Week 6 - Retired from work yesterday and feeling odd

[GrannyC]

Well I have carried on with diet and exercise regime and have lost 17lbs so far. Am feeling positive and a lot healthier but need to get into a retirement routine to stop me being bored and turning to food.

I can do this! Weird thing is you look forward to retirement, enjoy the fuss of the leaving do and then, bang, what do I do next.

Have just been in the garden for a couple of hours and felt sure I had been out there all day. Wow it seems like time has slowed down already.

Any tips on how to keep focussed on weight loss when you feel you want to eat for comfort?

Cheers

[Hidden]

Hi GrannyC,

Oh so much of this weight loss thing actually IS about focus.

Focussing on what you're eating, and not mindlessly munching. Focussing away from the "naughties" that you shouldn't be eating. Focussing on what and when you're going to eat. Focussing on how much you're eating (quantity / portion control). Focussing on what food you buy when out shopping.

Look, just because you've retired doesn't mean there aren't lots of things for you to focus your attention on and to get involved with.

And creating for yourself things to do and to busy yourself with will lead to you developing some sort of framework / routine to 'hang' your meals and snacking on. And try to keep plenty of activity / exercise stuff in there too. O.K. it might not be a marathon every afternoon, but you'll perhaps be able to fit in some sessions doing things that perhaps you couldn't find the time to do previously.

You know, if you choose to become sedentary, sit on the sofa watching day-time tv all day, then you're going to end up struggling like hell with boredom eating .... so just don't even go there!

Plan / design your way out of that sort of thing before you even get there.

You know, life is an adventure and that can be just as true about retired life. It all depends - much like your body weight, actually - on the choices you make and on daring to make them happen.

Good luck with both your retirement and your weight loss journey.

[Elizahanna]

Being retired has made it easier for me to lose weight and be fitter. I'm not exhausted all the time and getting up in the morning and going to the gym is just what gets me going for the day. I live on my own so I shop every day so I never have tempting food around! At ifrst when I retired Iwas a bit lost as you describe, I think that is normal, but soon you'll get into a routine. Voluntary work is good you can do something different. Good luck and happy days, I love being retired!

[GrannyC in reply to Elizahanna]

Thank you for this it was just what I wanted to hear. I live on my own and have started to go to the gym (first time in my life). I think you are right, this will be the first time in my life I will be able to please myself, shop for what I want that day, etc.

Nobody explains that "bit lost" feeling you get which totally caught me off guard. Have gone off the rails a bit this weekend but feel energised and ready to shift the next 3 stone of weight.

Thanks for the encouragement, glad to know that the weird feeling was transient and look forward as you have to a happy retirement.

[GoGirl]

Now you've got the time to do what you enjoy. I left work 8 months ago and some weeks I wonder how I ever found time to go to work. If you're not a gym person you can go for walks, even window shopping is still walking! You've now got lots of time to create lots of lovely meals, I found that instead of going formsomething quick and easy I've got time to cook from scratch and go easy on the calories. Enjoy!

[GrannyC]

Thanks. Am feeling a lot more positive now. The sun is shining and I have time to enjoy life. It is amazing how institutionalised work makes you feel. I have just heard it is going to be warm tomorrow as well and, guess what, I don't have to go to work. Thanks for your positive comments.