<p>Ever try one of those cycling machine but for your hands? I see people in wheelchairs using them.</p>
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<p>NM, you need to give yourself a break. I think you’re out of sorts from all the work you are having done at your house. If it were me, I would not be able to sleep well and feel comfortable until my house was back in order.</p>
<p>That’s a really good question Missypie. I struggle too, but I’m more like 10lbs over where I want to be…even after losing quite a bit of weight. I have made SO many changes to my eating habits…and now have a super clean diet. Where in the world do I cut from NOW? I complained to my yoga teacher recently and she told me I that I look healthy and athletic and I should just relax and not worry about a few extra pounds as long as my numbers (bp, etc) are good (and they are). That’s what’s cool about most yoga folks…so laid back. But of course, I still worry…and wear LOTS of black…lol.</p>
<p>To me there’s this psychological component…sure, I look better than the moms on the block who have never worked out in their lives and have just “given up” on their appearance. But there are still lots of ladies my age who have terrific bodies - am I too mentally weak to get there, too?</p>
<p>I’d also give myself a break if I ate terrific food. When I see chefs on TV (or even restaurant clients of mine) and they are a bit pudgy, I think the weight is due to eating wonderful, high quality food. But me? No excuse.</p>
<p>missypie, any possibility that you could step up your exercise routine a bit instead of eating less? It will take longer to lose the last bit, but it might be easier. Though honestly, if it’s size two vs. size four we are talking about, I’m not convinced you need to lose any weight at all unless you are very short!</p>
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<p>If only extra weight would distribute itself evenly around one’s body! Whenever I gain weight, 99% of it turns into a muffin top…instead of the scale, all I have to do is poke my side, right below the waistline…it’s all there. I just can’t become a Weeble myself…skinny arms and ankles and big round waist. I know a woman this has happened to…her weight probably still comes in as below average but skinny arms, skinny legs, skinny face and neck, skinny chest…large waist/belly. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she had a liver issue but it’s just how she’s put on weight.</p>
<p>I’d say about three-quarters of the ladies in the office are in pretty good shape and about a third of those at excellent fitness levels. Having nice facilities in the office helps. I don’t know if it’s an appearance thing or if people just want to lead healthy lives. The peer-support in the office is very good to. Most of the ladies workout in groups and one can drag another to workout if one is iffy.</p>
<p>As far as guys go, there really isn’t any competition to look good. It’s more about how you feel and how healthy you feel.</p>
<p>MP…that middle aged spread is common with women over 50. I have it too and I hate it!
Need to get back to strength training…hopefully my chronic tennis elbow will cooperate.
[Strength</a> training reduces weight gain | Active.com](<a href=“http://www.active.com/women/Articles/Strength_training_reduces_weight_gain.htm]Strength”>http://www.active.com/women/Articles/Strength_training_reduces_weight_gain.htm)</p>
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I threw a small tantrum this morning. I am so sick of this. It hurts when I get up out of my desk chair. This could be something that NEVER resolves. I tried a 3 mile run/walk this morning (mainly ran 1st mile and mainly walked next 2) and I was miserable.</p>
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<p>No way. If I had to do it with “self-control”, I wouldn’t have lost five pounds. Trust me, I’m not walking around hungry. It took about a month of “self-control” to break the Pringle/red licorice/junkfood feedbag/Coke/sweet juice cycle, but the longer I’ve gone the less I even think about buying and eating that stuff. I don’t even have to walk down the aisle and look at it anymore.</p>
<p>The “move more” exercise bit was probably tougher for me because I was so out of shape after smoking for 38 years. I needed the weekly exercise planner and the encouragement of the iPod nazi workouts to get started. And, frankly, I just had to accept that progress would be slow. Now, I’ve come to realize that exercising is actually enjoyable and certainly enjoyable to be much more fit, just for everyday things like fertilizing the lawn or carrying 30 pound cat litter boxes up and down the stairs. Now, I have an idea of a good workout schedule. I’d like to do three days of iPod nazi style body weight circuits (with or without the actual iPod nazi in my ear) and another 2 or 3 days of cardio/intervals (walking, Airdyne, fertizlizer spreading, etc.) that can range from moderate to fairly intense. I can mix it up. For example, all I did was walk last week, with the heat.</p>
<p>And, frankly, I’ve probably had easy weight to lose so far. I was getting zero exercise and eating just absurd calories, both in meals and junk. So modifyng my routiine to eat less and move more has produced significant changes.</p>
<p>As for hitting some “standard weight chart”, you have to take those things with a grain of salt. Remember, we aren’t in our 20s and 30s. Average for a 30 year old is not average for 55 year old. And guess what? Even if I were to get into 34 jeans, I still wouldn’t look like a 30 year old! I’d just look like a skinny little old guy. I’m perfectly content to look like a average weight old guy. I’m not looking to do any swimsuit modeling…</p>
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<p>I’ve noticed since getting back into strength training how I carry two bags of trash to the alley without even thinking about it. Large bag of dog food is no problem-I used to have to ask for help. Just little things like that can make a difference in the quality of life. I don’t want to be frail and feeble when I’m old. Hopefully the strength training will keep me fit and strong for my age vs. old and infirm. Well, I’d still be old, but hopefully not infirm.</p>
<p>Played tennis at the Y during lunch today.</p>
<p>Saw four ladies in their 80s. One had a bit of back curvature but two of them looked to be in pretty good shape. There’s a retirement community nearby and there are a bunch of seniors in the weight room, usually around 10 in the morning. I don’t want to be limping around when I’m 80.</p>
<p>I’m limping around NOW and it’s BECAUSE of my fitness! 
Oh well.</p>
<p>Yeah, but you’ll get over that.</p>
<p>Help me!</p>
<p>height:5.7
cloth size:4
but my weight is 155! work out at gym 1(+) hour -7 days/week(combine with jogging, strength training and dancing), still can not loose even 1 pound!</p>
<p>Well, if your caloric intake is less than what you use, then you will lose weight. I guess you can do an estimate of calories burned per day and what you take in for a day and then adjust the calories downward.</p>
<p>BTW, I’ve had 200 calories today and it’s almost dinnertime. Also played 75 minutes of tennis (singles) so that’s a net loss of about 700 calories from those two things. You use up a certain number of calories just by doing your daily routine.</p>
<p>A pound of fat is 3,500 calories so if your burn 3,500 calories, then you’ve burned the equivalent of a pound of fat.</p>
<p>BCEagle- We’ve had this discussion before on this thread, but I simply can not advise ANYONE to limit calories the way you do. It is just not healthy. It’s the other extreme of unhealthy from gross over-eating.</p>
<p>“Remember, we aren’t in our 20s and 30s. Average for a 30 year old is not average for 55 year old.” </p>
<p>Well, looking into my 60s (a ways off) I have decided that I should retain some of the padding in my face…sort of a natural wrinkle prevention strategy. The really thin ladies I know of this age don’t seem to be faring well in this area. Plus, I will get to eat more </p>
<p>MP, be grateful you have skinny legs and play them up. I have a good friend who has fabulous legs but is a bit thick in the middle. She hides the middle with strategic clothing choices and wears shorter skirts and nice heels. She looks great! Of course, I’m envious because I have both a thick middle AND thick legs…oh well. </p>
<p>MOWC, sorry to hear about your continuing hamstring issue. Hang in there.</p>
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<p>Sorry, I agree with above. That’s beyond unhealthy. Do even minimal research and you will find that strategy to put one at risk for a whole host of trouble. If it works for you, you’re the anomaly.</p>
<p>Most people would find themselves going on a major binge at night after having had only 200 calories by dinner in addition to playing tennis. That or fainting.</p>
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<p>A few hundred posts ago, weren’t we talking about how over 50 you can choose your face or your butt? I admit that when I’m at my ideal weight, my face looks drawn. Maybe one of those jiggly machines from the 60s would vibrate the fat into different places.</p>
<p>[It</a> Vibbbbbbbbrates on Flickr - Photo Sharing!](<a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■■■/photos/felixtcat/2550968236/]It”>It Vibbbbbbbbrates | People actually used these for weight l… | Mike Haney | Flickr)</p>