almost 50, fat and healthy HELP

shurlsmith
shurlsmith Posts: 3 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi,
I am very discouraged, but glad to have found MFP. I am about 200 pounds, wow that is painful to write. I have fought gaining weight my whole live. It always seemed I worked out more than my friends and ate half as much, but I was always the biggest. Over the last twenty years my weight crept up year by by year. I can't even blame it all on my pregnancies. After each I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight and started gaining again.
I am scared at the health risks of being so overweight. I am from a long line of fat women, who have abused themselves on diets. I refused to yoyo. I have tried weight watchers with no success. I blamed it on the fact I have always tried to eat right and exercise but I can't loose. The only time I lost weight was on the divorce diet. I lost 30 pounds as I went through my divorce, but I did not eat. It was not healthy. It was not a way of life, food just repulsed me at that time. Now unfortunately it all came back and more.
I went to the Dr. to ask for help. He recommended a supplement (I won't name the brand yet, this is not an ad) I started a week ago. No dramatic changes. A friend recommended this site, so here I am. I would love to meet a couple of struggling friends.
I turn 50 in 8 months and hope to be at a healthier weight by then!
Sue

Replies

  • michelekz
    michelekz Posts: 2
    We need to get over the pain and the blame! Think positive and really care about yourself! Don't gain weight, gain confidence!
    You can dooowit!
  • twistygirl
    twistygirl Posts: 517 Member
    Friendship is welcome here, Struggling is my first name.
  • Snoopy108
    Snoopy108 Posts: 94 Member
    Oh Man! I turn the big 50 in less then six month, I feel your pain...but this is the right place to be!!! We are all here for the same reason to live a long and healthy life...and I want to be the best me I can be by time my next birthday rolls around.....I have damaged my body way too much over the years and now I am paying for it. But by changing my thinking and being more positive about myself I have slowly been able to make some changes and have lost a few pounds...with many more to go...so Be strong, stay positive and take baby steps....friend me if you like...I know you can do it!!!!!
  • BeeRobin
    BeeRobin Posts: 160 Member
    Hello!

    Nice to meet you. I'm almost 50 myself and started here just a couple of days ago. I love the tools on the site--and meeting new folks who are on the same journey!
  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
    You have to want it REALLY bad to put efforts into logging and exercising EVERY day. Keep very busy so you are not thinking about food all the time. It helped me to do 5-6 small meals so my next food was not that far away LOL Start small - I worked out for 10 mins in the morning and 10 more at night for a long time - and worked up from there. You will get frustrated. The only thing I keep saying to myself is that this is FOREVER - not a diet. Skinny people DO eat like this! Took me a year to lose 67 lbs. I started at 212

    I love that those "supplements" all say "with proper diet and exercise" DUH!

    Good luck.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,148 Member
    Get yourself measuring cups/spoons and a food scale. You might be shocked at how much weight will melt off when you portion food. Not saying you don't, if you do. I lost 18# my first month just by feeding myself proper portions (or rather, portions according to the package).

    Oh, and keep in mind any exercise is good, even a 5 minute walk.

    :drinker:
  • jdmey
    jdmey Posts: 30 Member
    Welcome to MFP! I think you are going to find success here. It is a very supportive place, and so many good tools, especially the massive food database. I started my journey here in April. My doctor told me I should lose weight and even gave me brochures about bariatric surgery. I weighed 202 at 5'1". I had hypertension, high cholesterol. I knew I didn't want to go the surgery route, but once and for all I wanted to get my weight down. I have a new lifestyle now. It's all about healthier foods for the most part, but no food is out of bounds if I want it. I just eat in moderation now. I log my foods through the day, and I know where I stand. If I stay within my calorie limits, I lose the weight, an average of a pound a week. I keep a daily graph that shows my ups and downs, but over time, the line is headed downward. I am headed to my 59th birthday, and I can assure you that this is possible. I'd be glad to encourage you along the way if you'd like....Send me a friend request. Best wishes. Jan
  • AmIhealthyyet
    AmIhealthyyet Posts: 361 Member
    Good Luck, I turn 50 in a few weeks! Hate that I am turning it heavy! Friend me if you need some support! I personally follow the Paleo lifestyle which isn't for everyone!
  • jaj68
    jaj68 Posts: 158 Member
    your post seemed very similar to my own journey. We can do this together.
  • ssbarfarkle
    ssbarfarkle Posts: 150 Member
    45 here. Around 200 myself and have been battling my weight all my life. It has won every time. I can't seem to shed the weight and the pounds just keep sneaking on, slowly but surely. I just tipped the scales at 201.6 and frankly that is it. That is as high as I am going. Grab a bunch of friends for motivation, support & ideas and enjoy the journey!
  • mbz0616
    mbz0616 Posts: 77 Member
    Hi! A friend pointed me to MFP back in April, and I have found it really helpful. If you log in daily, you'll see before & after photos that are so inspiring - many from folks whose starting weight was a lot higher than yours. And you can learn a lot about which weight loss and fitness improvement approaches REALLY work for regular people like us. For example, using the daily food and exercise diary is a great motivator and really open your eyes - I had no idea how many calories were in some of the snacks and restaurant meals I was snarfing down. The best thing about MFP is the people who use it. Glad you've joined us.
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    this site is awesome! I never thought i'd be able to lose 8 lbs i 3 weeks with my hypothyroidism. But I did it! If it wasn't for MFP, honestly, I would probably have given up after a week or so. I love this place =)
  • carolebville
    carolebville Posts: 140 Member
    As with the other posters, having the message boards available (and all the posters) is very comforting. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE. You may, however, have to be alone during the days and nights and it is YOU that needs to make the committment to log in your food, your exercise, and your thoughts. I've been active on MFP since the end of May 2012, even though I joined in 2011. Have a one-on-one relationship with yourself as far as eating and exercising. Get it in your head that this needs to be done!

    You need to have a talk with yourself and be strong. It is you that need to get up everyday and say that today is another day that you will be true to yourself. Eating healthier isn't that difficult, but you do need to plan better when you go to the store.

    I'll be sending you a friend request, and feel free to glance at my food diary.
    Best wishes for success....and don't get disheartened along the way.
  • sherryjohnson2012
    sherryjohnson2012 Posts: 102 Member
    I can totally relate!! Im going to add you as a friend!! :)
  • snowkarla
    snowkarla Posts: 7
    Hi! baby steps.... I am 47 & would love to give you encouragement & tips. I believe we have a harder time as we get older the weight does not come off as easily. I love this site, tracking my calories & exercice does help. Taking it day by day and knowing you are helping yourself to feel better & live longer. Do you like to walk??? that would be my first step . Watching my sugar intake & just enjoying healthy food choices. Don't let yourself get down, or think you can't do it. I try to stay positive. & having a good support system helps. would love to chat with you more.... ks..
  • kwedding5409
    kwedding5409 Posts: 8
    So glad you are here. I am 46 and started my new way of living about 4 weeks ago. If you can swing it, get a fitbit. I bought mine slightly used on Ebay. It tracks my activity all day and puts it right on the MFP site for me. I also think logging every piece of food you eat is very important. It is so my fun to see how much under goal I am with some exercise and eating "fairly" good. Don't have to be perfect just active. Welcome!
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
    I was 49 and weighed 265 pounds when I started. You can do it! The main thing is to get more active.
  • ethelapple
    ethelapple Posts: 79
    Welcome! Log everything, start moving, and try looking into primal/paleo eating. I've gotten rid of 31 lbs. so far (and that has never happened!!)
  • hockeymama1963
    hockeymama1963 Posts: 45 Member
    I turn 50 in 10 months and I am determined to be fit and fifty in May 2013. I started MFP in late June and weighed 232, I am down 12 lbs. I could be down more but I have a hard time exercising in the summer heat. No air conditioning and no money to join the gym. I have really turned my eating habits around from being a constant grazer to 3 meals and 2 snacks all of which are organic and good for you. My hubby and sister are both doing this with me, :laugh:
  • TeTeAngel
    TeTeAngel Posts: 66 Member
    You have a good plan to try to prevent health problems by losing weight. I started at 207 and have lost 26 lbs so far. It requires replacing some old habits with some new ones. It is a day by day challenge. I find it better to focus on what I did well each day. We tend to eat when we beat ourselves up. Feel free to friend me, we can encourage each other.
  • Nan_
    Nan_ Posts: 83 Member
    Welcome! I am in my early 50's and determined to age gracefully and to be fit and able to go for a walk or move around without having to blame "old age," lol!

    I lost 25 pounds on MFP before and then injured my back and put it all back on again because I couldn't exercise at first and wasn't careful with my eating habits.

    . Now I'm recovered and in the process of trying to lose it again. I would love for you to friend me and we will encourage one another! Losing weight is much easier with some friends along the way to keep us laughing, motivated and accountable, right?
  • Poorgirls_Diet
    Poorgirls_Diet Posts: 528 Member
    Hey hun I started this journey at 200lbs and now down 29lbs. If I can do it anyone can. Feel free to add me if you need extra support from someone who has been there
  • Nskye001
    Nskye001 Posts: 2
    Hi there! I'm new on MFP too. I'm a 46 year old woman, am 5'7", and I weigh 270 lbs down from my highest of 300 lbs. And I totally understand how you feel. I am on a quest to get fit, too. One step at a time. It's nice to "meet" you!
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
    I'm in my fifties and can tell you it IS possible to succeed in finding the solution to eating healthy. This is a great site with wonderful support, and it's been proven that (1) support and (2) recording everything you eat leads to weight loss. When you get to a certain age one realizes that if we can't make time to eat right, someday we'll have to make time for being sick. Good luck!
  • kateblue72
    kateblue72 Posts: 113
    I joined mfp just after my 51st birthday. I too had done the WW thing, and had lost ... only to regain, as I waited for 18 months for knee surgery. As I healed last fall, tried WW again, with very little success. The new points system with free fruits and veggies didn't seem to work for me, yet did make me aware of healthier eating. Was it possible to eat too many fruits? perhaps, I think yes, everything in moderation. This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. With mfp I can read others diaries and come up with food plans, I get the scale and measuring spoons out regularily. I am trying to eat 'cleaner', and utilize the low glycemic index principles. I have always seen that if I lower my bread intake, that the weight either stays off and/or starts to go back down. So far, it is all working, and that's what it takes. A combo of knowledge, yet experimentation I think. Welcome to mfp & good luck. Feel free to add me as a friend ...... sometimes my tracking diligence lacks here, but I try to read posts to be there for you:smile:
  • judysloss2012
    judysloss2012 Posts: 1
    Hi Sue,

    Just wanted to encourage you! I joined this month too! I think recording my daily calorie intake, and my daily exercises will keep me on track! Two days ago, I weighed in at 168, and this morning at 165.6 lbs. I know I won't see those results constantly...but it's encouraging for a start! I added daily exercises...using my treadmill alternating a brisk walk to a slow jog. I also love my mini trampoline...less impact on my feet, knees and ankles. I will do weight training w/ dumb bells, but it's best to start out slow, then add to your daily exercise routine.

    It's great to have a support group, or your family encouraging you, but when it really comes down to it, we have to be accountable to ourselves in what we eat. I have found portion control is my best friend. We can always "eat more", but I stop with my portion size, and not go back for seconds. I have a food scale, and also weigh my meats portions.

    Some say not to weigh yourself daily, but for me, I do weigh each morning...just so I can know if there is any gain...then adjust my calories/carbs for the day.

    You can do it Sue...there is so much support out there! Some days will be hard...so keep a mind set to stay positive, and press forward!
    Post on your frig what encourages you! Read other success stories! Obtain healthy recipes you can try out. Don't buy the junk, to be tempted by. Check out what restaurants offer low calorie meals...etc. So many things you can do to have a life change in your eating habits.

    I will be thinking of you today! Judy

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