40ish and Losing It!

This is a daily thread for women 40+ who are: losing those middle aged pounds, dealing with hormonal issues, family issues or just plain losing their minds!  I hope my friends follow me to this new thread and I hope to make more friends along the way - all are welcome.

Cheryl :)

Hi Karen and welcome to the thread!

I'm like you  - always gained in the legs and butt and had a little bitty waist.  Well, that went away and now when I sit, there is a roll! ARGH!  It's so uncomfortable!!!  Oh well, one day at a time...

I'm 5'2 and currently at 148 - I really would like to get to 130 - but I think I'll have to cut more cals to do it (I'm at 1300 and sort of inactive).  I've only been at this for 31/2 weeks and saw an initial loss, but it stalled.  Guess I better get my butt moving...

I hear you about the cold spring - I'm on Long Island and it's been very brisk.  My son plays soccer, so we're out on the field (every Saturday at 8:00am) and it is cold!!!  Not to mention the practices at 6:00pm.  With 4 boys, I'm sure you know how it is!  Can't wait for 70 degree weather!

Cheryl :)

Hi Molly,

All I can say is WOW, you lost so much, that is sooooo awesome!!!

Welcome to the thread!

Cheryl :)

Hello ladies!

I was bummed after my USWID (unoffocial sneaky weigh in day)  this morning (how can I gain 2 pounds overnight? Sheesh!) ... so my wonderful DH took the scale out of the house. I am assuming it's now living in his office, since I don't think he would take it in the plane, flying missions with him.

Yep, scale exile.

He said it would be back on May 1 for a brief visit.

Dumb scale.

Smart husband.

=^..^= MOLLY

Hey Molly, my scale added a pound for me today, but it's still sitting in my bathroom...maybe I should give it the boot!

Cheryl :)

Molly has the *best* supportive DH!  (I follow her Diet Rants thread, so I've read all about him).  Good for him for taking it out of the house. 

I had to weigh at work today at the Health Fair and it said I was 2.5 pounds heavier than my scale said I was yesterday!  Yeah right!

I'm gonna go with my scale.  Clearly, it's the superior one.  ;P

How's everyone doing today?  It's a rainy day here in NY, but that's okay - April showers bring May flowers...

Anyhow, I decided that I won't weigh myself everyday...which is hard, but I'm getting discouraged.  Another poster on another thread inspired me to just embrace cal-counting as a way of life - to keep control - and if the weight comes off, it comes off (not to be obsessed with it).  I think I should try that approach.

Okay, so my question today is: what classifies 'binging'?  I see the word a lot around here and wondered what does that mean?  Eating a box of cookies? A gallon of icecream?  Or just not counting for the day??

Cheryl :)

It's pouring here today as well I still have to walk down to the "mall"
this afternoon and pick up my changed ticket for vacation on Sun. and then up to the school to pick up a weeks worth of homework for two kids.  HAH!!!! no vacation for them says evil mom.

My scale keeps jumping me around all week between 146 and 150.  Grrrrr.  I can't wait to see what it says on April 14th after a weeks vacation at an all inclusive LOL.

I figure somewhere around 153-155 grrrrr.  I'm going to try and be good but I know that I won't be able to resist some tempations and this is the first family vacation we have been able to take in 6 YEARS!!!!  I'm not spending all weekk watching everything and being good.

I am sure I will be back for lots of support though come the 14th and my return.

tiggnduff,

I hear you on those vacation pounds!  In Feb we went to Disney - our first "real" vacation EVER!!  Unfortunately my dd11 got the flu (the real flu) and we ended up staying in the room for a few days :( .  BUT, we did mangage to fit in 3 out of 5 days of fun.  Anyhow, I hover too, between 147 and 150, the vacation made me go from 147 to 151.6 - and I was VERY good - smart choices and only had one or two small desserts that wasn't fruit- and I only ate half of each).  Still gained though.  Oh well. 

You aren't really going to make your kids do HW on vacation, are you?

Cheryl :)

p.s.  Where you heading off to?

I live in southern Ontario, Canada.  We are off to Cuba.  My husband's best friend is finally getting married for the first time at 40 so we figured we better go.  We have been saving FOREVER so that all 6 of us can go.

I don't care if the scale says 10lbs.  I'm enjoying that rum!!!! 

Original Post by corky101:

Okay, so my question today is: what classifies 'binging'? I see the word a lot around here and wondered what does that mean? Eating a box of cookies? A gallon of icecream? Or just not counting for the day??

Cheryl :)

I think "bingeing" is more about the behavior than about how much you end up eating.  To me a binge is when you kind of just go overboard and eat too much of something, or just keep eating and eating.  I've never really been a binger, compared to others who describe doing it, but y'know, sometimes you just go kind of crazy and have to eat, eat, eat, sometimes even when you're not really hungry!

That's my two cents.

Valerie

Hello ladies!!!

It's going to be 79 here today and partially cloudy ... definitely a day for bike riding! As soon as I managed to get fully dressed (ok, more dressed than I currently am) and the gardeners leave (so Minnie dog can go outside), my plan is to stick a load of laundry in and then get my bike riding exercise in!  Thursday (yesterday) was my no-exercise day .... my wonderful DH suggested that I pick one day a week to give my body a break, and for the last 2 weeks in a row, that day has been Thursdays.  This way, maybe we can go biking TOGETHER sometime over the weekend .... though this weekend he is working.

I started off just snipping off a few small branches here and there yesterday, then next thing I knew I had the BIG clippers out and was really pruning our front pear tree. Heh heh heh. I left an impressive mountain of leaves and branches for the gardeners to deal with this morning. I am sure they just sigh as they drive up every few Friday mornings or so to see what havoc I've wreaked in my yard for them to clean up! I must admit that is entirely WHY I prune on Thursday afternoons ... someone else will clean it up on Friday mornings!

Can I just take a moment to say that trying on shorts can be an exetremely distressing, discouraging, disheartening activity? OK, it can be fun, too ... but ..... eeeek!  I was out shopping with a girlfriend yesterday afternoon since my wonderful DH said I could spend $100 on clothes for our cruise (May 3-10 to Alaska). Of course, I've already bought cruise clothes, so these were bonus clothes! Anyway, at one store I tried on three different sizes of the same pink bike shorts and decided -- finally -- that that style/brand/color was NEVER going to work for me, so I ultimately gave up there and settled on a pink and white striped tank top. (Yes, horizontal stripes, too ... I am such a rebel. It's not like those silly stripes will suddenly make people realize I'm fat. I'm fat whether I am in solids OR stripes, ya know?)

Anyway, we tried a different store, with MUCH better results. (And let me take a moment to point out that I wear shorts 10 months of the year here, so wearing shorts in an of itself is not new for me.) I found an adorable pair of denim shorts and a fun pair of longer, cotton, wrinkly-material orange shorts! (Yes, I wear bright orange .... I actually have an astonishing collection of bright orange clothes, to the great amusement of my wonderful DH who only once commented that I looked like a traffic cone.)  I found two tank tops, too .... one plain white with some lace around the v-neck (it helps pale me look a bit more tan, well maybe "unpale" is a better term) .... plus a white one with orange trimming which will match both the new orange shorts as well as some orange striped shorts I already have.

My husband is madly in love with his new Weber gas grill. Seriously. He's like a kid with a brand new toy .... and he wants to try grilling EVERYTHING! We've had the grill for less than a week and he's already grilled steaks, pork chops, turkey sausage, and peppers ... all were delicious.  As I was cutting hard-boiled eggs in half last night to remove the yolks, he picked one up and wondered if we could grill my hardboiled eggs! "No, dear, it's dark outside" was my only response. Sheesh. Why do I suddenly have visions of trying to clean oatmeal off the grill???  Anyway, he should be a happy camper since tonight he gets to grill ears of corn AND more pork chops.

And why does a 5.5 ounce lean pork chop have 300 calories in it? I think that those commercials -- years ago -- about Pork: The Other White Meat made me think that their calorie count was similar to chicken. But noooooo.... it's actually higher than sirloin steak! OK, so the price is a bit better ..... we got two 5.5 ounce lean organic pork chops for $3.17 ... but 300 calories still feels high, ya know? Oh well.... it fits into my dinner calorie budget and I just HAD to find something for him to grill!

MOLLY

Hey Molly!  I'm jealous about your sunny CA weather!  I'm on Long Island and today is a dreary chilly rainy day.  My dd11 wants us to move to CA - she's had it with the chill and wants warmth!  I pointed out that we could  only afford a small shoe box to live in in CA, oh well.

What is it with men and Weber grills??  We got ours last year and my hubby treats it like it's his baby!  It kills me to have a grill that costs way more than my range that I use everyday! 

As for shorts....I keep my legs behind material ALL the time.  I wear capris in the summer, but now (according to some of those what not to wear shows) I hear that capris are a "no no" for a person who is 5'2" (and chubby). Hmmm.  So now what??

 

Tiggnduff,  we are allowed to travel to Cuba????

Cheryl :)

Hello all, gues  I'm looking for motivation here.  I'm 45 138 lbs..down 5-lbs since starting back with CC in February.  I have been menopausal since I was 38 yrs (young I know, but true) . I'm only 5'1" so i am overweight.  I have (until the last 2 yrs.) been able to lose weight "on demand".  If I wanted to lose it wouldnt take long with diet and exercise.  Now I have started going to the gym 4 days a week  30 mins on elliptical 2.5 miles, 30 min circuit training with weight machines, and keeping my calories under 1500 per day (some days I go another 20-30 mins on treadmill).  I do like my michelob ultras in the evenings 4-6 most days. I keep those calories included with the 1500 allowance.  i just think I should see more weight loss than I have so far.  I started the gym Feb 1st.  I do take hrt's and chew nicotine gum (quit smoking 2 yrs ago).  the trainer at the gym told me not to worry about the scales but thats what I am used to depending on for my goals.  Anyone have any similar experience or encouragement?

Hi everyone - I'm new here and feeling overwhelmed!  In the last four months I have gained 20 pounds, due to illness, medications and my husband's job change.  Now all I want to do is eat...constantly!  I'm not hungry but that doesn't stop me.  I am 46, have been active the majority of my life, but now I don't have the energy I used to.  I gave up drinking, smoking, and trying to exercise.  The only vice I have left is over eating.  Any suggestions to get me over this "slump"?

Hi Cindy,

Your not alone with entering meno so young - a few of us on this thread started in our late 30's.  I started at 39 and gained 15 pounds in a very short amount of time.  My weight has been the same since high school and then BOOM - 15 pounds!  I'm only 5'2" and hit 151 - ugh!  I found that I started craving sugar like crazy and kept eating - even though I wasn't full.  Cal Counting makes me feel in control - although I do find that the weight loss is VERY slow!!!  I've been at in one month and lost 4 pounds; I eat 1300 cals/day and I don't exercise - I know I have to start again, but my hip was giving me problems and I stopped and just couldn't get going again.

I've read research about hormones and appetite on monkeys - they removed their ovaries and the monkeys' appetites increased and they put on weight.  I saw this with my cat too - soon as she was spade, all she wanted to do was eat.  This is me. 

Well, last night I was BAD - I didn't "binge", but I didn't eat a good dinner and then later (at a school function) I ate 1/2 a cookie and 1/2 a donut!!!  Then I came home and ate more junk....So, I slipped.  Today is a new day and I will make this one a good one.  So, it's okay, I won't let one day of being bad make me give in and give up -NOPE!  Okay, well, have a happy Saturday everyone!

Cheryl :)

Welcome tubbybubba!

It sounds like there are a few reasons for the weight gain.  You mentioned illness, so I assume that translates to less exercise, and medications - another culprit, and your husbands job change - stress!  I would look at all these factors and decide which of them you can control or change.  (i.e. Are you healthy now and able to exercise?  Are you still on the same medications?  Can you find other ways of handling stress than eating?)  I think we're all in learning mode when trying to lose weight and part of that learning is WHY we eat.  I have learned to really tune in to what I'm thinking when I'm stressed and get the facts straight in my head rather than allowing myself to dwell on the exaggerated, emotional scenarios I come up with.  I hope this makes sense.  I'm a firm believer that what we think really affects our behavior - and that includes our eating.  I hope you find the support you need right now to get over this slump.  There are lots of us here who are willing to give it!

Hi everyone!

How was your weekend?  I did LOUSY!  I stopped counting altogether (Fri, Sat & Sun).  I got a bit sick (fever, aches and pains and just tired) and did not FEEL like doing anything, let alone counting.  I didn't pig out - but I know I went over since (when I'm sick) I think that eating will make me feel better (more energy), so I eat.  Okay, back at it today - although still not 100%.

Oh, I also found that I AM an emotional eater - I was just in denial...

Cheryl :)

p.s.  Anyone catch that show on TLC - I Can Make You Thin?

 

Sorry to hear you weren't feeling well over the weekend!  There should be some rule that a person can only be sick on a week-day!  Hope you are feeling better today.

I caught an older episode of I Can Make You Thin earlier in the week, but forgot to watch it on Sunday, darn it!  I'm a little skeptical, but still interested in what he has to say.

So, was it good?

Much better today, thanks! :)  My son is home sick today - so I'm kind of stuck here with him.  Something is going around...

As for the show, I only caught the beginning of it, so I don't know if it's any good.  It does smack of infomercial for some reason.  The audience just feels...fake.  I plan on reading up on it on the website though...

Cheryl :)

Hi Cheryl, digi, bj, tubbybubba,cindy, molly,tiggin, and anyone elso out there-

It was a beautiful weekend here. Got to ride my bike on Sat after work and picnic'd sunday as well. Welcome Spring!

Molly I got to read your profile and I'm sending some of your comics to my friend in who keeps me accountable here.
I really enjoyed it and your encouragement.

There are so many times I sit down to post but something interrupts and then I miss the moment.

I weighed in last friday at 146 down from 149 the previous week! This will be a tougher month than usual because the 20-27th I will be at a mission training camp with a group from our church going to fix cars for missionaries. I will be the head cook :) Ironic huh? Well, I'm going to fix healthy stuff but I don't think I will have any internet acess unless someone else brings ther computer and lets me use it. So, no calorie counting.  Maybe my son will let me bring his :).

 

I plan to walk/run/hike for exercise that week. I have some workouts that are perfect for tracel-no equipment needed.

What are your favorite work outs? What works for you?

brig.