I turned 50 in November and I am overweight! I also battle sleep issues, Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, a bit of ADHD! I need to lose weight! Not just to look better, feel better but be more healthy overall! My problem is it is just me on this journey, sometimes my youngest! I work outside the home, my commute is 27 miles one way! Recently we have been short on work so I am essentially getting up at 4am, driving 27 miles to sit and do nothing!
Once I come home I have no energy, I barely want to cook! I am struggling to find the energy and motivation to lose the weight and eat better! I have these awful, strong cravings for sugar! I also have my room which looks like a hoarder’s room! I know I need to clean it, I know once I do I can replace my bed, which in turn may make me sleep better and my anxiety will definitely be reduced!
I’m finding it very hard to focus, to find the motivation to do anything, I’m trying to find a remote job, find time to clean, find time to meal prep and work out and meditate and I just feel like I am just spinning in a circle! I just don’t know how to break free of it all! I feel completely helpless and out of control!
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Bookmama20
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I would advise intermittent fasting. It's worked for me for losing weight and it helps with the sugar cravings.
I too use intermittent fasting, no food for me after 9pm and it works. Right before 9pm. I get a box of Fiber One Cereal and munch on 1/4 cup of it dry, if I have a bad food craving. It fills me up fast and stops my nibbling at night. After 10 am the following day I have my coffee and a small bowl of the Fiber One cereal to get my day started. It has worked for me and I lost 12 of the Pandemic pounds I've put on. I wish you luck.
Oh lord girl, I know about spinning out. I don’t have the answers for myself but what I know what would comfort me is hearing, one step at a time, even micro movements. Having a tidy bedroom can definitely help sleep, honestly it’s one of the few things I can still do, even though dishes pile up in the sink. I don’t have children but sometimes I can get myself do things for my dog….like he’s watching and cares. Don’t look at the whole mess, find just 15 mins and work on one tiny pile in your room or wash your bedding to lay in clean sheets. I understand what it feels like to feel completely overwhelmed and damn! I can’t even work at the moment!! I’m also turning 50 in May and I’ve gained weight and the passage of time is scary. Clean off your nightstand, wash your bedding and go from there, micro movements—don’t look up and feel defeated because there is still so much to do, feel proud of yourself for every good thing, even getting up and going to work!! I’m proud of you for powering through that bit. There’s power in numbers and I think each time we reach out and someone reaches back, it spreads hope. We have to believe—even sometimes if it starts with believing in others first. You’re not alone.
Thank you so much for the advise and kind words! I need to start somewhere, like you said it is overwhelming! My girls are 22 and 20! Both work, both are in school, my youngest has a second job as well as a dancer! So even when not at work, I’m working! Lol Neither drive yet but my youngest is going for her road test next month! She tries to be helpful, my husband too but he works 12-14 hour days, one day off during the week and Sunday! So he needs to rest too! Maybe like you said, even if I clean a small area it’ll help!
I have been there too and working my way through the house, 15 minutes at a time according to a cooking timer. If you feel like doing more, just reset the timer for another 15 minutes. I find listening to my music passes the time quicker.
I have followed a friend's suggestion of sitting down on Sunday night with a planner to physically plot my activities for the week. Leave no activity out from the moment you wake to going to bed. For example, you first book time for recurring daily events for a shower, preparing meals and the 15 minutes of tidy time. You probably even need to book husband time in to make sure you can see him either before or after work.
If you have a tendency to accumulate excessive items, or find it difficult to part with them, I can recommend working through a book, "Buried in Treasures". This is both a practical tool and is psychology based to enable gradual but consistent progress. You can work on your own or use as a reference when attending a workshop. I have put a link here for an online workshop. There is a cost involved in this one or you might be able to find a free one near you.
I definitely need to lose weight too. I’m 51 and never had children. Back when I was 35 I lost 50 pounds by going to Weight Watchers. Now I’ve gained all of that back. I do try to go for long walks and try to eat healthy, that’s about all I can do. All these weight loss programs want your money. I’m not sure what WW is now, some people seem to try to do it all online. It was the weekly meetings that encouraged me and helped me. Their line that “It’s a lifestyle, not a diet.” is not absolute truth. All the foods have point value and you have to stay under a certain allotment of points. I also joined a gym for a few months last year, however I got bored with it quite easily and I know how those places can become some kind of pick up joint. When you get to age 50 you’re not quite sure what to do anymore. We all know these celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Madonna probably work out like maniacs and have their special diets and may have had some special procedures done on them that we’re never going to know about.
I started going through this months before 50. I'm 55 now and still struggle and is getting worse. I have no advice just here to let you know your not alone
I feel for you. I turned 50 in September. Issues with weight, anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, Type 2 Diabetes, and a traumatic brain injury. I don't feel motivated to do my job. Tired of numbers and stupid questions all day. I go home and don't want to cook. I only live 15 minutes from work though. My grown daughter lives with me and rarely cooks. If I'm lucky she does dishes once a week. But she's happy to eat my food and has walked to her room when it's time to do dishes. Frustrating to me but she helps with bills most of the time. She's also moving in with a friend soon and I can be on my own. Cook and clean just for me. Lower grocery bills and so on. She still has to help pay for the cell phones and car insurance though if she wants to keep them in my name.
Sugar, my biggest nemesis! I have heard that if you can avoid sugary and sweet things for 3 days, the cravings lessen. I have yet to make it past 24 hours though.
If I really want to eat when I get home, I have to cook right after I get there. No sitting down with a snack and resting in my room. That's when I don't want to get back up and cook unless I'm really "starving." Being a diabetic makes the hunger issues worse for me. Pizza and pasta raise my glucose levels. Potatoes, not quite as high. And I've had a ton of sweet things one night and my glucose levels are really low in the morning. Very strange but I think everyone's body works differently.
It's hard to find ways to cope with so many issues. All you can do is keep trying. My doctor has me on 15 medications but I believe they all help, except for one. I know I should exercise more and maybe I'll start walking around our neighborhood (parking lot first) before I go in to cook. That would be a good start for me. Intermittent fasting sounds like it would help me as well.
This is a cycle that gets ahold of us. Things that help me.. get 6-8 hours of sleep each night. Start each morning with the Wim Hof guided breathing exercises free on you tube. Get 40 minutes of cardio exercise daily to produce endorphins. After your shower rinse in cool water for 5 minutes. Trying to lower the temperature a tiny bit each week. Until it’s a full cold rinse.
I totally get it. I can only sleep for 3-4 hours a night for some reason and have no energy to do anything and it sucks! I do intermittent fasting and also if you crave sugar maybe try smart sweets? I only get sugar cravings during that time of the month and I have my smart sweets and also built bars. I’ve never tried this but I heard if you’re craving something or are overly hungry then brush your teeth. Not many people really care to eat after brushing their teeth.
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