Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am constantly astounded by how low metabolism falls with age. I was always active--career military--but I watched my weight constantly rising after about age 35 despite what I did about it.
Into my 50s I was doing 250 miles a week road cycling, including getting up at dawn on Saturdays for a 75-100 mile ride. I was eating no more than 2,000 calories per day...and still slowly gaining weight.
I seem to have reached a point of equilibrium--right at 30.1 BMI for the last five years, I'm still highly active--cardio and weight training--but I don't seem to be able to lose any pound I've ever gained.
Honestly, it's been my experience that - unless you're genetically a stick person - you (especially if a woman) will gain weight slowly over the years unless you starve yourself to death or exercise yourself to a frazzle. Ain't nobody got time for that! Menopause is another big factor. Weight gain is "normal."
And one day we'll be old and unable to eat everything we want or even to eat at all. Carpe diem, I say.
I am constantly astounded by how low metabolism falls with age. I was always active--career military--but I watched my weight constantly rising after about age 35 despite what I did about it.
Into my 50s I was doing 250 miles a week road cycling, including getting up at dawn on Saturdays for a 75-100 mile ride. I was eating no more than 2,000 calories per day...and still slowly gaining weight.
I seem to have reached a point of equilibrium--right at 30.1 BMI for the last five years, I'm still highly active--cardio and weight training--but I don't seem to be able to lose any pound I've ever gained.
Get your thyroid checked. Men have problems with that also. Mine was low, but not in the underactive range, but the air force doc still put me on synthroid, and boy did the pounds fall off. But he did say it was not a diet pill. I was exercising and eating right, but the pounds just packed on. It has never gone way out of control. I am still on a low dosage.
It's almost never hypothyroidism, although we all wish it were... If it were low enough to cause weight gain, you'd have other distressing symptoms too -- and first.
It's almost never hypothyroidism, although we all wish it were... If it were low enough to cause weight gain, you'd have other distressing symptoms too -- and first.
I did but didn't know it - knew nothing about hypothyroidism. Didn't know why I would come home from work and just go to bed - so tired. My ultra thick hair falling out - things like that. I did not know these were some of the signs.
And the grouchiness! I was even told by a long time contractor at my deployed base that I was a different person when I did my second tour.
I am fairly sure this is a common problem and has probably been covered before, but as the thread title says, my problem is motivation. I posted here instead of the Diet forum because my problem also has much to do with being older.
Before I continue, I am 62, female, 5'4", and I look and feel best as a size 6 and about 125 pounds. I have normal metabolism, but I have had a problem keeping weight off for about the past 40 years. My pattern has always been that when I am at the point I am now (almost a size 10), I have a 300-calorie breakfast, a 200-calorie lunch, and a normal dinner (about 700 calories) -- and eliminate all seconds, snacks, and desserts -- until I lose the weight, which usually takes about three months. Then, I forget about dieting until I gain the weight back, which usually takes about three years. However, about six years ago, at age 56, I had gained weight until I was 162 pounds and a size 12, and my husband had lost all sexual interest in me (whether this was because of our getting older or my getting fatter or both, I don't know). Well, at that point, I went on my usual diet and lost 47 pounds in nine months until I was 115 pounds and a size 2/4. I was very proud of myself, but it made no difference in my husband's physical desire for me. (Btw, we have a VERY good marriage otherwise, for the most part, and I know he has never had any kind of affair or any desire for one.)
So now, once again, I am at the point where I want/need to lose weight, but I just cannot psych myself to start dieting again (after the holidays, of course!) because I have always lost weight to please my husband more than myself, but now I just feel/think that if he doesn't really care whether or not I am a size 10 or a size 6, then why should I "deprive" myself for the sake of about 15 extra pounds (even though I know that the extra 15 pounds will turn into 20-40 pounds if I don't do something about it sooner rather than later, and even though I definitely feel better when I weigh less). And then there is also the fact that even with 15 extra pounds, I still actually feel okay and my health isn't affected, and I can't help but think that I am being more than just a little bit vain, stupid and shallow to be even worrying about an extra 15 or so pounds at my age. It is as though I am actually trying to talk myself out of even trying to lose weight.
So, I guess I am just asking for advice about how to motivate myself to lose weight when I don't care all that much for my sake and it doesn't seem to matter that much to anyone else, either. Again, it would be different if the extra weight was affecting my health, but it's not except that my energy level is just slightly less than it is when I weigh 125 -- and as far as my self-image regarding my appearance is concerned, even though I am reasonably attractive for my age. at age 62, that "ain't saying much!" and being a single-digit dress size won't change that fact!
I'm south of 200 lbs. for the first time in 25 years.
Simply, it's the 17 Day diet or Dr. Phil, who hijacked it, calls it the 20/20 diet.
Real simple 17 day stages: stop all sugar intake including alcohol.
Walk around the block, up the hill, take someones dog for a walk.
Eat your main meal early.
Unlimited steamed vegetables, fruit except bannanas and other high sugar; alternate protein every other day.
Now the interesting part: YOU HAVE TO EAT because you body signals will lay down fat if it thinks you're "starving".
Walk around the block again.
Pretty much unlimited green teas, make sure you hydrate with lots of water. End.
OP, try Dr. John McDougall's low-fat plant-based plan, not diet, for 30 days and see if it works for you? If so, why not stick with it? You would get to eat a lot of potatoes, rice, oats, quinoa, beans, veggies and fruit while dropping pounds. I'm not a cook, but you can find delicious recipes here: https://www.drmcdougall.com/
Good luck.
I'm setting my expectations a little better now - by April 20th, I want to have 37 pounds off by then and I feel that is realistic.
As others have said, this type of thinking and goal setting is self defeating. The focus should be on very specific habits such as:
--I will walk 20 minutes 3x per week.
--I will always take the stairs instead of the elevator.
--I will walk or ride a bike to do errands whenever possible.
--I will eat slightly smaller portions of what I want from every meal.
--I will eat more fiber rich foods every day. (Fiber rich foods, which pretty much include all fruits, vegetables, and beans/legumes). Fiber rich foods make people feel full without adding a lot of calories.
^^Even that final goal may be too general. You might have to get more specific such as adding sesame seeds to soups, stews, or even frozen dinners. You might want to eat an orange (more filling) before you have that ice cream. THEN have that bowl of ice cream. Because you've had an orange already, you probably won't want a second bowl. An orange has a lot fewer calories than that second bowl of ice cream.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
