Ages 70+

When I go grocery shopping, I make a point of walking the ENTIRE store completely. You can get in a lot of steps that way. But hopefully seeing everything in the store doesn’t lead to more buying.

I want to share something with you. I'm not so much embarrassed by being overweight as I am embarrassed about my age... 77. I'm very active and still feel young, like 30 or 40, but I'm trapped in this old body and people treat me like I'm old. The way I look is really not me. I still think of myself as young and vibrant, and I want to tell people that what they see is misleading but, of course, I don't say anything. It's like I'm embarrassed and want to apologize for having an old body. To say to them, "I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I'm really as young as you are but you just can't see it." Does anyone else understand this?

Yes, I certainly can relate to the sentiments about not feeling inside as old as you actually are ... until I realize that I AM a geriatric woman. I've found that when I am in the company of those in their 80's and 90's, however, that they don't feel or act any older than I do ...they just have more wrinkles and move slower. Well, I'm 79 and my mom passed away at 75, so I am older than she was ... and I have to say it ... when my mom was 75, she looked old. My dad, on the other hand, had a youthful appearance physically into his 80's, except for his bald head!

Yoolypr wrote: »

Oh heavens don’t be embarrassed by age! That’s just a social imposition- mainly on women. Old guys in their 70s get a pass. They run for president, chase women that could be their daughters and even father babies. In many societies older women are revered.

I refuse to be shamed by the fact that I’ve successfully navigated 76 (soon to be 77) years on this earth. I acknowledge my age to anyone who has the temerity to ask. I look at my age as a time of great freedom from so many responsibilities of youth.

Celebrate YOU as you are right now. Those yougins don’t know what they are missing!!

I hope you didn’t Post this in response to my post. I am never shy about revealing my age. To me, my life has been a blessing and a joy, no matter what it entailed getting to today, I’m happy and grateful to have it

I hope this is a place where us "oldies" can share our challenges and dilemmas... doesn't have to be strictly about weight loss and getting healthy but anything that is affecting our lives, which, of course, affects our weight loss efforts.

All that being said, I'd like your advice. I have a friend who wants us to meet for lunch near her every few weeks (she doesn't drive much). Well, lunch to her is 11 AM and it's a 45 minutes drive. I'm a night owl and sometimes can't go to sleep until 4 or 5 in the morning. When we make a date for "lunch", it means I have to try to go to sleep earlier (and I have trouble doing that) and have to set the alarm clock. Also, I don't eat until much later in the day so eating this early throws my eating plan off.

Well, today is the day, and I feel awful. Didn't get much sleep, feel tired, nose is runny, and all I want to do is go back to bed, but she'll be upset if I cancel. So, I think what I'll do is go today, not say anything, and then the next time she tries to set a date, I'll tell her it has to be much later in the day for me. I know that won't work out with her schedule as she has a husband to prepare dinner for.

We don't talk that often and the last time we did, she said she thought I'd "kicked her to the curb". She's someone I knew 50 years ago, lost touch with and just renewed our friendship through FB last year. She's very negative (I don't remember her being like that) and talking with her brings me down. I'm thinking I need to back off of this friendship. What do you think?

@Yoolypr ... so glad my comment wasn't what sparked you thought pattern in your post, after all.
I wasn't heavy all my life, but even when I was skinny, I felt fat. Funny thing is, when I got fat, I never felt any different and thus didn't recognize what a 'cow' I was becoming! Luckily, no one ever tried to body-shame me, except myself; LOL!

@mspkmk It used to drive me crazy when older people used to call me "dear". What I dislike is when someone calls me "ma'am". I usually check, tactfully, the doctor's or anyone's that states "a person your age" by saying "tell me about my age and what I might be feeling at this age" That usually quashes the conversation. I would never dream of stating to a person young or old "a person of your age"
MY DH is 5 years younger than me . I do say to him that I "have to look after my Senior". We get a good laugh.
@BarbMessimer You're only as old as you feel. Ageism is used towards the young and the old.
@Yoolypr True words. When you say old guys get a pass. So do pardon me "fat" guys ( I don't like to even write these words). People will say "He's a big guy" (you all know what I mean). We have earned our rights as seniors.
@BarbMessimer We have to take stock or inventory of the people, places and things in our life that we serve and what serves us. Sounds like your friend of the past wants to vent. Gently detach. Let her know you are a night owl and the lunch times do not agree with your schedule. Perhaps you can continue your friendship on FB and DM.

I'm off to the Senior Centre 45minute walk treadmill and 45minutes stretch, light weights.
Have a great day

Yesterday was my rest day. Though I don't feel it.
I'm at a plateau. The plateau has been in motion for 2 weeks. It's bringing my spirits down. I have increased my activity. I'll just have to let nature run her course.
Off to the Recreation Centre 45minute walk. 50-60minutes strength, weight.
Have a great day

Have been more physical lately and am very tired today. Calf muscles are aching. Tomorrow is a busy day. Son is coming over and I'm planning a nice Easter dinner... so will rest up today. What are your Easter plans?

@jonni82014 ... Sounds like a good plan for today and the smoked turkey dinner sounds great. We're having ham, sweet potatoes, corn, deviled eggs and a relish tray.

Hi all. Nce to find a group of older folks who are still motivated to make changes in their lives.

I have been through a difficult time for me starting with Covid and then a sequence of other challenges. I have slowly added weight during that period and now find myself a good 25 pounds over weight. Equally important is that I have also developed very vad eating habits which also impact how I feel physically and emotionally.

So ... time to change!!! While I am watching calories, my first priority is making sure that I am eating a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. I am also trying to focus on improving sleep patterns. These will be my focus for April. At tge end of the month I will assess how I am doing and, most importantly, how I am feeling.

I am looking forward to meeting everyone and supplying any support I can. Wishing everyone a great month!

Happy Easter to everyone. I am one of the lucky ones who grew up with both a Western and an Eastern religious bend, both Christian .. I got to know and follow the Eastern traditions long before the Western ones and so to me I always associated the Western one with lighthearted fun and the Eastern one with a somber and spiritually deep-thought period of time that came to a joyous climax on Easter Day. But actually, both of them are celebrated, traditionally, because of one belief: resurrection.

In April, I want to resurrect something in my life. I want to make certain to get outdoors every day and enjoy the fresh (well, as fresh as living down-town can offer) air and sun light. It's so easy, with mobility issues and living in a comfortable high rise building to just stay indoors too much. Time to let the sun provide some Vitamin D instead of the drugstore!

@nsk1951 ... I like your April goal of getting outdoors more. I'm trying to do that too. I have plants to attend to outside, and if I didn't, I'd probably stay inside with the air conditioning and do nothing. Getting outside connects me with nature and makes me feel more alive!

Hi I have been away from things for a while due to family issues now i need to refocus on myself so I can be strong for my family.
Hope you all had a good Easter and that I can join you again.

@annliz23 ... Welcome back!