit, changing resisitance training routine about every 6 weeks, cardio, sufficient quality sleep, and stress-free life. That seems to be the equation. The only variable is just how much each of us desires to accomplish this. You CAN do this.
  • nilstcheyan4018
    nilstcheyan4018 Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks for the encouragement and suggestions! One new step I’ve added is to put notes on how I feel in the Food notes— how do I feel on waking up, or if I have a meal and notice feeling stuffed or that I ate too much, I think this will build awareness. AnnPT77 your comment on dealing with the issue and not using food as a substitute is so key!