spiriteagle99 Member

I also eat back all my exercise calories. I lost 55 lbs. and have kept the weight off for 10+ years. In part, it depends on what kind of exercise you are doing. I run 30 mpw and walk the dog an hour a day. That adds up. If I didn't eat back the exercise calories, I would be too thin and have no energy. That would not be…

I am a runner and I agree with Ann. Start with brisk walking. When you can do that easily for 30-45 minutes, add slow easy jogging intervals. Gradually increase the length of the intervals. A couch to 5k plan is an effective way to do that. Focus on running easy. When you can run for 30+ minutes at an easy pace, you can…

I got the Active July, July Time to Run, July 10k, July 5k, July Rundown, July Step Month, only missing one like to get July likes. Oh well.

What matters is your total number of calories. Unless you are following medical orders, you don't have to closely follow a plan. When you eat doesn't matter. Just make sure you get close to your daily calorie number.

What calorie goal did MFP give you? If you enter your height, weight, age, and activity level outside of deliberate exercise, it will give you a calorie goal based on whether you want to lose, gain or maintain your weight. With 35 pounds to lose, I would try for 1-1.5 pounds a week until you get within 20 pounds of your…

I do both. You can outrun a bad diet, but it takes a lot of time and effort. For many people, exercise for weight loss or maintenance can depend on how much time you have available. I can run 6 miles or walk 3 in an hour. In that time, I would burn 550 or so calories vs. 200 or so. I actually prefer hiking, since it takes…

Slow way down. Take walk breaks if needed. Running at dawn and dusk ensures more shade. Humidity is usually higher in the morning but it's hotter in the evening, so figure out which bothers you more. Run at night if it's safe where you live. (I had a friend who did most of his runs at midnight.) Hydrate well before your…

How are you measuring the food you are eating and the exercise you are doing? If you aren't weighing your food, you may be eating more than you think you are. Double check the database entries you are using to make sure they are accurate. Since they are user entered, there can be errors. Plus manufacturers change their…

I lost 55 lbs. in my mid-50s. Most of my skin seems to have tightened up except the back of my arms (I don't do weights, which would have helped) and my thighs. When I walk or run, I jiggle. At 68, not a big deal.

Congratulations! That is amazing!

Can you find a therapist or grief support group to help you as you deal with your loss? You don't have to do it alone. In a way, you're doing it right. Motivation is ephemeral, discipline will keep you going in the right direction. So keep on doing your steps. Get to the gym and see if a hard workout makes you feel better.…

It could be that the app assumes that just wandering around your home will give you a minimum of 2000 steps. That is part of your basic activity level (if set to sedentary, I assume) so wouldn't count as extra exercise. If your level was lightly active, then 5000 steps would be daily activity rather than deliberate…

MFP won't give you fewer than 1200 calories if you are female. It is difficult to get sufficient nutrition on less than that. So if your maintenance calories are low already (i.e. older and lighter weight) the program would not have given you a 500 calorie deficit when you said you wanted to lose a pound a week. I ran into…

Does your doctor think you need to lose those last 20 pounds? My husband is 85 and is a little overweight. However, he isn't trying to lose the weight because if he gets ill, which is not unlikely at his age, the extra weight may make a difference in how well he recovers. It is actually more healthy to have a few extra…

Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. It takes a significant amount of time and effort to burn a lot of calories with exercise, which is why you need to focus on what you are eating. Exercise is essential for health and fitness, but doesn't guarantee weight loss.

If you set your activity level to very active, 2000 calories may be appropriate. Understand that Activity Level on MFP refers to your life aside from deliberate exercise. If you sit at a desk all day, then do an hour of activity, your basic activity level is sedentary. MFP expects you to log your exercise separately, then…

As usual, Ann said it better than I ever could, and I agree totally. Give yourself some grace. You aren't a failure if you can't focus on your weight when your world has turned upside down. But it might help to look for ways to be good to yourself that won't make you feel bad later. Walks, floating in a pool or hot tub,…

If you are not losing weight, then you know what your current calorie maintenance level is. Log your meals and all snacks for a few weeks to see how many calories you are eating. Then reduce that amount by 250-500 calories as a daily goal. Weigh or measure every bite, at least at first. Estimating amounts does not work…

I have a Garmin Forerunner 55. It is about 3 years old, IIRC. It has all the features I need and some I don't.

I know I could not do it. I would become so obsessed with food and all that I wasn't able to eat I would drive myself crazy and probably give up within a day or two. That was what happened whenever I tried any type of extreme diet. It simply wasn't sustainable and became really counter-productive because of what it did to…

How often are you riding the bike? Once or twice a week may not be enough to build strength and endurance. Adding days of easy effort will help with the endurance. One day a week of harder or longer effort will help you improve.

As usual, Ann says it well. Once your meds are adjusted, which can take a few tries to get right, you should be able to lose weight again. I was in the same boat in my mid-40s. I've been taking levoxyl for the past 20+ years and my weight is under control. It did take a couple of tries before I figured out what I needed to…

Congratulations! That's terrific.

Fruit, hard boiled eggs, cheese, bread and butter, yogurt

Are your step numbers correct? 1200 steps is about half a mile, which doesn't go with the hour a day on the TM. If you walk an average of 3 miles an hour, then you would be burning about 200 calories in exercise. Older women generally don't move around much, so your maintenance calories may be low. At 60, MFP said I needed…

I am 68 and maintain between 121-125 lbs. I lost 55 pounds in my mid-50s, mostly by cutting carbs since I have a sweet tooth that had me eating a lot of empty calories. I have maintained that loss for about 10 years largely through staying active and staying aware through logging daily of how much I am eating so I don't…