Woke up with hot flashes at 3:30 this morning Busy day at work (11 hrs), then chairing the administrative council at church. Finally got home at 9 ish tonight. Thank heavens for leftovers that pack well in briefcases! I got my yoga in this morning, but no aerobics. I will have to do a challenging workout tomorrow!

I hope everyone is well. I'm so blessed to have dh doing this with me. He attended a "fat" seminar today for his pharmacy continuing education. He was surprised by how much of the information shared mirrors the books we have been reading (things like Mindless Eating) and the info shared here on 3FC. This forum really is a great source for information and scientific knowledge

I am in a nasty humour this morning. Looks like I'm in for another day of I absolutely have to go out today (very important appointment) and we are in for a mixed bag of snow, rain, freezing rain. Additionally, Frick has been sneezing a little and Purrecious has a watery eye -- and I'm panic stricken about it.

Hope to be back later.

OK, everyone--I have a couple of questions for y'all this morning.

1. Do you think you have a harder or easier time losing weight at your current age, compared to a younger person (or a younger you)?

and

2. What factors are involved?

Jay

Hi . . .

Harder

Age and Diabetes

Later, gang.

Meowee, I hope you'll come back later and explain more. "Age" isn't exactly what I was looking for as an answer, since we are all (presumably) 50+.

So... I meant things like, do you think that your metabolism is slower? Are you less willing to do without some foods? Have you done so many diets that you're tired? Things like that.

Jay

1. It's harder

2. My metabolism is definitely slower. I eat less and less as I get older. I don't eat dinner. Ok, maybe I eat dinner about 4 times a year, as a social thing. I do drink alcoholic beverages and maybe milk or juice in the evening, but, I used to do that AND eat dinner when I was in my 30's, and I used to eat much more cheese in my 30's, much more food in general, but I was much leaner then. Even my alcoholic beverages of choice when I was in my 30's were way higher in calories than my beverages of choice now. And I was probably 50 pounds lighter then.
Another reason it is harder for me is that I am very sedentary. I was never really active, I am just kind of a slow plodding person by nature; always have been. Even as a kid - other kids would be running around in circles screaming "EEEEEEEE!" and I'd be sitting quietly in the grass wondering what was the matter with them. But relatively speaking I am even more sedentary now than I was when I was younger; I sit at a desk all day, don't have to climb any stairs, walk to the bus stop or anything. Plus I am taking some medication which slows everything down even more, which is not necessarily age related, but, I did not need to take such a high dose when I was younger. It is actually more of a weight-related than age-related thing, but, then we get into the viscious circle imagery.

Sorry Jay . . .

I'm a firm believer that your metabolism slows by between 5% and 10% a decade after age 40 . . . so that is part of it. Add to my ripe old age of 64, the medications I use for Diabetes . . . everything (except Metformin) is well known to render weight loss more difficult.

Since I stopped the Insulin in October and started a little more exercise, I managed to lose 5 pounds in October/November . . . now that December (a trying month at best) is here and I'm really stressing over my personal zoo epidemic, I'm afraid my good eating and exercising have gone right out the window too.



This too will all pass . . . and I WILL get my act back together. I will.

I went through a similar weight loss 10 years ago. I lost 75 lbs. I calorie counted. I exercised. It took half as long to lose the weight. So I am going to say a bit harder. Only a bit because the harder list outweighs the easier list by just a little.
Why is it harder?

• My metabolism IS slower, though I think that my newly found habit of exercising regularly is helping some.
• It is harder to build muscle mass now. My knees can't take rigorous workouts like they could 10 years ago. I can't burn as many calories through exercise either.
• My kids are not living at home any more - running all over creation with them, participating in activities with them and feeling like I needed to cook a certain way to keep them healthy put some restraints on my bad behaviors. Now, with just dh around - we stay home a lot more. More opportunities to snack and it really doesn't matter to either of us if one of us wants ice cream for dinner.

Why is it easier?

• I have time to exercise - without spending all of that time running around with kid activities, I have no excuses for not working out
• I can eat what I want - I don't have to cook if I don't feel like eating, or if I just want to grab yogurt or a light snack
• I am wiser. All of my experience, all that I have read, all the information gleaned from 3FC, all of the support from online resources and software make some aspects easier this time around.
• Greater variety of exercise options are inexpensive and readily available (great DVDs, stretchie bands, other home gym equipment)

You will see some overlapping on my list - the kids being gone is both a blessing and a curse - LOL.


Linda - I hope the kitties are doing better! Keep us posted.

Counting - I really like your "why is it easier" positive reasons.

I don't have the kid / time differences -
But the wisdom and experience - WOW! Yes, that could be very motivational for me, so thank you!

Although I am being mirrored by my "foster" Ragdoll cat who just ate four pinches of catnip and is lethargically curled up near the heater.

Okay--some answers from me to the questions.

For many years I didn't really think my weight was a problem--it was just something I'd have to deal with "eventually." It went up and down, of course, in slow-motion yo-yo fashion. I had been a normal-sized young person, so weight crept up over the years while I was being somewhat oblivious, still thinking of myself as "slim."

Being older, I have realized that there IS a time limit involved here. And that metabolism does slow down, so losing gets harder. Why, FitDay tells me that I can maintain my weight at 1600 calories. That's all! So if I don't exercise, I can't create a calorie deficit that will give me a decent rate of loss (even 1 pound a week) and stay above 1200 cals a day.

And that's why I exercise!

It's easier because I am in charge of my food and I don't have to try to please other people with my own eating habits.

It's easier because I'm not trying to keep up with Angelina Jolie or any of the cute stars. I really don't care about that!

It's easier because my priorities are focused on myself instead of what others think of me, which is so often the case with younger people.

It's easier because of my experience in the past, which has shown me that weight will come back on unless I pay attention always.

And also, being older, I understand concepts like discipline. I can stay with something.

Jay

Hi . . .

It has been snowing again. Getting really tiresome.

On the sick cat front . . . two seriously ill and spending this weekend at the Vet's; three only moderately infected and spending the time at home. I just hope they are all healthy by this time next week when I'm ready to leave for Ontario.

Anyway . . . here is just one more reason we all need to control our weight (at least if you are a rat, , but it makes sense that it would apply to humans too) . . . http://www.everydayhealth.com/public...12/12&q1=&cen=

Have a great evening everybody . . . see you soon . . .

Ahhhhh! Linda - that article is great motivation for most people but I had to skim it and not let it negatively motivate me because my immune system is hyperactive (it is about the only thing about me that is hyperactive!)
Wow - I hope your catly ones will come around to their health real soon!

Jay - calories and exercise - ugh. I hate exercise way more than I like food so I'd rather consume less and expend less ergs of energy but i know that is not what is recommended. When I exercise I feel like it is trying to make a turtle run. But I will keep trying to do the unnatural. I will. I promise! And I like your "it's easier" reasons!

Spiny, I hear you on the exercise! For me, variety has been the only way that I can keep it up. When the weather was nice, I walked to work - 1 mile each way - pretty easy thing to do. Then I added some dvds - yoga - not too hard. Then one of the WATP with a stretchie band interval every so often - not too bad either. Then a pilates video, and resistance bands, and WATP kicking. Then a bunch of dance workouts (I love the salsa one). Some days, I take it easy - others I do a 4 mile walk. I have to say - once I got started, it really grew on me. And even if I don't feel like exercising, I use the 10 minute solution dvds. I do one routine, and I usually find myself adding one or two more.

I must say, that "dance days" are my favorite. I will probably add a few more dance videos as I get bored with the ones I have.

Linda - thanks for the update on the felines! I hope that they are on the mend soon. It is so hard when your pets are sick. And it is really awful when you have travel plans.

Jay - I liked your answer. There is a lot of truth to your comments. The metabolism slowdown is something that I knew would happen, but I think I was in a very naive place thinking it wouldn't happen this soon. I am thankful that I have more patience now than I did before, so that I don't get frustrated and give up like I probably would have 10 years ago.

What a great question, JayEll....our fearless leader...........and GREAT answers, team!

Not a single observation/response that I disagree with.....and not sure what I can add to the discussion........agree with the "rather eat less than exercise" sentiment..........that was me for all my life..........it was where I was......and still might say I am.......EXCEPT..........except for this fact.......and it is undeniably where I am right now......and I have known this for a cuppla months......I am 20 #s over where I was 2 years ago.....BUT, I am in better shape.....I can do more on the treadmill, go up my favorite hill, and lift more, than I could two years ago. That is all good.......here is the &(*@W#%#@%($% STINKY part....compared to my body composition 2 years ago...........that 20# gain.....is ALL in BACK FAT and MIDRIFF FAT.......and ARM FAT.....and even FACE FAT........how GREAT is THAT?? I can only hope that if I can defeat this FAT, that it it will fade in the places that I CHOSE....*sigh......Great question, Jay..........

I hope you all don't think I'm trying to change the subject here, I am just adding an additional subject - a bit selfishly, but, I was just wondering what i should do for "Christmas." I have no plans, and the only friend I usually do anything with at all is going northward to visit an elderly woman who was friends with his grandmother. I think that is so sweet! Anyway, what is unusual for me this year is that I have 6 days in a row when I won't be working. I always work between Christmas and New Years but this year it just worked out that I only have to come in on one day, Friday, which results in me having the Saturday before Christmas through the Thursday after Christmas off -- and nothing really to do! Which could be nice, just to piddle around, put objects back where they belong or something. I got a newsletter that I really liked which advised that whatever your situation is over the Holidays, whether you are alone, or surrounded by dysfunctional family members..... resist the temptation to think it should be any different. I like that. Yet, sometimes resistance is hard. I feel like I "should" make some plans. I'm not sure where that comes from; peer pressure or its equivalent, I guess. Anyone have any ideas?