45 y/o female needs to lose weight and gain support!

Hi everyone!  I am a 45 year old female.  I originally joined CC about 2 years ago and didn't stick with it. I just logged back on yesterday and saw that I've gained 10 lbs over the past 2 years, in addition to the 20 that I gained when I first joined!  I would like to lose at least 30 lbs. I have a loving husband of almost 20 years and 2 great teenage boys.  My oldest son is 18 and graduates from high school in 4 short months. My youngest is turning 16 soon and will start driving.  I have been going thru the ups and downs of life.  When I turned 40, I felt good, I was in pretty decent shape, worked out regularly ... then 41 happened and it was all downhill from there.  One thing led to another and I stopped working out all together, and thus the 30 lbs started to creep on.  I have been very stressed out for about a year, and my son on the brink of going off to college is not helping.  I would like to try to lose some weight by graduation and then work on keeping it off over the summer.  My boys are both athletes and need to eat-eat-eat (and are always hungry!) so I'm constantly cooking and keeping our fridge and pantry full for them.  It seems like I know what I need to do for myself, but I'm consumed with doing for others.  It's taken me a long time, but I think I'm finally ready to get back to my old self.  Any support/advice from parents, especially of college age kids, is greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

Hi - I found you on the 40s group ... how did 40-something happen by the way? LOL! I started having kids at 35, so have little ones: 6 years and 17 months. Good to connect with you. I just stated CC upon suggestion of my friend who has been doing it off/on for awhile. I've never been a good food logging person, but getting into it with CC. -Lynette

I'm 47 and I just found CC recently. I need to lose roughly 30-40 lbs myself! My two oldest children have just left home - one has headed off overseas and the other to another city. For a long time I've been cooking for a family of 6 hungry people, including lots of baking etc as well. It was only when I looked at my daughters grad photos I thought !!!!!!!! when did that happen?! It's been in the last 2 and a half years that I have gained that weight, until that point I really had no issues with weight at all.

Now that my two oldest have left home and I just have my 7 year old and my husband home with me I plan on making sure that I cook what I need health wise first and foremost and my little guy gets the addons! I've only been doing that roughly a month so we'll see how that works out long term. I think when your big kids head off into the world you really only get to reflect on yourself for the first time in a LONG number of years .. it's time to reclaim a bit of yourself :)

Lisa.

Hi I am Jayne and will be 45 next month ............I need to loose 40lbs.  I need to do this for me and myself too.  

I too had an epiphany moment looking at my holiday photos last month!!!! I just seem to have grown tyres around my middle...........LOL.  I have just increased dress sizes without any real thought, other than 'its a bit tight I'll just get a bigger size to be more comfortable'. Wat was I thinking!!!! 

I too have older children, 3 sons, and 2 have left home and my youngest is off to university in September, he is currently in college. When my boys are home then they eat the fridge too LOL.

This year is my year I have made a commitment to myself and to find time for me, and not feel guilty about this, and totally agree with Lisa's comment about trying to reclaim a bit of yourself .

I have started  an exercise routine but not joined a gym yet need a bt more confidence for that, so am walking every day and increasing the time a walk for, this has given me some me time to think and reflect too.  

All the very best to you both , we can do this. 

Jayne

Hi Jayne, I did the same thing as you are planning exercise wise. I walked for about a month every day before going to the gym. But what I did do was I joined the gym in advance so I didn't have the option of backing out.

I went in to the gym and said " hello - I'd like to be a member - starting in January please. This was at the beginning of December. She simply drew up all the contracts etc to start in January. So I allowed myself a month of walking then gym !

I am suprised to find I quite like going - even though I am monstrously unfit and there are jiggly bits where there shouldn't be. I keep saying to myself if you can't go to the gym when you are unfit and overweight - then when can you go? There are a lot of other women suffering the same fate - and there is an occasional sympathetic meeting of eyes. The ones that are already in great shape - I look at and I use for motivation - thinking .. I'm going to get there !

Cheering us all on.

Lisa

Both my local friends that were doing CalorieCount with me have baled out :-(

But I'm forging ahead!!! Let's be each other's CC supporters :-)

If you need some encouragement I'm right here! I figure we can all use the moral support. Plus I feel like I will make more of an effort if I know I have people checking up on me. 

Hang in there Lynette - looks like you're going to get the pedicure! :)

Thanks, Lisa :-) Up 2.5 on scale this morning -- but I've been really doing good (no cheat!!), so it must be time of the month coming?? I'm just going to pretend I didn't see what I saw when I got on the scale this morning, so I don't get mad and blow it today!!

I have a Leah, too, by the way ... 18 months this week. Taking a snooze right now, thank goodness! I need some quiet time to catch up on some stuff.

Hope you have a good day - catch you soon at "Camp"

Lynette

Apparently a fluctuation of up to 3lbs a day is not unusual ! So I guess the slightly longer term view and measurements are just as important :)

Standing by ready for a big fluctuation in the other direction!! They say patience is virtue and all ..... but not without persistence, right? :-) 

Agreed! I keep telling my 7 year old - his Dad and I are not on a diet we're making a "lifestyle change" .. he thinks that's completely hilarious.

Hi there I'm a 46 year old, stay at home mom, and I've joined cc recently after being tired of this weight gain. I need to lose 50 lbs that have been creeping up on me for a while, but since my kids are 11 and 8, now I can focus more on me. The calorie counting is hard for me because it makes me think of food so much that I feel even hungrier than I usually would feel. My son is starting to get hungry all the time, and my daughter is underweight and I keep trying to get her to eat more. Of course that doesn't help me much, lol. Now I am trying to add in more healthier things like beans and baked potatoes to add make me feel more full and add more nutritious food to the mix. I would love to keep checking in here too. I could use support from women that are near my age with kids.

There are a few of us floating about looking for some " me" time and trying to balance family needs as well. Good to have you here, I'm sure we can all be supports for one another :)

Hi, I'm Nancy and I'm a 47 year old single mom of a 12 year old.  I had made an account in CC about two years ago but never really used it.  I lost about 26 lbs back then.  Then after about 6-8 months stopped working out and watching what I eat and slowly over the next 1 1/2 years gained about 20 of it back.  Grrr!!!  Decided to try and make this a PERMANENT lifestyle change and I'm back here again and really using the site.  My son is also overweight but I don't have the time to log both mine and his.  I try to only have healthy stuff in the house with a few snack items for lunch.  His problem is portion control and getting out of the house.  We are working on it.  We joined a gym together.  Luckily, he's now at the age that I can leave him alone for a few hours which allows me to work out if he doesn't.  But it is hard when he asks me if we can get pizza or chinese every other night.  He wears me down eventually! 

I'm 5'5" with an hourglass large frame figure.  My starting weight was 191 lbs.  My last weigh in on Sat 1/28 I was at 180 lbs.  My goal weight is 140 lbs.  I'm really hoping that my weigh in tomorrow shows progress.  People have started to notice my weight loss and some of my clothes fit really loose now.  Yeah!

Good luck everyone!!

Hi Nancy! At 12 years old it sounds like he's a prime candidate to learn to cook! Maybe helping him find some healthy food blogs and choosing what you are both going to cook for dinner might help ?

It sounds like you are well on the way to loosing those unwanted lbs!

Lisa.

Hi! Your story sounds similar to mine, only my kids are younger, 6 and 8 and I am 44. I hate that I feel like I am losing baby weight all over again, but this time I am doing it for good. I think I am over the thoughts of "I am depriving myself" all the time, in favor of "I like how this makes me feel" now. You can do it too!!

I am 45 I need to lose about 15lbs. I lost 30lbs 4 years ago and got down to 112lbs. I'm 5'4" so that was my best weight. I want to get down to 120 this time. I have 6 children ranging from 23 to 3yrs old.

Breezy you sound a little like me - my oldest turns 24 this year and my youngest is 7! That's quite an age spread you have there !

Hi Everyone,

I'm going to be 45 this summer and this is the first time in years and years that I can honestly say I'm excited about summer!

I was reading all of your comments and I just want to share what I'm doing and what's working for me because I too felt like you all do and my heart goes out to you all.  Knowing I have helped one of you out there is all that matters to me.  You can go to my profile page and see my before pictures.  I am 5'1 and weighed 175lbs.  I was miserable in my own skin. I'm a single mom and have struggled with my weight since I can remember.  I did gymnastics up until my soph year of high school and then the battle with my weight began.  I never knew how to eat healthy because back then I could eat and workout at the gym 7 days a week and remain lean and fit.  My adult life has been a huge struggle!  YoYo dieting losing weight, gaining it back 10 fold, etc.  Then my 40'****...night sweats, ugghh...irratibility, weight gain, madness!! 

I'm about to get on my soap box so please don't think badly about me because I feel that I HAVE to share what I did....after all that's what happened to me.  Somebody didn't care what anybody else thought and just flat out told me about the product they were taking and how it would help ME.

I've been drinking a protein shake 2x's a day and having healthy snacks and a healthy meal of my choice.  In my 1st 90 Days, I lost 21 lbs without workinout.  The shakes taste absolutely AMAZING...very filling, very satisfying and I will take a shake at least once a day for I know that I'm getting the most nutrients in my body each day!  We are definately what we eat...80% nutrition & 20% exercise.  You can workout all you want and if you're not putting the proper nutrition or fuel in your body it does you NO good!  Trust me...I know :)

My website is on my profile page.  There is nothing easier or most rewarding to hear people tell me how great I look and what have I done to lose the weight and look so healthy!!  Just happened this weekend and I'm smiling ear to ear!  Please please please...do it for yourself.  I have more energy now than I did in my 20's and I will be a whoppin 45 in June!  Can't wait!!!  Whoo hoo...!!!

If you have any question, I can answer them or try to get an answer for you.

I truly, from the bottom of my heart want to help.  I wish everyone could feel as amazing as I do.  I even had 4 foot procedures 6 months ago & a lump (benign) removed in July and still kept the weight off & healed very fast too. I know it was because of my shakes & vitamins! 

Most recently, my mom was diagnosed with ALS, so there is a lot of lifting involved so I've hit the gym 3-4 times a day at 5am, knowing I need to be here physically for her. I now weight 148 (total of 31 lbs) and 21+ inches overall and still counting.  I know for sure that my mom needs the BEST ME!  Eating healthy with my shakes & working out have & will do just that.

I hope you join me in getting healthier...because we just don't know what life will hand us!

Take care,

Mikki

**Newbie here 

I am 46 and have trouble getting motivated. I am glad I ran across this site. I love the grades they put on the foods. I can look up food before I go shopping to assure a better choice in foods. I am looking for support as well, so whoever needs a friend for support, I am here. Good luck to all of us. I am actually starting in March. I am 'playing' now and getting a feel for the foods and knowing my way around and learning the point system and stuff like that. But March 1st.....its ON! I was in another site and lost 68 lbs! I left because I thought I could do it alone and I gained back like 23 lbs. So I need to get a grip, get motivated, and eat right again. I became sedentary once again. Hopefully I can stay with it this time. Its not just til you lose weight but for the rest of your life. Often we think after we lose weight we will be cured. It doesnt happen that way. I am here if ya need me. . I can also probably count on you as well.  Thanks ahead of time!

When I read your entry I felt like I was reading my story as well.  Well, welcome back!  I just started a few weeks ago and feel like I am getting in the zone.  I've started to be conscience of what is going in, of course not all the time, but most of the time.  Just start and soon it will become a habit.  I too have teenage boys, 17, 15 and they love to eat eat eat, so I am always around food.  It's so hard on the weekends when they are around a lot and want all the yummy fattening foods that I love.  I guess the best we can do is to realize that we are all in this together.  Let me know your progress. Deb