Losing weight at 50 - Part 2
 

Needed to make a new thread for this subject because of the 500 post limit. Old posts can be found here.

Thanks for new post. Read the older posts and appreciate each one who contributed.

Same story here, trying to get below 200 for second time. I'm in better shape physically now than I was the first time, but made the same mistakes. Certainly far older, but even at 77 I can do more than I have been doing.

Gardening, walking and the Gym all are available and give me opportunities that I take advantage of. Gym is air conditioning when the weather is too hot for gardening or walking. Just have to have car (we share one) and the gumption to drive the 6 miles to the Gym. Once I'm there I'm fine, and some days actually enjoy the activity.

Easiest is gardening because I totally forget myself and am simply doing what I love. Just need to be up early enough to beat the sun.

Thanks for making a new thread! I'm Donna and I've been here off and on. I've maintained for the last year and have about 30 more I want to lose.

What is IP?

I turned 50 back in the spring and kept thinking I was going to "shape up." But I didn't do anything until I got back from vacation n June.....hubs took me to France for ten days :) I had a normal checkup appt. and the scale said 181 lbs and I'm 5'3"! It was probably more before France, because I ate better and less there and was walking miles almost daily (and I felt like I was hungry a lot).

Anyway, I went cold turkey on the aspartame and everything else fell into place. I eat mostly whole, homegrown or local foods. The processed food I do eat is organic and/or non-GMO or made by me (breads/tortillas/etc.) I eat absolutely no diet food...no reduced fat, fat-free, anything unless it's that way naturally. cravings disappeared, the overeating is almost non-existent, my energy level is up. I drink lots of water and drink 2-6 light beers a week. I never go hungry though...I just make better choices.

I'm down from 181 to 165.4 lbs as of yesterday....Saturday's tend to be my lowest weight days I thought no because I sleep in :) I have a very small frame...my first set of wedding rings were size 4.25 and my wedding dress was an old-school size 3, not today's vanity size 3. I would like to Geoffdown to 130 by spring break 2015. Then I'll reevaluate and set new goals.

To those that want to throw in the towel because you don't think things are progressing....stick it out! I have been stuck so much for a week or two at a time of his summer, but I kept on trying to lose and my body gave it up (excess weight ) eventually. And don't skip meals or cut your calories too much...slow and steady wins the race.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

I am 56 and have gained and lost so many times I have lost count. I am at my highest all time weight, and I feel like crap. I have always been an emotional eater. I lost my husband almost three years ago, and have been comfort eating ever since. I need to get back on track with healthier eating, more activity, and healthier ways to cope with emotions. I am too young to feel this crappy.

Hi Judy Lynn....I felt so crappy a few years backed well...too much diet food and aspartame, unnecessary meds, overindulgence, etc. I slowly started eating better, but still too much food and diet soda. When I went cold turkey on the diet soda and most processed foods, I finally started to feel a change. It took a month or too, but now I have do much energy and don't take cholesterol meds any more.

You can do it one step at a time. It gets easier to stay "on plan" once you start feeling better. I was resolved at one point to just be overweight forever, but all that changed. I can never imagine going back to my old ways now. What really helped my was thus forum....it keeps me accountable. I've joined a few "check in" threads to keep me honest.

Good luck and hope to see you around.

Hi Darkblue: here's the 3FC spot to start with reading & questions: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...28-2015-a.html

and here's the official website: www.idealprotein.com

Liana

:hug:

New here!
 

New here! I've gained and lost over the years following several different diets. The only one I've ever been really successful with is Atkins. I'm back at it and could use as much encouragement and accountability as I can get!

I am new here too. Post menopause condition is 35-40 lbs over weight. I'm cutting carbs i.e. a modified Atkins and can loose but it's SLOW. Not at all like before menopause. I'm still pretty healthy but if I don't drop this weight I know it will affect that. Ugh.

On another note I also grew out my gray hair the past few years. I like it but the overweight issue has to go!!

I'm 5'2 so 40 lbs feels and looks terrible. Ugh

So sorry for your loss. My husband has congenital heart issues and his health a constant stress for us both. I understand your emotional eating issue.

Hi Ladies, I'm new here too, but not new to 3FC.

Thanks for this thread and I hope to get to know you all better.

I'm 58 and have been carrying around an extra 25 pounds for as long as I can remember. I've been divorced for over a decade and had been seeing someone for 7 years, but alas I'm winding that relationship down as he has some health and personal issues that I don't want to deal with for the rest of my life.

I think the definition of scary is joining Match.com at my age...Arrggg! All the men around my age want young chicks, as unrealistic as that may be (like they want an old man??). The few sane guys who know someone closer to their age would be a better fit are still very visual and want someone who looks "hot", meaning a very good body.

I'm not trying to lose weight for the guys but for my own health and well-being, but it's still frustrating in this new journey. Anyone else go through something similar?

Andi

WebWoman I accidentally met my second husband playing online games ten years ago. He's English and 11 years older than myself! However, he wasn't "into" women that young and didn't even want to meet because of his age. His plan was to keep it a nice friendship. However, I insisted and took a vacation to London and did meet him in a neutral setting. We married a year after the first face-to-face and celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary this past June. Long story short....Older European men are less worried about "looks" and more interested in your personality. And it's not just my hubs....I know plenty of men just like him.

PQ, congrats on meeting your husband! I have never considered dating someone over the pond as I've heard so many warnings about scams, green cards, and the like. Would really like to meet someone within 45 min of where I live! It's a big enough market here that it's possible. I've only been on a few weeks and I need to be patient.

Andi

I'm just into my third week of dieting and finding at 53 it is a lot harder to lose weight. I've lost 5.1 pounds and I know I shouldn't complain, but this is tough!

I really want to be in the 150's by early December. Just looking for some support to get me there! :coffee:

I'm sure you will get there JC..and it's a good time to get to grips with the weight problem as I know only too well! I am now 81 and finding it doubly..nay treble the effort to get the weight off.

I have now made a drastic reduction in my daily carbs - 60, and calories 1000 which seems to be having a very good effect.. Still a way to go as yet.. :)

Hello - I was reading your posts and you all seem like you have a positive outlook so I hope that helps you achieve your goals.

I have been on this site before earlier this year but I got busy with retiring and moving from Canada to Mexico so I have let my weight loss go to the back burner and gained 5 lbs - uggg!

However, since being here for 3 months and walking everywhere I have lost 10 lbs. (5 of that overnight due to a crab taquito - I don't recommend that method!)

I have finally started to be able to keep down food in small portions and I am going to strive to keep this up. It's cheaper to eat out then cook at home so I need to watch this practice. I think I'll either order appys or take 1/2 home. A lot of places don't allow sharing....

I love my white wine and diet sprite and rum but since being sick I haven't been able to hold it down. Probably a good thing .... but I did enjoy my nightly drink ..... or 3 with my husband. We'll see what happens. I won't push that back into my regular dietary intake.

I have noticed that being over 50 and having dietary issues (no gallbladder, acid reflux, sensitivities to dairy and grains (take antihistamines daily because of dust, grass, flowers, etc...), pre diabetic and being a picky eater are not helping me in any way, shape or form.

I will join my calorie counter group again and get back to monitoring myself.

I will continue to read your posts and look for suggestions on things that have helped you and incorporate them into my life style.

Good luck to all of you

It is harder to lose the weight after 50 but it can be done. I keep telling myself that it took a long time to pack it on so I can expect for it to take awhile to take it off also.

wanttochange_ I hear you on the wine but I find it always under mines my efforts so I am trying for the occasional glass.

Wanttochange- just went back to your post and read the last of it. I had to laugh at myself because I always wished I was a picky eater. I eat EVERYTHING. and that doesn't help either. Hang in there you are going in the right direction.

You all had a good group going here. I just turned 50 in April ... would like to re-vamp this thread if possible.

I'm about 50lbs over weight. Just decided to restart on May 9th weighing in at 180.7.

Hey there Rennie! That is exactly where I was at the same height, and I started three months after I turned 50. I just turned 51. Glad to see you back!!

Happy Birthday to both of you youngsters!

Thanks Carol Sue :)

Happy Belated Birthday PrairieQueen :hug: I need tons of help. What did you do in the beginning any menus that you have or anything that you would want to share is greatly appreciated. I need something I can stick to. I was just looking at your menu yesterday on the carb thread and I was thinking wow, what discipline. :)

Thanks Carol Sue and Rennie :)

Rennie I started out on this journey by accident. When we got back from vacay last June, my two gardens needed about 15-20 hours of weeding since I'm organic and don't use chemicals to control. So every morning id go out for 2-3 hours and back again in the evening for an hour or do. I did this for four days straight. I also had loads of cleaning to do. I started to notice my clothes fitting better and started weighing myself.....it was eight pounds or so less than when I went to doc right after vacay! That's when I got serious.

#1 - ditch the diet soda and anything else with artificial sweeteners in it. ... Ditch as much processed food as possible. Have good emergency food handy for when you get hangry and need a quick fix
#2 - high protein breakfast to keep me satisfied all morning
#3 - ditch the white bread and sparingly eat the whole grain/sourdough/pasta (of course I can't give it up totally, but I used to eat loads of it), I eat very little sugar but never did so it wasn't a sacrifice
#4 - keep my calories 600-700 for break/lunch total, then I can splurge within reason at dinner

#5 - splurge every couple of months on your favorite "bad" food.....for me it's fried chicken wings and sides loaded with buttery hot sauce

Realize that your weight goes up when you exercise a lot, Aunt Flo visits, you eat pasta/bread. Don't get discouraged when your weight loss stalls...just keep on truckin'!

I'm sure you know all this but it doesn't hurt to be reminded/encouraged once in awhile. I do better when I stay busy....less time to think about snacks!

Break - sausage mcmuffin
Lunch - Amy's bean/cheese burrito
Dinner - beef barbacoa quesadilla (copycat recipe) and black beans

Happy Belated Birthday, Rennie and Prairie Queen. When I turned 50 (8 years ago) I had lost about 40 lbs (from 225). I wanted to be in good shape when I hit my 50's. After that, I returned to eating the way I had been before I lost weight, gained the 40 back and then some! This time after getting to an all time high of 233, my body couldn't take the extra weight. Things were beginning to ache and tear (2 sprained ankles from everyday activities). I had to do something. So, I got serious and take it day by day and plan my meals to stay within guidelines. I made a spreadsheet to write down everything I eat, keep track of my daily weigh-ins and then use MFP to get the calories (even though South Beach doesn't require it, but it helps me).

You need to lose it now, in your early 50's. Even though I have lost 70+ lbs now, my skin has gotten saggier! I wished I had kept it off and maybe I wouldn't have all this saggy skin. But, oh well, I have so much more energy than before. I amaze myself at how much I can do in a day and not get exhausted. I know now, this is the way I have to eat for the rest of my life and I am happy with that. I do NOT want to be that big again.

PrairieQueen you did need to tell me, WHY???? because black and white speaks pretty loudly :hug: thank you. and I appreciate you. I so need to get the scale moving again. I look terrible. thank you again :hug:

Kat, I too have fractured both my ankles when I weighed 199.5 and 218. Both times I stepped down wrong and the weight of my body did it. I also know all to well about the exertion from the weight. I also have problems with my knees from this weight. I know I've got to get the weight off but I truly do not know how to stay focused on my own. It's almost like I need to have someone to keep tabs on me. I now know what it means to have an addiction to food because I have one for sure.

Rennie, PQ told you BECAUSE YOU ASKED!! LOL I needed to read that, too, but I think I'm a lost cause.

Kat, no one likes the loose skin, but you have to choose which one you hate the most.....the loose skin or the fat. I am way beyond the 50 mark!

PrairieQueen don't know if you have come back to see my thank you for the eating tips but thank you again. I printed them out to put on the fridge, pantry and in my car for when I want to make those pit stops on the way home from work. I'm gonna figure out how to make it small enough but still legible for my screen saver. :) I tried to put on a pair of jeans that I got less than two months ago ... so not good. Felt like I was stuffed into them :(

Kat I was just reading your signature and noticed the dates of when you met the goals this year. What are you doing to keep the scale moving? thanks :)

weight today 182

Rennie I am going to be your official cheerleader all summmmmmmmer long! I'm so glad you thought my tips were worth keeping :) It is so worth getting healthier and losing the pounds. I cannot believe how much better I feel (and look) from one year ago. I went to my nephew's graduation and you should have seen the looks on those faces of people I haven't seen in years! I hadn't seen my dad in over a year and he didn't even know it was me he was talking to (granted he is ill, but still). My nephew and I have a special connection AND he lost 60 lbs in the last 18 months as well. I am so proud of him. Long story short, he lives with my dad & step-mom and has to basically cook for himself unless he wants all of the processed junk in the house......well, he started cooking and working out at the school when there was open gym, got a job, a girlfriend, and now he wants to go to community college! That is huge for him, and it all started with cleaning up his food act. Anyway, sorry to get off topic. (I wish I had enough $$ so quit my job and volunteer as a nutritional coach in our little city. I'm a true believer now.)

I'm always here if you need me :)

PrairieQueen that is an awesome story and I am so proud of your nephew and you. It's a great thing to have people (even cyber ones) that have your back. I so want to get this weight off but I have clearly lost my drive. I'm not happy with the way I look. My clothes that I just bought don't fit. I have a gym membership that I don't use ... so I'm just blah right now where weight loss is concerned. My cousin started earlier this year going to the gym with a friend and he has lost a ton of weight eating properly and working out. I'm so proud of him. I wish we lived closer because I would definitely go with him. and on that note you can definitely start with me as your first client. :)

:hug::hug:

Prairie Queen, what a wonderful story about your nephew. Proves what they say about once you learn to control one aspect of your life, it gives you confidence. I bet it was a great feeling at the graduation having people see your "new you"!

Rennie, I have been pretty strict staying with my South Beach diet plan. It is pretty much what PQ suggested in her tips. I made sure I had food on my plan around the house, so if I wanted a snack, it was available. I got creative cooking, too. I did a lot of recipe searching for low carb/low calorie. I found several rubs for pork, chicken and beef that are very tasty. I also found how to make your own taco seasoning and whole wheat pizza dough. I tried not to eat too many grains/breads during the day. String cheese, nuts, low sugar fruits are my snacks. Sometimes, I will grab a few turkey pepperonis and nibble on them. I have a sugar free fudgesicle for dessert after dinner for a sweet/chocolate/ice cream fix (only 40 calories!). I buy sugar free candies and pop them in for something sweet tasting. CVS carries a good variety. Warning - do NOT eat a whole lot of them as you will get very gassy and they can act as a laxative!

I did pretty well until I got to about 175 lbs and then had to buckle down some more, watching calories as well. I am not doing much in the area of exercise other than walking a few times a week. But, I am a bit more active now that we are at our seasonal trailer near Urbanna on the weekends. We pack/unpack the car, take a few strolls around the campgrounds with the dog, cooking meals out on the grill, running up to the grocery store (still do grocery store trips for the house, too) to stock up food, etc.

My motivation actually comes from being on 3FC. Reading others posts and seeing them move the scale down kind of creates a small amount of competition.

PrairieQueen ... I'm sorry I meant to also mention that I would have loved to have seen the looks on your families faces at the graduation. I'm sure you felt WONDERFUL :) and your Dad bless his heart. What did he say when you told him it was you?

Kat thanks for your tips. An old friend told me about the sugar free fudgesicles and I forgot about them. I need to stay as far away from bread as possible. I don't have the discipline to eat it. I buy the flax/whole wheat pitas. I think they taste like cardboard so it's easy to only eat one. I could definitely make a pizza on that. :) My motivation also comes from the friends I've made on 3FC but only when I allow them in (here lately I've been pretty stubborn) my weight shows it, smh.

Today has been a pretty good day

Rennie my dad just got a big ole smile on his face. Nephew didn't know I was driving down as a surprise and he got a giant smile when he saw me come in as well. There were only 75 kids in his graduating class......just a small Appalachian town.

Hit a new low this morning - 153.8! <=== Rennie this is what keeps me going. For the past couple of days I had weigh-ins of 154.8, 154.4, and 155 yesterday. But I kept my calories low and portions reasonable and finally see a little drop!

DH and I will be going down to our trailer this weekend until Monday. I have 3 different scales there and none of them read the same. I have one that was my mom's and is ancient and it is the most reliable, but I have a hard time seeing just where the little line hits on the numbers. I bought one of those travel scales and it's a joke. It is too hard to balance on and it can't get it to give me the same weight after stepping on it repeatedly. The 3rd one I just bought to take down there and I am not too happy with it either. Same brand and functions as my one at home, but it is not consistent either. Anyway, my next 4 weigh-ins will be a guess. lol

PrairieQueen, I'm sure their smiles said enough :) and what a great surprise :)

:congrat: Kat on your new low :carrot: I'll be honest seeing a new low for me seems to make me think I don't have to keep working at it. I end up gaining the next day and the next and the next, smh. I hope one of the scales gives you a close enough reading that you can use. If not you have something to look forward to when you come home, that is if those scales read higher than your home scale, which I hope is the case. :crossed: My Mom has an old analog scale. I thought I was gonna break it when I stepped on it. She has had that thing forever. Surprisingly it read close to my scale. :)

weight today 179.1 down 3.4lbs but my calories were low so I'm not expecting it to stick tomorrow

Hello Ladies I'm down 1.4 today to 177.7 ... I'm trying :)

Way to go Rennie! That is great!!! Keep it up and stay busy over the holiday weekend so you're not too tempted :)

Thanks, Rennie. Congrats on moving the scale, down. Keep on doing what you are doing! You have lost BUT it's not where you want to be, right? Don't get complacent. Shoot for 175. We know you can do it!!!!!!

Thanks PrairieQueen :hug: I didn't do so well yesterday ... but I'm not sure why. I did eat chicken right before bed but it was a rotisserie chicken but maybe the sodium, :dunno:

Thanks Kat :hug: LOL I'm not near where I want to be and 175 would make me happy right now (happy but not content thank goodness).

Ladies my Mom is here so I'm sure eating on plan will be a task ... she'll cook and I'll eat :D along with everyone else in here :D