Over 50? Let's get together and encourage each other!

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tnteach93
tnteach93 Posts: 9 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hello! I'm new today, so I'm looking for support too! I lost 34 pounds on WW (with the help of phentermine, which helped me with my energy level-but caused me to scratch my scalp until I gave myself staph-so I went off it), but have gained 5 LBS over Christmas. I started eating candy, unhealthy snacks, and soda, so I have GOT to get back on a plan. I am NEVER ready to exercise, so I need to find friends to encourage me (dancing with the Wii is my fav way to workout). I teach 2nd grade, so at 52 years old, my energy level is shot usually with the many extra pounds that I'm carrying. I've been over 200 lbs. since my daughter was born 25 years ago, with my highest level beng 265. I know that this will need to be a lifetime commitment, so I'm looking for friends to help me LONG TERM. Thanks for listening and any help is appreciated! I have a teacher friend at school that is trying to help me stay motivated, but I know I need more encouragement. I want my daughter to see me at a normal weight someday, so I need to lose about 80 more pounds. Come on, be a friend, and I'll try to help too!
:flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    You can add me if you want. I obsess with exercise cause I love to eat. I eat my exercise calories. I've lost 17 lbs. Work in the computer lab at an elementary school. Love my life!
  • winbox
    winbox Posts: 6 Member
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    You can do it!! I am 52, will be 53 in 3 weeks. I am 5'8" and was 213 last February. I am now 155. I still want to lose 15 pounds. I too gained 5 over the holidays and it is so easy to put it back on. I know that, I've done that in the past. We need to move out butts!! Easier said than done but have to do it. I have some health issues but want to look forward to having a good year. So make some good choices today!!!
  • tnteach93
    tnteach93 Posts: 9 Member
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    Great! I know that this is a lifetime challenge for me, so I need all the help I can get!
  • JoJo1953
    JoJo1953 Posts: 182 Member
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    Sent a friend request if you would like to accept!:smile:
  • tnteach93
    tnteach93 Posts: 9 Member
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    Thanks, I KNOW we can do it. It sure does help to have others to encourage you, though!
  • kate1959
    kate1959 Posts: 13
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    Add me, too. I am 52 . I'm from TN but currently live in Venezuela. My husband and I teach at an international school.
  • tnteach93
    tnteach93 Posts: 9 Member
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    Yay! A Tennesseean! l feel inept, however. I need to know how to send an invite to you. And where are the friends listed? I think this will really help me if I can get the hang of it!
  • GentlyLosing
    GentlyLosing Posts: 32 Member
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    Hi, I am 51 and have lost 28 pounds since July. I never thought I could overcome the weakness of overeating, BUT I have...sorta! I blamed my weight on menopause (it is an issue), my desk job (I do sit alot), and everything else I could think of EXCEPT my eating habits. MFP has provided me with a single place to log and track everything and some fabulous, motivating friends who have encouraged me along the way. Praying has helped me too, God gives strength to those who admit they are weak and ask Him for it. I am honest with myself now about portion sizes, calories, and the fact that I can slip back into old habits very easily. Christmas eating proved that to me! So, welcome aboard and friend me if you want! Blessings! :flowerforyou:
  • Merleygirl61
    Merleygirl61 Posts: 18
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    Hi Newbie here.. :flowerforyou:

    Turned 50 last year and think my body decided to grab what fat was laying around and hang on for dear life :grumble: .. But ive got other ideas.:bigsmile: .
    I joined this site a few weeks ago but didn't start utilising its facilities till the beginning of this week.. Im impressed with how it has helped me .. since siging in ive lost 1kg.. its telling me 2lb.. Im looking forward to a new beginning of getting down to 65kg.. But amd working of trying to loose 5% of my body weight by the beginning of February..

    Hope to join in and find someone to encourage me as well as help to encourage someone on their journey.. :)

    Feel free to add me to your friends list..
  • rn513
    rn513 Posts: 7
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    Hi, please add me as well !! I am on this site for just one week, logging my food honestly and getting a true picture of my weak spots. I eat great during the day, but as soon as I get home and eat dinner, my husband is off to night shift on the railroad.....I eat when I am bored and watching TV. I want to lose 25 lbs, but am setting my first goal at just 10 lbs. So far so good, lost almost 2 lbs this week. My biggest hurdle is finding time for exercise. I am a pre-op nurse and leave for work at 5:30am (up at 4:30)...I have an hour drive to and from work, so this time of year I leave in the dark and get home at almost sunset....so walking outside during the week is out. In this economy, gym membership is not an option. I do not want a treadmill (afraid it will become a clothes hanger). So for now, I am a weekend walker and am thinking about doing some Kinect exercise programs in the evening. Last time I tried one of those, I couldn't walk for a week :) Thank you for setting up this group.....my menopause metabolism needs a good kick in the rear !!

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  • LJCannon
    LJCannon Posts: 3,636 Member
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    :flowerforyou: Welcome to all you New MFP People!! We may be Over 50 but we sure ARE NOT Over The Hill!! The FUN is just beginning!!!
  • GentlyLosing
    GentlyLosing Posts: 32 Member
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    Hi, please add me as well !! I am on this site for just one week, logging my food honestly and getting a true picture of my weak spots. I eat great during the day, but as soon as I get home and eat dinner, my husband is off to night shift on the railroad.....I eat when I am bored and watching TV. I want to lose 25 lbs, but am setting my first goal at just 10 lbs. So far so good, lost almost 2 lbs this week. My biggest hurdle is finding time for exercise. I am a pre-op nurse and leave for work at 5:30am (up at 4:30)...I have an hour drive to and from work, so this time of year I leave in the dark and get home at almost sunset....so walking outside during the week is out. In this economy, gym membership is not an option. I do not want a treadmill (afraid it will become a clothes hanger). So for now, I am a weekend walker and am thinking about doing some Kinect exercise programs in the evening. Last time I tried one of those, I couldn't walk for a week :) Thank you for setting up this group.....my menopause metabolism needs a good kick in the rear !!

    13276251.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

    I walked alot in the summer and when the weather is decent now. My husband walks with me after dark, so that helps. A nice low impact aerobics dvd can be very helpful. Leslie Sansone has some walking dvds that are good and can even be found in the free section of some "on demand" cable networks. Find what you like and do it no matter what! The benefits are more than just weight loss. My breathing is better and I sleep so much better than before. Plus it kicks that menopause metabolism in the rear! :laugh: :laugh:
  • kbwdad
    kbwdad Posts: 50 Member
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    I'm 54 and about three years ago I topped out at 260, I was frustrated and was trying to figure out what to do about it. I knew how to lose weight, been doing it all my life. We all know. The commitment to changing your lifestyle is the issue. I actually had a blessing come in the mail. I received a letter from a local university and they were looking for people to join a weight loss study. I contacted them, no drugs or sugeries were involved. This was a two year study, during that time the group met and we had to openly discuss our sucesses and failures. The failures were very difficult for me, I was not acustom to failing much less admit to it to others. I was limited to 1500 calories a day, everything I ate had to be weighed and documented. They started me on a walking / exercise program increasing my daily step count and intensity as time went by. What they didn't do is tell me what I had to eat or how far to walk / exercise. That was totally up to me. All I had to do was document it. I lost 80 Lbs which was my goal.

    At 1500 calories you learn real quick what foods you should or should not eat if you don't want to be hungry all the time. Fats, Oils, meat and even fruit are limited. Lots of vegetables and whole grains. More important is a SUPPORT system, my wife was right there the whole time, she ate what I ate (she doesn't need to diet) and I also made friends that have similiar issues and we meet to exercise and share failures and sucesses. The study has been over for quite some time but I still use the methods I learned and have been able to maintain +/- 10 lbs. Although I admit I will indulge ocassionally, you can't live in a closet you have to keep your perspective.

    You need to exercise even if it's only walking, make time, one thing I would do is before I got home from work I would exercise after work. That way I wouldn't flock down on the couch and come up with an excuse not to do it. The exercise will give you energy.

    I know this was long but I am passionate about this it has changed my life and If I can pass this to other I will. I now at 54 race in 5K Runs and Triathlons and having the time of my life.

    I hope this helps and will be glad to discuss this further if you like,
  • pwrightkraft
    pwrightkraft Posts: 10
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    Add me too! I am 55 and have been gaining and losing weight for years. I lost 30 lbs on the Garcia Medi zone diet with the help of appetite suppressants. Unfortunately, within 6 months of eating carbs again and no phen, I gained it all back. I know the only solution is exercise and good eating habits so I am committed to changing from easy fixes to long term health. It's a lot harder when your older but I know we can do it! Maybe we can all weigh in on the same day, post and share our results!
  • pwrightkraft
    pwrightkraft Posts: 10
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    You got that right!
  • pwrightkraft
    pwrightkraft Posts: 10
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    I understand what your saying. I am a Healthcare consultant,my days are crazy but I don't tend to overeat till I am sitting at home watching TV with my husband. Snacking is my biggest obstacle to get over!
  • BunnynKC
    BunnynKC Posts: 4 Member
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    Hello! I'll be 60 in four months. I quit smoking October 2010 and gained 20 lbs; I gained 10 lbs over the holidays that year; then a stressful event ocurred and I gained another 20 (I admit it, I'm a stress eater). YIKES! Next thing I knew, I was tipping the scales at 210 lbs. Unfortunately, I love food. I love cooking it, eating it, sharing it. One of my favorite things is trying new restaurants. I began my weight loss in June 2011 by tracking everything I ate on a caloric limit of 1,200. That worked really well for the first 35 lbs. But, once I hit the inevitable plateau, I knew I was going to have to start getting more exercise. Being single and working, my time was limited and my motivation nonexistent. But, I found my workout spot at my neighborhood YMCA. At least half the people there are around my age. and it has great classes for 50+ folks. I find the accountability of a support group hugely motivating. So far, so good!
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    I will send a friends request, your story sounds so similar to mine, but I'm 56, topped out recently at 240 now 215, took some off before I found MFP, then I reaized I needed some support, and here i am. I work at a university and on my feet all day then off to the gym (25 a month yay) and the workout can be really hard but I do it anyway. Evening snacking was bad for me, but I got rid of my favorite snack stuff and have the other folks stuff which is not so favorite. If I have my favorite I budget for one serving, I have a digital scale so I weigh out that one and make it last. It has pretty much got rid of my cravings now (12 cups of water helps too). I can still have my snacks but its all about portion control, lol.:drinker:
  • tnteach93
    tnteach93 Posts: 9 Member
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    kbwdad-
    Wow! I'm impressed! I do realize that when I come inside after teaching all day, all I want to do is sit in the chair and veg out. If I do things before I actually get into the house, I am OK. I get up at 5:30 to be at school by 7:30 most days, so exercising in the morning is a non-issue (I'm NOT a morning person). Thanks for the info, and good luck with the racing. Let me know how it's going. I have arthritic knees (which I hope losing weight will help), but would love to do what you're doing someday!
  • lovinbeinold
    lovinbeinold Posts: 116
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    Just want to say one little thing that has helped me a lot. I'm here on MFP because it's a matter of changing my life, improving my health. I NEED to eat as close to whole foods as I can.

    So, I'm here to improve my general health. And it is working, in spite of my obesity. My blood glucose is in the normal range, 70's to 80's, now. I'm still not out of the woods, but am doing better.

    The weight loss I'm experiencing is very welcome, but wasn't the focus. I frankly believe a person can be fit and fat. But I'd rather not be so fat. And I'm certainly not fit right now, fat or thin.

    My suggestion to you and to anyone, is to chart all your food, and be totally honest in it. If it makes you self conscious to do that if others see it, then hide it so only you can see it. That way at the end of the day you can sit back and see your strengths and weaknesses. You can more objectively see weak parts of your day.

    BUT, you can also, not only track whether you are eating too much, but days you might be eating too little. You really need to stay within a safe range.

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