Okay over 50 and can't drop the weight!

[Susan126]

I must admit that I am a sugar junky. Joe tells me all the time to cut out my sugar (mochas, candy bars . . . especially chocolate) and I would probably lose weight automatically. He is always amazed at how much sugar I can put away in a day. It runs in my family. My dad (thin as a reed) can eat an entire loaf of Italian bread with butter. I saw him eat an entire bag of chip ahoy chocolate chip cookies once! He's 90 years old and still going strong. I am my father's daughter.

I may try just this, make one change, give up my daily grande white and black mochas with whip cream for an Americano plus give up all my daily chocolate stash I have at my desk at work.

Wish me luck!

[ladyicon]

Hi Susan. I was so glad to read your post because I thought I was the only one with this problem. Last year I gave up carbs and sugar and lost 30 lbs.
Since the I have started to eat carbs and sugars again and have gained all the weight back, plus more
As with you, I am 50 and have all the weight on the middle part of my body. It seems that riding just doesn't help me lose it. I know, I know.....I need to do some sit ups and upper body conditioning but after a day of work it is really hard to muster up enough energy to do anything !
Ok I noticed that I started to ramble on my problems This is just to let you know that you are not alone. Let me know if you find a miracle cure.

[spokewench]

I'm 47 and I've had this problem for a couple of years. What I've found with me is that I used to be able to have a beer a day; or a piece of cake every other day; or pig out on something fatty a lot more regularly and not worry about the weight on my middle - but in the last couple of years, forget that!

So, in order to keep that middle to a minimum, I make myself forego beer every day. If I seem to be putting on some weight there in the middle, I just have a beer every third day or so instead of a beer every day - and of course, don't have ice cream when my hubby is digging in; and I'm able to keep it under control.

I don't want to give anything up cause then I know I would just crave that item more, so I just put limits on those things I really like, but don't really need!

spoke

[deedolce]

Ack. I can still see my grandmother, bless her soul, and she was shaped like a barrel. Skinny arms and legs, and torso shaped like a barrel! It's genetic. I'm 48 with occasional hot flashes (for YEARS now, although I still have my '.') and I'm noticing it too. No fat anywhere else, it stays right there on my stomach. Eat a donut? It goes there. Same with the chips. Bleh.

So I've been lifting a bit more, to build up my shoulders to compensate. Think it'll fool anyone? lol!

[Susan126]

I am a bit comforted knowing I am not alone. And Ladyicon I tried to cut out "sugars" today. I did pretty good too. On my way to work today I bought a black Americano instead of my usual Mocha at Starbucks. I had chicken and rice for lunch. For dinner I had chicken again and rice again and some wonderful green vegetables. I was doing pretty good and then I had hot chocolate. So I almost made it through today without sugar. But it was a big big improvement from my usual daily intact. One step at a time!

Nights are the hardest part of the day for me. I can stick to anything up until evening and then all heck breaks loose! I can turn down cake, cookies, ice cream from dawn until dusk but once that sun goes down . . . I don't know what takes over me. A Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde thing. Ok I confess, I'm a night snacker!

[kelownagirl]

Nights are the hardest part of the day for me. I can stick to anything up until evening and then all heck breaks loose! I can turn down cake, cookies, ice cream from dawn until dusk but once that sun goes down . . . I don't know what takes over me. A Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde thing. Ok I confess, I'm a night snacker!

I am reading this at 9:45pm. I followed my healthy eating plan ALL day without too much trouble at all. But right now I want to eat junk. I feel like this every night after dinner. I can easily chomp away on 500 calories and blow the good work I did all day. Cake. Cookies. Cheese and crackers. I need to go to bed at 9pm to avoid it I think.

[OakLeaf]

Nights are the hardest part of the day for me. I can stick to anything up until evening and then all heck breaks loose! I can turn down cake, cookies, ice cream from dawn until dusk but once that sun goes down . . . I don't know what takes over me. A Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde thing. Ok I confess, I'm a night snacker!

That used to be me until I started eating breakfast (especially breakfast with some fat and protein in it, like hot cereal with PB, to keep me fueled until lunchtime). I don't know why it took me so long to figure out the correlation! A body does best with a certain number of calories spread over a certain number of hours, and when I didn't get my first calories until noon or later, no duh I was going to be ravenous 10 or 12 hours later. Then when I would wake up I wouldn't be hungry (because I would still be full from whatever I stuffed my face with right before I went to sleep) and the cycle would continue.

Not that I've lost any weight this way but I'm eating a lot healthier. I'm with you spokewench, I need to cut down on the alcohol. But this time of year that nip of sippin' rum after dinner just tastes SOOOO good... and beer in the summertime... or a glass or two of wine with dinner... I guess I need to stop feeling superior because I don't enjoy the kind of liquid calories you get at Starbuck's

[Susan126]

Breakfast . . . what's that???? It's true I am not a breakfast person. Coffee that's my breakfast. But I will try ANYTHING to help me stop eating at night!

[mimitabby]

I've never had a weight problem so i feel a bit out of place here except to say
I never eat anything after 8pm (unless it's a late dinner out) and I always always have breakfast. I've been doing this since i was a teenager.
Living at my father's house with 2 stepsisters and my natural sister; I was t he only one who listened when he told us we should eat breakfast. Into adulthood, the three of them always have had to struggle with weight.
Doesn't need to be a big breakfast; i eat two slices of whole wheat toast with butter and honey or jam, a 4 oz serving of 100% fruit juice, and 2 oz of protein every "normal" morning. On weekends i often have nice omelets and potatoes and stuff.

[annie]

Breakfast . . . what's that???? It's true I am not a breakfast person. Coffee that's my breakfast. But I will try ANYTHING to help me stop eating at night!

Yes, that's me, too. I have a very difficult time eating in the morning! But I'm trying.......... food AND coffee. Gotta have the coffee. Something whole grain and something protein and that's about all I can handle.

The menopot... LOL!! It's not really funny, but I have to laugh. Better than crying. All we can do is try our best to fight it.

I have a confession. It is late at night here. I am soon to bed. I just ate a bowl of chili! It was yummy!! It wasn't a big bowl, but it was my dinner and I added cheddar cheese AND lite sour cream. Oh so delicious! I so want more, but not going to go there. And now I won't be hungry for breakfast in the morning. BAD girl, me, I know. Yet I do it anyway. Nice to know I am not alone.

Annie

[Tuckervill]

I've been studying wellness and health as a hobby for the last 3 or 4 years, with an eye to increasing my wellness and changing my body. I'm not claiming to be an expert or anything, but I feel relatively educated about my specific issues, goals and choices.

One of the things I make great use of is to listen to people who have more experience than me. I read from a wide variety of sources. When I hear the same message from several different credible sources, I put stock in it and often adapt it for my use.

Mimi said she'd never been overweight so she didn't know if her experience would help. But it does. If you've always been overweight (I wasn't always), you don't know what it's like to be healthy weight or what the habits of healthy people are. If you were once healthy and now fat, listening to an always healthy person might trigger memories of habits and choices you made as a healthy weight person. (So thanks, Mimi, for your input.)

One of my biggest sources of encouragement is the National Weight Control Registry. http://www.nwcr.ws/ It's a study of people who got down to a healthy weight and kept it off. It's hard to mine the data there, but when I've seen it referenced there are certain things that most of those on the registry do consistently to keep their weight down.

The two that stick out in my mind are 1) eat breakfast, and 2) exercise EVERY day. That's how they control their hunger and their weight. So I eat breakfast, and I exercise as much as I have energy for, with my goal to be doing something active every single day. It can be gardening or walking the dog on the days when I don't ride or have an exercise class.

Another thing I do is keep it all in perspective. I never work so hard at exercise that I'm going to be so sore I won't want to do it again. Especially for a beginner, this is an important concept. It's self-eliminating, though. The more you work out, the easier it gets. The more you work out, the more you know you can do. This is something I'm learning best through cycling longer and longer distances. Just keep at it, for the long haul.

Another thing I've done is change one little thing at a time. I started with Diet Coke. Five years ago I began resisting Diet Coke. I replaced it with hot tea, iced tea (no sugar) and water. Then it was artificial sweeteners. Last year it was high fructose corn syrup. I've tried to eliminate french fries, but that won't happen until I no longer have PMS! I've changed my cooking. I only shop on the outside walls of the grocery store (meat, produce, bread and dairy).

These little changes add up (littlechanges.com) to big changes.

One thing I DON'T do is read or hang out with people who aren't serious about their health or educating themselves. (I don't mean my personal relationships--I mean online, etc.) That's a reason I don't do sparkpeople anymore, because there are so many failures the successes are hard to find. The successes are who I need to hear from. I know everyone is on a different path, but I only want to listen to the ones who are on my path, or have my goal. (I'm not that narrow-minded about everything, I promise!)

What good would this forum be if it was populated mostly by people who bought a bike at Wal-Mart, rode it around the block once a week for 2 weeks and then quit? We'd have to dig through all that to read about Fredwina's brevets or Runningmommy's triathalon, or Lisa's 3000 miles. That's what most of the diet sites I've been to are like. So I don't go there.

Have I lost any weight? Yes. On December 26th I weighed 206. It's almost November and I weigh 186. That is very, very slow. Lots of people would not be happy with those results, but I'm much more mature than I was and so I'm happy. I can ride my bike 50 miles and run on the arc trainer for 12 minutes. I can do push ups! I can do 30 reps with 10 lb dumbbells. I can hike for 5 miles. I can lift my grandson over my head and hold him up to the ceiling (in a short room ) like my dad used to do to me.

You ladies here are quite an inspiration to me. All of you who are over 40 and are competing in races and tri's and just riding your bikes--you're like who I want to be. I'm seeing myself in a new way because of you. (You younger ones are an inspiration, too, but I just can't relate as much to being 30 anymore.) My goals were modest at first, but through you and through my successes, I see the possibilities I didn't dare imagine. So thanks! I can't wait to learn something new today!

Karen

[Zen]

The two that stick out in my mind are 1) eat breakfast, and 2) exercise EVERY day. That's how they control their hunger and their weight.

Another thing these people do is eat mostly the same things all the time. It's not as boring as it sounds. I found I actually like oatmeal and I like beans. The thought of a sugary cereal or sausage gravy and bicuits does cross my mind but doesn't stay there long. The harm outweighs the good. Which is not to say I don't have those thing once a year or so.

I can do 30 reps with 10 lb dumbbells.

Try switching that up to 15 reps with 15 lbs...

[Resi]

It's sugar and the wrong fat, which sticks on that specific bodypart.

I know it's hard, this works for me in food and endurance and weight training. Yes we have to do more as we get in a more advanced age

You all take care

Resi

[SillyMia]

I am a bit comforted knowing I am not alone. And Ladyicon I tried to cut out "sugars" today. I did pretty good too. On my way to work today I bought a black Americano instead of my usual Mocha at Starbucks. I had chicken and rice for lunch. For dinner I had chicken again and rice again and some wonderful green vegetables. I was doing pretty good and then I had hot chocolate. So I almost made it through today without sugar. But it was a big big improvement from my usual daily intact. One step at a time!

Nights are the hardest part of the day for me. I can stick to anything up until evening and then all heck breaks loose! I can turn down cake, cookies, ice cream from dawn until dusk but once that sun goes down . . . I don't know what takes over me. A Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde thing. Ok I confess, I'm a night snacker!

Sometimes hot chocolate is hard to resist. I don't know if this is going to help you at all, but it helps me when I'm cutting down on calories/fat. Buy unsweetened dark chocolate (a bar/chunk) and put it in a food processor to shred it. Keep it in a container and when you want hot chocolate, mix your shredded chocolate with non-fat milk (or soy) and sweeten with splenda. It's amazing. I use a hand-held mini mixer and maybe it's my imagination, but after seeing the ingredients in powder cocoa, I think it's good for me!

[Pax]

My honey is a complete fitness and health guru, so I eat VERY healthy (even do the 5 fruits and veggies every single day). We eat a balanced breakfast, we watch our portions, we limit alcohol...and I still have this freakin' belly. I think the best thing for me would be to just not eat...ever! Bet I'd drop weight then.