history_grrrl Member

Sorry to be a bit late in responding, but thanks to everyone who replied to my query about exercise and aging/medical challenges. I really appreciate the insights and feel inspired by how much people have adapted to new circumstances, adopting new strategies over the years when needed and also managing to keep yourselves…

OP, not sure of the nature of your limitations, but there’s a YouTube channel, SeniorShape with Lauren, that includes a variety of chair exercises. Maybe you could manage some of those just to be doing a bit of movement along with the attention to calories. Best wishes!

I’m focusing mainly on calories. I need a walker when outside and can’t do isometric exercises, anything high-impact on my feet, or lifting over 10 pounds for various medical reasons. I was eating back my exercise calories (low-tech stationary bike, stretching, etc.) until I realized I wasn’t really losing weight. Now I’m…

Totally relate to this. I really wanted to make a banana cake about a month ago, but some things came up and then the moment was gone. In retrospect, it’s a good thing because I would have done the same as you. Now when I bake, I have to plan ahead to give some to my neighbours, put small wrapped portions in the freezer,…

What a great thread. Have people found good options for reduced-fat cheese? My local groceries only seem to carry part-skim mozzarella, which is okay, but more variety would be nice. There are some great Italian groceries in my neighbourhood, but as you might imagine, low-fat is not exactly on the agenda.

I woke up with a craving for blueberry pancakes and found a low-cal recipe, but they were terrible. So blah without delicious butter and sugar. I would’ve been better off with mixed fruit and plain yogurt or a fried egg and refried beans with cheese on a tortilla, my usual breakfast go-tos. Lesson learned!

I also wanted a snack last night and ended up going for a single tiny 20-calorie potato. It was all I needed, really. Two months ago there would have been ice cream in the freezer, and that would have been my downfall. Makes me realize the potato was for actual hunger. The ice cream (cookies, pie, etc.) has never been…

Great suggestions, everyone; thanks. I did blanch a bunch and peel them for freezing, but then ended up eating them all in the next few days. Poor things never did make it into the freezer . . . Oh, and @xbowhunter, I’m in the Niagara region. What a bounty we have here!

Yes! Two months ago, I would have just felt demoralized as I dragged myself home. I’ve always been one of those people who says, “Oh, yeah, I should do X” for that different outcome and then just doesn’t do it. So this is like a totally different mindset. Kinda cool. Hope it lasts.

I had about 80 calories left last night and went with a deviled egg (slice a hard boiled egg in half lengthwise, mix yolks with 1 tsp half-fat mayo, add mixture back to whites, eat). Or a bit of deli turkey or roast beef wrapped in a part-skim cheese slice, or a few salted, roasted cashews (6 to be exact; they are 9 g) and…

I went for a walk to do some errands in my neighbourhood today. It was very hot out, though fortunately not humid, and I really struggled with the few uphill blocks and had to stop and rest (I use a rollator walker with a seat, so was able to sit down). I was a little surprised by the difficulty because the scale has been…

OP, I’m not a dad (or even male!), but I notice you’re talking more about calorie intake as the main problem area rather than the exercise side of things. Who does the meal planning and prep in your household? Are you in charge of this, or eating (too much of) what someone else is making? Are you snacking a lot during the…

Yesterday’s meals: Breakfast: fresh fruit (nectarine, cherries, blueberries) with 0% plain Greek yogurt Lunch: roast beef sandwich on pezzetta roll with part-skim mozzarella, sliced red onion, and horseradish Dinner: 1 1/2 beef enchiladas (with refried beans and black beans in the recipe) Snacks: a few salted, roasted…

I’m 62 and have several medical problems that limit my ability to do certain kinds of exercise. I do a variety of stretching exercises learned in physiotherapy, am taking a weekly chair yoga class, and just started some of the workouts on the SeniorShape YouTube channel (they’re not designed for people with disabilities,…

Oops! That should have read “personal anecdotes are NOT the same as actual data.”

If it is an issue, I think it has to do partly with lots of people not understanding how to do research or what constitutes evidence. I’m in a couple of Facebook groups for people who share a difficult and sometimes dangerous medical condition. It’s astonishing how often people show up with questions like, "How long will I…

Hi, all! I was looking for a 60+ group that’s active and happened to stumble on this one; happy to find it. I’m 62 and first joined MFP back in 2011 but didn’t stick with it, then had a big, complicated surgery in the early days of COVID and promptly packed on a lot of weight during lockdown. Am looking to lose about 25…

I agree with the suggestion to go to a farmers market, partly because the produce often looks so appetizing compared to the store. There’s such a bounty of possibilities that it’s worth experimenting to see what you enjoy eating. For me, I have always loved peas and Brussels sprouts and mushrooms, though I grew up in the…

I also came to recommend salade Nicoise: tuna, olives, hard boiled egg, tomatoes, green beans (I usually substitute asparagus as I’m not a green bean fan), tiny potatoes on a bed of lettuce. Delicious!

What great suggestions; thank you so much! Some things I already do, like buy frozen vegetables in some cases, but I can definitely do a lot better job of preserving produce and thinking ahead about how I’ll use items that aren’t “designated” for particular meals I plan to make. I sometimes do offer extra stuff to my…

My favourite breakfasts: - McCann’s quick cooking oatmeal, when I can find it, with fresh fruit in season (right now, peaches) - Granted this includes an egg: fry up an egg with salt and pepper, put it on the slightly browned side of a tortilla you’re sautéing in the same pan along with two tablespoons of refried beans,…

Welcome back! I’ve been back for about a month, am 62 and need to lose at least 20 pounds. I have scoliosis and find my back pain is so much worse with all the extra weight. Feel free to add me.

This is such a useful and inspiring thread! I’ve only been back on MFP for a month, but I finally feel like I’m actually doing it. The biggest things for me: - logging food religiously and paying close attention to portion size (still shocked to realize how high-cal a normal piece of cheese is) - thinking ahead about a…

This is pretty minor since I’ve only been back on MFP for about a month and my scale hasn’t budged (actually I think it’s not working any more and am waiting for a replacement) and I look exactly the same. But I’ve been feeling better physically, and decided to try on a dress that’s quite fitted but surprisingly forgiving…

Egg salad, tuna salad (I add chopped hard boiled egg, onion, and sweet gherkins or celery if I have some), or chicken salad (just discovered how easy it is to poach chicken breasts for this), either with lettuce and cherry tomatoes alone or as sandwiches with same. Biggest calorie counts for sandwiches are bread and…

Also, once you set up the recipe, remember to hit Save! Ask me how I know . . . Sadly, granola is usually super high in calories. Too bad because I love it.

I’m a serious sweets fan. I usually keep a package of Baker’s 70% chocolate in the cupboard and have two little squares if I have a craving. I do love fruit, so right now a bowl of blueberries, cut-up strawberries, seedless red grapes, and raspberries from my garden is perfection. Or a chocolate-dipped frozen banana, or a…

Oh; yeah. Years ago my mom gave me her copy of the sugarbusters diet book and I actually followed it for about three months. No white sugar, white rice, white bread, etc.; it’s based on glycemic index or something. Anyway, I felt amazing! Had so much energy, felt tired at normal times (I’m typically a night owl), lost my…

I can’t drive and now need a rollator walker, so going to a gym or even mall walking is a huge hassle. I have a pretty low-tech stationary bike that I regularly use three times a week; when Covid started, a friend in another city and I started exercising together while talking on the phone, and we’re still at it. I bike,…

Many years ago some family members went on the Sugar Busters diet and gave me the book. No white sugar, white rice, white bread, white potatoes, that sort of thing. I actually managed to do it for about three months. It wasn’t sustainable, not surprisingly, as I love dessert, but I gotta say, I had more energy than I’ve…