Hello Christian Friends:
I am a desparate 43+ yo woman who is seriously in need of weight loss tips, suggestions, and support. I have ballooned to 250 lbs, on a 5'4" frame over the last 3 years. My husband has been great as far as not harassing me about it although I know he'd like me to lose 70 lbs.

I've tried a few things: calorie counting (lost 9 lbs in 2 weeks while also walking inclines); no eating after 6pm; pills, and liquids. And I can now feel my health deteriorating and I'm still young with grandchildren whom I'd like to spend time with out and about.

I have a blender but don't have much time for cooking, breakfast or dinner, so need suggestions on recipes, fruit shakes, anything, I can make readily enough and also have for lunch and snacks.

Thanks, All!
God Bless

We are pretty close in age, weight, and goal! I am 38, started at 245, and am hoping to lose 70 lbs. I can tell you what has worked for me so far.

I am eating three meals per day and keeping them pretty simple. Breakfast usually consists of a Whole Wheat English muffin or bread with either a slice of mozzarella or some peanut butter and a small glass of OJ. Lunch is usually a salad (prepackaged = easy) and some fruit (canned if I don't have fresh) and a handful of nuts. For dinner, I subscribe to a menu service that offers healthy menus/recipes each week that are quick, easy, and yummy. If I didn't have that, I would probably go for something like a Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine or a really simple cooked meal (chicken, brown rice, broccoli). I like to keep it SIMPLE!

For 'snacks' I have a V8 between meals if I need it. Snacking has always been my downfall, so I limit myself to only a V8, and only if I need it. They are filling and keep me from being hungry. Plus, those extra servings of veggies are a good thing.

I quit using overt sugar like soda, candy, cakes, etc. Those are snacks and NOT meals, so I am not having them. I was drinking nearly a 2 liter of Coke a day before. Now I have replaced all of that Coke with WATER. Since water is the only thing that I drink during the day other than OJ with my breakfast and V8's for snacks, I am getting LOTS of water each day and that has definitely helped. I do have ONE coffee in the mornings with 2% milk and a Splenda. I am trying to cut that out also though.

I was led to Overeaters Anonymous and that is helping me to learn why I have eaten compulsively over the years and given me the tools to recover. I am relying upon God for my strength and taking it one day at a time! Since you are a Christian, you realize the power of God and prayer Rely upon Him for strength!

Today is my 27th day and I am feeling good I am down 15.5 pounds and really feel that I have found a way of eating that will sustain me and that I can stick to for a lifetime! I feel healthy and good!

I have not been exercising as much as I should, but I am trying to do the Leslie Sansone 1 Mile Get Up and Get Started (Walk Away the Pounds) DVD at least once per day. It is a start

I hope this has helped a little! It IS possible! ALL things are possible through Christ! He wants us to be healthy and happy! If I can help you in any way, please feel free to PM me!

I obviously don't know what your financial situation is, but have you considered joining Weight Watchers? They have the weekly meetings, or you can do the At Home version, you just buy the start-up kit, which you can get on ebay, they also have Weight Watchers online, which is $16.95 a month but also has a start-up fee. You can check them out at weightwatchers.com

I am currently doing the weight watchers meetings, it's a great plan, I have been losing an average of 1 pound a week. I don't feel deprived at all, nor do I feel like I'm on a diet.

i understand your situation too. i am 34 and my weight is really out of control! i was just fine until i had my first child 10 years ago. i hardly remeber what it felt like to be a size 6 anymore. my husband is good about my weight too, (thank God!). mostly i want to loose for myself.

my problem is not what diet or how much exercise but just keeping to it. i think i have lost the same 10 lbs over and over again. as soon as i loose and inch or two i pick it back up again. it is rather depressing. i just need a good old fashion dose of will-power and stop caving in to cravings!

I'm telling you ladies, if you have the money, you should definately give weight watchers a try. You don't have to worry about "cheating" as long as you have points available for the day or week you can eat what you're craving. It's an easy plan to follow, and the only way you can feel deprived is if you actually deprive yourself of the foods you love.

I promise, I don't work for them, I'm just excited about the program because after trying South Beach for a few months and then doing the counting calories thing for a while, I wasn't losing any weight, I was starting to get down and thinking something has got to be wrong with my body. I started weight watchers and lost 3 pounds my first week and have averaged approx 1 pound each week. I realized there is nothing wrong with my body, I was just stuffing too much food into it every day. I've been on the plan for 9 weeks and I'm still as excited about it as I was when I joined. That right there should tell ya something, there aren't too many other programs that I've tried that I can say that about.

Geez! I'm sorry, I sound like an infomercial. I'll get off my soapbox now.

Ariannas

Can you tell me what you are eating each meal and if you are exercising right now to lost the 1lb a week. I get 10lbs off and get stuck. I need to lose 50lbs. I like to swim so I may start doing that again. I just bought a pilates tape with Denise Austin.

melloyan

WickedWeight: You can do this, one day at a time. I was nodding as I read WaterWater's response. She's right on it. I am 41 and I've been trying to get to a normal person's BMI. When I started at 163 on a 5'0 frame I was considered Obese. You are right about the desire to be young, at least to feel that way since we can't do anything about age. That has been my motivator and from that I have picked up tips and suggestions from around here and put them in my life: some worked and some didn't. It's all about making YOUR lifestyle change.

Here is what works for me (some I'm just getting around to doing - one step mentality here)
1) Water, water, water. I also drank too many sodas. I replaced with water and that is basically all I drink with an occasional juice or tea thrown in. I do recommend at least 8oz of milk daily (I do 1% Mayfield - yummy) for our age group due to calcium and our bones. This is also dr recommended.
2) Journal. I wasn't keen on the idea at first, but now it is such a habit that I feel lost when I don't. I also calorie count, and my journal entries have gone from straight calorie count only to presently adding up fat/carb/protein percentages, as well as, sodium and fiber. You really learn a lot about yourself and when the scale is unfriendly you can look over the journal and be reminded of what you need to work on more diligently.
3) Exercise. Develop a habit of getting at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. Find something you enjoy. I began with the WATP video that WaterWater suggested, and since have moved on to jogging which is a total lifestyle change considering I was a Middle School hide-out when PE rolled around.
And I will also add 4) Prayer/Strength. He will supply your need, knowing better than yourself what you need.

Again, I can't stress enough that it is a "one step at a time" mentality. Each morning is a new gift, make the most of it. Each meal is a new choice, decide wisely. Each day is a new road towards your new lifestyle, put one foot in front of the other and make it count! You can do this.

Softball Mom...just reading your reply to WickedWeight. I'm 48 and started packing on the pounds a few years ago. I'm up about 65lbs (195lbs on a 5'5" frame) since I got married 24 years ago. Anyway I've tried so many diets. I used to be able to eat anything and always had a flat stomach, etc. Different story since age 43. How did you get up to jogging. I can't get the breathing going. I can walk a 15-17 min. mile which I think is pretty good and play tennis (but haven't since December because of a calf muscle injury). I also read some Overeaters threads and they don't count calories so much as they go for a change in the way they view food. Any suggestions?

melloyan

Melloyan - are you on weight watchers now? I have not really been doing much exercise , I have been staying within my points allowances. I eat pretty much whatever I want and as long as I am within my points allowances I am still on plan.

here is one of the days from my meal journal

breakfast
1c raisin bran (3 pts)
1/2c 1% milk (1 pt)

lunch -
1 dill pickle (0 pts)
1/2 tbs light mayo (.5 pts)
2 slices light whole wheat bread (1 pt)
1 oz deli-style turkey breast (1 pt)
2/3 c grapes (.5 pts)

dinner
1 c stir fried veggies (2 pts)
7 large teriyaki shrimp (6 pts)
3oz filet mignon (7 pts)
1 c fried rice (4 pts)

Total points used for the day - 26

My total points allowance per day is supposed to be 28, I vary my points each day, some days I will eat way over my daily allowance and others I under my daily allowance. So far this has been working for me, I had my weigh in this past wednesday and last week is the first week that I didn't lose anything, I stayed the same. I know what I did wrong, I didn't write everything down that I put in my mouth and it's also almost that TOM for me, hopefully next week will be a good loss.

Hope this helps.

Melloyan, I've been watching my weight go steadily up from my early 30s to end of last year when I turned 41 and said enough is enough. I want to LIVE a healthy, adventurous life with the rest of my years. That was my turning point. After I had my second child (last) about 10 years ago, I lost all my "baby" fat and even though I never made it to my pre-preg goal of 115, I was 125 and feeling great! I maintained just a couple of years and then watched it climb from there to my top weight of 163+.

In December I first started making healthier decisions regarding food choices and began paying close attention to portions. After losing about 12 pounds I started journaling just calories in March. As the weight came off and the weeks added up I included fat/carb/protein percentages and tried to keep totals around 30(below)/55/20, which I continue to do. I'm not perfect and I still have cravings etc but I put it in perspective when I have to journal it. I also journal my feelings and thoughts which helps. And, I include special notes on things that I read or hear that makes sense.

As for exercising, I started with WATP and Denise Austin toning videos which I still do on occasion. I was also walking beginning at 2 miles a day and eventually moving to 3 miles which took me about 50-60 minutes. Well, I still have kids and a husband that like my involvement so the jogging just evolved to get my exercise time down to 30-45 minutes. I began reading through the Exercise forums here and then started adding a little jogging to my walking. Basically, when I just couldn't do it any longer I would walk until I got my wind back. Then being the personality that I am I started looking around for structure and some great ladies in the Cool Runners forum suggested a Couch to 5K program. I'm on Week 2 of that and while it has been a struggle mentally, I'm learning and enjoying that I am stronger than I ever thought I could be. My 12yo athletic daughter, who is my mentor in determination to go after what you want, has been paying close attention to me. She hasn't verbally said anything but her eyes tell me that she is proud, and that has been a real encouragement.

I didn't mention it in my above post, but I think that those four points that I did make is all wrapped up in attitude! When I lost the weight the first time I only did calorie counting and half heartedly drank my water, no exercise or journaling and no true determination. Now, with my age, determination with attitude is a must. I think differently now too, so I believe that this will become a my lifestyle years from now and I will be able to maintain which I still healthfully fear.

A disclaimer: Good, normal weight loss should be between .5-2 pounds a week! I'm on the low point now since I weigh 30 pounds less than I started, so I don't see the 1-2 pound weekly loss as before. I still get mental on this sometimes but I have to realize that in the end I'm doing this to be a better person: active, fit, and healthy. There are different websites out there that can give you a *general* idea to start with your daily calories, but it is a definite trial and error. Your body survives on at least 1200 cals daily, so try not to go below that. I eat somewhere between 13-1500 depending on my hunger scale for the day and I'm about 135 pounds. AND I have occasionally gone up to 1800 without seeing any detrimental changes in the scale. Your goal is to live through this weight removal safely and learn behaviors that will keep you healthy once you reach goal. Quick loss will find you again, I promise.

Softball Mom:

Thanks for the write up. I will definitely take some of your points to heart. Plus, now that it is summertime I have more time to pray in the a.m. I definitely will ask the Lord to motivate me to get this weight down. I have a 10 year old too who is very active. He is my last one. The other two are out of high school now and aren't as needy of my time. Maybe I'll take him to the track in the a.m. with me and he can walk/run with me. I also like that you include journaling your feelings everyday with your calorie counting. I'm an emotional eater. Choc. Chip Cookies right out of the oven are my downfall. Why have 1 when you can have 5? I'll have to work hard to change that. Thanks for the encouragement.

melloyan

Hello Ariannas:

Thank you for responding. I have done WW, but I fall off because of the journaling. One of my biggest problems with the dieting is that I come from a fairly large family. There are always parties etc. to go to throughout the year, sometimes at least 1 time a month. It is tough when I go to these because the food always is so yummy. So then I get the guilties for overeating.

Also, I have to make the time for myself. I'm always running around with my youngest. He is very busy. He'll be 10 soon. I planted a garden though this year and I'm taking the time work in it and harvest some of the lettuce and basil which is ready to eat. I did make a salad today with that. It was yummy. Thanks for your menu. I noticed that you eat most of your points at dinner time. I usually spread mine out during the day. I was told to eat only 24 points a day. They also gave me the 35 extra points that I could eat during the week. I met a woman who was told that if she ate those extra points, she would not lose the weight. That did happen to me too. I just need to get past the point where I'm feeling deprived.

melloyan

It's funny, but I find that when I don't eat some of my WAP's I don't lose as much weight. Plus, I need them or else I would feel deprived.