Welcome, I am 50 and feeling great. I started my life style change this past January. It only took me 50 years to get in to shape lol. I go to a nutritionist and the gym. When first joined the gym I could only do about 10 minutes on the treadmill now I could do 30 minutes. I also could not do the ab machine and now I can. Start off small. I need to loose 100 pounds. I lost 29 so far. I set mini goals for myself 25 pounds 4 times. It sound better then 100.

Good morning loveliest of ladies!

My "official" weigh-in is Monday but I weigh everyday, for better or worse. Today I find that I have lost another pound! Man, I dieted HARD for a month to lose a pound a week and now I'm losing like a pound a day and it's freaky! I'm not doing anything differently. I was way overdue for a visit from the Woosh Fairy though!! This morning, 227.8.

Tuscany - I will be so THRILLED when I can get into the 160's! That will be the least I've weighed in 18 years when I get there! (almost said IF I get there, no! WHEN I get there)

Hang in there Betsy! Your health will improve as the weight comes off (at least I'm hopeful that will be the case for myself! I remember getting of BP meds when I lost 50 lb.s before)

Georgia - I've been married for 29 years to a wonderful man (as far as men go LOL!) but I still experience feeling lonely at times. We really are alone in many ways in this life I guess as no one can really understand the life circumstances and feelings of another. God bless you sweetie!

I hope you all have a wonderful day. I'm going to get an 85 minute massage today!!! It's my "reward" for losing 20 lbs.!!!!

Tuscany
Thanks for explaining the ticker...I will see what I can come up with.
I feel major stress coming on. I have been working very part time for a couple of years, but a fantastic job is about to land in my lap...I have been recommended for it, and they actually know me already because I have done some consulting work for them ( I am an RN). The salary is too good to pass up, but I will be going from 10-15 hrs a week to 50+ hrs... I did it for years and years, I can do it again, right? The extra cash will put me and hubby in a much more secure place for an early retirement, and besides the money, the job will be very interesting. I am just afraid of what the stress will do to me, or better put, how to keep the stress at a manageable level.. I tend to really dig into work, at the expense of other important activities. But I am hoping that these past two years have taught me to keep things in perspective. We shall see.
Joanne, welcome and congratulations on 29 pounds lost! That is awesome! Glad you are feeling great
Cincorn, way to go on the weight loss...it is truly a mystery at times, but we will take it anyway we can get it, right??
Keep up the good work everyone.

Good morning ladies. I am so glad that I stumbled back into this thread.....now we know why I no longer buy a car without GPS!

Cincorn -- sounds like you had a wonderful trip to Vegas and got good news on your tests! Plus, the whoosh fairy is visiting. You're on a roll and hopefully anything seems possible.

BBP -- Where do you live in WA if you don't mind me asking. I'm down in Eatonville directly south of Tacoma and Puyallup near Mt. Rainier. Love it out here, but I'm envious of your moving into a house on a FLAT lot. You mentioned staying within your 8 hour window -- are you on IF? Good luck with the new job -- that is a huge change, but I understand the desire to help with the financial security, etc.

Tuscany -- love your idea with the waist ticker and using that to set your goals. Am even more impressed that you can still remember your previous waist measurement. It really does help to have these tickers to motivate us.

Joanne -- Sounds as though your life changes have been really successful. You're making great progress at the gym!

The garden was finally planted yesterday so I'll be getting veggies in the late July/August time frame. I'm not sure everything will survive, but if it does, I'm going to have to do some serious thinning or else I'll have enough pumpkins and winter squash to open a garden stand.

Today I go back to the mulching. I ordered two enormous "bags" of rubber mulch and have been weeding and spreading. I have to get this moving along as they're behind my RV and my kids are borrowing it in a week. They're coming this weekend to help with moving the remaining mulch down to the lower patio using the lawn tractor. These projects seem like such a good idea when I start them!

Had a weight gain of 1 pound yesterday after having been really good and resisting the evening munchies. I'm in battle mentality now as I am going to get down into the 330s by the end of the month. And no more getting back into the 340s. Just part of the challenge of losing weight at this age!

Have a great day.

Awww, you're all so wonderfully supportive! I really appreciate everything you've shared with me.

I am actually one who loves being alone too, most of the time. Like today, I deposited my sons at my mother's house to do some yard work, along with the dog, and then I got to be at home all alone in my house for three hours. No TV, no music, and all I did was some work from home and the dishes. It was pure bliss! I even got to walk around my house with no clothes on!

I've been mulling over what's going on with me during those moments when being alone isn't so good...it's normal to not feel good about being alone sometimes. What I have been doing is tapping into a feeling of self-pity over it. Or a sense of powerlessness. This mindset is an oddly safe/comfortable place to be for me. And now that I see it, I don't like it at all! I use it as an excuse to not take responsibility for where I am, emotionally speaking, at any given moment. This is NOT who I want to be!

If you haven't noticed yet, I tend to be a thinker. I like to do emotional workouts. Have described myself as a psychotherapeutic overachiever at times. Never satisfied with the status quo, not until I can achieve some level of peace about an issue. I used to be a very angry woman, internally. But my work has produced fruit over the years, and I have let go of a lot of stuff and am definitely much happier overall. I love my life!

And that's the most effective way for me to stop overeating!

Betsy, Good luck with your garden! It sounds like you're enjoying working at it. I was not meant to dedicate my life to gardening, but I do participate in a communal garden with a group of friends. Our garden is really starting to put out now. My refrigerator is packed full of greens, a variety of summer squashes that I roasted, and some beets (also roasted). I hope to get a bigger variety of veggies soon. My kids are going to get tired of this stuff. But not me!

BBP, congratulations on the new job! That's wonderful news! I can imagine that increasing your hours by that much will definitely add some stress to begin with. Adjusting your day's routine is stressful all on it's own. But I'm happy to hear that the lessons you learned about taking time for yourself over the last couple years were meaningful. That is definitely going to help you keep your balance.

Cincorn, do I really have to ask how the 85 minute massage went? Color me envious!!!! I want too!

Joanne, when it comes to fitness and taking care of oneself, I too am a "late bloomer". But eating well and making myself a priority, while very difficult to transition to (felt "wrong" and "self-indulgent" for a long time), has been the best medicine for me too. Congratulations for making that leap on your own behalf! I have lost just over 50 lbs. and still have 120 lbs. to go. While I'd dearly love to weigh less than 200 lbs. as soon as possible (like before I hit 55!) I love feeling as good as I feel now. It can only get better, right?

Hi everyone,
Betsy, I live in the Everett area, near Mukilteo. And yes, I am doing IF, sort of.
My eating window is between 10am and 6 PM. My only cheat is coffee with some half n half when I get up, which I am enjoying as I now type. I am not really into the scale thing, but I have lost inches. I am combining the IF with a simple diet of lean protein and veggies. Period. And between 1200 to 1400 calories a day. And exercise. This is the first time I have had any success at all since regaining 40 pounds over the last 2 years...still kicking myself for that, but it does no good, and was related to severe depression....Anyway, I think I may have stumbled onto the correct method for me. For some reason I find it pretty easy to obey the eating window. If its after 6pm, too bad, better luck tomorrow. I kind of pretend that I have no food in the house and all the stores are closed A little weird, I know.
My interview is not until the 27th, so I am going to relish my last few weeks of relative freedom. They could find someone else I suppose...if they did I would be disappointed but not devastated. We shall see.
Betsy, how is your garden?
Georgia, I am a thinker as well. in fact I over think things to death usually. But I have also worked through many issues, like a very crappy childhood, so I guess the thinking and the mind workouts are mostly good. My therapist helped too!
Cincorn, how was the massage?
Well, it's Friday again already. The weather here in the Northwest should be decent.
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Good morning ladies. The whoosh fairy finally visited so if I seem a little dipsy doodle in this post, chalk it up to trying to type while doing the happy dance!

Georgia -- Sounds like you're in the company of several thinkers. It felt like I was reading a description about myself. It's definitely a mixed blessing. Some times, it's really helped in working through a problem. Other times, I tell myself to just let it go......and then go back to analyzing again! I loved the ending though about getting to the point where you love life and can stop overeating. That's a pretty major accomplishment!

Cincorn -- Still is somewhat of a shade of green envy over such a long massage. Hope it was wonderful.

BBP -- My older nephew lives in Marysville, so I'm up your way frequently (his mother, my sister, passed away four years ago and I've taken on most of the matriarch role in the family). Love your description of doing IF -- sounds a lot like what I'm doing.

The garden is in and sitting there waiting for a stretch of warm days to have a growth spurt. We've been having wacky, but typical, weather this week or rain and sun mixes -- had a gorgeous double rainbow last night with one of them doing a perfect arc across the sky. Gorgeous. The family is coming here for Father's Day and a cookout so I've spent most of the week cleaning, grocery shopping, and today cooking. Used to do all of that in one day when I was working -- yet another reason I don't miss working!

Have a great weekend.

Hi Ladies, and happy Friday!

I've been on several threads in the past but have not posted anywhere lately. Last year I lost over 34 pounds on the Belly Fat Cure plan, but then I relaxed my habits and guess what? Gained half of it back. :-(

Avoiding sugar seems to work best for me (due to less cravings), so I'm re-dedicating myself to eliminating most refined sugars and white carbs (potatoes, breads, pasta, rice) from my diet again in hopes to reach my goal, going 5 pounds at a time. I've been walking at a good pace outside for 20-30 minutes a day in hopes that helps as well.

I look forward to getting to know the other "over-50" gals on this thread and hear what is working for you. Have a great day!

Andi

Hi Webwoman!
I love your picture!! very cute! Welcome to our little group. The more the merrier. yeah, I know about regaining unfortunately....but if you did it once you can do it again.
I am still here because I am trying to figure out how to get a new ticker into my sig. So far I have been unsuccessful.
Tuscany, I need you again...how did you get the lily slim tickers too you sig?
Betsy, so sorry about your sister. That is tough.
OK, getting off the Ipad now...I have work to do!

Everyone must be busy...not a lot of action here!
I had a good weekend, lots of sailing.
I cheated a bit on the 16/8, but still made sensible choices.
I think what is still hard for me is the fact that it takes a long time for the weight to come off, even when I am being perfect. I am a very impatient person by nature.
Oh well, hope everyone is doing well!

BBP , I know what you mean about being perfect and still struggling to lose. I gained a lb. this week too. 228.6 yesterday morning (my OFFICIAL weigh in day) and actually, 229.0 this morning...so up almost 2 lbs. from last week. The ONLY explanation is a baked potato with butter, cheese and sour cream (I ate 1/2) for supper on saturday night and 2 glasses of beer. We were at a wedding and that was the meal---baked potato and salad. Man, is that really a "cheat"?

I'm sooooooo tired of dieting hard for weeks to be rewarded with a lb. or 2 and then gaining them back again over night for really nothing.
__________________

Try not to be too discouraged. Realistically it takes almost 7000 extra calories to put on 2 pounds of fat, so you know you did not gain fat, probably water...that having been said, I am sticking with measuring my waist.
I am just a happier person without the "number" ruling my mood.
Did you enjoy the wedding? BTW, kind of a weird wedding menu in my opinion.

I am up early for a long drive down the freeway this morning for some training today and tomorrow. They are providing lunch but I am bringing my own salad just in case.

Take care everyone!

I thought it was odd too BBP! There was grilled chicken and taco meat for the potato but I just put butter and cheese on mine.

I wish I had taken measurements to begin with because people are really starting to notice the difference and I am digging in my closet for some 18W sizes. I was wearing TIGHT 20W, 20 lbs. ago. So I know it WILL come off. I'm just going to keep on keepin' on!

I broke through on my workout this morning...30 minutes 1.43 miles on treadmill....I started only a few weeks ago and could barely manage 12 minutes and felt like I was going to DIE! So progress is being made there.

Hi Ladies,

So far I have not lost anything (actually gained), but my own fault for eating leftover Chinese food last night (tons of sodium) and also some ice cream in a weak moment. Sometimes it doesn't pay to weigh every day ;-) That is really not me at all, I just was having a bad night I think. I'm still dedicated to avoiding white starches and sugar so will get back on that horse! Plan to have a big salad for lunch and either lean pork chops (grilled) or salmon for dinner with lots of broccoli.

Cincorn, do you exercise at all? I think that's the only thing that gets me going in the right direction.

Andi