gals over 50? page 65

[doublehelix]

I love all you primal folks, but I wanna read a journal of someone over 50!! A female. To see what you all have accomplished later in life! We can do it!

Read my threads, I am a complete failure. I am not anything like most 50 year old women. I am single, don't own a home, and haven't been on a vacation in 20 years.

[Silvergirl]

Sorry no journal, but I am firmly in this category 54 next week. Started the Paleo lifestyle, including a whole 30 and have lost 25lbs. I am pretty much at my goal weight now. I am 5' 1" and now 123lbs I am happy to be between 117 and 123. I have found in the past that anything less just makes me look more gaunt and older, not what I want. Been hard for me with a exacerbation of a duodenal ulcer and hiatal hernia, which has stopped me doing much in the way of "lifting heavy things" I found the exercise really made me worse. Not nearly doing enough of fast walking or sprints either, but quite a bit of slower walking. I live downtown and walk everywhere. I do not count anything so I have no idea about my carb intake, but do have a fair amount of fat and protein. I may track for a while to see the difference on my tired vs energy days. There may be a correlation. But then it may just be hormones.

Challenges are, so many restrictions on my food... I can't eat salads, they make my ulcer worse, can't now eat dairy or eggs, seems to give me a strong chest tightness with some breathing difficulty. I can make yummy food here, but eating out is a real challenge, and I am going to Toronto for a wk on Wednesday. That won't be easy.

Also having been period absent for the previous 8 months, and having major hot flashes, that all changed on the diet, weird. All my hot flashes just about vanished and heavy periods returned, very heavy...... grrr. twice now. The doc. says it shouldn't happen according to my earlier blood results. I feel like the clock has been turned back. I too have been reading a lot about using progesterone. I am very tempted to talk to the doctor about the clinical recommendations for that. I know there is a specialist here that does that very thing, but I think she has now changed to pure research and old patients.

Also fighting constipation all the time. Never feel comfortable that way. I used to have yogurt everyday but since stopping can't have it anymore. It seemed to work really well. But maybe it just irritated my gut

Any suggestions would be appreciated in these issues. Sorry to be so long winded. I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread yet, I may find things in there.

I have been on every diet out there, including a lifetime WW member. That totally was not sustainable for me. I was hungry and craving all the time. I look at those journals and it is always saying. Fell off the wagon today, hope to do better tomorrow. LOL Zone was very good. I think I lost my way with it when I re-introduced grains. The last diet that worked for me was the French don't diet. It has really helped with going paleo too, a stepping stone. It forced me to eat real food and real fat. It also forced me to learn to eat very slowly and consciously, which really makes you much less likely to overeat. Going back to sugar and desserts is what killed that one. I think with Paleo this is less likely to happen as I just have no cravings. Here's hoping anyway.

[Classic]

Classic, I would LOVE to have a mini farm. My husband and I are looking for property. Getting our house ready to put on the market. The improvements in my health have caused us to start to check this out.

Hello Hawk, finally having a little land really has relaxed me some. I now look forward to the adventure of growing healthful animals and vegetables for our consumption. We still are in the process of getting our city house ready for sale and finishing our country house so I have a way to go before I can jump into the farming thing with both feet.

I really feel better eating Primal style but still don't have the same energy as I did in my thirties. I do have more time to do things since I retired now though so I guess it all evens out.

[Classic]

Silvergirl,
Have you tried raw milk and/or cheese? Raw milk still has the enzymes that promote digestion that pasteurized and homogenized does not have any longer. I don't drink milk when I am trying to lose more weight but really enjoy it when I am just maintaining current weight level.
This would give you a little variety once in awhile.
I find eating out very difficult since nearly everything is cooked in PUFA's anymore. I do ask the cooks to use butter to fry my eggs in if I am ordering breakfast and most are usually pretty accommodating on that.

[Silvergirl]

Silvergirl,
Have you tried raw milk and/or cheese? Raw milk still has the enzymes that promote digestion that pasteurized and homogenized does not have any longer. I don't drink milk when I am trying to lose more weight but really enjoy it when I am just maintaining current weight level.
This would give you a little variety once in awhile.
I find eating out very difficult since nearly everything is cooked in PUFA's anymore. I do ask the cooks to use butter to fry my eggs in if I am ordering breakfast and most are usually pretty accommodating on that.

RAW milk isn't allowed to be sold here. We used to be able to get it but not any longer. Odd but my reaction isn't stomach/digestion related, since I have been off it, the reaction has been more semi anaphylactic. It is a very scary feeling. I have found I have been able to have some goat cheese though.

[brighthorse]

Read my threads, I am a complete failure. I am not anything like most 50 year old women. I am single, don't own a home, and haven't been on a vacation in 20 years.

Don't be so hard on yourself, Sweetie. Just try to follow the primal program. Eat right, work out, and lose weight. Then, you will feel much better about yourself!

[meeme]

I just found this thread thanks to you all!! I'm new to Primal and I'm learning so much from all of you. I have many pages to read to get caught up but I just thought I'd jump on and introduce myself.

I'm finding that I'm going to have to buy a scale so I know what the recommended amounts look like because I haven't any idea. I've never measured my food but always tried to eat well in a CW sort of way. I've been off grains and dairy due to diagnosed MC and casein intolerance for almost 2 years. I've given up all beans and legumes since finding MDA. It's been about a month and I'm just getting my kitchen supplies sorted out by using up and replacing with primal foods. I've discovered bone broth and found that I feel good on it so I make it twice a week and drink it everyday. I've started making coconut milk kefir and it has helped me while I've been taking an antibiotic for a tooth infection. I have a batch of Kombucha started which I've never tasted before. I'm wearing a smaller size pants and I can see changes even if sometimes I still feel huge and slow and tired. I'm working it but I haven't found my sweat spot yet because I have a lot to learn about this way of life. I'll get there with your help.

I'm not in pain anymore. That's huge and something I never expected. I sleep without waking up. It's been many years since I've had good uninterrupted sleep. I've only had one day of depression and I was able to figure out that it was because my fat intake was too low. I consider this a success and I'll never go back!

I've had so many problems with my health over the last 5 years that I had given up ever thinking I could actually make plans for the future. That's a sad but honest statement, it's been that bad. Now I feel like I can make plans again and that maybe next spring I might be able to get back on a horse and ride. I'd really love to do that. Nothing like the feel of a horse under you and the relationship with it and nature to put a smile on my face.

I turned 65 this past March and I want to live healthy for the rest of my days, however many that may be.

Thanks for this 'silverback' thread....I'm happy to meet you all!

[Urban Forager]

Silvergirl, You and I have a similar build, I'm 52, 5'2" and weigh 120. I don't calories or carbs either. I tried it for a little while but it's not for me. I think at our age being too thin can make us look older. I have to keep that in mind when I read some of these threads where some one has a similar build as us and is trying to loose weight and get down to a lower body fat percentage. I imagine they are younger and want to wear a bikini, I have no delusions about some day wearing a bikini. I'm okay with my age I don't need to pretend I'm younger than I am. I do feel much younger and stronger eating this way and that's good enough for me.

Have you looked into the GAPS diet? It sounds like you may be autoimmune, the GAPS diet works on restoring your immune system so that you can eat a wider range of foods.

[Urban Forager]

Welcome meeme! Isn't this a nice thread?

I too suffered from poor sleep for years. I just thought I was a light sleeper. I also had little aches in my joints (nothing serious enough to do anything about) and occasional migraines and I thought I was hypoglycemic. All those issues went away when I went primal. It's funny how a person can learn to live with less than optimal health, we chalk it up to just getting older. I hear this all the time and I have to bite my tongue. Every one I know knows I eat this way and I've already told them about the benefits I've experience from changing my diet.

[meeme]

Thanks for the welcome Ubran Forager and yes this thread is awesome!

I've tried a little to share what I've learned with my son but he's very resistant to 'the primal fad' diet and thinks I've lost it...LOL

All we can do is share, not push, and often I bite my tongue and let go of it.