anyone over 50 years in here?
 

I'm not sure where to post this; please move it, moderator, if there is a more appropriate place.

I am almost 60 years old, and it is so much slower to lose weight on this WOE than it was when I first tried it in 1973. There are probably a variety of reasons (retired now and much more sendentary, the "diet" has evolved into something which allows a good many more vegetables, etc) but some of it MUST have to do with the fact that my metabolism has changed a lot in the past 30 years.

So I would l especially like to hear from folks who are closer to my age (as well as ANYONE on these boards). I will settle for anyone who has a Country Joe and The Fish album somewhere in their closet. Heck, I will settle for anyone who even knows who
Country Joe is!

Kay

Hi Kay
 

I am 60, and have been on Atkins for 43 days. In that time I've only lost 6lbs. But I have "shrunk" a little.

I am not as active as I used to be. Trying to do better. Have been planting garden this week so maybe that will give me a boost...
I do feel better eating this way, but would be nice to see the pounds leaving a little faster.

My DH is losing much faster than I am. Men seem to have the
edge when it comes to dieting. But he also has much more to lose than I.

I will keep plodding along and see what happens.
Good luck to you.
p.s. who is Country Joe?

Hi there! I am 50 .....does that count? When I started HRT my weight loss hit a brick wall and started creeping up. However I am persevering and do like this WOE. Hang in there, I am sure you will be pleased with the results. The metabolism does slow as we age. :(

Good to hear from the two of you! It sounds as though we have similar experiences. And Watergarden, sure, 50 counts!

I have been weeding, not yet planting annuals except in planters....though it is 83 here , whoops just checked again and it is 87 degrees now, we are quite likely to have annual freeze before we can count on spring. But the fish in my watergarden are loving being fed again after hibernating (or whatever they do) all winter.

I too plan to keep plugging away at this WOE even though I am not seeing a lot of results. After reading Atkins' book, I was expecting the weight to come off much more rapidly. Had I not found these forums and read about others' experience I would probably have given up. This is a great place to keep focussed.

Kay

oops, waterdragon, I've got watergardens on my mind. Sorry about mangling your name!

over 50
 

Hi, I'm 51 and can relate to what you're going through. Being a repeat Atkins (restarted 3 Feb) and yo-yo dieter for years, plus HRT, weight loss is definately crawling. Up and down about 3 lbs since mid Feb. One of the things that keeps me going is attending Curves 5 days a week, once a month they weigh and measure, so was down 3 inches and 6% bodyfat. Also lurking on this forum helps my motivation just knowing this is not totally abnormal and there are others experiencing some of the same stuff. This time around I feel totally comitted to this wol because all in all I do feel better physically and most of the time mentally. I'm usually just a lurker on this forum but your post made me want to say hi and do hang in there. That's my 2 cents! Have a great day :roll:

Anita

TarHeel, just wanted to tell you that my DH and I visited your state recently and really enjoyed the trip.

Those mountains are beautiful. Would like to come back when the trees are fully leafed out. We were in North Wilkesboro for a few days.

Good luck with you weight loss.

hello, I am 55, my start with Atkins was rather undocumented, and it is just the past month that I have really been keeping track with FitDay,

I am losing slowly too, under a pound a week, and I have been exercising at the gym 4-5 days a week,

I wish the fat was burning quicker too,

something tells me that it is part carb creep, I am not planning my meals, just recording what I gobbled at the end of the day, and not measuring accurately perhaps,

I have also not been eating vegetables, they are the hardest for me to make, and perhaps the way I gained all this fat in the first place,

I am taking some time off the gym until Monday and then I am going to do my cardio and circuit training MWF only and use T and Th to plan meals, make some ahead,

but for now slow is fine, the most important thing has been my improved health, my joints no longer hurt, I am sleeping, except for having to get up to pee all the time with the water we are supposed to drink,

hang in there, julienne

country joe
 

Woodstock (original) happened long ago which makes me at a mature age also :).

Ah mickey mack. One two three four, what're we waitin' for? Seems no way to post to your jounal or whatever. Have you just been sitting aound for ten months?
Kay

Afraid I don't know who Country Joe is... sorry. I am 49, but will turn 50 in August... Thought I'd stop in and say hello... I've been doing low carb for awhile now. I always seem to slip up and eat things I shouldn't. But I am still trudging on... I do wish you success and if you stick to this, I am sure success will be yours!

Hi, I'm 56 & slogging it out
 

Hi -- just thought I'd say hi and respond -- I am 56, started Atkins back in September at about 195 lbs (I'm only 5 feet tall so that was a lot for my teeeny frame!) but knowing how slowly I lose I vowed I would never get on the scale, just buy (or revive from my closet) pants that were too small and keep trying them on. This has worked SOOO much better for me than being a slave to the scale and letting it determine whether I have been "bad" or "good" for the day. I know my weight loss is proceeding at a snail's pace and I have no idea what I have lost in pounds but I started at size 22 and am now a 16! That is incontrovertible evidence that it works if you stick to it!

I'd say ditch the scale and buy some "reference" jeans and try them on once a month till you can fit into them; then replace those with another pair that are too tight and proceed that way.

It just comes off more slowly at our age, I am sure.

Good luck!

Jsandrock

Hi jsandrock: Thanks for the encouraging words and seeing your stats was the most encouragment of all! I do have a couple of pant-o-meters (actually short-o-meters) and when I first posted this thread, they weren't fitting much better either. I think things have changed a bit this week....I have some doctor's type scales (with the weights you move at the top) and have them set to my next mini-goal of 140 and am looking forward to the day when they balance! Being 5 feet tall like you are, I am well aware that every few pounds sticks out pretty noticeably.

Kay

Country Joe--yeah!
 

Hi TarHeel (and everyone else)! Of course I know (and love) Country Joe & the Fish...your original post made me laugh. I'm 51 and am on Atkins for the second time. Naturally it's going much, much more slowly this time. I KNOW I should stay off the scale but am just fixated on that weigh-in each morning. Maybe I should just break the darned thing!

Last time I did Atkins was five years ago...don't you just kick yourself for not staying with it then and for regaining all the weight? (At least I did.) My life has changed a lot in the last five years, and my metabolism has definitely slowed too.

Guess I'm going to have to accept that this will not be a quick fix, and I'm going to have to stay with the program the rest of my life. It's tough to think I'll never really be able to eat bread again though--that's the thing I miss the most. I like to bake it and love the artisan breads that are so popular right now.

This is almost the end of week 4 and my loss is stuck at 10 pounds since halfway through week 2. I've been keeping a log of everything I eat, which does help keep me honest, but of course what I really need to do is exercise more. Tough to find time and easy to find excuses not to do it.

Nice to find other people in my age group and experiencing the same kinds of challenges.

LuWana

Hello Everyone,
I am 61 and losing so slowly I just started again if I don't watch calories I gain weight darn. :( It is good to find a thread of we more mature folks when I was in my 20's I could lose weight without a thought not now Yikes. :daze: Good Luck to you all, Pat S.

Hello everyone,
Thanks for starting this thread, TarHeel. 'and it's five six seven, open up the pearly gates. Ain't no time to wonder why, whoopee we're all gonna die" ...hmmm...Country Joe's song is even pertinent today.
I am 51 and I started this woe just about a year ago. I lost a lot at first, although I don't really know how much cuz I also don't use scales. I thought I would reach my goal weight by my 52nd birthday in October of this year but it sure doesn't look that way. I am starting to think that this might be a 5 year plan rather than a 2 year plan.
I know that I am overdoing it on carbs...somedays getting almost 60 grams! yikes. But most days hovering aroudn 30-35.
However, I feel GREAT! and will never go back to my high carb ways. I am in this for life!
So happy to find other's my age. I wonder if there are any articles or info from Dr Atkins regarding age and this woe.
Nice to see you all here!
:wave: kathy

Hi Everyone,

It's great to hear from people in my age group (I'm 60). There's a lot of talk about slowing metabolism the older we get and I guess its probably true, but I can't say I'm unhappy with my results so far. I've been doing Atkins for about 8 months and I'm down 48 lbs. Not bad for an old broad, I think. Certainly better results than I ever had doing low fat, low cal--and the food is so much more appetizing.

Now if I could only stop procrastinating and start exersizing.

judy

Hey all,

This sounds like a friendly bunch so I am hoppin' on!

I am 50, very soon to be 51. Am low carbing it again. The weight is not moving but I feel GREAT. So I have decided the weight loss is secondary. My clothes fit better and I am getting weight loss compliments. :D

I know I will start to lose once I get back to golf and tennis and also getting the outdoor grill fired up. It has been a tough winter here in the Northeast.

Your stories are encouraging. Thanks for the support! :wave:

I am turning 50 this year. I was on Atkins in my 30's and I lost much faster then. This time around it seems I have to stick with the plan much closer and count every little partial gram of carbs (spices even) and exercise more often to see results. When I was younger if I sorta kept to the plan I would still lose. My goal is to be to my target weight by my birthday :) It could happen, I figure turning 50 is a downer but if I face it with a thinner frame it will not be so bad.

Hey Thumper,

Great loss so far. When is your birthday? Mine is April 24. My goal is 150 by 7/4. :roll:

Have a good day all!

Just an observation
 

I was visiting the success stories yesterday and WOW :eek: some of those folks have done amazingly well with this WOE. It was so inspiring! :cheer:
One thing i did notice was that most of them were men. And the women were much younger than any of us.
I would like to read a success story of a middleaged woman, with more than 75 lbs to lose. Anyone seen anything like this on this forum?
Thanks.
k

The turtle is gaining on the Hare
 

From a fellow turtle, just want to tell you that after 5 weeks of no loss, I am down 3 lbs this morning.

DH (the Hare) did not lose anything this past week. Maybe I will catch up with him. LOL, not likely, he has lost 25.5 lbs in the same amount of time that I have lost 9.

Oh well, at least he doesn't "rub it in". That could be because I cook all the meals!!!!! ;)

Keep the faith :exclm:

Hi,
I have just started losing after an after induction stall Yeah!! Now for the more mature set what are you suppose to do with the loose skin and wrinkles. LOL I think I need a miracle. Pat S

WTG Gram!!!!!!!! :roll:

Frustratingly Slow but determined...
 

Hi Everyone--this is the first time I've posted a note, although I've been a regular reader of all the forums. Guess the "Over 50 and Slow To Lose" struck a chord with me! I first began LCing WAAAAY back in the 60s when Dr. Atkins' first book hit the stands. I was still a young teenager, but wanted to be "thin and in" regardless. Was also anorexic for a spell before, so you could say I've done a real job on my metabolism. Back then I could easilylose 5 pounds a week. Not so today! :(

Anyway...I've LCed many times over the years, always with results...relatively...but the ONE thing I never learned then was that this must be a WOE, not a diet. Consequently, the weight always returned--sometimes quickly; sometimes more slowly.

So now I'm in the midst of what might be termed "The Final Battle" i.e. doing this properly at last, so results will be permanent.

Of all the things I think I've learned up to now, I think the following must be the most crucial to success:

1. This is NOT a "quick fix"; it must be a WOL
2. Patience and persistence are key: don't give up, for results WILL follow if you're determined and follow your plan.

End of epistle! I can't say how much I admire folk on this forum who have much more to lose than I do, but remain committed, enthusiastic, and positive throughout! Kudos to all of you!

Poor Dr. Atkins.

He fell on the ice yesterday and had head surgery.

Bummer. :(

Saw your thread and had to stop by......I just turned 56 last month,,,have been LC'ing since June 20th,2002....so far have gone from a tight size 26 to a comfy 20,,so I guess I cant complain,,,although like some of the others, I too did this in my thirties and lost a lot of weight faster. Oh well,,,,,,this time I am really doing it for health reasons. :D
I have noticed something neat,,,I can get up and out of the bathtub now,,,withoug having to get on my knees!!! That is a definate plus! :thup:
I did a real job on my metabolism too,,,,weight watchers,,,stillmans,,,physicians Weight loss clubs,,,,,,,anything I could try. But the difference is,,I never really committed to any of them. This is the longest I have stayed with any plan. I feel good,,,look better,,,,and it had finally become a way of life. I love it!

Great reading all your stories, keep posting!!

cya lighter :wave:

Way to Go Musicmama!!!!!!!

Keep up the good work :thup:

Ellen

Hi Everyone....I'm glad this thread seems to be proving helpful to us more mature folks. At first I was trying to reply to everyone personally, but then I started a journal and it is beginning to take way too long to respond to everyone everywhere.

But would like to say that I have lost two pounds this week after having been stuck for over three weeks.. And I put on a pair of pants today that I can't believe were ever mine (it is possible they weren't , but I'm not going there) since they are much too big. Weight loss for us continues to be slow, but much better than the alternative.

And I'm beginning to realize that things tend to slow down for almost everyone, not just us oldsters, as they continue on the journey, regardless of age or amount to lose. Makes me a bit annoyed at all the hype in the Atkins book but how else was he going to make money on it? I know, I know, he is in a coma, and I wish him well.....but I still feel a bit cheated by all the success stories in the book. Were it not from reading on this board I would have given up by now..... I AM extremely appreciative of the fact that he brought low carb eating to the forefront and to me. Just not convinced that he is quite the same category as Sister Theresa.

I'm not even sure Sister Theresa is in the same category as Sister Theresa. Good thing I'm not Catholic, saints make me nervous.

Hope I am not offending anyone; if so, I'm am sure I will hear about it!

Kay