Thanks E for starting this group. My name is Deb and I will be 60 in May. I remember a neighbor telling my mom that I would lose “that baby fat” when I went through puberty; I think I still have some of “that baby fat.” I am excited to have found MFP and to have others that I can relate to, encourage and be encouraged by as we change our bodies physically and mentally. I was very happy when I retired two years ago and had planned to enjoy my grandchildren and life in general. But physically that wasn’t happening as I had envisioned. When I stepped on the scales at the dr. office in March reality hit. I found MFP and I am off to a good start but, I know that for this attempt at weight loss to be different from other times, I have to take the time to take care of myself and that will include being more intentional about finding time to exercise as well as meal planning, grocery shopping and having healthier grab and go foods in the house. As I examine my beliefs and habits concerning my food choices, I am determined to make positive changes towards a healthier me and enjoy a more active life. After all I'm not a kid anymore.

Why isn't there a like button?

I made my own. Don't know if this will work or not but here goes.........

Hey I am here. Been having weight issues since I was in my thirties. I always thought I would get around to doing something about it but never did it. Add that to the fact that I have been making a living working on concrete floors for the past forty years and it adds up to a lot of joint trouble, especially my knees. I also am concerned with becoming a diabetic. My parents both were / are. I saw a dietician locally and she told me about MFP. I am motivated to do this and it will be easier with a support network. I got off to a slow start but think I am making progress now. So, let's get on with it!
Rick

This has been an exciting day for me. I was totally overwhelmed by the number of responses I got from my post looking for buddies from my generation. MindfulLiving was the first to answer me and for a while it looked like she was going to be my only friend then suddenly the floodgates opened up. I am ever so grateful to have found so many new friends to help me on this journey which I know will be easier because of you all. I never had weight issues when I was younger. I was a single mom who used to have to walk a dozen blocks after work with my child bring him home from daycare. As I became more afflluent, I started sending cabs to pick him up and that coupled with my sedentary office job added 30 pounds in no time flat. Suddenly I was having trouble getting my skirts to zip up and joined a noon time Weight Watchers with some co-workers and took the weight back off. I also split an exercise class at the YWCA with one of my co-workers and losing weight wasn't hard to do. Almost 5 years ago, I quit smoking and the same thing happened only this time I didn't have a job so didn't really care about work clothes but I did care about rewarding myself for not smoking. Well, it's time to start rewarding myself in a more positive way and when one of my quit buddies from QuitNow.com suggested I try this site I started to think about it but I kept putting it off but now I am here and determined to get completely healthy. I am really happy to be a part of this group because I think we baby boomers face different challenges than the younger generations.

Why isn't there a like button?

I made my own. Don't know if this will work or not but here goes.........

Like like like like. Darn, it doesn't work either. Don't you just love this site?

I'm new to how the group tools work so I'll check out how to add a Like Button. If anyone knows feel free to fill me in.

to my knowledge, there really is no like button. People have been asking for one but they haven't added that feature to this site yet.

Glad you are with us in the group. Yes we can all do this together. Positive motivation goes a long way here.

That image is just an image I googled up, resized and added to my post. Nothing more.

Good morning all,
I'm MindfulLiving AKA Pat. I'm 64 the oldest of 6 girls...My poor dad rest his soul...I'm retired from nursing, in June it will be two years. I live in the Pacific Northwest.... between Seattle and Tacoma Washington, I moved here in 1992 after my divorce, I love the water, the green and just the whole picture. I have 3 grown children in Michigan and 6 grand children and 2 great grandchildren. I plan to move back to the Midwest this fall to be near my family. I go back for a yearly visit, but this time it will be for good.

I've been chunky for most of my adult life, I got a divorce after a 26 year marriage and that's when the real extra weight started coming on. Hitting 230 while I was in nursing school, but my job always kept me up and moving working with adults special needs population. At age 60 I made a job change to work at the Assisted Living Community, it wasn't until I took that office job, Director of Nursing that I put on my Extra Extra Weight. Yes, I sat on my duff for 10 out of the 12 hours I was there and there was a never ending of goodies the staff would bring in, I didn't have to go far to get, my office was right beside the staff lounge.
We even joked about cutting a hole in my wall as a pass through..... I'm so ashamed of my weight. I of all people should have know better, being a nurse. well, now I do know better and it's a real struggle to keep pushing forward to make it happen for me. I eat out of boredom, happiness, sadness and mostly because it's there. I don't say no to myself, even when I know I should. I hope writing down everything I eat so I can see and so can all of you... I have an open food and exercise diary to help me keep honest. I try not to eat back my exercise calories, but sometimes I do. I love bread of all kinds, so my carb intake is a challenge. There that's me in a nut shell....

Thank you for starting this group. I was born in 1956 and I need to lose about 80 pounds. I am really ashamed of how big I have gotten. I used to be extremely active, was a nationally-trained athlete in my teens, and have worked around horses and dogs for years. In 2006 I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer, underwent two surgeries, and now the cancer has moved into my lungs. I am now putting on more weight because of the medication I need to take. I am at my all-time high right now. I have been here for 2 years but have struggled ever since the first day. It's now at the point where my 88-year-old mother is telling me I'm going to have a heart attack. She doesn't know about the cancer or about the medication. I didn't feel there was any need to upset her. I am not, as yet, terminal and I don't intend to be. Would love to have some friends around my own age. It's a different ballgame when you get to our age -- the weight doesn't come off as easily. Please friend me if you feel I might be able to encourage you on your journey.

One of my friends can't seem to connect to this group so I am posting this comment hoping she will be able to get here from our news link.

Charanne

Hi,

I just joined today & very happy to find a group of people my age.

I'm 54, was thin, but gained 100# in grad school. Then lost it over 2 years (once I was out of that stress). Kept it off for 9 years, but then at age 44, my right hip became very painful, to the point I couldn't walk. I was told I had congenital hip dysplasia, but was too young for a hip replacement. I couldn't work (I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes), & ended up in a wheelchair for 7 years. Needless to say, the weight piled on again (from inactivity, as well as situational depression). I'm a good 70# overweight again. However, I finally got surgery (a hip resurfacing, that at the time was a new surgery).

I've tried to lose on my own but never get more than 20# off. My husband is skinny & eats like a horse, so he doesn't understand. And, I don't have any family anymore (my mom was pretty old when she had me).

Tall said: "I also look around me and see so many people our ages who have clearly given up on being physically fit. They've resigned themselves to 'growing old' and having growing health problems and rely on medicine but won't make the lifestyle changes that would make the bigger difference."

This is so true. I've always liked to be outdoors (walk, hike bicycle, ride horses), but I can't find anyone my age to do this anymore. I tried meetup.com & went bicycle riding with a group that said it was "casual & slow", but they all were 35 years old & younger, & went pretty darn fast - 15 MPH & more. For me, slow on a bicycle means what I can do which is 10-12 MPH (which I don't think is too shabby at this point, given my weight/ age/ & prior health problems which resulted in a lot of de-conditioning).

I've looked all over the internet (for years) to find a group of people my age (just plain jane people) who want to just get started walking or bicycle riding, but to no avail. When I search for things like this I am getting AARP showing a very old woman wearing a bonnet (with flowers in it), in a dress, with a cute wicker basket, straddling a big old girls fat tire bike & the woman (& the bicycle) looks like they couldn't go 20 feet. Stereotypes of people over 50!

So I've been exercising on my own, but yes, its lonely. So I'm really glad I have you all! My story

Hi my name is Kathryn, mid 50's. I want my body back! My excuse was starting and running a business. 10 hour days, 5-6 days per week were common, even 7 days but early on I knew it would burn me out if I did it too much. I have too much staff now, so I come in late. I still work later than the staff.

I fluffed up about 30 pounds in 10 years, and was 20 pounds over when I started. Last year I was diagnosed as a prediabetic. Took it seriously. It explained why I was so tired at day end, beyond just the brutal hours. So I've been working at weight loss for a year now, losing all of 10 pounds in 2011. Don't care about speed of loss, just that it declines.

Let's friend each other, coach each other and getter done!

Nope no surgery would not think of it it has been almost 4 years the first year about 70 lbs got me under 300 thenoff and on 25 a year a little back and forth now I am dialing it up to lose about 65 70 lbs the last year and finis up about 170 if I become really nutsy will lose the last 4 to get to an even 200 lbs off hopefully by Jan my 65th Bday

I am 61 and trust me my body doesn't even look like it belongs to me anymore. I gained 40 pounds from quitting smoking. I smoked two packs a day for 40 years so I guess thats why I gained 40 lbs. Feel free to add me to your friends list we need all the support we can get.

Dot