<p>Congratulations, Onward. :)</p>
<p>P.S. 3b, you know who gave me that tip I passed onto Onward? MOWC.</p>
<p>3bm…go back and reread the posts in this thread. No one has said to stop the thread. Helpful info and encouragement has been given. It is all positive. As a 50+ poster who fights daily to just walk without my knees hurting I really appreciate support wherever I find it and am very grateful for the knowledge from so many posters. Hopefully your day will get better! Sending positive thoughts your way! :)</p>
<p>Thank you for starting this thread. For me, I had always been in an acceptable weight zone knowing I could lose a few lbs but never all that motivated but, when when I was 48 I gained 5 lbs that didn’t seem to want to go away…I ignored it but over the next year I gained another 5 more and that’s when I decided to do something. I knew I ate too much sugar (desserts, etc.) in kind of an addictive way so I cut out all added sugars…definitely all the easy to identify but, on packaged foods I’d look and if sugar (or high fructose corn syrup, etc.) showed up in the first 7 ingredients (happens with crackers and even some canned veggies, for example), I’d skip them. I did this for a year, starting around my 49th birthday and broke it with birthday cake on my 50th birthday. I’m now on the downward slide to my 52nd birthday and, over the first 6-9 months lost about 16 lbs and have maintained that weight. I believe I was addicted to sugar and love that I’m not now. I will have a sweet now and then and it doesn’t affect my weight. Part of the reason this works for me is that I do indulge in other treats (some chips or fries, for example) so I do feel satisfied. I’m now a size 2 or 4 and feel great about that but…</p>
<p>I don’t exercise at all and know how bad it is for me–I really want to live to see my grandchildren and can’t seem to get motivated to do anything. Have been a member at a gym but went so infrequently that I might as well have just ripped up the $100/month. I seem to only be motivated socially so really need to find friends to walk, etc. with me but all my friends already have their (much more aggressive) plans in place. I’m proud of myself that I found the motivation to stick with the no sugar (now almost no sugar) path but can’t seem to apply that type of motivation to something (anything!) on the exercise side. I used to go to jazzercise with friends years ago and one still attends…each M, W and F morning I tell myself to go meet my friend there and each M, W and F morning I find some reason not to!</p>
<p>If anyone else hates exercise but has found some tip/strategy that helped them get started, I’d love to hear.</p>
<p>I couldn’t agree more, garland, about it not being so simple. I have found that the source of the calories is just as important as the total number. </p>
<p>I really like this thread and the WLFD thread, because the posts are more relevant to my situation (“mature” age, not in great shape, not enough time to really focus on weight loss/health). So small, manageable changes are best for me.</p>
<p>I have dipped into the “hard-core” thread a few times, to ask for advice about exercise, and each time I’ve gotten great advice. The posters on that thread are very generous, welcoming, and accepting of people at any stage, but I don’t find reading the thread very helpful because most of the posts are not relevant to my situation.</p>
<p>collage1, have you read Katherine DesMaisons’ sugar addiction books? Her website is radiantrecovery.com. Like you, I am a sugar addict. I feel best when I consume no “overt” sugar, but I don’t manage to get myself in that state very often. Good for you that you managed it!</p>
<p>In terms of exercise, it’s hard to start the habit. I find it easiest to go to a class at the gym, because once I’m there, I will do the entire class.</p>
<p>Folks, if you don’t like the “hard-core” thread, no one is making you come there. The hard core thread is not discussing why the other threads are not helpful to them. Could we all please refrain from commenting on the character of each thread? I think the most important thing is that we are all trying to do something to improve our health. Thank you.</p>
<p>collage…starting is the hardest part. Once you get in to a routine it becomes easier. Do you have a friend or family member who will go for a walk with you? Having a workout buddy system is what worked for me when I first started. Just talk to one of your friends and say you need to be laid back at the beginning.</p>
<p>My neighbor had developed the classic middle aged guy belly, gained twenty pounds, and had started spending way too much time watching TV on the weekends (according to his wife, who is a 4’10" dynamo). </p>
<p>In the last three years he lost the weight, the belly and is very physically active. What was the magic method?</p>
<p>His wife brought home a mixed breed puppy. A very active, adorable, engaging, enthusiastic puppy, who needed two walks a day. He and the puppy started out at the same walking speed, and increased their speed and distance together. </p>
<p>Wouldn’t work for everyone, but it worked for one fifty year old guy.</p>
<p>Collage-As far as getting going, probably the most important thing for me was not getting caught up in there being a “right way” to do things. I like to walk, but I just…take a walk. I don’t have special workout clothes, I don’t swing my arms the right way, I don’t time myself, etc. (I did wear a stepcounter for a long time, but that was after a longer time when I didn’t. It worked as a motivational tool for me. YMMV.) Same thing with biking–I have a hybrid roadbike, with a comfy seat and baskets and handlebars that curve a little upward. I don’t have bike shorts or other gear–I do wear a helmet, though.)</p>
<p>My other favorite exercise, kayaking, is just something I like to do–some times when we go out, it’s a real workout because of tides, waves, wind. Other times it’s a calm, flatwater day tooling around back bay waters while my H clams–hardly any exercise at all. I’m out there because it’s enjoyable, not with a specific workout in mind–though, the side benefit is I am not eating while I’m on the water, the bike, the walking path, etc.</p>
<p>So I guess my main point is to find some kind of movement that you like, but don’t worry about whether you’re doing the right thing or doing it “right.” Good luck to you.</p>
<p>^i like your answer garland. Routine can be good. But doing different things on different days, as long as you are moving, may make it more doable and less boring.</p>
<p>I started light weight lifting by just doing 10 minutes three days a week. I figured I could force myself to do 10 minutes. And I watched tv while doing it. Eventually I increased the time and weight. Sometimes I’ll stop for a few weeks or month and just do some aerobic exercise only. Today H and I went for a long walk. It was nice time together and it was exercise.</p>
<p>Any exercise, even 10 minutes, a few days a week is better than none. Good luck Collage.</p>
<p>Collage, I hate exercising really. I’ve done different things at different times. When the kids were in nursery school I’d go swimming for the two hours. When they took swimming lessons I’d sneak away from watching them the whole time and do some work on the machines at the Y. I got my husband interested in the Y and we started going together. Then I started finding the weekday mornings inconvenient - it’s always when I get work calls - so I usually only join him Sundays. I go Friday in the early evening and I try to go another late afternoon or early evening. Since going to the gym takes so much time I began amassing exercise equipment at home. I now have dumbells, two kettleballs, a big stability ball, the TRX type ropes that hang on the back of a door and a medicine ball. With them I can get a good all round body workout whenever I can fit it in. Since I work at home - when I get bored I pick up something and do it. Sometimes I do a concentrated workout. Sometimes I just do a bunch of pushups. There are some studies that show that just getting up off your butt once an hour and getting your heart rate up is more effective than longer work outs less often. </p>
<p>We live in a pretty neighborhood so I also try to get out for walk two or three times a week. If it ever snows a decent amount I’d love to get out with my snowshoes. </p>
<p>My attitude is anything is better than nothing. This year I began with a challenge by one of the posters on the other thread. On Jan 1 we did 1 pushup, 1 goblet squat, 1 kettleball swing and we’ve been adding one a day. Even if you can’t do 10 in a row, you can do them with big rests in between. Before you know it you’ll be a lot stronger and more flexible.</p>
<p>Thanks for the encouragement. Mathmom, nice that you connected with someone on CC to partner up and create a challenge/partnership and I love that you started small…I could do ONE of a few things!! If anyone’s like me (starting from zero/totally out of shape), feel free to get in touch and maybe we can do something similar. In terms of walking, we live in a very hilly neighborhood and, like I said, it doesn’t take much to get me to pass.</p>
<p>One other question, morrismm, I like the idea of 10 minutes of lifting weights when watching TV. I have weights and I watch some TV (fortunately, not a huge amount) but that seems like something I can do. Did you just come up with your own routine? Not sure I’d know quite what to do with the weights other than a bicep curl…</p>
<p>Maybe this thread will be what finally gets me moving!</p>
<p>Collage–I know you asked morrismm, but I will pipe in here that I bought a book almost 20 years ago called Smart Women Stay Strong, and I still follow its program, which is very simple and about 15 minutes twice a week, using hand and leg weights. A very cheap investment for me (and yes, easy to do in front of the TV).</p>
<p>WLFD was the best thing that happened to me and in the end I lost nearly 50 pounds and vastly improved my labs. The encouragement and support there was fantastic. I spent 25 years gaining weight and never dreamed I could lose most of it in one year. But I understand what garland is saying - there was a lot of history so it’s not always easy to just jump in. And many of the useful tips are in the first few months of that thread.</p>
<p>Here’s my one-year summary of how I did it:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I chose a “temperature dress” based on someone else’s tip about having “temperature jeans” - essentially it’s a garment that you wish you still fit into. I hung the dress in the hallway and it became my inspiration. (The day it finally fit was thrilling.) I also weigh in every morning on the Wii fit - some people prefer less often, but for me it keeps me straight and immediately alerts me to slippage. It does take constant vigilance but my diet is a bit looser in the last year than the first 8 months. Now if I could just control DH’s grocery shopping…</p>
<p>Has anyone else been searching for hidden sugar? I find myself parked in the cereal aisle, reading sugar counts. Raisin Bran (no matter the brand) has more sugar than Lucky Charms. And don’t get me started on “energy bars” – it seems like the more upscale they are, the more sugar they have. “KIND” has way too much sugar. I think in terms of sugar, I’m better off with fruit.</p>
<p>collage…youtube is your friend for getting workout routines and trying to make sure you have good form.</p>
<p>“temperature jeans” from trainer Rachel Cosgrove and taught to us by interesteddad! :)</p>
<p>I actually think ultra-exercising at an older age is not a good idea in terms of longevity or even general well-being. I formed this view after watching several friends and siblings go down that path – Ironman, Marathons, Valley of Fire, etc. I saw injuries and stress and in two cases – surprisingly early death. So I definitely believe in moderation in all things – including exercise.</p>
<p>For me, I like to socialize when I exercise so I love my six-day per week walk/run with neighbors. Sometimes I just do half. Sometimes I only walk and lag behind when they run. Some days I do it all. I like starting my day with the talk and the movement under the sky.</p>
<p>Other than that, I look for physical activity that engages my brain as well as my body – dance, swimming, stuff I’m not too good at. The dance is great because I have to quickly memorize combinations and I find my 54-year-old brain is somewhat slow on that. So I come away feeling as if my brain and body get a workout. An considering a soccer club of older women that a friend is involved with. </p>
<p>What I don’t like is that sense of doing a repetitive exercise over and over until it feels as if my brain and muscles have it all on auto-pilot. </p>
<p>But from what I’ve observed, a little fat is really important if you want to live a long time. Really skinny may look chic but isn’t that good as you age. And exercise is a good thing but not if you do like my crazy brother and blow out both knees and a hip by the time you’re 55. </p>
<p>In general really skinny older people look really old. So I think it’s good to keep a significant layer of fat on your old bones as you age. </p>
<p>Moderation is a beautiful thing.</p>
<p>Ya gotta start somewhere. I have never been, and will never be, an exercise junkie. I began walking 3x/week and dropping the fast food in April 2011 – my glucose levels were borderline for diabetes. A year later, I had lost 45. A month later, I had a full cardiac arrest. Dead on the kitchen floor at 51 with a 100% blockage. </p>
<p>Since then, I’ve dropped another 42 – thanks to cardiac rehab exercise 3-4 times a week and really watching the salt/fat/carbs/Vitamin K/sugar. I try to ride my Airdyne bike at home on the days I don’t go to rehab, but am not always good about it. </p>
<p>My initial goal was moderation, as I wanted to change habits and live more healthfully. I wasn’t reading labels then, just cutting out the garbage. The cardiac issues now dictate a lot more care in what I eat. G-d willing, I’ll be around for grandchildren and have the energy and ability to enjoy them.</p>
<p>^^wow CountingDown. Did your initial 45 lb weight loss have anything to do with your cardiac arrest? I ask because I know of several people who had a large weight loss and then had a cardiac arrest. One of them died. Glad to hear you are doing better.</p>
<p>Collage-- I found weight exercises by doing a search on the internet and looking at you tube as NorthMinn suggested. I do not do anything elaborate. And just start with curls until you find other things to do. It’s a start.</p>