[Sparkycat99]

Hi!

I'm Sparkycat, a 51 year old, fairly active female person who has alternated between lifestyle fitness activities and goal weight, and a sedentary lifestyle and as much as 80 lbs overweight since my 20s.

I've lost a significant amount of weight at least 3 times in my life and engaged in activities such as running, road and mountain biking, white water paddling, hiking and sea kayaking,

In May of 2014 I started my most recent journey by losing 50 lbs in about 9 months. 217 to 167. My strategy was to log my calorie consumption with MyFitnessPal, use my fitbit to monitor activity and motivate myself to exercise every day. I live in Washington DC and walk a lot in our very walkable city.

I quit logging in March of 2015, stopped using my fitbit in July of 2015, and stopped weighing myself - I knew I was gaining, but if I didn't weigh myself, I wouldn't see how much! I didn't get to my 155 goal.

I weighed in at 182 at the Doc's last December, 184 at the beginning of February when I couldn't button my size 12 jeans (which were baggy in March of 2015 at 167).

I've set MFP goal to 155 and have increased my activity level and am back to using my fitbit. The scale says 177 today, so I'm getting somewhere. I can button those size 12s again, even though they aren't entirely flattering.

Anyway, I am 22 lbs from my goal weight today. I'm on 1280 calories a day, which is pretty easy to maintain, but thats really going to be my issue - maintenance!

I need to figure out a lifestyle that will allow me to enjoy some things in moderation, but keep me on track. I'm great at weight loss, but not so good at maintaining.

So far I think I need to:
log every day, even in maintenance
Get some cardio and weights in at least 3 times a week

The things that are challenges to me are menopause, my much younger and thinner and way more active roommates, who cook insane things, the local brewery which is 3 minutes away, and the fact that something is painfully wrong with my right knee and I might not be able to run anymore. I finally (after 6 months of thinking it would get better), made an appointment next week with an ortho for my knee.

What I'd like to know is how people with a similar lifestyle handle maintenance? The internet says menopause is a weight loss death sentence. Beyond the gray hair and collected sports injuries, I don't feel that old. Arrgghh! I still want to have the occasional beer and a little serving of my roomie's homemade icecream now and then!

Thoughts?

[TrixieCatLAX]

Hi, Sparkycat! I'm sorry that I didn't see your post until days later.
Congratulations on being able to button those size 12s. I am just able to squeeze into mine with a strong pull on the zipper as of yesterday, and while I won't wear mine, it is definite progress.

It sounds like you have a strong initial approach. I am not of similar age (34 y.o. here), but even with hurdles like menopause and prior sports injuries to deal with, I know that you can do it. I know because ultimately our bodies are machines. Sometimes it takes a little experimentation to figure out how to "best operate" our individual machines, but it's always possible.

Best wishes with your weight loss journey - I'll see you around the forums!

[Sparkycat99]

thanks, TrixieCat!

[RollerDerbyLexi]

Sparky I too gained after losing most of what I wanted to lose. Logging everyday for the rest of my life would drive me nuts. I'm thinking once I get done dropping weight I will spend more time doing activity. I've always been a slave to the scale, so I will be more responsive to weight gain. My nice and thin cousin in her 40's keeps track of her daily calories. Maybe that is the key.

I have to keep my alcohol consumption down. I'm having a glass a night with my 1200 calorie diet, which I think is fine.
When I'm having relaxing Sunday, I deffinetly can down a whole bottle. A friend of mine gained 30 lbs from drinking a bottle a night and halting any workout.