Fat and Fifty? Not on my watch.

[HattieJacquesBlouse]

Well hello.

I’m 50 later this year, and whilst I think I’ve got over most of my midlife crisis I can’t shift worrying about the impact of my weight on my health.
I’ve got at the very least 5 stone to lose and that’s just to get me to a BMI of 25.

I’m doing a VLCD (which my doctor is fine about) not sure if it’ll be 7 days a week or 5 on 2 off (lost 3 stone this way a few years ago) and I know I’ll need a small corner of the internet to download in and hopefully get to chat with some likeminded souls.

If there’s anyone else in a similar boat I’d love to hear from you. Especially if you can put on 9lbs in December (how? I mean.....HOW????? ) and weep because you went on your first diet as a Size 12 teenager thinking you ought to be a Size 8. Christ, I’d love to go back and give myself a thorough talking to.

Hello Hattie. I've got ten years on you, but in a very similar position, except that I had the lightbulb moment back in August so I've already made a bit of a start. I'm doing low-cal, low-carb (8 Week Blood Sugar Diet) and have lost 2.5 stones so far, with about three to go.

I know what you mean about the putting it on, though - I've been really sticking to it, and yet on a couple of occasions I've put on three or four pounds literally from one day to the next and then it takes another bloody week to shift it. So frustrating! And yes, the looking back at how 'fat' I was when I first started dieting....I'd give my right arm to be that 'fat' again Except just the arm probably wouldn't be quite enough....

Have you a target date in mind, or are you just going to see how it goes? Good luck!

Hi abbey and thanks for the reply I didn’t realise there was a thread specifically for the more, ahem, “mature” of us on this board so I might just take my wailing and gnashing of teeth there.

Great going! I’ve heard good things about the BS Diet (ooh, Michael Moseley didn’t think that acronym through, did he?) and I’ve read his 5:2 and Clever Guts books too (I’ve read every sodding diet book, even Joe Wicks’ though calling broccoli “midget trees” is unforgivable, I don’t care how hipster he is).

I’ve always had issues with my weight, I think if I’d never gone on a diet in my teens (my puppy fat literally melted off when I hit puberty) or beaten myself up about having a BMI of 23 instead of 18 I’d not be in this physical place now.

Yes my target date is my birthday in the summer. 5 stone in 6 months. Challenging. Mind you, previously on VLCDs I’ve got a stone off in the first couple of weeks. Just got to keep the water intake up, argh.

I turned 50 in August and had a hysterectomy back in May - have put on loads of weight since the op, but am now recovered and desperate to get fit and et my weight back down. All I hear from everyone is that I'll never shift the weight now I've had the op :-(

Oh, I didn't realise there was a 'mature' thread either - where is it?

Personally, I think the low-fat mantra of the 80s has a lot to answer for. And the well-plate eating plans still being pushed where carbs at every meal is the doctrine. But then, I have no off button where carbs are concerned - I find it easier to cut them out than cut down. Moderation isn't a concept I'm very good with, as a rule.

Like you, five stones in six months is what I started out aiming for, and by and large it started well and was steady for the first three months. But then it sort of stalled and has more or less been at a plateau for the last few weeks, despite sticking with it and walking an average of three miles a day. Maybe I need to drink more water? Walk more? I don't know. I think it's maybe normal, or at least not unusual, to hit a plateau so I'll just keep on keeping on and be patient. Might have to give myself another month though, which is irritating - I was looking forward to the 'big reveal' on my birthday in March

Let's be positive though....

Welsh - don't be discouraged - I don't think it's impossible to shift the weight post-hysterectomy, but maybe a bit harder. You might find your weight distribution changes so you get more round your middle though.

Welsh that’s balls, frankly. Those naysayers are not helpful. It might mean you need to eat less or expend more energy, or both. It might mean you have to make changes to how you think about or “use” food (if you’re an emotional eater. I am so am addressing that in therapy) or the kinds of food you eat. Not for nothing is this time of life called “the change”. But it can be done, weight can be lost. Onward and downward, say I.

abbey the thread I revered to is here : www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/3124179-Please-only-reply-if-youre-female-and-closer-to-50-than-40

And I’m part Irish, I consider the potato my ancestral right. Preferably cooked in or served with fat.
Bread I can live without, pasta I’m quite hostile towards, rice I don’t touch and the baked good is of no interest to me.
But chips. Crisps. Mash. Roasties. Hell I’ll even have a go on a croquette and those things should have died out in the 1970s. How I’ll live a potato free life is going to be quite the conundrum.

Did you ever read the Pig To Twig book? I love the idea of that way of eating and the recipes were fab, but the fact that I lost a shit ton on The Hip and Thigh back in the late 80s made me very doubtful that I could eat fat and lose weight. So of course I continued to eat fat anyway, with carbs and then wonder why I piled it on 🙄

Water is good I think, especially if you’re on a ketotic diet. I remember on LighterLife (yes, been there too) they used to trill “the more you drink the quicker you shrink” until someone died. Thankfully I love still water and I definitely find it helps how I feel when I’m getting enough down me. Sadly I also love wine. I said a sad farewell to it on NYE, it utterly screws with any motivation/moderation I may be exercising and like you moderation isn’t inherent in me.

Referred not revered. Although I do, rather.

Hattie I lost 1 stone in 4 weeks doing pig2twig but then went on holiday to Italy and pasta and peroni undid all my hard work. I loved the recipes and found it dead easy to stick to but DH loves his spuds and bit by bit they crept back in together with the wine and as the book says it never works as well second, third, ..... twelfth time round.

I'm titchy and nearly got to my dream 9stone in the summer using MFP and sticking to 1200 calories weekdays and 1500 weekends (so I could have wine) but I'm back to 10st5 and the girls are a ginormous G cup. Exercise consists of a power walk with the dog - she's antisocial so I have to speed up when someone comes the other way - but my fitbit says all I've burned off is 120-175 calories.

I blame my mum for screwing up my metabolism by putting her "fat 17 yo, 7st10, daughter" on a diet. According to her I should still be 7st4!!

I am 50 and lost about 5 stone over the last 3 years or so. First 2 stone were just calorie counting using myfitnesspal app. The rest with slimming world. I have never eaten so much in my life - and never hungry and I am now a size 12. Started off as a size 20.

Can I offer some encouragement? I was in your position nearly 20 years ago - facing 50 and feeling fat and unfit. I joined Weight Watchers and over the following three years I lost three stone. I also started gently jogging and then got really hooked - I ran marathons at age 53 and 56. I'm now nearing 70 and my joints don't let me run anymore but I walk as much as I can and I've never put the weight back on. Actually, that's not entirely true but if I do put on a few pounds on holiday/over Christmas etc I work hard to lose it quickly. I think you have to look on it as a permanent lifestyle change rather than a diet, but it definitely can be done. Good luck!

Hattie thanks for the link - I missed that, probably because I'm nearer 60 than 50 (oh God, how did that happen.....? ). Still, I'm not going to be deterred. I've just signed up on the Boot Camp thread - bring it on!

Hi Hattie, I know exactly how you feel! I tried loosing some weight this time last year but with me I just never had any motivation at all! After a month I gave up when I noticed I put on 7 pounds and not lost it!! But this year has been good to me so far, I started on Boxing Day and got right too it! I’ve had help from this amazing easy 2 week program but I still feel really happy with myself the main thing is to not quit and keep going, that way we will see results! I’ll be happy to share the program if any of you are infested, even my mum had a go on it and now she’s addicted to cutting down the pounds too it’s nice to hear people are on the same boat, -Shelby

Minny: 7st 10 FAT???? On what planet???? If you don’t mind me asking, how tall are you? I can’t imagine 94lb being a BMI of over 25 unless you’re, well, extreeeeeemely small

Cece that’s brilliant. That’s what I aspire to. Well done.

Thanks Nutty I know there needs to be a radical lifestyle change. I’m a very “all or nothing” type/binary thinker and that can work against me, but I’ve got therapy to help with the head stuff and committed to my 10k steps and 3l water a day. Just waiting on some slots for weights 👍🏻

Abbey get in! Well done you. I’ll be going the LC route when I’ve finished the Cambridge packs, plus will be eating normal food this weekend so LC then, too and keeping an eye on the calories.

Shelby I’m pretty set on restricted calorie/low carb but glad you’ve had success. What’s the plan?

Hattie I was 5'3" then but nearly 2" shorter now due to back problems. My DM still uses a chart from a 1970s slimming magazine and is so obsessive she dilutes skimmed milk. The only time I achieved her target was when XH buggered off. I lost 3 stone in 6 weeks and kept 2 stone off without trying but then I met now DH and cosy meals and wine have been my downfall.

Christ, Minny 7st 10 at 5ft’3 is a BMI of 16 and a half! I know some people pooh pooh the BMI calc but that’s seriously underweight. Even for the 1970s! It’s not my place to tell you or anyone else what they should weigh, of course, but if you’ve got pressure like that from your Mum, then.......oy.
I’m only an inch and a half taller than you were and I looked pretty gaunt at 8st4. Ah, I remember that half an hour well......

And why bother diluting skimmed milk? It’s oretty much water anyway

I’m not letting this thread die a death with spam as the last post.

So 6lbs down since Tues but expecting a bounce up tomorrow. I will do some cardio today though, masochist that I am.

6 off, 2 on so 4 since last Tues with an utterly fun and non restrictive weekend. I’ll take that.