Intro - Blessings This Memorial Day!

Suze_Berry

New member
I’m not very good at this part. So, let’s see. I am post-menopause and post-total hysterectomy so I’m not only low in hormones I’m null and void in them. Though, strangely enough, that hasn’t seemed to have made that much of a difference. A few years ago I was sitting comfortably at a size 14/16. I was healthy. Felt good. Fairly active - we’re in the high hills, foothills to the mountains - and enjoy hiking and eating healthy. Then my job went crazy. The stress was off the charts. I was working 10+ hours a day, exhausted ALL the time and two things happened: I was so tired that I started eating more. I realize now that I was thinking that food=energy and I was eating to get rid of the exhaustion. And I developed the Cortisol stress roll, which I had never had before. Long story short - I gained right at 100 pounds. Sigh.

So, COVID becomes a household word and I make the decision to retire early, which was another huge stress factor due to the cut in retirement funds by leaving early. Then something happened - everyone started talking about COVID 15 and I determined that I was NOT going to be one of them. I’ve been retired approximately 8 months and I’ve lost 30 pounds. I was eating two meals a day and made healthier choices but not really dieting. The depression/stress began to lighten, I took an interest in life again and interestingly enough that Cortisol roll started to shrink. HOWEVER, I barely moved off the couch during that time. At first, it was because of the stress, but then I started to read...read, Read, READ! All of the books that I’d put aside for the last thirty years. Eight-ten months of a sedentary life does not make for a healthy body. For the first time in my life I had blood levels and indicators going in the wrong direction. Took me about one hour to start making changes-becoming more strict w/ my food choices was easy. Moving again, not so much.

Right now I’m just working on moving more. More trips every day up and downstairs. Household projects. Gardening. Also using some small hand weights and doing some exercises w/ them. I’m working on it but it isn’t happening fast. I have an old back injury - snapped tendon that almost cut my sciatic nerve in two - so the pain is always there. Before I went through this free fall I’d learned to live w/ it but now it’s so difficult to move...but I am. I love working out in the yard and that has helped me the most.

So, that’s my story. My food plan is low sugar, low carbs, emphasis on healthy foods, low fat (no gallbladder - have to watch fats) but I don’t consider it a diet just sensible eating. My exercise plan - get back on my feet, get moving, get those muscles working again.

Looking forward to the conversations here!
 
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Hi Suze, and welcome to the forum! Congratulations on losing 30 pounds, that´s a great achievement and it looks like you´re really covering all your bases. Onwards and downwards!
 
Hi, Suze & welcome to the forum, Your food plan sounds really sensible & sustainable as does your working on moving more. It does get harder as you get older & it doesn't take much to start stacking on weight & is so much harder to actually lose it again. Sadly I know this from personal experience. It sounds like you have kicked that off well. 30 lbs down & well on the way. Maybe it will be you who helps me regain some motivation :)
 
UPDATE: I have now lost over 40 pounds. Have been eating at a calorie deficit, concentrating on lowering carbs and sugar. My blood pressure is almost back to normal and healthier across the board. Things are going well.
 
Well done Suze. Thanks for checking in with us :)
 
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