calling out to women 50+

I'd like to start this thread specifically for women who are 50 or over.

As a 53 year-old woman, myself, I am finding new challenges, unexpected difficulties and wonderful insights on my path to getting to and maintaining my health, weight and body shape.

What seemed to work for me as little as five years ago doesn't work quite the same anymore. My body doesn't seem to respond to what I consider healthy eating habits and good workout schedules as it even in my middle to late 40s'.

SO, I am would to hear from those out there who are finding themselves in situations. OR NOT, maybe you can enlighten the rest of us as to how you keep your shape, or how you're getting into better shape and a healthier overall lifestyle.

Hopefully this will be the start of something wonderful, educational, funny-offer up jokes anecdotes, whatever!

LET'S GET STARTED!

Bonton:

I just got back from a three day conference; thought I was doing well, but apparently even a few days of "cheating" (for me, drinking red wine) can blow my progress. Back up 1.5 pounds this a.m. I am determined to believe it's just water weight and stay the course, but it sure is discouraging.

What tricks do others have for eating well when you don't have control of the food being served?

 

The thing I do when I can't control the food is to just eat a bite of the bad things, and more of the healthier things. Then I get the plate away from me before I'm tempted to eat more. Sometimes I put it on an empty nearby table so it will be picked up and removed more quickly. Sometimes they will bring you an extra salad if you say you are allergic to whatever else is on the menu :)

Of course, I don't even know why I'm giving advice - I didn't have a good eating day today. But I did go to spin class. I told the instructor I was sweating so much, the bike was going to rust.

i would probably just eat it!  this is pretty bad, but one of my rules is eat it when it's free.  :D 

but if you want to, you can get some fresh fruits & veges to help fill you up before & after  the meals and/or exercise more.

Okay Robbie, you are going to think I'm crazy but I swear you look familar. Lol.

I'm not really too depressed that I haven't lost anymore weight. I know I am healthier due to the increase of exercise. I haven't gained weight and thats a plus too. The only thing I struggle with is my date for reaching my goal weight always getting pushed further back. Funny what can nag our minds.

I started out great today. Doing step aerobics and my tape crapped out. Guess I'll finish up with weights. I work tonight and I pray I eat better. I don't know if I would let 1.5 pound gain worry you too much yet, Robbie. My weight fluctuates at least 5 pounds during the day.

Guess the only thing I feel I can do better is mental. I need to find that inner strength to look at bad calories and say no. To walk away without this total feeling of deprivation. I believe that inner strength can be attained with discipline. Life is short and I want to live well and be happy. Sweets especially make me initially feel a false happiness...but then I suffer. Okay thats my rant for the day.

Three tricks that worked for me in dealing with my sweet tooth.

1.  When you want something sweet, drink juice.  It will bring up your blood sugar enough to help with the craving, but I am usually satisfied with just one glass.  NOTE:  This should be a 100% fruit juice.  No high fructose corn syrup or artificial anything.

2.  We all know that we aren't going to go the rest of our lives without eating our favorite sweets, so I just limit them.  I allow myself one dessert a week guilt free.  I try to make sure I can only have one serving, because I will eat it until it is gone.  In other words, only buy a slice of cake, don't make a whole one, buy one brownie, don't make a pan of them.

3.  Make sure that what you eat contains NO sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweetners the rest of the time.  Every bit of sugar I eat makes me want more.  Controlling my sweet tooth has gotten easier as I eat less sweets.  I am beginning to suspect that they are addictive.

thank you clharr I will try that. I am sure that sugar is addictive too.

clharr: I think you're right, I can go without sweets forever, but if I get started, it's hard to stop. Good thing wine doesn't have high fructose corn syrup! LOL

snowfence: I like the way you think.

moonduster: The extra salad trick is a good one; I'm going to try that. I travel a lot for work, so I'll need that trick.

frostslave: It's possible we've met. I live in Colorado, and from your profile, it looks like you do, too. Not to mention that we have the same approach to weight loss, and the same experience of adding ten pounds after 50 without really "earning" it. And, my goal date keeps pushing back, too. My husband says maybe I should forget about losing, and just slow the gain. But, I have a closet full of clothes I need to lose to fit in, or give away, and I'm not ready to admit defeat yet.

Thanks for all the help, friends!

 

yeah, i guess i think different than most people.  :D  but hey!  whatever works...  and this works for me!

i like to think of this as a lifestyle change, and i will always have my chocolate & chips, etc...  things i love.  AND i will always have buffets, parties, and be eating out.

if it was i diet, i wouldn't have all this crap, but it's not!  AND that's the great part!!!  :D  mainly, i'm just adding good foods to my diet, and walking alot.

Actually, I am the one who is different.  I know most people don't have the problems with sweets that I do.  They say "That is too rich, I couldn't eat it all".  Well, I always could.  I could eat my whole serving and then come back 1/2 hour later for more.  And then want more in another 1/2 hour.  Something wrong with the way I metabolize sugar or something.  I am a "Sweetaholic". 

Yes, it is a lifestyle change.  It has to be for all of us.  For me, that change has to include some stringent controls on sweets, or I will lose it.  Maybe someday I will be able to eat a little chocolate and not want more, but until that day, I keep trying to find new tricks to keep my sweetaholism under control.

clharr:  i did it!!!  :D  i did it!!!  i am a junk food addict, AND i lost 76 pounds & still ate that crap.  (not proud of that, BUT i did!)...  your new lifestyle should include that crap if that is the food you love.  OR at least my new lifestyle includes it.  :D

if you deny yourself the foods you love, you WILL eventually end up binging!!!  i allow it in moderation.  sometimes i still go overboard!  :(  like just the other day, i had 3 candy bars for breakfast followed by chips!  but this works!!!

just count them calories AND try to get an A in the analysis!!!  :D  you WILL have to add a bunch of "good" food to counteract the bad, but it works!

One thing I am finding is that by limiting my daily exposure to sweets [and I have cut out diet coke and splenda products] when I do try them they seem MUCH sweeter than I remember.  Too sweet.

As long as I was consuming artificial sweetners my taste buds did not notice just how sweet these things were.  ...................... just an insight.

Hi Everyone

Glad to be home - I missed my hubby! Kept track of everything I ate and got everything logged after getting home - I seem to be addicted to keeping count! LOL anyways I found that while away I was back to eating around 1100 calories.  Did manage to get out walking for over an hour 1 day but another day I only had 3,500 steps at the end of the day - you sure do a lot of sitting in those conferences! Most days I was probably deficient in protein but back to healthier eating this week.

HOWEVER!!!! I have lost 1.75 pounds since my last weigh -in April 27 so I was happy (Down 3.75 pounds total yipppeee - maybe I'll be able to get back into my capris sometime soon!)

robbie - You need to borrow my pickiness to go away to conferences - usually I don't like the food which was the case for most of it - I filled up on salads and fruit LOL They did serve chocolate cake a day - now that on the other hand was yummy - but I cut it in half , ate half then pushed it away so the waiter would take it before I could eat the rest! LOL. I knew I was going to log everything after I got home so it kept me from eating the sticky buns at breakfast, the cookies at lunch etc. I wanted to get an "A" - slightly perfectionistic LOL

longwaytogo - I too have found if I avoid sweets I don't seem to crave them - when I allowed myself a piece of choclate everyday then I craved chocolate but maybe it is because I am eating more calories and so I don't crave it as bad not sure which it is.

Bonton: Good going!  It is hard to control eating while on the road.  I am especially impressed with the 1/2 cake.

Snow: I never said that I would NEVER eat sweets!  I am pretty sure that I read somewhere that a lack of chocolate can cause a potentially fatal condition!!  I wouldn't want to risk that!  ;)  I just have to be careful with them. 

This weekend is going to be challenging.  I expect that I will be eating desserts both days, and they are going to be good ones.  I don't expect to stay below 1500 this weekend, but I will try to limit the high calorie stuff.  We will see how much I have gained on Monday.

i know what you mean.  :D  some people just can't have sweets OR they need more!  they just need to control themselves.

others are better off having them to avoid a binge.  like me...  LOL

i have found that the more good foods you eat, the more good foods you WANT!  i never even wanted good foods before, but now i actually crave them.

Hi,

I am so glad I found this forum!  I just turned 60 and it seems this past year I have lost control of my weight.  I have gained 40 lbs in the last year.  I cannot stop eating.  I am starving all of the time!  What the heck is wrong with me????  I use to be so disciplined.  I seem to blame my weight gain on my life, my job, my this, my that, but reality is that....I just eat too much and exercise too little.  Am I the only one like this????

Thanks for listening to me rant.

Peggy

Hi and welcome pab1234!

First thing I'd wonder is  - is there a physical reason (sorry but i'm a nurse so first thing I think of is a medical reason) Have you had your thyroid and blood sugar checked and had a physical with your Dr. ?? weight gain is a symptom of an under-active thyroid.

Sounds like stress could be a factor too and no you're definitely not the only one! Are you tracking your calories? I don't seem to crave sweet treats like I used to since I now eat 6 small meals - seems like it keeps my BS more steady and I don't get that overwhelming hunger - like when I went home from work and could devour anything in the cupboard! LOL Increasing the amount of protein has really helped me too. When I first started logging my foods I discovered I was deficient in protein intake.

Anyways enough of my suggestions LOL Welcome!!

 

Thank you so much Bonton!  I did have my thyroid checked and it was normal, I was hoping that was the issue.  I think it is just that I am stressed with job and turning 60 and so I run to comfort food.  I started a workout program but I need to get more dedicated.  I am buying a full length mirror tonight because I tend to avoid looking at myself.  I am now into a size 12 and pushing into a 14 and this is getting ridiculuous now.  My closet goes from size 8's up! 

Peggy

Happy Mother's Day ladies! Work was okay but my trend continues. Around 3 am or so I start to have immense cravings and eat poorly. Darn Darn Darn. Two steps ahead....one back...but I'm still walking.

Peggy: I'm glad I'm not the only one who has an entire size range in her closet. Sometimes I look at the waistlines of clothes when I'm not in them and think, how could I fill that up? But, there are worse things that could happen.

Bonton: I'll take that finickiness if you're offering. I grew up in a house with three brothers, so it was stuff it down or starve. And I had a "finish your plate club" Mom, so I know I have some behavioral issues around food. You know those people who lose weight when they're sad? I totally don't get that: I eat when I'm sad, when I'm bored, and when I'm happy--quality of food is no deterrence. It's amazing I haven't ballooned more than I have. Guess I need to be more mindful, huh?

Today has been unexpectedly stressful. My older son graduated from college this a.m. and we had to get up at 6:00 to get there on time. In the midddle of the ceremony, he text messaged me, "This Blows." So appreciative of the $65,000 we spent on his education! And my internet crashed (Comcast just rescued me with new cable), but I'm proud to say I still got a workout in. Yeah, me. I did a weight lifting tape called Strong Body, Ageless Body by Erin O'Brien. If you like home DVDs, I recommend it.

I agree with frostslave, have a wonderful Mothers Day, everyone.

Robbie: I think he meant the ceremony was getting dull.  You have to admit that they are.  Otherwise, just present him with the 65K bill and tell him to start making payments.

Frost: try eating more during the day.  I have a breakfast, snack, lunch and at 3:00 it is time for another snack.  I don't get hungry that way.  I pack the snacks when I leave for work in the morning, that way I don't really have a chance to make bad choices when I start getting hungry.  My snacks are usually a bag of carrots, a bag of exactly 22 almonds, or a serving of oatmeal.  Nothing big, only about 100 calories, but a lot of fiber so it takes a while to digest.

Welcome Pab!  You don't get a lot of sympathy from me.  I am still trying to get into 12s.  ;)  But 40 pounds in a year is bad, you sure don't want to keep that up.   You can find all kinds of information and advice here.  I am sure you will find something that will help.

Happy Mother's Day everyone!