Active Folks Over Fifty is a place to talk about fitness and healthy eating information as it relates to weight loss and/or maintenance--and also about any work, fun, hobby, or volunteer activites you're engaged in. In other words, the active part of your life!
Just a few guidelines for this thread:
- Raves about grandkids or ranting about your kids is out of bounds.
- Discussion of your illnesses, conditions, treatments, and medical procedures in general is also out of bounds on this thread. So is whining about old age!
- Positive stories of vacations taken, volunteer activities, or achievements at work or elsewhere are highly encouraged! As are recommendations for books, movies, lively discussions of weight related issues, etc.
Join in!
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OK, Spinymouse, were you really sending a message on your iPhone from the gym while drinking an Amstel Light? Honestly! Must be California...
Sometimes, I don't have much to report because my life has a real predictability to it. Not that I am "complaining" about that.
My usual activity of walking the treadmill 5x a week during my work week plus floor exercises and doing upper body strength training with the free weights still stands. That will be my work out for as long as it gets the results I am looking for.
A couple of NSV to report: I am now under the .8 waist to hip ratio! I carry the majority of my weight through my middle---yes, I am a ripe, juicy apple.
I have lost 4 inches from my mid section since I have been doing this in mid-September. My shoes are getting looser on me. Some I will have to give away. (that makes me sad since I really love each and every one of them) and I spent one Saturday afternoon trying on clothes that now do fit so I feel like I went on a Mall shopping spree right in my own closet! Woo Hoo!
I have been reading a couple of "diet" books: "The 4 Day Win" and "Thin for Life". The second one is a faster read. It was published in 1994 by Ann Flectcher who is a R.D. and who interviewed "masters"(name she chose) who have successfully lost and maintained a weight lose. It is really a very good book and I checked it out from the library. Considering the date of the book, it is very interesting that most of the life-long weight lose maintainers finally did adopt what we now are telling everyone to do. Most did this by trial and error, finding out what works for them.
The book lists the KEYS to successful weight lose. Comparing myself to some of the criteria of those people who lost weight for good made me realize that THIS TIME it is going to happen. However, the caveat through out the book so far is that these people also realized that this was a "life time change"( seems we have heard that before, huh?). That means I am a "lifer" from here on in. And, I realize that what I eat today will probably be what I will be eating in 2008, 2009 and so on.
One thing it has done for me is made me realize that why treat this holiday any different than the next or the next or the next? Because, it isn't. I did think (well, I am a work in progress) that maybe next year I could indulge more but once I read about how these other people AFTER they had lost the weight kept their weight lose in check by NOT reverting to some of the previous eating behaviors (that myth seems to take awhile to die, doesn't it?) I realized that there is more to life than a butter cookie----I decided that I will "indulge" a "smidgen" but a full blown binge? Not if I can help it!
And, both books really emphasize that it is not about White Knuckle Willpower. It is really about making peace with food once and for all. We have to have it but we don't have to have ALL of it!
That is where this active 54 year old is today. I did get up a live Christmas tree in my office, to my left as I write this, and I spent all of this past weekend stringing lights on my front porch. The weather was so cool here in Atlanta, drizzly rain, and with me being a perpetual "hot Mama" these days (if you know what i mean) I welcomed the cool weather. I just wish I could have had the knees to take a walk outdoors. It was a wonderful time spent alone allowing myself to let my cheeks get red from cool (not inner heat) and then having a hot cup of French vanilla capuccino afterwards.
That's the holidays for me so far. I am very nervous about attending a church Christmas party this Saturday. I hate social events with food. Just hate them! If I can be brave and not chicken out, I'll share how it went next week.
Last edited by pamatga; 11-29-2007 at 10:49 AM.
Reason: added info
That's right--it's a lifetime of having "made peace with food." I love that phrase! And that doesn't mean we can't ever have certain foods again--it just means we can't ever think overeating doesn't count. It always does.
I like to say that we are redefining normal--from the old way, which clearly didn't work or we wouldn't be here, to the new way that will keep us from getting overweight all over again.
I went out for a walk this morning and got caught in the rain! And I didn't take my umbrella. Well, at least here in Fla. it's a warm rain. The worst that happened is that I got wet.
I miss walking outside. The snow and ice aren't much fun. I bought a few more WATP dvds to give some more variety to my collection. I did "Walk & Kick" last night. It wasn't too bad. I did the 4 mile super challenge the night before, so the shorter kicking dvd actually seemed easy - LOL.
I put up the Christmas tree at work today. I need to get my cards done soon. We aren't putting up decorations in the house this year since we will be gone for Christmas and New Year's.
Linda, I hope you are feeling better soon!
Jay - I like the idea of re-defining normal. I've still got a long way to go, but with age seems to come some wisdom and patience and ...
pamatga - great NSVs! I haven't done any measurements on this journey. No starting measurements even. I guess I thought that they would depress me even more than my scale weight. I had been at my current size for about 7 years when I started my lifestyle change in July. Consequently, all my smaller clothes are long gone. I have been getting hand-me-downs from a friend that lost 40 lbs. using WW and is now at her goal weight. They are a blessing!
Gail - hope the weather is nicer down there than it is up here! And have a safe trip home
Last edited by CountingDown; 11-29-2007 at 06:19 PM.
We've got really cold and snowy today -- so come on up here for a visit, JAY -- everybody is pale this time of year (unless they spend time in a tanning salon or down 'south') -- you'll fit right in.
I do feel better (stomach-wise) but now I'm sneezing a lot. Was going to go out shopping today, but think I'll hold off until tomorrow. We are supposed to be getting about 6 inches of white stuff today, anyway. It's never a good idea to be on the roads during the first major snowstorm of the season.
I stuck up a new thread with some cute holiday food related quizzes for everybody to enjoy . . . have a look if you get a chance.
See you all later, gang . . . hope you have a great day . . .
Linda - glad you are feeling somewhat better! Here's hoping that the sneezing is over soon! We are supposed to get a major storm this weekend too.
It is so funny to observe Caucasian "coloring" this time of year in northern Michigan. You have the people like me who are paler than ever, and those that obviously hit the tanning salon regularly that look like they just got back from a very long trip to a tropical paradise. Skin cancer runs in my family, so I lather up and hide when the sun is out. SPF 15 on my face and hands 365 days a year.
Loved the holiday food quizzes Linda. I did very well. Being a vegetarian, I missed a couple of the meat-related questions, however.
Jay, thanks for sharing your observation. I think the protein level in my diet might be a bit low as well. While it served me well at a higher weight with less exercise in my life, I'm thinking that my body would appreciate a bit more protein as I build muscle mass. All of the new activities in my life - weightlifting, WATP, pilates, resistance bands, even yoga - really challenge my muscles.
Spiny - hope those legs are feeling better soon! My shoulders are stiff from my pilates workout yesterday and my glutes are sore from the WATP 4 fast miles. I had no idea that "boosted walking" (jogging) was part of the routine! While I felt very pleased that I made it through the workout, it might have been a bit much for my poor old body - LOL
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I am off to do some Christmas shopping - I'm SO far behind this year!!!
Last edited by CountingDown; 12-01-2007 at 10:10 AM.
Active Folks Over 50 -- #5
Must be California... 
More later.
Hello Active Folks over 50
Hope it is soon over with.
Was going to go out shopping today, but think I'll hold off until tomorrow. We are supposed to be getting about 6 inches of white stuff today, anyway. It's never a good idea to be on the roads during the first major snowstorm of the season.