Greetings. I'm 55 and have been gaining weight at an increasing pace. I'm here out of desperation. Every effort to slim down - or at least stop gaining - has failed, and I need help.
I'm 5'8" tall. Ten years ago I weighed 140 and wore size 8 jeans and skirts. Now I can barely zip up size 16. My husband left me eight years ago but for two years before he left, we travelled a rocky road. I started gaining weight at the onset of menopause.
My last period was in June of 2000. Since that one ended, I haven't seen a single drop of blood, but for almost four years I felt like I was in a constant state of PMS - that sensation of fullness, along with a sort of pulling sensation and mild cramps. It's like all that unshed menstrual blood transformed itself into fat and settled in my abdomen. And I wanted sex the whole time.... It took three years to get over the heartbreak of a divorce that I didn't want, and I couldn't even think of touching another man. But even if I'd have been comfortable with someone else, the circumstances of my life prevented me from meeting anyone that could have become a lover or more.
Another factor that has contributed to my expansion is physical injury. In June of '02 I fell off a ladder and did a lot of damage to my pelvis. For over a year after that, I wasn't able to move much and couldn't get into a comfortable position - not even lying down. The injury has been mending, but I will never be the same. It's still very difficult to do simple things like walking, bending over to pick something up off the floor, or lifting anything that weighs more than 20 lbs. If I try to do too much, it aggravates the injury enough to make the pain so intense that I cannot sleep.
In spite of these limitations, I do try to get as much exercise as I can. I ride a bicycle around town to save money on gas, and I swim in the summer in a backyard pool. I take care of the yard (12,000 sq. ft.) and the house, which takes a lot of time and energy. I could walk more than I do, but it's hard to find the time for anything that isn't crucial to survival. The ex left me with a huge hole in my wallet as well as my heart, and the only work I can do is sedentary, so I spend way too much time sitting.
Diet-wise, I'm not doing much wrong. I almost never touch any sweets. Not even honey. No artificial sweeteners either. I use all whole grains, a variety of beans, lots of fresh vegies, salads and fruits, no dairy (allergic), few eggs, very little red meat, some poultry, a fair amount of fish, seaweeds daily, occasional nuts and seeds.
The only oils I use are olive, sesame, walnut, grapeseed, peanut, rice bran, corn, sunflower, safflower and palm (rarely). No canola, soy or cottonseed (because they're mostly GM nowadays), and no trans-fats whatsoever. I also avoid MSG like the plague, and won't use foods with chemical preservatives. Nor do I use refined salt.
I stay within the bounds of my actual caloric needs based on my size and activity level. During most of my life I skipped breakfast and would eat a large lunch, then have a light snack in the evening, and that was it. Almost never ate snacks. But in the last year I've been told over and over to eat more often and in smaller amounts if I want to lose weight. So I made that transition, and now eat a light breakfast, a light lunch, a light supper, and a few light snacks in between.
Toward the end of last year, I started to suspect I might have an underactive thyroid and started taking a supplement (LINK REMOVED) for it. I'm not sure if it has helped or not. The first month on it, I felt less lethargic but I gained 5 lbs. The second month, I doubled the dose and held at the same weight. The third and fourth months, I gained weight. Now in the 5th month, I've lost a few lbs., but I've also started feeling like I have PMS all the time again.
I tried going to a gym 3x/week for a month the winter before last. I'd work out for an hour each time. After a month, I'd gained several pounds. I was very discouraged and quit going. Couldn't really afford the dues anyway. I live on less than $800/month and most of that goes to housing and utility costs.
Now, I ended up here because I really need to lose some weight - I'm sure it would help ease my physical pain if I was carrying less weight around, and I have all these clothes that I can't afford to replace, and almost nothing I can wear! Aside from that, I just feel and look horrible at this weight (188).
I'm hoping to find some encouragement here, and suggestions. About a month ago I started drinking green tea in place of coffee, and I like that a lot. It seems to be having an effect - I've lost about five lbs., but I have a long way to go. My ideal weight is around 135. That's where I feel best. But I'd be thrilled to lose ANY amount.
Thanks for reading
I'm 5'8" tall. Ten years ago I weighed 140 and wore size 8 jeans and skirts. Now I can barely zip up size 16. My husband left me eight years ago but for two years before he left, we travelled a rocky road. I started gaining weight at the onset of menopause.
My last period was in June of 2000. Since that one ended, I haven't seen a single drop of blood, but for almost four years I felt like I was in a constant state of PMS - that sensation of fullness, along with a sort of pulling sensation and mild cramps. It's like all that unshed menstrual blood transformed itself into fat and settled in my abdomen. And I wanted sex the whole time.... It took three years to get over the heartbreak of a divorce that I didn't want, and I couldn't even think of touching another man. But even if I'd have been comfortable with someone else, the circumstances of my life prevented me from meeting anyone that could have become a lover or more.
Another factor that has contributed to my expansion is physical injury. In June of '02 I fell off a ladder and did a lot of damage to my pelvis. For over a year after that, I wasn't able to move much and couldn't get into a comfortable position - not even lying down. The injury has been mending, but I will never be the same. It's still very difficult to do simple things like walking, bending over to pick something up off the floor, or lifting anything that weighs more than 20 lbs. If I try to do too much, it aggravates the injury enough to make the pain so intense that I cannot sleep.
In spite of these limitations, I do try to get as much exercise as I can. I ride a bicycle around town to save money on gas, and I swim in the summer in a backyard pool. I take care of the yard (12,000 sq. ft.) and the house, which takes a lot of time and energy. I could walk more than I do, but it's hard to find the time for anything that isn't crucial to survival. The ex left me with a huge hole in my wallet as well as my heart, and the only work I can do is sedentary, so I spend way too much time sitting.
Diet-wise, I'm not doing much wrong. I almost never touch any sweets. Not even honey. No artificial sweeteners either. I use all whole grains, a variety of beans, lots of fresh vegies, salads and fruits, no dairy (allergic), few eggs, very little red meat, some poultry, a fair amount of fish, seaweeds daily, occasional nuts and seeds.
The only oils I use are olive, sesame, walnut, grapeseed, peanut, rice bran, corn, sunflower, safflower and palm (rarely). No canola, soy or cottonseed (because they're mostly GM nowadays), and no trans-fats whatsoever. I also avoid MSG like the plague, and won't use foods with chemical preservatives. Nor do I use refined salt.
I stay within the bounds of my actual caloric needs based on my size and activity level. During most of my life I skipped breakfast and would eat a large lunch, then have a light snack in the evening, and that was it. Almost never ate snacks. But in the last year I've been told over and over to eat more often and in smaller amounts if I want to lose weight. So I made that transition, and now eat a light breakfast, a light lunch, a light supper, and a few light snacks in between.
Toward the end of last year, I started to suspect I might have an underactive thyroid and started taking a supplement (LINK REMOVED) for it. I'm not sure if it has helped or not. The first month on it, I felt less lethargic but I gained 5 lbs. The second month, I doubled the dose and held at the same weight. The third and fourth months, I gained weight. Now in the 5th month, I've lost a few lbs., but I've also started feeling like I have PMS all the time again.
I tried going to a gym 3x/week for a month the winter before last. I'd work out for an hour each time. After a month, I'd gained several pounds. I was very discouraged and quit going. Couldn't really afford the dues anyway. I live on less than $800/month and most of that goes to housing and utility costs.
Now, I ended up here because I really need to lose some weight - I'm sure it would help ease my physical pain if I was carrying less weight around, and I have all these clothes that I can't afford to replace, and almost nothing I can wear! Aside from that, I just feel and look horrible at this weight (188).
I'm hoping to find some encouragement here, and suggestions. About a month ago I started drinking green tea in place of coffee, and I like that a lot. It seems to be having an effect - I've lost about five lbs., but I have a long way to go. My ideal weight is around 135. That's where I feel best. But I'd be thrilled to lose ANY amount.
Thanks for reading
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