I'm 55 and need help getting motivated.

[Flowerlady1024]

I am a 55 yr. old woman having trouble getting motivated.  I need a group that will help me out.  I am hoping someone out there will take pity on me and invite me in. 

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

[Terrie89]

Do you have my fitness pal? I'm not as old as you are but you can add me if you want. I'm terriepowers1 on mfp. I havn't added people on here yet so not sure how that works just yet. Mfp has ben great for me since I have some buddies on there and it syncs with fitbit for logging stuff in.

[SunsetRunner]

I'm in the same boat, lacking motivation, and I am 64 with a LOT of weight to lose.  Arthritis pain tends to slow me down a lot, so does asthma.  I was contemplating using MFP again (I flirted with it very briefly)... I've been using the Calorie King app but thats a fairly solitary exercise...  My diet is low carb, high fat, but I need to be watching calories/kilojoules as well... hence the need for a diet app.  

Do you have a local walking group? Maybe that might help, too.

[lyro · Accepted solution]

Hello there!  Please feel free to add me if you'd like.  In my mid 50's here and have found the FB very motivating since I started this summer.  I do challenges with my FB friends and I also have a group (Monthly challenge group) that started 8/1/14, but we roll it over every month.  We all post our own goals for the month and motivate and support each other.  We have grown to about 150 members. Please check us out.

[WendyB]

Search for groups here. Im sure you can find something that will fit your needs

http://relliker.com/#

[Flowerlady1024]

Thank you!  Your's sounds like a group I may like.  What is your group name, so that I may join?  I'm looking forward to feeling better.

[thrillerklm · Accepted solution]

I was in a similar rut. I let a little injury cause me to stop using the fitbit. 

I convinced myself that I could get the steps in by just getting on the threadmill.

Well, that did not work and a couple of pounds later I knew I needed a something to keep me from

doing the teeder-todder effect with exercise.

I have a favorite album that did great on the charts that I bought and put it on my iPod.

Now when I exercise the music adds excitement even on a rainy day.

If you are up to it you can even walk on the treadmill in a way that you are going to the beat of the

song...at least for part of the song. I only set the treadmill to 2.0 and although the treadmill said I went 1 mile, by walking in double time for part of each song I put in about 1.5 miles according to the fitbit. I think

that is cool! I am getting the full benefit for my effort and making up for the fact my pulse rate requires me to go slower. When my pulse goes over 170, I lower the speed on the treadmill and stop doing double time.

I have a weak right ankle but, I do not let that stop me from exercising. I put an ankle support on and keep moving. I hope this encourages someone. Exercising is necessary for my emotional and physical health!

[lyro]

Hi.  Here is a link to our group:

https://www.fitbit.com/group/22NJXW

Regards,

Lynn

[Flowerlady1024]

Thanks for the tip. I will try that!

[Aspire]

Hi Fowerlady1024,

I am a 62 year old female and get motivated and then unmotivate very quickly. I am tired of the yoyo lifestyle of loosing tons of weight and never having anything to show since I have gained more than I have lost. I also need a support group, so I'd like to be part of this supoort group. Part of my problem is arthritis. I exercise and feel like I'm starting to benefit then have to scale back because of pain. I am thankful that I can always walk and go up /down stairs but am used to more of an exercise life.   I am 40 lbs. overweight, I am not successful around food and with less exercise in my life it's hard to keep the pounds off.

I decided to try a meditation along with uping my exercise walks: food, while quite tasty, doesn't have to be eaten in large quantities, it's not like it will disappear if I don't eat a lot of it right now.  So I am experimenting with the notion that food is appreciated more if I save my favorites (sweets) to savor in smaller quantities. I had a freind who once said that she felt good when she felt the urge to eat (overeat) and didn't becuase she knew she was in control and not her stomach controlling her.

When I was younger I used to be successful with this medititaion strategy so it's time to bring it out for a try.  I am also adding my friends idea of focusing on the joy of being in control and to eat when I want to, not when my stomach wants to.  Wish me luck. 

[carnegiemom]

Hi to all. I just got my FB for Christmas and I find it very motivating. I'm so excited to see just how many steps I can do each and everyday. I'm going to be 61 and would love to lose 20-25 lbs before my kids get married in June. Even if I do not reach that goal but get close would be fine. Getting healthy and feeling better. I have knee pain that has kept me from exercising recently but have been pain free for the past week. So I have been really pushing myself to walk as many steps as possible. I've gone up to 20,000 steps in one day. That has been my highest but reaching 10,000-15,000 on adverage. I would love to join your group but do not know how to do so. I have weighted myself and find that pounds are not coming off so easily even with all of the exercise. I'm also logging my food and keeping it below the calories burned so it surprise me that the pounds are not coming off so easily. Let me know what you do so I can partipicate.

[Flowerlady1024]

I am working on my motivation as well. I lost my Fitbit, but got one for Christmas. I am getting back on the horse Tuesday, Jan. 6th. Good luck to you. You can do it!!!

[carnegiemom]

I feel like you are taking the most important steps to a better future. I only wish I started at 55. I'm 61 with knee pain. But I'm taking control and making the next part of my life all about me and being fit. I think finding small goals that are more realistic rather then taking on the entire goal. You lose sight of the progress you make each day getting healthier. Even though my scale doesn't give me a number I'm happy about I look at the way I feel and excited about my steps.

[hammer54]

Hi Carniemom.  I just got my fitbit too!  I'll be 54 on Jan 8 and am looking for a group to keep me motivated. I'm motivated to get 15 lbs off! 

Sounds like you're doing great averaging 10,000 to 15,000 steps.  Way to go.

I'd love to particpate in a group as well.  Did you find out how to participate?  Can you fill me in.  Have a great Sunday!

[NellieMae]

fitbit was a christmas present ,so far i have not done 10,000 steps in a day .even with working out  at gym i,ve only done 7,000.how do i increase my steps? also  i do water aerobics 3 times week .i would like to lose 15 lbs.

[carnegiemom]

I was doing water arobics as well over the summer to help my knee but I didn't own the fitbit at the time so I'm not able to add any information other then to manually add the activity and calories burned. That is what I do when I'm in the gym.  I try to walk at least 3 miles several times a week and that helps to do the 10,000 step. My highest was 20,136 but it didn't give me a badge. Most days I try to keep in the 10,000 steps a day. I must say it takes a lot to do that daily. But if I can do 5000 in a day I would feel good about it. I still do not see much of a difference on the scale of which is really making me sad and crazy. But I will not allow that to deter me from my goal of getting healthy and fit.

[JuliA_F · Accepted solution]

Hi Flowerlady,

I will give you lots of support.

Just don't give up.

New to Fitbit. I got as a Christmas gift.

Juli F.

[carnegiemom]

I'm here to help. I got my fitbit for Christmas as well. My oldest son got this for me. It seems to have gotten me in the right direction. It keeps me motoviated by challenging me to move more each and everyday. I have 3 wedding this upcoming year and want to look and feel my best. Find something in your life that will encourge you to keep going even when you think nothing will help. I have many days like that. I'm trying to make a certain amount of steps and then building on them. Always look for the positive and focus on that. At this point the scale has not been my friend so I try not to focus on that because it does really bad things to my head. Hope this helps.

[JuliA_F]

Trying to add you to my friends.
Need lots of support.
Good Luck!

Juli F.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @Flowerlady1024

I agree that My Fitness Pal is a good tool. I just started ... or shall I say re-started ... entering my food. That helps keep my on target for calories and water.

I have another motivational tool that I found on these boards a long time ago, but have started using again. I bought one of those small, 7" x 7" calendars. Each day, when I reach my step goal, I color in the square. I know ... we can easily get that info from the FitBit app, but I need it in my face, some place where I will run into it several times a day, like my kitchen. Besides finding it motivating, it will help me identify trends. 

This is my two pronged approach that I am taking into the new year to help keep me motivated. 

We can do this!