gals over 50? page 12

[mobettabody]

I'm 52 and been low carb since September of 2010. Lost 22 lbs in a couple of months and now have stalled since then. But not gone up, and that's good. I've made it through the holidays and my son's wedding and some other stressful things and not gained any weight. I just would like to lose about 25 more. I think I'm realizing that I must put in some serious exercise to drop any weight, so I've started up with that again. I think with a body going through menopause, one must exercise. Have you all experience this too?

I eat no grains and no sugar except a tiny bit of Green and Black's 85% each night. Maybe I need to give that up too for a while.

Hugs,
Mo

[Classic]

Oh darn, I just lost my post that I was preparing here. I will try to recreate.

I just finished reading "Mastering Leptin" by Byron and Mary Richards. Mastering Leptin - The Official Book Site

It seems that when you have yoyo dieted, as many of us older gals have done, you need to establish your "Leptin Rhythm" all over again.
I have been stalled in my weight loss nearly 12 months but lost 1.5 lbs last week by trying their plan for getting my rhythm back.

I now don't eat between meals at all (not even coffee). I try to finish eating dinner at least 3 hours before bed. I only eat three meals a day at least 5 or 6 hours in between each. I still eat everything I want (primal of course) till I feel full at mealtime. I don't know if this weight loss thing will continue but I figured it was worth a shot.

Has anyone else read this book? I would love to hear feedback on it. There is not much written about Leptin.

[Canarygirl]

Oh darn, I just lost my post that I was preparing here. I will try to recreate.

I just finished reading "Mastering Leptin" by Byron and Mary Richards. Mastering Leptin - The Official Book Site

It seems that when you have yoyo dieted, as many of us older gals have done, you need to establish your "Leptin Rhythm" all over again.
I have been stalled in my weight loss nearly 12 months but lost 1.5 lbs last week by trying their plan for getting my rhythm back.

I now don't eat between meals at all (not even coffee). I try to finish eating dinner at least 3 hours before bed. I only eat three meals a day at least 5 or 6 hours in between each. I still eat everything I want (primal of course) till I feel full at mealtime. I don't know if this weight loss thing will continue but I figured it was worth a shot.

Has anyone else read this book? I would love to hear feedback on it. There is not much written about Leptin.

I read it...but the thought of no snacking (including coffee and tea) is so depressing...I convinced myself that the book must be wrong. :-|

[Barb]

Just recently I got Invisalign braces on my teeth - they are clear plastic braces that fit right over your teeth. You cannot eat with them in, and they are difficulty and messy to take out. I had to suddenly switch my eating habits, especially at work, to NO inbetween meal snacking. No munching on this or that, tasting a morsel of what's cooking for later. All I can say is Thank God I am doing Primal! It is much easier to do than I thought. I just eat more at mealtimes - especially lunch - and I am truly not hungry inbetween times.

One day I decided to bring a leftover baked potato for lunch at work. I never eat this many carbs at lunch. And even though there was plenty of butter on it and I had some meat with it, 2 hours later I was starving and I had to take my braces out and eat some more food in the late afternoon. So, for me it is just meat and vegetables and butter and cheese for lunch. I can easily go 6-7 hours between meals with no snacking. I had been eating primally for over a year when I got these braces, so my body is well adapted to burning fat for fuel. I have to say I feel even better with no eating between meals, not even a little munch. Better energy and mental clarity, esp in the late afternoon.

[Classic]

I read it...but the thought of no snacking (including coffee and tea) is so depressing...I convinced myself that the book must be wrong. :-|

The book did not say you could not have coffee and tea. I happen to drink mine with lots of cream and would rather not have it if the cream is disruptive.

[HTownGirl]

Back in January, I posted here among the mature and womanly Primal types. At that time, I was a Primal noob, having started eating right and exercising right in November. At that point, I had lost about ten pounds. As of today, I am seventeen pounds down, not eating to satisfy purists (I like potatoes; I have cheats), not doing that much exercising.

Right now, my biggest issue is stress from work that leaves me exhausted at the end of the day, the kind of exhaustion that has me putting my head down on the dining room table for half an hour or more when I come home from work. I read a comment somewhere in one of the forums that someone found a lot of stress relief in exercise. I need some kind of stress relief to free up energy to exercise. A couple of weeks ago, I was getting up early every morning to ride an exercise bike, alternating fairly strenuous exercise with fairly gentle for ten to twenty minutes. That went well until work started to kick my butt.

Now I'm back to being tired when I wake up, tired when I get home from work. I'm managing to do well as far as eating goes. I just wonder what in the Primal lifestyle might really help with stress.

The fastest way I've ever known to relieve stress and tension at the end of a long day is a shot (or two) of good rum. Bam! Immediate mellowness. If I could find some Primal way to get that immediate kind of stress relief--or the nearest thing to it--I would be happy happy happy.

Any suggestions for doing the impossible?

Thanks,
Edith

I, too, am looking for those suggestions. Like you, I have a very high-stress job, and I feel the same way when I get home. Total inertia. I like to unwind with a glass of wine (pretty much immediately). I wish I had something else. I feel perfectly great on weekends, so I KNOW it is my job and the hour+ commute home in the evenings (tonight it was almost 2 hours!).

I know the answer is to quit my job, but unfortunately right now, that is not even possible, financially speaking.

[HTownGirl]

I will be 52(!!!) in May, and have been Primal since March 28. I don't feel 52, and don't think I look it (neither does my husband, but love can be blind, LOL).

I thought I was menopausal, having not had in a period in almost a year, and then, bam, month 12 (after starting e-diets) I got almost regular periods again. (Every 6 weeks or so, and they have continued through PB) I'm not sure if I'm happy about that or not--though part of me feels younger because of it.

I do know that since I started PB my skin is glowing, wrinkles have subsided, nails are stronger, hair is healthier.

Sometimes I love being my age, I have lived through some awesome times(and, girls, isn't the music we grew up with the best?). However, I know that my nieces and nephews probably think I'm ancient!

I still have hot flashes, though, so that combined with a period is pretty uncomfortable.

I have a few age-related aches and pains, but I find those are diminishing as well.

So, I'm thinking with PB, 50 is the new 30! I'll take it. One thing I have realized that as I get older, us more mature folks have a lot more fun than those who are busy raising children and are being thrust head first into adult responsibility. (To be fair, though, I never had that either as I don't have any children--I didn't get married until I was 47--thought I was going to be one of those "old maids", but I know they are feeling pretty old at the ripe old age of 26 or so).

Ladies, we rock! Never in history has 50+ been so young!

[marthat]

I will be 52(!!!) in May, and have been Primal since March 28. I don't feel 52, and don't think I look it (neither does my husband, but love can be blind, LOL).

I thought I was menopausal, having not had in a period in almost a year, and then, bam, month 12 (after starting e-diets) I got almost regular periods again. (Every 6 weeks or so, and they have continued through PB) I'm not sure if I'm happy about that or not--though part of me feels younger because of it.

I do know that since I started PB my skin is glowing, wrinkles have subsided, nails are stronger, hair is healthier.

Sometimes I love being my age, I have lived through some awesome times(and, girls, isn't the music we grew up with the best?). However, I know that my nieces and nephews probably think I'm ancient!

I still have hot flashes, though, so that combined with a period is pretty uncomfortable.

I have a few age-related aches and pains, but I find those are diminishing as well.

So, I'm thinking with PB, 50 is the new 30! I'll take it. One thing I have realized that as I get older, us more mature folks have a lot more fun than those who are busy raising children and are being thrust head first into adult responsibility. (To be fair, though, I never had that either as I don't have any children--I didn't get married until I was 47--thought I was going to be one of those "old maids", but I know they are feeling pretty old at the ripe old age of 26 or so).

Ladies, we rock! Never in history has 50+ been so young!

Your story is so much like mine! I'm almost 51, almost menopausal (1 period in the last 16 or so months). And I'm looking and feeling so much younger than what others seem to think that 50 should be. And my 21 y.o. son thinks that all the best music happened in the 70's and 80's. Pretty cool that he thinks that something that was his mom's era is sooo very hip!

I"m not quite childless yet - still an 18 y.o. developmentally challenged son living at home and attending highschool. He is rather high maintenance. I have empty-nest envy bigtime!! But I still wouldn't change this period of my life for my younger self. I love being "mature".

[belinda]

I have empty nest envy too! I'm 48, had my youngest daughter at age 38 so it'll be a while before DH and I have the house to ourselves ... if ever!

I work with a group of women of similar age, and for the most part, I think we all look like we're in our late 30s, early 40s.

[HillsideGina]

A tip for work stress relief - don't go home directly after work.

Go to a yoga class, or pilates, or tai chi, etc. straight after work. This will help clear your mind and relax your body. If you go home first the tendency is to freeze - go numb, lay down, grab a drink or what have you.

Get with some friends or your spouse and meet at a bar a couple of days after work. The socialization will also help dissipate the stress so that you don't take it home with you. Other stuff you can do after work - grab the dog and take an hour-long walk. Or do it with friends/spouse. Don't go alone, as you will tend to internalize things and let stress grow in your mind. Take some kind of class - at the community center or? Art class, language class...

This break between the work day and the home evening will help. If you feel you don't have the energy - just schedule things and do it. Honestly you will feel more energy when you get there.

Also, if chronically stressed, cut the caffeine out completely. Don't watch TV news or dramatic shows - watch comedies and fun stuff.