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Couldn't find any Thread on CD that talked about this and since this forum is for Senior's/Retirees, I thought I'd go here.
As stated in a couple of Threads, we are in our early 60's (61-62). We are both 20 pounds overweight and really need to lose this weight. I am also a Diabetic II and on 1 med for that. Biggest problems are......we love to eat (not always healthy eating either) and lack of exercise (especially in the winter, even here in Florida). We have definitely cut back on our sugar and basically only get foods with Splenda in them or fairly low sugar content. I use Slenda in my coffee each AM (one cup). I love to cook and that has been part of our problem, along with aging. I also had a hip replacement in Oct '05 and a Rotator Cuff surgery in March '07, so those two limit me on exercising some. Launching/retrieving our boat during the summer gives us much needed exercise. Even though we live in Jax, Florida, it has been so cool-to-cold that we just can't walk during the day. We thought about buying the Wii game, but haven't yet and don't know if we want to. It would give us exercise inside, but would we lose interest in it?
Any help will be appreciated.
I would sugest that you go to exeerciase sites for older people has some can cause alot of problems otherwise. Ypor best bet ;IMO;is to go doeting on a long term basis alos.
Sometimes getting expert help is warranted. Given your physical (possible) limitations, I'd consult with a physical therapist to help you craft a suitable exercise program. Maybe it would be swimming at the Y, or a home treadmill or exercise bike or joining a gym for cardio and weight-lifitng or taking up Tai Chi or yoga--the options are so wide--but what's best for the two of you--and what will you stick with?
And taking some vegetarian/lower-cal cooking classes could make your cooking delicious and slenderizing.
I'm a minority. I used to be fat and I'm not any more. I used to be ugly and now, for my age, I'm pretty darn good. But I'm still old... nothing I can do about that.
Here's the deal. There is no easy way to do this. You have to make a lifestyle change. Use the fact that you like to cook to your advantage.
Exercise, per se, is probably not for you since you have existing injuries that limit your ability. What you can do is change your life from sedentary to active. Move more. Do more of whatever you can do. Take the stairs and park as far away as you can. Go out for a walk every day instead of a snack. Swim. Do things around the house. Minimize your TV and computer time. Eat at the table. Eliminate mindless snacking in front of one tube or another.
Do what you can do to look better. Update your hair, wardrobe, etc. Doesn't have to be expensive. Amazing things can be found at the thrift store. And shopping will get you out more. Look at seniors around you who have a sense of style and step a little bit out of your comfort zone. Take your wife for one of those free makeup sessions at a high end store to learn more about age appropriate makeup. Then take your new selves out on a date. Go dancing.
Make your life less food-centric. I shop once every 2 weeks and cook once every 2 weeks. Everything is frozen and homemade fast food. Works great and it lets me take advantage of coupons and family size meat deals. We destroy the kitchen once and clean it once. And there's always something to eat!
As far as the diabetes goes, sugar is not your friend. Neither is flour. Try Dreamfields low carb pasta. It's honestly good and I buy them out whenever there is a good sale. If you love rice, eat the whole grain brown stuff instead of Minute Rice. That stuff tastes good but it is pretty nutritionally worthless, darn it. Maximize your intake of protein and green veggies. Minimize your intake of sugar and grain products. Try learning some new tricks like using spice to flavor your food instead of sugar and salt. Learn how to make green chili and try Jamaican jerk too. Check out Mission low carb wraps instead of bread. You can have a great lunch wrap for 5 carbs! Make chicken and tuna salad too. Ethnic dishes are your friends and so is your local ethnic grocery. Try lemons and lime to flavor that plain chicken. Experiment!
Last, supplement. Take vitamins daily and make it a habit. Very few of us get all of what we need from food alone. At least take a multi, D, C, and some kind of EFA. I take an aspirin every day too.
Over time, it becomes a habit and almost no work at all.
For Yellowsnow:
-Same way with us (age)
-Can do that very little stairs. Wife has some asthma problems at times and my hip would say "HELLO" to me too often. In other words, steps and us don't get along very well. That is why we live in a "bungaloo" apt......no steps to climb....single level.
-We do walk when it's warm outside, which hasn't been the case here! Wife doesn't get home until dark (5:30PM) and we don't walk in the dark.
We swim in the summertime when our complex pool is open. The "Y" is out due to finances and time.
-Do things around the apartment.........we do! She cleans the floors and bathrooms. I clean the kitchen, do the laundry and vaccum.
-Minimize tv and computer time.......that ISN'T going to happen!
-Mindless snacking? Not "mindless" to us, we just enjoy a snack at times.
-Personal stuff, ok.......I use Just For Men on my mustache, sideburns, temples. She colors her hair. Neither of us are into facial "makeovers" or nice/fancy clothes. She does her own nails and a darn good job of it as well.
-I love to cook and we eat out very little, compared to some folks. She loves my cooking and we are gradually lowering how much we eat. When we do go out, a lot of times we will order 1 meal and share it.
-Vitamins/Suppliments: we both take a multi-vitamin and fish oil.
-And, again due to finances (I'm currently unemployed), I turned down my VA doctors recommend for a Dietian and Physical Therapist counseling......just can't afford that right now!
Funny thing is.......we look better than a number of my classmates from 1968 do! I have a photo of them from last years Reunion (couldn't go) and there was a LOT of gray hair and bigger tummies than we have in the photo! Actually, I was pretty shocked. One classmate and his wife look old enough to be OUR parents!!
One option is to go to an enclosed mall to do your walking during the winter. Some malls even have the distance you'll walk per round trip posted somewhere.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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yellowsnow
Yippee, this is great advice, and given from someone who has walked in your shoes. (Too bad I can't rep YellowSnow again)
Exercise,
Find something that is convenient and you like to do (together might be best). Learn dancing, hiking, swimming, biking. But, arrange to get out, find some place as mentioned, get to moving. Park the car far away in parking lots, or better yet, don't use it. If you like parks if warm, or malls if too hot or too cold. Swimming is likely the best, and while it takes an effort to get there, it is good for your body and low impact. Make a chart of your accomplishments and mark your progress. (I couldn't even swim at age 21, by age 23 I was swimming 72 laps (1 mile) - 3x / week at lunch. I was also biking 200 miles per week. (which I still do when time permits. Recently I was traveling and had a 'snow-day' in the Black Hills, so I stopped by a public pool and leisurely swam 220 laps without stopping., (I'm your age now). I find it very relaxing. You can also increase your calorie burn by swimming short bursts of high speed 1 or more lengths. An elderly couple does this while I lap swim, and they are very fit.
Buy a couple pedometers FOOD
Eating, make a 'healthy' list and stick with it. NO PROCESSED FOODS, sugars, or flours. Use 'Natural' diabetic friendly recipes and get away from ANY sweeteners and salt. (as much as possible). Watch the Glycemic LOAD, more then the INDEX (Tho both are helpful). Fresh veggies and fruits WHOLE, not processed. ((5 servings / day) bright orange and deep green are best),
Cabbage in addition / enhancement to lettuce (very good for you and cheap too!)
ONE SNACK per day, as in ONE and only one... small ice cream, 1/2 a soda, yogurt, ... 1/2 candy portion.
Water, lots of water... when you are hungry, drink a qt of water Then wait 1/2 hr and see how hungry you are.
You can check with your Dr, but might consider fasting one day / week, or at least skip a couple meals. (Less intake). Diabetics need to be careful, but there are methods to reduce intake and retain and improve health.
Reward yourself for sticking to your plan. (reward WITHOUT FOOD, do something fun or a special event you have been putting off)
You say you like to cook... leverage that skill to make others happy... There are many who HATE to cook, and many more who CAN'T cook. Check with a local Meals on wheels and cook for them, or feed their clients on days they don't serve them. Enjoy 're-learning' to cook for diabetics, and them HELP THEM learn that skill. This is a very good opportunity to help others, and is vitally needed in society. MANY who get food stamps have no clue HOW to cook nutritiously, and it is oh so sad that many have families and young kids who are learning only BAD HABITS. Offer to run a food education program for local school kids who are on free lunch and breakfasts, teach those kids a LIFE skill, it will pay big dividends, on your future healthcare costs
Weight...
Simple equation... less input needed, more exercise, probably a lot of exercise when hungry, as I heard last week the body is not keen on work too hard either, and will take the easy way out (burning the most available energy first (i.e. burns the available sugar in blood BEFORE forcing the more difficult process to convert fat to fuel)
Eat well, but less amounts and less frequent.
I also set a very strict food budget ($100 in an envelope to feed 2 for 1 month (often guests as well, + I cook for an elderly couple a few times / week)).
Another way to really increase your incentive is to volunteer in a medical facility caring for those with chronic health issues (often due to not heeding the warnings you have had). Also working in impoverished schools and countries will help you re-adjust your eating habits.
Open your cupboards, take out and get rid of the temptation and bad stuff TODAY. You will start feeling better TODAY!
If I run out of money (rarely) I quit eating. (I have plenty in my freezer to last several months).
You say you like TV, then get rid of the couch and stand (or walk) while watching TV.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 01-11-2011 at 02:25 PM..
Have to say that all of these suggestions are good and some of them we are currently doing, but all-in-all it's still extremely HARD to lose weight and do enough exercise to lose weight plus stay fit. I have to watch how much I walk due to my hip replacement and (forgot to mention) left ankle surgery I had in '88. We went to the Jax Zoo last year, walked around from 9AM til almost 12PM (I did sit down a few times for a minute) and it took almost a week of Motrin, wearing an ankle brace and cold packs for my ankle to get back to normal. It's very easy for folks to tell others how to lose weight and exercise, but for many people it just isn't THAT easy. It takes a lot of determination and dedication, that many people don't have and don't want to do.........unfortunately, but oh so true.
Thing is, I'm a former EMT (years ago), and got calls for some fairly heavy people to go to the ER. Everyone wants to blame heaviness on overeating and lack of-or-no exercise while there are cases of thyroid gland problems that are the cause. Just wanted to throw this in cause I was thinking about it. No gland problems with either of us.
It's very easy for folks to tell others how to lose weight and exercise, but for many people it just isn't THAT easy. It takes a lot of determination and dedication, that many people don't have and don't want to do.........unfortunately, but oh so true.
True. Lots of good advice on here for you to use. Some of it may not be for you and some of it could be. Do what you can and enjoy life!
I would try the Wii Fit (see if you can find one on craigslist that someone didn't want from Christmas), you may like it try some of the interaction games like Just Dance.
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