Hi everyone,
Like most of you, I'm busy with graduations, parties, and getting my son moved home from college and soon off to a summer of internship in Nebraska. It's so hard to stick to a plan when there are so many balls in the air at once. I've not been sticking to the WW plan as before, but generally use their guidelines and have managed to lose a couple more pounds, mostly because I'm too busy/stressed to eat as much. Hope things settle down soon and we all can get back on track. Good luck to you all!

I'm back to counting both calories and carbs as the few pounds I lost have jumped back on me. I'll have to do this the rest of my life! Oh, for the good old days when I could eat whatever I wanted without a thought about calories and carbs! I have to accept that those days are gone forever and just accept it like a big girl!

I have been lurking here, off and on, since I turned 50 in February. I can't seem to commit to joining your group because I don't feel 50 (whatever that's supposed to feel like). But last week, I went to see U2 in concert in L.A. and reality hit me...everyone else in the Angels Stadium was also quite middle aged. Even Bono! At one point he grabbed a hanging microphone connected to a heavy line and swang out over the crowd, briefly. He had one of those, "I'm too old for this crap!" looks on his face. I will pray for him, that he never becomes a lounge act in Vegas.

I'm coming here with all sorts of pre-conceived ideas about what 50+ women talk about in the forums...I don't like the idea of discussing what my kids are doing or suffering the after-effects of X's midlife crisis or dealing with my elderly mother. (And yet I've mentioned them all here!) I don't knit or crochet or quilt (but I know how to do them all), I don't garden. I've lived my whole life caring for other people and right now I don't feel like slowing down. I want to LIVE! And that's why I'm working hard to lose the weight and get into shape, finally!

So, I'm here because I can't bear to read about those little 20-somethings and their five-day plateaus, or how someone muscled through losing 100 lbs in a year only to find out they're still in their early 30s. I want to melt my a$$ off and it's taking forever! I am so angry that as my belly fat slowly melts, my excess skin is puddling in front and my waist measurement won't decrease. My doctor won't even talk to me about the effects of PCOS causing difficulties for weight loss because I no longer want to have anymore children.

I'm here to find help trouble-shooting why it's taking me so long to lose weight, or to learn how to accept that this is my lot at 50+. I've tried every other sort of weight loss method, short of surgery (not going there!) and have accepted that it really is all about cutting calories. I eat really clean, very minimal with the processed foods, no refined carbs. In fact, I get most of my carbs from non-starchy vegetable. I eat as organic as possible, and source my protein from wild-caught or grass-fed meat. I love to cook and I am a food snob.

May I come here, soak up your wisdom and find comfort in your sisterhood? I promise to be opinionated and saucy, but I won't offer advice unless asked directly. I believe we all have to find our own way in this. And our full and busy lives get in the way of our efforts, a lot. I will happily offer up encouragement and friendly challenges, because I need it too. And I need to be accountable to as many people as I can be, because it helps me stay on track.

And now I need to go to bed, because I still need sleep. And I'm burning calories without even trying. Awesome!

Welcome Georgia!

Glad you're no longer a lurker! Hey, none of us feel like we belong in the 50's group, at least not me. I think that deep down most of us have the same personality we had in our 30's and can't for the life of us figure out what happened to the mirror! The idea of knitting in a rocking chair when I could be power walking (or power washing my deck for that matter) is inconceivable, unless knitting is my favorite hobby of course!
I've tried several crazy diets during my weight loss journey, and the basic facts remain - calories in must be less that calories expended to lose weight. Although I love the new weight watchers plan, I will also start counting calories this week to see how my food choices jive with my calorie allocation (I'll give myself 1500 IF I also walk 4 miles a day). The more I move, the faster I lose. As long as the scale keeps going in the right direction, I can be patient with it.

Do you have an upcoming wedding, reunion, or other event you're looking forward to attending? That can be another motivator. Good luck, and glad you're with us!

At the end of July I do have a high school reunion. It is giving me a sense of urgency to lose as much weight as possible by then, but the last time I saw most of those people, I weighed a little less than half of what I weigh now. I know I'm not going to lose enough to be happy with myself within the framework of going to a reunion, but I would be thrilled to drop up to 20 lbs by then. I would be thrilled to lose 10 too!

I really struggle with cutting calories. I do great most of the day, but as I close in on the end of the day, my appetite really ramps up. Giving in to the cravings and hunger...frankly, I can't tell if it's somatic or limbic hunger. I've been working on not eating when I'm truly not interested in it, and I'm doing very well on it. But the evenings are tough. Tonight, I'm struggling to stay out of the refrigerator and pantry until I'm ready for bed. I ate a late brunch earlier today, and very nearly all my calories in one meal. I had a bowl of Miracle Noodles in chicken broth with lemon juice this evening, trying to fill the void. I drank a lot of tea and water. I had a long nap, so I'm not sleepy now. I'm going to be up for awhile. Mentally, logically, I don't want to eat. Somatically, I'm feeling hunger! I know what I usually do...I snack until the feeling passes but end up overeating. I'm trying to hold out for 20 minutes to let the feeling pass. I'm keeping myself busy. But if I can't get on top of this hunger, I'm going to go for crackers and sardines, because I know nothing "filling" will do it for me.

But I'm motivated to hold off on eating. I just weighed myself. I weigh the same as I did this morning. I believe that will show a loss by morning. That's what's keeping me holding on.

I'll let you know how the night went...thanks for the welcome!

A big shout out to Georgia. I so identify with every thing you wrote including turning 50. I really don't feel like 65 .... but what does 65 feel like, eh?

I have been away from the boards trying to maintain my sanity. My mortgage lender, who is shall be unnamed.. but does resemble a boa, is still squeezing me.. Gads ladies, this has been ongoing since 2008 and I am so tired of stuffing my face over it. (ahem!) wonder what excuse I will use when this issue is resolved.

We are kinda quiet right now.. looks like our summer business is affecting us all. How is everyone?

Okay now I know what i am going to count: sticking to my food plan. Have been on the plan again beginning 1Jul11. I am the puffy ankles are gone/no high salt diet at the moment.

Oh dear, it looks like I am talking to me. However. I got serious with diet on July first and am happy to report that my blood glucose has dropped from averaging in the 160's to the 120's. this works ODAT

I have so much going on in my life right now that it's hard for me to find time to post. Just wanted to pop in and say hi, though.

Big hello to each of you.
Coralee - YAY for the improvement in you blood sugar level!

Hi..I am new here from Washington State. I count carbs.

Good news. My doctor was very pleased with my weight loss. Hopefully my blood sugar test will be good.

Georgia..I have gone through many of your life experiences..and also hope that this time I will find a healthy lifestyle. Good luck on your reunion.

Hi Jane,
I think i completed 20 days and also have completed 59 posts.i have not received my tinker.Any suggestion?

puneri - the countdown is right up the the hour you joined 3FC, but you should be able to use one now.

Thanks jane,
I got it
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Hi again Counters,
I've been AWOL for awhile, but have been reading the posts. I've also been following the BFC plan, which is a low carb, VERY low sugar plan which seems to be working for me. Since I still have to count something (15 g of sugar/day, 120 g of complex carbs/day) I'll pop in from time to time and let you know hot it's working. The good thing about this plan is that after you cut out most sugar and ALL artificial sugar, food cravings disappear. You still get hungry, but it's not the craving for junk - especially in the evening - that I had previously. Anyway, it's easy to follow and I like it. Have a good day and stay cool!

I have found the same thing. I have cut out sugar and most artificial sweetners..My cravings for sweets have dropped.
I am going to do a fasting test and hope my gluscose count is low!

Have a good day counters!