Struggling...need advice from those having success who are over 40

[AAFlaca]

Thank you everyone for your replies.
I stopped coming here for awhile.
My doctor recently put me on a new food plan and it is working!
The main difference is I'm eating a lot more veggies, including juicing them. I am restricting dairy (almost eliminating it). The only dairy I eat is feta cheese (not cows milk) and Greek Yogurt (limited/only once in awhile). I use coconut milk instead of regular milk.
My meat portions are smaller....and I never eat a lot in one sitting.
I'm exercising a little less right now, but will probably increase it slowly but surely in the coming months.
I have ever so slightly increased my calorie intake.
I HAVE to increase my water intake...I know this will help....will make things go faster.
I DO appreciate the good advice + encouragement you guys have given me here!!!!

[Kathy13118]

There's another question on this board from a person who's eating just 1000 calories and not losing, while exercising.

My answer is the same here: relax, persevere, enter your food accurately and faithfully and watch your caloric intake over a couple of weeks. Your body will lose at its own pace, not what your brain tells it to lose.

The person who is not losing, in the other thread, said that she (or he, don't remember) is using pre-packaged meals. To me, that is the ideal way to measure what you are eating. Cooking, it's easy to put more of what you think is tasty in a dish, just a little here, just a little there. It all adds up. With a pre-packaged meal, you get what they say you get.

Even eating 1500 calories a day, if that is ALL you know for certain you are eating, I'll bet you will lose weight. Or you will stay the same - in which case, take away one of your pre-packaged meals or get a lower-calorie meal and substitute it. Much, much easier than trying to manipulate with home-cooked meals.

Just relax, try not to get frantic, and be scrupulous about entering your foods. Your body knows, even if you try to 'cheat' with the numbers.

[AAFlaca]

I see your point! I've been doing this a LONG time and in fact worked in the WL industry and am in a related industry currently. A long time ago, I lost 20 pounds (the usual way...eating less and exercising) and kept it off for several years. I recall some study that said that packaged foods are helpful. It is true that most folks have little notion or MISJUDGE the amount of calories they are eating and I'm no different.

90% of the pre-packaged foods give me at least a little headache...so I hesitate to eat them.

I know my husband loses well when using them a few times a week when he is most busy.

These days, since I eat so many vegetables, it is a little easier to keep w/i the calorie count according to Fit Day. This is because the vegetables are soooo low in calories.

Believe me based on lots of experience and a RIDICULOUS amount of thought, reading all the posts here (including yours/thank you!!) and using Fit Day...I think for me it is a combination of the lack of consistency (up and down calorie counts) and some food sensitivities and a little problem with insulin (or something related to sugar and/or dairy).

My gut feeling about it all is that the paleo diet along with keeping "scrupulous" (AWESOME AND RIGHT ON WORD) account/records of food/calorie intake CAN and WILL do the job. I see that already.

(I'm working on increasing my water intake! UGH! MUST do this!)

Thank you so much for your helpful and dead on response!!!

[AAFlaca]

Originally Posted by Kathy13118

Your body knows, even if you try to 'cheat' with the numbers.

Awesome quote!
For me...a large part of it!!!
I'm thinking sugar is also an issue and possiblY bread too...eliminating them has been helpful.
For me....recording food (carefully and honestly) along with tweeks in my food intake....is making a difference.

[Bluedog72]

[quote=cjohnson728;20980]Hmm...

Okay, when you say "on the short side," that could definitely be a factor. I am the same; I'm 42, and yes, it stinks that we don't burn as many calories as taller people do. /QUOTE]

A few extra calories burned is small recompense for ducking under doorways, being cramped in cars, having a deathly fear of ceiling fans, bath tubs being too short, ducking to wash your hair and face in the shower and having to lift over a greater distance than the l'il folk at the gym.......the weather is nicer up here though

BD

[vabeachgirlNYC]

Originally Posted by Bluedog72

A few extra calories burned is small recompense for ducking under doorways, being cramped in cars, having a deathly fear of ceiling fans, bath tubs being too short, ducking to wash your hair and face in the shower and having to lift over a greater distance than the l'il folk at the gym.......the weather is nicer up here though

BD

Haha! I am the one in the food store who snags you tall people to reach stuff for me, the one you see jumping and climbing, trying to reach the healthy stuff that's up too high. I once knocked a whole display of yogurts down and OMG it made the biggest mess!

[cathymaro]

I had the same issue several years ago, turned out to be a thyroid issue. Gonto your doctor and get your hormone checked out, there are several that can affect metabolism. (not just the thyroid).

Good luck, i am rooting for you!