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 :)
Yeah, gardening is an excellent way to burn calories. I think mostly because you end up doing it for hours at a time and it doesn't feel like exercising. It's not cardiovascular, so unfortunately it doesn't help my blood pressure, but it sure burns calories! I worked in the yard almost all day a while back and according to the little calculator, that accounted for around 1200 calories! Woo hoo!
Really good motivator to keep that yard in tip top shape, isn't it?
You're so right, I worked in the yard today for what seemed like a couple of hours and when I finally checked, I'd been out there for 5 hours! I will probably be sore tomorrow. Between raking and digging (I bought some trees to plant) and hauling bark and crap(literally) I should at least sleep well tonight. I'm just amazed that our weather changes so quickly...we had 20 degrees at night earlier this week and this afternoon was nearly 80.
Cheryl, how's the diet going? Keep us posted on the results. It sounded like it was going well for you (with the exceptioon of the boredom factor).
Good luck this weekend, everyone. Enjoy spring!
Cleaning out the pond sounds fun - I had the pleasure of dredging the leaves from my pool - above ground. I'm only 5'2 and the pool has 54" walls, so I have to stand on a ladder to do it. Fun fun - my neck and arms are KILLING ME! I hope tomorrow the scale rewards me.
As for the SP diet - so far so good (about 10 days now) - the weight is not pouring off at all - still hanging around 147. It's a bit more freeing I think - just need to plan ahead. Carbs are allowed, just limited. I do have to admit that I'm not craving the sugar like I thought I'd be. I do make a lemonade with stevia and lemon juice - tastes like the real deal; even my hubby tasted it and suggested we bottle it and start selling, lol.
Well, have a great weekend everyone!
Cheryl :)
I'm 40 years old and really happy to see a thread dedicated to us. It's disheartening reading all the posts from 18 year olds: i can't relate!
Cheryl, sshhh... but I don't really commit to counting calories either. I have been trying for a long time but I realise that I don't believe that all calories are created equal. I think I am borderline insulin resistant (is that possible?).
10 years ago I did SugarBusters and felt fantastic: full of energy, and lost weight effortlessly. It was easy to follow. Anyway, I've been eating low carb on and off for a while but have committed to sticking with it for a long while this time around. I will look into Schwarzbein Principle since I've never heard of it.
Thanks everyone! It's really nice to meet you and hear your stories.
H.
Hi Cheryl and everyone, only just found yor thread about hormones etc It's great to find so many other ladies in similar boats...I thought I was the only one(der!) as like other 40 ishes I thought I had a while to go yet and was a getting a little dishearted at reading of 15 yr olds stressing about their tiny waists - God bless 'em.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer last Oct the surgeon suggested I start a drug that would stop Oestrogen supply as the tumour was "feeding off it" That was the day of the one stop clinic and to say we walked out in a daze is an understatement! So not a lot of thought was put into whether it was the right thing to do at that minute and I was given the prescription to start the very next day. Looking back he did mention that it would cause a premature menopause but I really didn't know anything about "the menopause" as its not something generally busy working mums think about is it?
To cut a long story short, within two weeks, my body turned from succulent, fully functioning and sexual female to wizened up old stick of about 88 years old! yukk! what a nasty shock. I am glad to be alive and almost cured so I don't think I would change anything from that point as I am very positive person and intent to hang around and grow old disgracefully but it is difficult to deal with sometimes,
Happy Saturday one and all,
Kay.
Original Post by cindyr63:
I am struggling with the whole calorie thing. I keep reading on here how your body goes into "starvation mode" without enough calories. I know from past experience that if I cut my calories back to 1200 a day or less I lose weight. I have been very strict about my calories since March 1st and only a measley 2 or 3 lbs!!
Hey cindyr63, I can so relate to your struggle. My weight is also coming off excruciatingly slowly! I think our age (44 for me) does play a factor, but I'm also a firm believer that if we eat less (not starve) and move more, our bodies will do what they do naturally, burn extra energy (i.e. fat.) Are you exercising? If you're not exercising, then maybe 1200-1400 calories a day is right for you to lose weight (although current weight and height need to also be taken into account.) If you're exercising, I'd say up it a little. Hope this helps. Hang in there. For me this has been a period of trial and error. What worked in the past doesn't work now and I have to be more patient than I've ever had to be with weight loss. Ugh!
If anything, your body will go into starvation mode the longer you starve it, not the other way around. Look at it this way - if you're not losing weight well now, what can it hurt to try it for a couple of weeks? If it doesn't work for you, you can always shave them back down again.
Every person's body and metabolism are different, and they also change as you age. So what worked for you when you were younger may not work now. Just experiment until you find a balance that works for you - a calorie amount that you can live with that helps you get where you want to go.
Remember, there's no deadline, just as long as you are working toward a healthy lifestyle, it's all good! Take the pressure off, play around with it a little. If you gain a pound while you're trying to find the right balance, it's not the end of the world. You just make some more changes until you start losing again.
That's how I look at it! You can do it!
Oh PS - you can also try "cycling" - eat more calories on the days you work out (say, 1500 - 1600), then less on the days you don't (1200 - 1300). Sometimes just breaking up the routine will get your metabolism going again.
Good advice digi...how many calories were you burning a day when you upped your calorie intake?
I think the calculators are just averages and we all have different metabolisms. Either that or I am a lot more active than I realize, but I don't really think so!
Slimhil, if you do buy the SP book, I would get the first one - it explains how she came to think the way she does. She is an endocrinologist that worked with diabetics. She found the more she pushed the low cal high carb diets, the worse her patients got. Then (I don't remember how) she did a reversal and let her patients eat steak and eggs, as long as they cut their carbs - maybe she was experimenting - and her patients were off their meds in just a few weeks. Then they started losing weight! I do believe there is such thing as 'almost' insulent resistant. I think I might be there too...
As for me, still holding at the same weight, but I do have tons more energy. I am now doing in one day what would normally take me two.
As for this whole meno thing - Yes it is so much harder to lose weight....I really wonder this: Once our hormones level off and we're, I don't know, in our mid-fifties, will it still be this hard?
Cheryl ;)
Thanks Digi..sounds like good advice. I will keep you posted
Happy Earth Day, everyone. I had upped my calories last week (contrary to everything I believed) and was pleasantly surprised (it's worth the try, Cindy). On Friday I weighed 132. I'm only a little more than 5'1" and I still have 9 lbs. to lose to meet my goal, but at least I was in the "healthy BMI range"for the first time in a year. Unfortunately, yesterday I was at 136,then this morning I started a period! I'm blaming the sudden weight gain on this rather than the buffet I ate at my parents anniversary dinner Sat. night. I am "supposed" to be done with periods. I'm a grandma for crying out loud! What is going on??? You would think after a couple of years they would just stay away! I'm hoping that it's a fluke and I won't have another...ever! Has anyone else had this happen?
I will turn 50 on July 1 (AARP discounts...yippee). My last period is difficult to say. When my Dr. put me on an HRT for my osteo and hot flashes I started having periods that wouldn't end (7 weeks one time). We tried 4 different HRTs and all had the same effect (even using the lowest possible dosage). I would say that my last "real" period (without being hormone induced) was Feb./March of 2005 ( I was 46). I just had an endometrial biopsy and internal sono in Feb. so I think all my parts are okay. All blood tests say I'm post-menopausal. I really have to order that progesterone cream.
deamarie,
Welcome to the group and I think a lot of us can relate to your angst over slow weight loss. Just remember, the slower it comes off the more likely it is to stay off - even in your 40s!
edieglass,
I have a question for you and any others who'd like to chime in. Did your MD put you on HRT while you were still having regular periods? I'm terrified of ending up like my grandmother and mother. My mom is nearly bent in two from such severe osteoporosis (she's only 75) and my grandma was the same. I'm seriously thinking I'm going to want HRT to fend off the outcome. I'm only 44, but the months that I don't ovulate I have crazy night sweats, etc. The months I do, I have the familiar symptoms of irritability, tender breasts, etc. When does one usually start HRT - after menopause or before? Also, has anyone tried black cohosh for perimenopause symptoms?
deamarie, when you say it feels like this is who you are now, are you wondering if this is your body's baseline now at age 41? Going by your history that most of your adult life you've been around a size 8-10, I'd rather doubt a size 16 is your body's new baseline, unless there is hypothyroidism or some other physical issue going on. (Have you had all that checked out?)
Now that I've reread your post, are you saying you are currently a size 12 or were a 12 and now are a 16? I better quit babbling until you clarify that! :)
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