40 and older with 10lbs or less to lose

Everyone take care - Swiss I hope you are able to recuperate fully. I'm glad the doctor is keeping a close eye on you but definitely be careful as you hill.

Sing: maybe this change of schedule is a good thing. I know what you mean about painful progress. I've been stuck at the same weight for quite awhile now and am trying to focus on the more subtle changes in my body. When I pulled out my old 6 week body makeover journal, I was shocked to see that my measurements are actually better than they were 5 years ago at a weight 5lbs lighter than my current goal.

phetz: Good point about the rash decisions! I know that when I get to that angry hungry point I tend to just grab something anything. Even when I'm eating in the 1200 calorie range, if I eat 6 times a day that doesn't seem to be much of a problem.

Welcome mcelledge to our group! You've come to the right place for friendly (and caring) support. Right now, the only question I have is why you are allowed 1200 cals per day. Something tells me that you are not eating enough. Now please don't misunderstand me. I mean, you might want to increase your cals. slightly and see what happens. Evening snacking is not really a bad thing, it's the quality of those snacks that could be the culprit. Maybe something like a smoothie would curb your appetite and satisfy any cravings you might have. Since you joined Curves, you will probably need a few extra cals to fuel your workouts.

Welcome to you, runningratty2! Don't worry about the amount of weight you want/ need to lose. We are a bunch of like-minded middle-agers who want to be around to see our grandchildren grow! Please continue to post. Your husband-to-be is a lucky man (having you and can eat anything).

mcelledge--since you are only allowing yourself 1200 calories a day (that is what I am trying for also) be sure to eat more then just your meals. Never, never, never let your stomach become empty. Keep fresh fruits and veggie, fat-free cheese snacks, rice cakes, etc. close at hand. Have one of these between your meals. You will be more apt to not overeat at the next meal and you will be eating healthy snacks.

Welcome Ratty - Congrats on your upcoming wedding.

Swiss: You aren't weighing yourself too often. I understand I'm a scale junky. I'm doing much better only a couple of times of week now compared to daily. The daily look at the number was driving me nuts because it would vary so much despite always weighing at the same time. I'm really trying to let go of the number and focus on how I look and feel.

My challenge is staying good over the weekend - always so hard for me.

Hope you are all doing well.

Happy Friday! Ah yes, another report day. Food wise I've been good except for my scheduled cheat day last Saturday. On the other hand I drank more this week than normal. I usually allow myself a glass of red as a evening treat and don't view that as counterproductive given its health benefits. This week though I did enjoy a couple of coronas (I blame on the temps in the 70s - in Michigan that's like caribeean weather). I was wishing we had bought corona light but Costco doesn't stock them.


I did end up losing the half pound gained last week and another half so down 1 lb from last week. The big news is yesterday I went to put on my size 6 khakis and they were really baggy so I pulled out my skinny jeans (the size 4) and they fit. Woo Hoo!! It has been almost 2 years since I've been able to fit in them. Now I will say they are a generous 4 but that's why I bought them in the first place Hubby got kind of teary eyed when he saw me in them :laugh:

Other updates:

I am running and just putting up wit the stupid pain in my neck. (Which isn't husband but osteoarthritis:laugh: ) Like Sing I'm getting bloodwork done soon. My physical is Monday morning and I hope to discuss alternatives for my neck pain then.

3 more weeks on Power 90 and my upper body is really starting to look toned - just wish the mid section would come along.

I will do another exhaustion test for the hundred pushups challenge this weekend- I am hoping to get close to 30.

The kids and I start the couch to 5K program today so that we can run our local 5k on June 6. Really looking forward to spending the time with them.

My goal for the next few weeks is really watch my alcohol intake. I'm a basketball freak so I will just have to enjoy March madness with limited beer and junk. I am also going to use the Flat Belly diet for the next few weeks and see if it helps with this weight around my waist. I blame the kids: 1 was 10 lbs and the other 9 so I may just have to accept a little softness there no matter what.

Keep up the good work

Great work duff, as long as the clothes are getting looser, you know you are on the right track. The fat loss should pay dividends in your running. Sorry to hear your neck is still giving you problems. Swissmiss, take care..we're pulling for you. Jane, we all know how hard the weekends can be on the willpower, just do your best to minimize the damage.

This week has flown by for me. I've been concentrating on increasing my calories another 100 a day (I am now falling between 1400-1500....and really pushing the 1500 the past couple days). I haven't really felt like I've been dieting this week because I'm just not hungry anymore. But, lo and behold, I lost 2 1/2 pounds this week! I'm sitting at 121.8, 1.8 pounds from my goal.

I would like to lose about another 1/2 inch from both my waist and hips, but, to be honest, I'm not really worried about that OR the final 1.8 pounds because I'm beyond thrilled to have lost this 21 pounds since January. And like Duffy, I'm in size 4 jeans! I've rarely been a size 4 because of my body shape, though I do wonder if the current size 4 is the size 6 of yesteryear (and I was a very comfortable size 6 for years). But, also like duffy, I'm losing weight where I don't necessarily need to lose weight--so you aren't alone, duffy! When people talk about body shape, I say I'm neither apple or pear. I'm more like 'Christmas Tree'! :bigsmile: Oh, well. It's a small sacrifice (literally) for health and fitness.

Now that I feel like I'm pretty much done with the losing part of my diet, I'm going to continue to slowly increase my calories over the next month to just short of my maintenance goal (about 100-200 calories short or so) and then hold it there while I finish this STS program (which I will be doing through the end of July). I'm thinking the final 1.8 pounds may find their way off my body during this time. But, ultimately, my thought is to try to get my mind completely wrapped around what I can eat on any given day without any (or, more accurately, many) cheats. Then when I finish STS, I'm thinking I will probably reintroduce about 100-200 calories of 'fun stuff' (like a glass of wine or a couple of pieces of dark chocolate) back into my diet, and I should be able to maintain from there. But I want those items firmly seen by my mind/body as 'luxury items' that I can do without when I'm not working out, and I think I should be able to get that mindset over the next few months. Or at least I hope so.

I'm getting great results from STS and seeing muscle in places I've never seen muscle before (and I've lifted weights for years). I am really going to try to keep my diet as clean as possible while I continue doing the program because I want to be able to see the end result and not have it lying under a layer of fat. I haven't had any cheat foods (sweets, alcohol or things like chips) in over two months. I don't think it is going to be too much of a problem to continue this for another four months. It is much easier for me to think about having no/few cheats with the goal of fitness in mind than it was about a month ago with weight loss in mind. I don't know why that is, but I can only imagine that fitness seems to be more positive to me than weight loss because I often feel when I'm trying to lose weight that I'm having to punish myself for all my poor food choices of the past.

During this time, I'm also really trying to educate myself on diet and nutrition, including clean eating. Right now, I'm listening to the audiobook of Michael Pollan's 'The Omnivore's Dilemma', which is quite interesting. I figure anything that makes me think twice about what food I'm eating is a good thing right now, and this book is definitely doing that. If anybody has any recommendations for books on proper nutrition, I'd love to hear about them.

Moving on, welcome to our new members!! I hope you keep posting.

Swissmiss, I hope everything is okay with you. Please keep us posted.

phetzgetfit, I agree that no weight gain is a win! I found when I increased my water intake, the weight really started coming off me easily. It is amazing what something as simple as water can do for a person. And I've always been a water drinker, but I guess I just wasn't drinking enough.

duffy, congrats on your results this week! Running a 5k with your kids sounds like so much fun.

singfree, best of luck on your upcoming blood work. I'm sure it will show tremendous improvements.

Off to do a killer leg workout, and then get ready for this charity auction I'm attending tonight. I hope everybody has a great weekend!

Wecome will4change! Yes, breaking the high carbohydrate addiction can be challenging. They say that man cannot live on bread alone. Oh yeah? When I am in Europe, I definitely CAN live on bread alone. The Bavarians have a saying that beer is liquid bread...I quite agree!

I think that you need to analyze your diet. I'm sure that you are eating far too many carbs each day. You are not working out hard enough to eat such a carb-rich diet. You should limit your carb intake and increase the protein. There are many resources online that can give you ideas about what carbs, proteins and fats would be appropriate for your lifestyle.

Good luck, and check in often. We are here to offer help and friendship.

Good goin' 2BLean! I agree about the weight thing. Last time I checked the scale it was stuck, but the clothes were looser, as if by magic! Like me, your scale is going to find its own proper weight. Concentrate on what got you to this point, that is, good food and exercise. Rather than working on a little weight loss, look in the mirror and determine what body part(s) you would like to improve. If it is fat loss, increase cardio a bit. Muscle definition, use a bit more weight and exercies specific to attack the "problem" area. Believe me, that is exactly where I am today. Have a great weekend!

Don't sweat the details...just sweat!

Bobbi, if you would lose all of that hair (I saw your picture), I'm sure the 12 lbs would be gone. Seriously, welcome to our group!

Welcome will4change. This is the place for any help you may need. If you want to build those muscles (and you should to lose the weight) then you need to eat that protein.

2BLean..Your measurements can sometimes tell more than the scales. Also if your pant size is going down then all is well.

Bobbi..You and I am about at the same when it comes to how many pounds we want to lose. We can keep each other encouraged.

singfree..You are always a wonder inspiration for all of us. Thank you.

I went ahead and purchased a Polar F6. Can't use it for another four weeks but as soon as I get my doctor's OK I am ready to go. I have yet another set back with my surgery today. The doctor wanted to see me on Monday but I already have an appointment for Tuesday so that is when I will see him next.

I, too, will reach for a glass of wine if I am having a bad day. But, I can not eat then. It is when I am in a good mood that I tend to go for the food. Does that make sense?

Running--congratulations on the pounds lost. Stick around here and the other will soon be gone.

I bought a second-hand set of scales yesterday. They work like the ones at the gym and doctor office only they are smaller. From trying them I think they weigh the same as the one I use at the gym. I know that we shouldn't weigh more than once a week but I have found that if I weigh every day I will know more about what it going on in my body.