I wish there were more activity on here too! LOL...maybe the problem is that all of us MO40 are busy with our kids and schedules!!

I'm doing okay on my journey. I was down 7.5 lbs on Friday, but I managed to really botch it over the weekend. I didn't lose a massive amount of ground, but I did gain back enough to be really frustrated with myself; because I can totally pin point the decisions that did it. AND I fell victim to the ol' "well, I messed it up for today, might as well enjoy myself and start fresh tomorrow" lie. <forehead thwap> Back in the saddle today, and I'm ready to stand my ground!

As for healthy meals, I actually challenged myself to do 2 meat-free days per week. Spaghetti without the meat in the sauce works, and soup and grilled cheese (that 0-point vegetable Weight Watchers soup is a favorite in my house...the family has affectionately named it "toot soup") can be suprisingly filling. I'm slowly working up my courage to sneak in tofu and see if anyone notices!

I'm here! There is usually not much going on here (this site). I was hoping for some advice and finding some common ground with other women in their 40's. I have never struggled with my weight until now and the hormone changes are horrible! I too am busy with work and kids (4 the youngest is 8) but I would really like to be able to touch base with women going through the same issues.

I think that the changes in how much more easily we gain and struggle to lose has truly been my biggest challenge in this. One weekend of carelessness can almost set me back to the previous week's square one! I know that I found it so incredibly discouraging when I went to begin running again, and I was really miserable. Five or ten years ago, I could get lazy for a month and then pick it up in almost no time. LOL...and I won't even admit to my sad, sad state after my first night of "non-competitive volleyball"...pitiful!! I will say that this has been a great motivator not to get lazy with exercise though! I hate that feeling of super achey muscles and sore legs, and the only way to avoid it happening is to keep on a regular schedule.

This week, I am trying to combine higher fiber and protein content and reduce my sodium intake all while staying low cal. Hopefully, this will help my muscles recover between runs. A friend of mine's teenage daughter was diagnosed with PCOS recently. They decided to try and go at it first from a holistic path. She told me the whole family (6 kids from 2-21 and she and her husband) all started adhering to this new way of eating (little if any starchy whites, processed food, dairy, saturated fat, and sugars...organic whenever possible). She said it really wasn't all that limiting, and she lost 5 lbs without even meaning to (or even NEEDING to <insert scowl>, but I digress). Her daughter got her period again within a few weeks, and she has had it regularly for the last 2 months! They'll continue to test and monitor her at her doctor's, but WOW! She said it really floored her to see so blatantly how what we put into our bodies affects us...that is, everyone feels better without all the junk food and fast food, but this changed the course of an existing affliction. In any case, my new food goals are very similar to this, and I'm hoping to see results/benefits...and maybe even sneak it into my family's habits!

Bad couple of days for me. Ugh! Yesterday I didn't go to the gym and I can't today cuz I'm home with a sick kid. And that means I'm not doing my weigh in today and I was looking forward to that.
-that's weird.....looking forward to weighing myself LOL

I was able to do a good shop Monday morning and refused my middle daughter several things. But then Monday night I went back to the store and let my oldest daughter talk me into getting ice cream. I haven't overindulged too much, but I still had more than I should have.

Congrats to Jessie for not stress eating! That is a hard thing to do for those of us who are so used to reaching for whatever food is handy.

Congrats Bequ on making it to the gym! Did you feel better after your workout?

Hello everyone!

I've been sadly remiss in my MFPing these days. It's not only this thread that I've been neglecting. Most of all, I've been neglecting myself which is horrible.

However, back at it. Since January 2011, I've actually lost 43 pounds. Restarted my ticker recently and still at it.

I think all of us are just too darn busy. The kids, work (inside and out of the home) and life in general just seem to get in the way. It's the same story for most of us. I know many of my friends and peers at work are also juggling aging parents who need us as well. All of these pressures just make it hard to make time for ourselves.

But we need to be good to ourselves and this group, this thread, this MFP really does help. Nice to know so many of us are meeting with success and sticking to it amidst everything else.

Have a good day.

Becky, good luck with the weigh in tomorrow morning - i'll be thinking of you!!

I hear you on the eating better QUALITY....we are slowly but surely getting there. It was funny i asked my amazing daughter if there was anything i could do to help her in losing weight (she's 16 needs to lose 40lbs) and she said "noooo..i'll just only eat at home and take food from home for lunch". I replied "but just cuz its from home doesn't mean its healthy honey".
Mom. All we have is healthy stuff. None of my friends will come over.

LOL!! Poor kid!

And hopefully soon a HEALTHY kid!

Ok. my goal this week is to up the water. We don't have a water cooler at work and the tab water is gross (the pipes are about 50 years old!!) So i'm going to bring in a big one liter bottle and then drink the rest in green tea.

I want 2lbs gone this week. i want it SO BAD. In which case i should get my butt to the gym !!

have a great wednesday all!

Hello there ... new mom over 40 saying hello...I am sending a friend request your way .. something in your post interests me and I would love to message you about it

Good morning, ladies!! How is everyone doing?

Upon the advice of a couple of MFP friends I upped my calories about two weeks ago. I had gotten to my wedding day weight, then went back up a few pounds and held there. There is a spreadsheet posted in the forums and upon the advice of one of the MFP friends I used it to set my new calorie goal. I was hesitant at first, it gave me much more than MFP did. But I am learning how it important it is to make sure I am eating enough. It's important to do so to keep the metabolism moving, we need to fuel our bodies.

So I have lost the extra I gained back and another pound. I am only 4 lbs from my goal!! Sometimes I still can't believe it!! I never thought I'd ever be back in my 120's!!! My highest weight was about 168, approx where I was in my before photo.

Many are afraid of the concept of eating more. But why? I'm not talking about going back to the place that got me here, I'm only talking about eating enough to fuel the body. There is a big difference between "overeating" and "eating enough".

For any of you that are interested, here is the spreadsheet. http://interzone.kicks-*kitten*.net/Calculating_calories.xls