Yes, Webwoman I do exercise but I only started a few weeks ago. I was so out of shape I could only do 12 minutes on the treadmill and thought I was going to DIE the first time but this morning I did 30 minutes/1.43 miles. And I don't feel like I'm going to die or pass out like I did so I AM progressing! I am doing some weight training too for strength. So far it hasn't seemed to make weight loss any easier but I feel stronger with more stamina and my body is toning...I can tell the difference in my clothes. I'm going to just keep up the good fight!

I think you are smart to plan your meals in advance. That always helps me too! I haven't had anything sweet in 3 months and I just won't do it now that I'm over the cravings...my problem is I like to have a few beers on the weekend and that seems to stall me out. I'm not going to drink any beer until July 4th weekend when we go camping...then I'll have a planned cheat weekend with some beer. I drink the Michelob Ultra 95 calories/2.6 carbs but still.....sigh.

Good morning all. Hope that everyone is doing well.

Andi -- welcome! and know that you're not alone in losing and regaining. My personal lose/regain/lose/regain history sounds like an old record where the needle gets stuck and it just plays over and over.

BBP -- Thanks for the condolences on losing my sister. It was truly one of those blows in life that took a long time to recover from. But, I try to realize that we had a wonderful relationship and special bond for all of our time together and that I'm a better person for having had that.

Sailing on the weekend sounds like so much fun! That's on my bucket list. Got a friend to take me out a few years ago (he has an ocean going sailboat), but as we're chugging out of the harbor on motor power, something went wrong and we got towed back to port. It will eventually happen!

Hang in there on the slow weight loss. One of the "joys" of being in the 50+ group is being able to share the frustrations of having a metabolism that has slowed down to the speed of a snail......and yet it still comes back as "normal" when the blood work is done. Not fair, not fair, not fair (50+ doesn't mean I can't still whine, does it!).

Cincorn -- I'm so envious of you getting up to 30 minutes already on the treadmill. I've slowly gotten it back up to 20 minutes, but it's been a trial. The physical side is going so slowly -- probably because of all the health issues this year -- but I'm still plugging along. Have you been able to tell the difference yet in your overall stamina with exercising?

Tomorrow is treat day. I'm going down to the farmer's market in Olympia and having lunch at a restaurant. Just figured out what I could order including a glass of wine. Cincorn, I totally understand wanting to have a beer, and quite truthfully, there has to be a way to work them in. As long as they're in the calorie count for the day, it shouldn't be forbidden.

Betsy - How idiotic is it when people tell those of us that are obese that we need to lose weight? Like we never thought of that before????!!!! I quit smoking 12 years ago but I remember people telling me that I needed to quit because cigarettes were bad for me...REALLY? I DID NOT KNOW THAT???!!!!

I do not suffer fools gladly.

And, yes I am beginning to tell the difference in my strength and stamina! Hang in there!

Cincorn, that might be a good idea for a thread -- Stating the Obvious. I love it even more when they try -- the key word being try -- to throw in a compliment with it. You'd be so pretty if you just lost some weight. Thank you so much. I didn't realize that you thought I looked like a troll. I think part of it ties back to the perception where fat people are assumed to be both dumb and lazy. Know what you mean about suffering fools gladly.....not at my best when I'm around them!

Heading off to the farmer's market although the sky is kind of black looking....may be changing plans and going some place closer by. Made freezer jam yesterday -- sugar free.

Hi all, I have been reading the posts on this thread, very interesting and everyone seems to be taking this one day at a time. Sounds so nice.

I am 50+ yrs old and need to find something that will work. I was on SB two years ago and lost 30 lbs, gained it back when the real world hit me. I tried WW this year, lost 15 lbs and then got bummed, because the day I went to the meeting and needed encouragement for struggling, I got a meeting of well wishers for the gals that made lifetime member and leaders. (I understand they deserved attention, but they more than anyone should realize the group needs support for those not at that level.) I know I am winning about it.

So, now what do I do. I find I stress eat, I can do real good until I get home from work at 3 in the afternoon, then once I eat one thing it just moves on from there. I am out of shape, I guess sitting on my butt at work for the last 20 some years doesn't give the heart much of a work out.

I am generally a happy person and enjoy life, but right now I would like to find one or two things that work for me. And support from others in the same situation.

Thanks for letting me express that. I will continue to read your posts and hopefully get motivated.

Chick

Chickadee55, I definitely "feel your pain"! I'm older than you (60+) and find my stress eating is getting WORSE as I get older. Why did I think it would be easier at this age to take care of myself? Like you, I've tried WW -- SB -- throw in calorie counting and Atkins -- lose weight and then lose my focus or inspiration. I also eat fairly well until I get home from work -- and then any diet plan seems to go out the window. I watch more TV than ever -- and exercise less -- I NEED HELP! Add to this list of complaints the fact that my husband (who is retired and HAS TIME), goes to the gym 5 days a week, has lost weight and feels great. Compared to him, I'm just a fat slug. Maybe we can ecourage each other -- I'm willing to try, at least! But I'd also like to find some devious way to make my DH gain some weight, lol!

Lizzy, LOL, too funny. You could try buying him smaller clothes and not tell him, he will think he is gaining.

[I]Maybe we can ecourage each other -- I'm willing to try, at least! But I'd also like to find some devious way to make my DH gain some weight, lol! [/I

Oh, I am so ready for someone to encourage me. I know it has to be a life style change, so that is what I want small changes that will help and still be normal when I want to be. Thank you for replying, your comment made my day.

Hi all,
Could not get into the site for a couple of days.
Anyway, I was "off leash" yesterday (ate carbs galore) , and I am feeling sluggish today. Last week was extremely stressful and I lost 0 inches. This is going to be slow...
Lizzy, my husband has dropped to his best weight in 20 years, and is very active too. I hate it because we don't match well. And this is regain for me too, I had lost 40 pounds a few years ago. I am constantly baking irresistible goodies for him, becaue I can resist them, but he shovels them down and then works it all off on his bike. And I don't want him to regain, he looks great, I just wish I did too
Lizzy and Chickadee, I totally get the stress thing. When can you retire Lizzy?

chickadee! and good morning to all you other fine ladies. I think most of us here know what you are going through chickadee. We wouldn't be overweight/obese if we weren't sensitive and eating our feelings. I eat when I'm sad, happy, depressed, stressed, etc. We've trained ourselves that food is for comfort instead of to keep us alive and healthy! If you want some motivation go look in the GOAL section at the people who have met their goals; their stories and their pictures are so inspiring!

I'm at 227.8 this morning. I have just bounced between 227 and 229 for weeks! I am working out harder now at the gym and down to 800-1000 calories a day. I'm tired of this game and I'm not going to play it anymore!

Where oh where is that whoosh fairy!!!

Good morning ladies. This will be short (at least for me! ) as I'm heading out to my first senior yoga class. But wanted to say hi and add in my 2 cents' worth.

Chicadee, Lizzy, BBP, and Cincorn -- Sounds like we're all in the same boat with wanting to lose and struggling. Breaking life long habits of having food be one of our best friends. And for some of you dealing with having husbands who are supportive emotionally, but whose fitness reminds us every day that they're doing so much better at this than we are. I can relate. I'm in the process of losing the same 10 pounds for the 3rd time and I know I did this to myself. When I think where I could be if I hadn't given in to the chocolate and potato chips.

I did read somewhere that our metabolism just naturally slows down about 10% each decade after age 20. So by age 60, I'd lost 40% of my metabolism's working power. Yet, the blood work comes back showing a normally working thyroid. That means that when our younger friends are dropping pounds like crazy, we're celebrating losing 3-5 pounds in a MONTH instead of in one week. Not fair, but we're stuck with it. I've finally started sort of winning the evening munchy battle by scheduling all of my snack calories for the evening. When I'm doing my diet planning for the day, they get put in for the evening. I do try to stop eating by 8 PM, but if I don't, I don't. That's helped a little. The other thing that has helped me a LOT is recording everything first thing in the morning. I personally use MFP, but any of the apps will work. Heck, paper and pencil will work. But I really go off plan if I don't.

My big battle is trying to eat like I know I should when there's a family event. Haven't even come close to winning that one yet.

OK, off to see if there's any hope of bending like a pretzel at my age.

Hi Ladies, just a short post. I was doing fine this weekend until we attended the Dayton Air Show on Saturday. We were in the viewing area watching the wing walker performance when the plane crashed and burned right in front of us. People were screaming, little kids were crying and running away. I'm still shook up from that and can't concentrate even this morning. The lady was a mother of 2 and engaged to be married. Please pray for the two souls lost.

andi

Oh Andi, I heard about that accident, so sad, just goes to show everything can change in a instant. Thank goddness it sounds like they both lived lives full of adventure and didn't sit on the sidelines. Sad for their families, but the memories will live a long time.

Thanks for the great words of wisdom from you guys, it means alot to read these posts. Things are even harder when the DH buys all kinds of junk and wants you t bake stuff. Grrrrr.

Finally broke through the plateau! 226.6 this morning! I had to eat less than 900 calories for 3 days in a row and work my butt off at the gym. Whatever....I'm tired of playing with the same 2-3 lbs.!!!!

What an awful experience webwoman. I saw it on the news. I couldn't even watch that Nik Wallenda do that walk across the grand canyon. I still remember watching his grandfather attempt a walk and falling to his death. Even though it was on TV it affected me.

Not sure how long I'll be able to stay in that 800-900 cal. range but for now...I'm ALL in!

How was the yoga class Betsy? You are so right about the 3-5 lb.s a month being the BEST we can get while people in their 20's and 30's can lose that easily in a week! And people say "well you didn't gain it overnight so you can't lose it overnight". I can dang sure gain it over night, and with just a beer or a baked potato, or a sushi roll for goodness sake!!! I gained 50 lbs. in about 6 months...at the rate I'm losing I'll lose like 22 lb.s in that same time.

However, all I've got is time...next year will come and go and I'd like to be closer to my goal by then anyway.

When I struggle so hard to lose a lb. I think of those young girls in their teens and young women who are obese...even though they may be able to lose weight faster...I'm so sad for them. I was not obese until my mid 40's, stopped smoking, menopause, etc.

Good morning ladies.

Andi, I can't imagine how horrible it must have been to view the crash. I realize it's always a risk, but one that doesn't seem possible. I hope you don't suffer any lingering after effects from it.

Cincorn -- Hurrah on the moving past the 227 point. I am so glad to see someone else who is in the 800-900 calorie range in order to be able to lose weight. I read so many of the posts that say that we should be eating 1200-1800 calories. If I'm lucky, that will be maintenance. But I just can't lose at anything over 1200 calories, and to string several days of modest loss together (that would be where I lose a pound in a week!), I need to keep it at about 1000 calories. I can't imagine what it's going to be like when I get down into the 200 pound range.....can you go on a 0 calorie diet? Guess I'd eat only miracle noodles with Walden Farms dressings.

The yoga class was interesting. While I can't say I enjoyed it, I know that I'll feel better for having gone in the long run. The instructor was very patient. Two of the people having hearing problems, one of them is a 93 year old woman (I should be in such good shape), and two of us have arthritic knees. It made for an interesting class.

I'm off to the gym. Hope everyone has a great day!

Hi everyone, I feel hopful, I am a person that needs to figure out things. And I was on WW and it was working, but then I got disappointed because I wasn't losing and I was gaining, and didn't know why and they weren't much help that day.

I am taking a prescription drug for hot flashes and sleeping at night, well I have been noticing a few things going on with me, that are not normal (if I could be normal), After some research, I found out that the pill does cause weight gain, water retaination, racey heart, light headed, pretty much a bunch of stuff that I don't like, and it explains alot. So, I am going to try and get off them - because right now I can't even walk the dogs without being totally winded.

This upsets me, because that means I will be back to sleepless nights and hot flashes, which doesn't make me feel good.

But this could explain my issues with the weight, and there is nothing worse than sticking to a plan and seeing a gain for no reason. So, I have to give myself a chance now. An I just rambling.