Too Old?

[4Maddie44]

I am a 71 year old woman living in the UK.  I am on anti-depressants.  I have arthritis.  I have put on a lot of weight.  In UK we show our weight as stones and pounds, not just pounds.  The only exercise I do is walking, but not every day.  I would like to join this community.  

Am I too old to lose weight?  In the past I have lost weight, but always put ity back on.

[James G Beckerman, M.D.]

No one is ever to old to become healthier!  Welcome!

It can be challenging when you have arthritis to become more active, as pain sometimes can get in the way.  Sometimes people find if they explore different types of activity - a stationary bicycle, swimming, Pilates - they can do more with less pain.

Dietary changes are perhaps the best way to lose weight - and as you can guess there are many different ways to go about it.  I generally advocate a 'small changes' approach - I think it's more interesting and also easier to stick with in the longer term - that's what I have done for many years.

There are lots of resources throughout this website and community.  And if you're looking for books to get you motivated, authors like David Katz and Brian Wansink have some great ideas - and you could also check out The Flex Diet - it's on sale in the UK!  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flex-Diet-Design-Your-Weight-Loss/dp/1439155690

Take care and best of luck on your journey.

[29sillygirl]

Maddie....try to relax about losing weight.  I know so well that we can tackle only one thing at a time. And if you are not up to par now...you will be soon.

Actually..it is better, imo, to eat than to starve yourself.  I know ppl who have done that ...and it never ends well.

Food is much more important to me now than ever in my 76 years.  I know it is because it is enjoyable.  Like you, I''ve had to cut exercise @ Y due to painful bouts with arthritis & cost.  

A not so funny thing happened as I tried to eat more fruit...bit into an apple and put my jaw in severe pain..lol.  That's the way it goes .... am eating mostly soft things for awhile.

Is the weather nasty?  Know that affects our moods.  January is hard for me because I must face financial facts...very unpleasant, and a little scary.

Hope you take comfort from friends here @ MH....we are all in this life together....
Best love...

[jericho777]

I won't get off this diet till I get down to my ideal weight of 165 pounds or in June, if I start weight lifting again, then 170 would be ideal...I've never been any heavier than 170, but most of that was in muscle gain?
I am now losing 1 1/2 pounds a day and I'm doing it safely. I thought this would be hard, but it's been so easy praise the Lord. Prayers are good for the body and soul. I just love this diet...

[4Maddie44]

Yes I do want to lose weight but my depression is bad at the moment and I cannot be bothered with other things at this present time.  Just coping with depression is enough.

[Neckythin]

If it is still necessary for you to lose weight.

[jericho777]

You stick in there. I have been eating fruit for almost two months and it wasn't until the fourth week that I started loosing the weight. Now I am shedding on average a pound per day. Your doing great, and before you know it, you'll be the incredible shrinking woman! :) Be joyful Anne and ever so safe.
God's Speed

[4Maddie44]

Yes of course I should have realised it was your interests.  Silly me.  

Only lost 1lb this week after having lost 4lb the first week.  Still very heavy at 183lb.  Keep trying!  I will try and take a brisk walk every day as other forms of excercise difficult for me due to arthritis and positional vertigo.  Also cannot afford to go to gym or swimming pool due to limited income.

Take care,

Anne

[jericho777]

OH Dear no,
I listed those things that interested me, that others in my family and those in my prayer book may be suffering of. It helps to know these things so I can be an ear, for when they wish to talk about their needs, or for just a shoulder or someone they can confide in. In this manner, I'll at least know what they are coping with and to what degree I can help...LOL I'm glad I don't have all those things, I am 70% deaf, I like the quiet any way, and also can have selective hearing when badgered, LMBO works well to :) My problems lie in weight, pain, Fibromyalgia, and Apnea, back pain...I have my cholesterol and Triglycerides under control, so that's my wagon full Anne... The rest is more for the understanding and or solutions to prevention...Praying you are well, I'm jealous I can't be there, maybe when I get myself straightened out, I will tour the UK and Europe again, only of course, after I have see some of my dream sites here in my USA. :) Be bless dear Anne, and be joyful. And enjoy that beaqutiful family of yours and your loved ones...They grow up to quickly around us don't they :)

[4Maddie44]

Hi Jeffrey,

I love the sound of your life style.  

I had pain management once when I broke my wrist, I had an injection in my neck for some reason, and my eye went all droopy.

Reading your profile, you have a lot of illnesses to cope with.  

Sounds like you are researching your family tree.  My brother is doing ours. So fascinating.

I want to lose weight so I can fit into a specific dress in May.  My son is getting married in Turkey, and I want to look half decent.  

I don't have a dog now, as sadly my last one, a Bichon, went blind, and could not cope with it.  He was a rescue, and I only had him 3 years.  I am glad you have a companion.  I adopted an abandoned cat, and he is my friend now.  

Take care.

Anne

[jericho777]

Prayers for a great Doctor visit! Oh dear yes, the depression is horrible, and since I have been eating as I have, I've been feeling so much better of late...I go in next month for pain management and hope that too, will help me to over come my depression all together, it's such a hard presence to over come Anne, and wish you well. Hahahaha, Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, I have such a wonderful admiration of Mrs Thatcher, she broke so many taboos for woman in the UK, and should be applauded, not disrespected as she is in this movie, it angers me to see it. She and our Ronald Reagan were just an excellent team for both of our Nations. I love her admiringly, a beautiful and strong willed woman!
You sound like a wonderful soul and wish you the best Anne in your endeavors towards a healthier and pain free life style, you will have my prayers :)
You can call me Jeffrey, God's Speed dear Anne & get well soon :)

P.S. We have Kinfolk, the McBee's and Hardin's, Dedmons from Durham, Northumberland, Cheshire England, and in Scottland, Dumfries and Galloway, from up in the Tweedsmur Hills, I think I spelled that right. They came over in 1765 and fought in the Revolutionary at Kings Mountain N.C. LMBO Stubborn lot we are too :)

[4Maddie44]

Hi, Well done in losing so much weight in such a short time.  What you are doing really works.

Site would not let you share your email address with me, so we will have to carry on corresponding like this.  

I hardly think your body is ageing!!  Wait till you get to my age!!  

I see doctor on Monday, just to discuss how I am doing on anti-depressants.  I am on the depression site, as I have had depression for 20 years.  Without the medication I cannot cope.  When I stopped it last, because of weight gain, I lost a lot of weight, but once again it has all piled back on.  I feel the medication gives me an appetite for carbohydrates.

I live on the south coast of England in Dorset.  One of the warmer areas of the UK.  Weather not good here most of the time.  

Strange how many American actors play British people.  Look at Meryl Streep playing Margaret Thatcher!  You would have thought they could have found an English actress to play her.  That film does not interest me at all.

I belong to U3A (University 0f Third Age) but nothing to do with high brow learning.  It is for retired people.  I do scrabble once a week, walk sometimes, poetry, reading group, lots of social activities.  Keeps me busy.

Take care.  (my name is Anne by the way)

Anne

[jericho777]

The Mediterranean Diet.is a good diet, lot's of fiber that is a win for our aging bodies. Doctors visit today and at my weigh in, I lost 26 pounds in five weeks, my sugar, Cholesterol, Triglycerides are all back to normal.My Triglycerides and Cholesterol were dangerously high, and this surprised my Doctor who asked me to give him a detailed list of what fruits I have been eating, so good news, no, great news for me... You have a beautiful country, Europe took my breath away and I made some long lasting friends from London, Holy Loch Scotland and Sicily. I really miss them. the United States is a great place as well...But, we have the internet now, so that's pretty cool...And y'all have better actresses and actors, not so vain and spoiled as they are here in the US, Hahahahaha, true is, true was? God Bless you 4Maddie44, my prayers are with you :) Give me a write and let me know how your doing, encouragement goes a long way aye?
E-Mail when you can...
***@****

[4Maddie44]

Thank you so much for your lovely message.  I am so sorry about your back injury.

I love salads and fruit, and have decided to follow the Meditterranian Diet.  I do not eat a lot of meat, so this suits me.  I see someone here likes the Dukan Diet, but I found it contained too much meat and protein.  

Keep in touch and let me know how you get on, and I will do same.  I feel I need support.

Take care

[jericho777]

Hi 4Maddie44
I injured my back and neck severely in 1995, and have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and fribromyalgia. I have never been over 150 pounds in my life and was an avid workout program and was into weight competitions, but in the past three years have gained 150 pounds for a total of 300 pounds, at 52 and in my condition, it was made even worst because of the weight, and had to finally say enough and buckle down. For four and a half weeks now, I have been on a fruit and raw veggie diet absent the salts, sugars and bread. Not only is this a great detox diet, it's healthy...I can't walk very well nor exercise and this month alone shed 21 pounds...I do use small 5-10 pound curling bars for my arms, but that is the extent to what I can do. I feel better now than at any time in the past 16 years since my injury, and especially in the past three years since gaing this horrid weight...This is a very easy diet and you can eat as much fruit as you like, salads and even up to several hours before bed, which, helps me to sleep better...I do use some olive oil and a red wine vinaigrette for my salad, both home made and very low in calories and fat
Like any diet, you must first talk to your doctor. I did this on my own accord and I cannot tell you how much better I truly feel, it's absolutely astonishing how easy this diet has been for me. I am a big bread eater, can't do without it, but after the first week, All bad eating habits started to slowly become unnoticeable and over came them remarkably well. I am a Southerner too, who loved the fried foods and heavy gravies. So if I can do this, so can many others...Your never to old with the right regimen, and I hope this has helped you...Talk to your Doctor and see what he thinks first...God's Speed 4Maddie44 and best wishes to you, you can do it :)