I'm 78 female and can't lose weight I need to lose. Advice?

I have never been able to diet successfully, and it's still early days, but my daughter, who needs to lose weight, blackmailed me into joining her. (I "only" need to lose 50 lb.) We are using a *free* website called MyFitnessPal to keep track of our calories, exercise and weight. It makes me stop and think before I eat something, because I know I will have to write it down. So far she has lost 10, and I have lost 5. It is quite motivating, and free and not that hard to use. I track my weight every day to remind me to keep on top of things, and to use every 0.1 pound lost (or regained) to spur me on.

Older women, starting at age 40, really need to build muscle while losing weight. Have you tried strength training? Doing things with even a 1 pound weight in your hand will help build muscle. Try to find someone to keep you company at a gym. When you go to the gym, brazen it out by wearing hot pink or hawaiian shirts or leopard print. You should be PROUD to be going to a gym at your age!

Hmmm. I've never struggled with needing to lose a lot of weight... BUT... I am a big fan of juicing and got my inspiration in this area by watching the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," which you can find/view online. The people in this documentary lost significant weight AND improved ongoing health issues at same time. You might find the documentary really helpful? Good luck!

eat one meal a day. supper. your body will become used to this regimen and youll never feel a hunger pang. ive been doing it for at least 20 years. the usda guidelines are ignorant at best. they suggest a large dinner wheras you go to bed and dont burn the first calorie. then a significant breakfast. why? you havent burned a speck of supper yet. from 9 am till 5 pm im burning reserves. that translates to stored body fat. i aint smart but im lean.

As someone who has lost 45 pounds and needs to lose 15 more, this is not easy. The first 45 was but the last 15, not so much. You have to change the way you eat not just how much you eat. Get to love veggies and fruit. Limit your meat and make sure you exercise. It is so hard, I know. I am still stuck at 15 pounds less than I would like to be. You just have to have a goal and stick to it. Be hardheaded and keep going. The more veggies and fruit you eat, the more you like them and the less you like junk foods. Good luck, it is not easy to change. But change is what you have to do.

Alison! Thank you. How could I forget Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead? Juicing
is a great idea and he has a free website JoinTheReboot

Please get a cyber room.

Try Halie Pomroy's Fast Metabolism diet. Do you have to take meds? I know some types do make you gain. I have had Crohn 's disease since I was 26 and that screwed up my metabolism. You have to speed it up, confuse your body, eat carbs and fruit for 2 days, then protein and vegies for 2 days, then add good fats for 3 days eating everything. Get her book. I got it on Amazon. I'm right with you, so hang in there. My problem is unending worry and stress which causes the body to create those lovely " reserves." HA! Then I drink wine. Every day I start over and try harder:((( Good Luck! I'll post when I lose 10 pounds. xo

You have struggled many years with "GERD, etc." I am answering this question without knowing what the etc stand for, but GERD always makes me suspicious that a person might have "leaky gut syndrome". Docs no leaky gut is a condition but there is medical controversy about whether or not it causes the kinds of wide ranging health problems many integrative doctors and nutritionist believe it does.

Let me just refer you to do a little research on Brenda Watson and JJ Virgin. Leaky gut manifests as increased intestinal permeability. A problem because as we age we tend to have poorer digestion. Normally the intestinal lining is the body's primary defense in keeping up undigested food particles from entering the bloodstream. As we age, we have more and I just did some food particles. If we have leaky gut, those particles get into the bloodstream. They can produce an allergic reaction as systemic level which leads to cellular inflammation. say you cut your finger and a little infection start. Your body responds with inflammation to help your cut finger heal. That's GOOD inflammation. But information at the cellular level is BAD inflammation. It's unhealthy, research is pointing to cellular information as the root cause of most if not all autoimmune diseases, and possibly many, most or all chronic diseases or potentially any disease.

Leaky got comes from years and years of poor eating behaviors plus the deteriorating digestion of aging. There are medical tests to prove leaky gut but they are often not done because they are often not covered by insurance because of the medical controversy. But one can also did you see this condition by the symptoms. JJ's approach is simpler in my opinion. Take out the most allergenic suspect foods for a short time and see if you feel better. She claims this is easy. Well, I'm here to tell you it's not so easy but also encourage you to try because it's very effective and many people that await plateau for years begin losing weight naturally for the first time and their adult life.

The process involves removing 7 foods from your diet for 21 days. If you're going to do this, I suggest you get her book because there is a program of re-feeding to find out which foods your body seems to be having an allergic reaction to.

I'm going to just list the 7 foods. If you want more information on the reasons behind these foods, please ask and I'll add information. This post is probably already too long as it is, haha:

Soy, peanut, fructose & all artificial sweeteners (PURE Stevia & PURE Monk Fruit ARE allowed if they contain no additives), corn, egg, dairy, gluten.

If you truly want to know, you cannot cheat with even one bite during the three weeks, otherwise you have to start all over again. Some of the items are easy not to eat, but you will find eliminating soy means tofu, edamame, soy sauce, etc. If you aren't already, you WILL become a strict label reader. Ditto about any of the other foods, derivations of which are often included as recipe at it is in prepared foods. You will probably not be eating much in the way of prepared foods.
You can go to Amazon and read not only a little about the book but also what the customer reviews have to say. That's always a good place to start in your research.

CarolLynn, you are correct about this. Additional food group to avoid: nightshade family: tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant. Definitely wheat.
I am eating Ezekiel bread, the spouted grains. Fantastic. No butter, but avocado during last 3 days of week. The feeling of eating grains and sweet fruit for 2 days is unbelievably calming. Peace to all:) xo

I have a small suggestion, and possible tweak to your diet. In the area of fruits and vegetables, concentrate far more on vegetables, and limit fruits, particularly the high-sugar-content ones, like bananas, grapes, watermelon and oranges. Better options would be berries and apples.