Hi all! I am 50 and have struggled for years with being overweight. Currently 251 I am at my all time high. I have high B.P, high cholesterol, knee replacement 2 yrs ago and everything just hurts!!! I have to make a life change, have to find a way to focus on myself after being a stay-at-home Mom for 19 yrs. I've lost my way and really need some support! Perhaps with mini-goals so it's not overwhelming? I need to feel better and soon...

Hi newroad! Mini-goals are an excellent way to lose weight. It sounds like you have the determination, so have you thought about what mini-goals you want to set? You'll find lots of support here so get involved! Good luck!

Welcome I would like to be your buddy I was reading your post and it sound like me welcome aboard

Thank-you Jacqui and Jumphigh for the notes I feel so consumed with being "fat" it haunts me 24/7. I see a mirror and see fat...I go to a store and think how "fat" I am... I try to walk and now have planters facitis on my heel. I just am basically depressed so not a very upbeat buddy but I want to make this work as I honestly feel this is the last straw. At 50 it's not so much vanity anymore but honest reality that I won't be here to see my kids get married etc if I don't lost weight. How are you all starting???

I am 52, so I can relate to how you are feeling, but as much as I keep hearing stories about how your metabolism slows down as you get older, my scale numbers keep going down, and they can for you too! I have discovered that I have a carb sensitivity, so simply counting calories doesn't work well for me. Certain foods trigger my appetite. So I am doing a modified version of the Slow Carb Diet (a diet from the book 4-hour Body by Tim Ferriss). Here is what I do:

For 6 days of the week, I eat
--meat and fish
--legumes
--eggs
--non-potato veggies
--veggie-like fruits (like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash)
--nuts in moderation
--peanut butter
--cottage cheese
--black olives
--condiments
--salad dressings
and I drink
--6-8 oz of water a day
--Diet Dr. Pepper
--Green tea

For these 6 days, I avoid
--breads and grains (including corn)
--pasta
--dairy (other than eggs and cottage cheese)
--fruits (except veggie-like fruits)
--potatoes
--sweets

I count no calories. I count no carbs. I don't eat every 4 hours (like the book says). I don't pay attention to numbers at all. I eat when I'm hungry. I stop when I'm full. I try not to eat late at night.

The 7th day of the week (I've chosen Saturday) is an allowed and even recommended Cheat Day. I eat WHATEVER I want as much as I want, but again, I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.

On this diet, I never feel "starved" because my blood sugar no longer spikes on a high-carb diet, and I'm never tempted to break my diet or binge on forbidden foods because I can have them on Cheat Day. Also, I'm not much of an exerciser, but I try to walk for 20 minutes each day. Everyone is different so I don't know if this diet would work for you--some people aren't carb-sensitive, some people can't handle restricting certain foods, some people are triggered by cheat day--but I love it, and I've lost 24 lbs in 2 1/2 months. Whichever plan you choose, good luck!