I am recently retired, aged 62 and i have struggled with my weight for the last year. I eat sensibly. Dont eat chocolate, cake or crisps, all of which i love. Do half an hour walk 3 times per week and my weight just will not move. I have spent most of my life 8st and now i am 11st and i feel it is so dismal. I must say that this weight piled on after i came through the change. Also i suffer from depression and anxiety which i am going to start having CBT for at the end of February. Has anyone got any words that may cheer me on and advice? Thank you for reading.
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emmycat
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Hello. I dont know if i am able to cheer you up, but i may be able to give you a little advice. I have been doing a little research over the last few days about this losing weight lark. It appears that your body gets used to whatever exercise you do after 3 weeks. So basically you need to change it up a little. Maybe go for a swim, do some light weights and interval training. One of my faves is running fast on the spot for 10 secs and then walk for 30 secs, i do it in my kitchen. It gets your heart racing and burns more calories even hours after you,ve done it. No chocolate......wow, how do you do that? Good luck x
Do you log what you eat at the moment, if you don't then it might be worth doing that, the idea can be daunting and can appear to be a mammoth task at first but at least if you keep a record of exactly what you are eating and drinking you'll have some numbers to work with. Most people find the online food diary at MyFitnessPal a great aid to doing this.
It could also be an intolerance to a particular food that is preventing you from losing weight, sugar is an obvious one but also milk and other dairy products can cause issues in people.
If after logging your food nothing obvious jumps out then you'll be able to approach your GP or Nurse armed with some facts and figures, maybe ask for some of the standard tests to be run Blood Glucose, Thyroid Function, HbA1c etc.
I agree with OlsBean that if you are not already weighing and measuring, that is the first place to start.
It's great that you are doing the walking - can you add in a couple of other activities in your week to take you up to 150 minutes? It may well not burn off lots of calories in itself but is effective for depression and will support the CBT and help you feel more empowered to do the necessary to lose weight.
Lighter mornings and evenings and finer weather are on their way, things will get better! You are already doing helpful things. Perhaps you could treat yourself to something really nice to eat from time to time depending on what you really enjoy - my own big treat is raspberries or blueberries.
I am a believer in that if you are not losing weight, you are not eating little enough.
Even though you may be eating sensibly, you must be eating too much for weight loss.
Maybe try cutting down for 2 weeks and see if you lose anything. You will have to decide where to cut down: e.g. instead of 2 slices of bread for a sandwich, eat only 1 slice of bread and more lettuce and cucumber, say. Or instead of eating one potato, eat half a potato, etc.
It is all a matter of experimentation until you find that spot where you are eating little enough to lose.
Thank you so much for your reply but honestly i dont feel i can cut down anymore, i barely eat 900 calories per day and nothing is moving. I am going to start and go to zumba class and see if that make any difference.
Woman ! Don't eat chocolate cake or crisps ?????? Can I have yours ??
Pretty pleeeeeease ! Ha ha ha
It's far from easy , I know, how's your activity levels doing ? I too struggle with anxiety & deepression and sometimes walking my dog somewhere lovely & peaceful can help to soothe me & it can only help with calories lost ...... Chin up flower xxxx
If you don't have a dog, you can stick my husband on a lead and walk him !!!! Humour helps the battered soul......
Thank you for your reply. As i previously said i barely eat 900 calories per day. I never eat crisps, chocolate, cake or biscuits yet i make them for my youngest son and husband. If you lived nearer then you could have my share.
Hi.....900 calories ??? Wow that seems quite low lovey, is that the recommended daily calorie allowance for you ? My god, my stomach would think it's throats been cut !!! You say you are 11 stone, I thnk you should be having more calories, could be why the weights not shifting ?? Something to check up on anyway......
Hi Em... I am 60 and have been retired 3 years now. I'm sure that women do suffer with weight gain during the change. I am just about 12 stone but at only 5ft 1in that's around 3.1/2 stone I have to get rid of. I am very active looking after grandchildren a couple of days a week and I am also an Avon rep so do at least 3 hrs walking at least twice a week. My problem is that because I live on my own, I eat rubbish most evenings. I rarely cook for myself as I hate to waste food and most veg goes off before I have chance to use it up. I eat a lot of ready meals and have little interest in dieting. My advice to you to help with depression and anxiety is to join as many local daytime groups as you can. What are your interests? There are lots of retirement clubs ( I'm a member of a couple of knitting/crochering groups). You need to ensure that you get out and meet people. Good luck with the CBT, it works and makes you think of other ways of doing stuff.... Always happy to chat. Best wishes Marg.
I read your post with interest cos i was just thinking last week that i need to get out and join some clubs and i have a zumba class in mind. I do love crafts and used to go to a quilting class years ago. I do love knitting and maybe look for a knitting circle somewhere near to me. I felt really low over the weekend, i dont know why, these bouts of depression just drop on me without any rhyme or reason. Me and hubby went out for a fabulous Valentine's meal on saturday night but i felt like a real misery inside and a big outside. I start the CBT next week. Thank you for your kind words.
Good luck with the CBT, it seems to get some good results, so fingers crossed for that.
Finding good ways to pass the time has certainly helped me in retirement, especially ones that involve being with other people. Have you found any groups you would like to join in your area, or perhaps you already have?
I have found that I need to cut down on more than cake and chocolate to lose weight, I have also had to cut down on other carbohydrates like bread and cereals. I eat things like eggs, a wide variety of vegetables and different meats, and full fat plain yoghurt. I don't regard exercise as a way to lose weight, but rather as a way to stay healthy. The way our bodies cope with food does seem to alter the older you get.
Thank you for your reply. The CBT starts next week, i wish it was today as i feel really down today.
I do need to join some groups and be amongst people. I have just waived my husband off to work and i feel so lost and want to cry my eyes out but i wont do this as it isnt fair on him. If he didnt go to work then we would be really in the dirt.
I cant cut down anymore on what i eat, but i may change my diet and have a look at some cookery books this afternoon.
I remember that retirement came as a bit of a shock! Any change takes some handling, even when you want it to happen. I don't think your reaction is unusual, giving up work is a huge change for most people. It's the end of one way of life and you have to find something to take its place. There are lots of lovely people and activities out there.
I have had to change what I eat over the last few years. The NHS plan works well for some people, but not for me. I now eat a low-carb/full fat diet, and have lost about 2 stone, nearly back to where I should be.
Having read the amount of calories you are eating, that low amount would be ok once in a while, but it's not enough as a permanent plan. It could be contributing to you feeling down.
Thank you for your reply. I do think that 900 calories is way too small, and today i have been hungry all day so i have eat a bit more today. I will have a look at Paleo and Primal on the website, cos i am sure there must be something better for me. As for the depression, well the CBT starts next week and i am hoping that i will get one part of my life shorted, or help with it, there.
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