| Author | Post |
|---|
yo-yo
New Member
| Joined: | 3 Oct 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
|
Posted: 3 Oct 2010 11:47 pm |
|
Am I alone in saying I am TIRED of this constant counting and weighing and watching and then not watching and then counting again?!
Ex-anorexic/bulimic here. Lowest low was 98 pounds at 5ft 9in. Haven't purged in 15 years. Guess what? I'm fat. Huge fat. 227 pounds. I went up, I went down, I went on anti-depressants, I went off them... I've got clothes in my closet from size 0 to size 22.
I'm nearly 50 now and I'm TIRED!
The rest of my life is fine. Good job, good kids, good friends... enough of everything. I'm a happy person when I'm not near a mirror.
But the pounds always creep up.. one at a time untill I'm obese and have to do something drastic again.
But Wait! NOW I'm menopausal! Know what that means? That means losing weight is nearly impossible. My blood pressure is getting bad and the damage I did in years past is haunting me now. My bones are not good. Arthritis is getting bad in my knees and hands.
And my body knows better than to trust me... It knows it might be starving next month... so it's got in the habit of storing everything for that rainy day.
What's the answer, folks? Do I give up and stay fat till my heart finally gives out? Do I Diet till I'm Dead?
Or maybe just hold myself up as a bad example to all you young women who think it will pass if you ignore it?
|
Nir
Senior Administrator
|
Posted: 4 Oct 2010 09:24 am |
|
That is a somewhat tricky one. If you didn't mention your anorexia/bullimia past I might have recommended a diet. I'd still recommend you change how you eat to something that is compatible with the intake for someone of a healthy weight. (I don't have a special insight about weight loss at the menapause.) Personally I benefited from my overeaters anonymous meetings so I'll give that option a mention as well, it stopped me from binge-eating on junk food, which was a problem for me.
|
Past Member
|
Posted: 11 Oct 2010 04:00 pm |
|
Hi Yo Yo... I'm new here too and I read your post and I know what you're saying! I've never been anorexic, but I have been bulimic and a binge and compulsive eater. I ate myself to an all time high of 435 lbs. I decided to count calories and eat healthier and did get down to 200. But I developed arthymia and only recently had a cardio version done. However without being able to have caffeine or any of my stimulants of choice anymore my metabolism has slowed and I've put back 50 of the pounds I lost.
I'm terrified of regaining my weight back. I have terrible arthritis too so I understand what you mean. I'm tired of struggling with my weight and feeling helpless. I know I have to find some kind of exercise to live with as well as get back to eating better. Like you I'm tired of it all. I guess maybe I miss being younger and eating the "fun" things... altho I have to admit I'm not much of a junk food eater and my biggest problem is eating before bed. I know I need to get back on track and just be positive about making the lifestyle changes. I turned 50 this year. As long as I stay away from the calendar and a mirror I'm good too.
I'm not sure what you plan on doing to stop gaining weight and staying at a healthy level. Stress triggers me and I tend to eat my problems. Are you looking for company? Are you wanting someone to be accountable to? I'm not sure what I expect from this site. I do like it and have used the tips here.
Anyway, write back and tell me how you are and if you want to work together.
|
yo-yo
New Member
| Joined: | 3 Oct 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
|
Posted: 14 Oct 2010 10:19 pm |
|
Thanks for both responses. I guess if there were some magic way to end this problem, someone would have found it by now.
MB_60: I hear you! You sound positive, so that's good. I try to think positively most of the time, but like I said, it creeps up on me and then I've had enough of the whole fight.
I've started looking into changing the big problem: My brain. 14 years ago I managed to quit smoking after 20 years as a heavy smoker. I don't seem to have trouble QUITTING something (see anorexia) ... I just can't seem to get out of the All or Nothing brain space.
A friend has suggested meditation. Ick. I'm not the sort of person to do nothing for very long.. but I'm going to give it a try.
I'll keep you posted.
|
Past Member
|
Posted: 18 Oct 2010 03:40 pm |
|
Hi yo-yo ~
I tried meditation, maybe I was doing it wrong because it didn't work for me. I don't know... I understand about the "all or nothing" reasoning too. I'm that way. It's funny that instead of anorexia I went the other way with my issues. It's too bad the 'happy medium' is so hard to find and then if you do, to stay there. Must be part of that 'all or nothing' we have.
I'm finding it hard to keep my metabolism boosted enough to burn the cals and then be kicked in enough to keep my appetite from running rampant. Lately my arthritis has been so bad I cry because of the pain and I can't even THINK about more exercise on top of what it takes to just keep my life moving and take care of my 2yr old granddaughter. I do know I need to move or the arth will stop me and I'll be hanged if I can stop that!
I just want out of this destructive mein I'm in and back onto a healthy one again. Motivation? Kick in the pants? Yank hard on my bootstraps? Ya, probably all of the above. ha! It is horrible to see my lovely clothes hanging in my room and not be able to fit into them. It's hard to not have self-loathing because of letting myself gain this weight I swore I'd never put back on. Feeling sorry for myself? Yes, but I'm done and need to tinkle or get off the potty.
Let me know how the meditation goes, I got a new dvd with taichi on it, I'll dust it off and try that. :o] Hope to hear from you soon.
|
kris1977
New Member
| Joined: | 24 Oct 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
|
Posted: 25 Oct 2010 01:32 am |
|
I hear your cry. But don't you believe you can't lose weight after 50 because I've lost 47 lbs with 3 to go to goal and I'm post-meno at age 51.
I have been a yo-yo dieter most of my life. Started with a near-anorexic go at dieting at about age 15. I recovered with what has always gotten me out of trouble: common sense and a reality check. At 16, I was skipping dinner yet another night and read an article in a teen mag about anorexia. It scared the heck outta me and I went and ate 3 tacos.
Still the food thing doesn't end just like that, does it. I yo-yoed up and down in 20's and 30's and by 40 I was TIRED of dieting. So much I just decided to stay at 180-200 lbs for about 10 years. A whole decade.
Then a reality check. Bad knees. Arthritis in hands and other joints. The possibility of developing HBP and diabetes like my mother, and reflux, stomach sensitivities and gallstones.
Something had to change and I knew it would be my whole lifestyle. As we age, the reality is we have to get serious about our health of face the consequences.
It was neither as easy nor as hard as I thought it would be. I am only lightly active because of my arthritis (and migraines, allergies, neck pain) and stuck to about 1400 calories. Now I know, it's a pain to be counting but now after 6 months I can figure things out in my head. I ballpark portions and calories and do pretty well, losing 1 pound a week and as I said, very close to goal. I also realize that at my age no more than 1700 cals is my limit w/o exercise. I also know if I overdo it I will develop tendonitis in my hips again which put me out of commission for exercise for about 3 months (but I stuck to the calorie count and walked a little).
And they said it couldn't be done after 50. Lies!
I wish you determination in reaching your healthier state. You said you are satisfied with you family and the rest of your life. I wish I had a family. I never married and have no kids but that doesn't stop me from taking care of myself. I am worth it.
Good luck. Knowledge is power in the process of changing our eating habits. Groups are good, too, I hear, if they are right for you.
The way I see it, there is too much at stake to just give up. Give yourself a mental break and somewhere quiet, let that inner voice speak to your best self and go from there.
|
yo-yo
New Member
| Joined: | 3 Oct 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
|
Posted: 25 Oct 2010 02:54 pm |
|
Thank you, Kris. Your email is good for me. As a matter of fact, I've just returned to my office from the gym... yeah, you heard that right.... the GYM! Blah! Bleck! Pitooee! lol
I'm surprised at how much hearing from strangers helps. I guess that's why there are forums like this. I am glad I'm not the only strong/weak person out there.
So I'm trying. I'm watching. I'm counting. I'm staying away from anything that might depress me about my size. No clothes shopping.
Congratulations, by the way!!! 47 lbs is fantastic!
I am going for a pound a week and will stop...stop..stop... if I lose more than 3 pounds in a week. They wouldn't be "real" weight loss... they would be me not eating pounds.
There are some nice ladies at this all-women gym. One of the trainers is our age. She looks like a super model with a wrinkle and I shall enjoy hating her every step of the way.
I'll keep you posted... and when you hit that 50lb mark... hug yourself for me!
|
kris1977
New Member
| Joined: | 24 Oct 2010 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
|
Posted: 26 Oct 2010 12:43 am |
|
You go girl! I have pals that hit the gym pretty regularly. A couple are 10 years older than me and they are one of the things I observed when I was assessing my own lifestyle. I thought, who do I want to be in 10 years, the pals that aren't on pills and take care of themselves, or the ones on medications whose main pass times are potlucks, going out to eat and barbeques?
Like I said, reality check!
Good for you watching that 2-lb loss limit per week. After first 2 weeks, I only lost 2 lbs at a time. It slowed when I got to about last 12 lbs. but it's given me time to learn even more self-control. I learned to quit making a mountain out of a molehill---one lb a week is GOOD, not a bad day.
Thanks for your encouragement. I appreciate it.
Last edited on 26 Oct 2010 12:49 am by kris1977
|
Past Member
|
Posted: 6 Nov 2010 01:13 pm |
|
Don't give up bab (i'm a brummie too). There is always a way. Sure loosing weight does become harder when you get over 50. I'm approaching 52 now and about 4 months ago got a little depressed and stopped being as energetic as i usually am. Started drinking too much and took up smoking again and became pretty sedentary and quickly put on about 1 stone.
Pulled myself together now and lost 5 kilo (11lb) in four weeks.
You can do it too, you have to reach the right mind-set. ....exercise is the key. Try swimming and aqua yoga if you suffer with your joints. Good luck
I
|
olfea
Past Member
|
Posted: 8 Nov 2010 02:12 am |
|
exercise more often. when we're sedentary that's the time we get too tired to move
|
Claire
Past Member
|
Posted: 8 Nov 2010 08:19 pm |
|
| as long as we are breathing i don't think we should give up. i look at life as a precious gift, so no matter how much it take we should really take good care of it. for me, it doesn't matter if you're 50 or younger or older. the important thing here is we are happy and comfortable of our own body. it's okay to feel tired sometimes, i think it's completely normal. i even feel that too.. but i don't lose hope because i know every individual deserves a great life and a healthy body. so don't give up, there's a lot of healthy alternatives you can do. make your family and the people who loves you as your greatest motivation to continue to aim for a healthy you.
|
Current time is 03:28 am | |
|
