Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[dridlen 0]

Hi all, well we made it through the fourth and all the fireworks! In answer to some questions here, I eat apr 1/2 at a time because I am full after that. I have fairly good restriction right now.I am at my sweet spot and enjoying it. I find that I don't eat much different than when I was actively trying to lose right now trying to maintain. I know that if I eat later than about 8 pm I gain the next morning, so I try not to. I run every day and I think that will be key to keeping this weight off. For the first time since I was in high school I am in a normal weight range and who knew normal would feel so good! I have been told I need to quit losing weight now and that is kind of frustrating. I think that people are so used to seeing me heavy that I just look different. No one is used to me at a normal weight. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

I have another question also. Is anyone retired or a stay at home wife? I currently am not working (by choice) and am struggling with it a bit. Just wondering.

Dottie R.

[free2beme 0]

All of you are such an inspiration to me. Whenever my friends question my decision I only have to come to this forum to know I have done the best for ME!

[JoannMarie 0]

Dottie, I am retired and staying at home. I retired early almost 5 years ago (Aug 2004), hubby retired about 2 years later, but he had a hard time adjusting and wanted to add some income. He went to work full time at BassPro when they opened a store here about 18 months ago. After a work life of sales and primarily sales management, the retail environment has been a tough adjustment for him. He is firearms specialist for the store - and they could not have a better one. I tell him the job description was written for him! He loves most of the job, but really does not like some of it. Like any job, I guess.

At any rate, I am home with my dog most days so Jack and I have frequent conversations. I am an art quilter and enjoy having the time to work in the studio. Oddly though, I find many distractions, family obligations, multiple quilt & knitting group obligations, friendships, etc. None of these are bad things in any way, but take me out of the studio. I have decided it's best to just go with the flow and enjoy everything I can... The hardest thing about retirement for me has been STRUCTURE! No commute, no office, everything is up to me. After a lot of years with structure being decided by others it has been a constant struggle to structure my own time!

It's so good to hear your thoughts about maintenance. I have read in a couple of books that our bodies seem to find the right weight as we approach that "normal" status, and we tend to maintain that weight naturally as long as we continue active lives and the exercise we have established. Our food intake does not necessarily change a whole lot, according to those authors. Some of the participants in this thread have had a somewhat different experience. I sure understand that we must always be aware and ready to deal with any weight gain, no matter how small. A soldier on guard!!

Please feel free to p.m. me...

[dridlen 0]

Thanks for the reply Joann, Being banded is different than I envisioned it to be. However I would do it again in a second. It has been the best thing I have ever done for myself. I am not going to start the process of finding out about a pannectomy. I am excited about that however I think it will be a long, long process.

I am also trying to figure out if I want a part time job. I am going back to school full time. I already have my Assoc of Science degree and I want to get a BA. I am not working right now, just concentrating on myself and taking care of my hubby. I felt I needed out of the workforce for awhile, now I am not so sure. LOL

Thanks,

Dottie R.

[JoannMarie 0]

Dottie, it sounds like you have thought things through pretty well. Have you started back to school yet, or is that on the agenda for fall? That will certainly keep you busy. If it were me, I would probably hold off on the part time job till I could figure out what kind of time commitment would be necessary for school. I found when I went back to school (seems like back in the dark ages now!) I became very grade-driven. I was surprised at how important it was to me. Many of my classmates at the time were getting back into school after being in the workforce for some time. It seemed that all of us were more grade-driven than we expected! Something about being an adult, I guess. It was a good lesson for my pre-teen and teenage son, though. They certainly saw how hard I was willing to work for an A! My degree was in interior design, and I worked in that field for several years. My career path took a different direction toward clinical research administration later on, but I know the skills I learned in college (not just design skills) helped me in many ways. Today - as a retired person - I am using the design skills again and doing the art work I really love. Not so much money in it right now, unfortunately, but a lot of satisfaction.

I wish you the best.

[lynnt1215 1]

I wewnt back to school in 2005, had a great accelerated program to get my

BA in Organizational dynamics. I had an associates degree in lab technology and h ad takn several classes over the years. The program allowed most ofmy previous coourses to be used as electives and rewquired for the bachelors. I finished it in 18 months and still worked full time. It was only me at hopme, so no one else to answer too or share my time with. As I tell everyone, I did for myself, whether I got a new job or not. And I have found, unfortunately, no one wants to hire a college graduate, of 57 y/o, with no experience in the new field of her degree...Oh, well. I will conitnue to be a medical secretary and enjoy my life..

It was a great boost to be able to graduate with a 3.75..

[dridlen 0]

I am trying to take everything into consideration. I really don't want to work, it is the old guilt and worry thing that drives me there. I want to concentrate on school, and just like you joann and lynn this is for me. I have really good grades also and I want to continue with those good grades. It is important to me, i am inclined to think it is an age thing also. LOL. It is also important to me to get time to run in every day. I worked and waited for this surgery and I am determined to make it a success. I also run a Bariatric support group for the hospital I had my surgery at. so I am looking forward to having more time to devote to that. We shall see I guess. Sometimes I get in the way of my own good intentions.

Dottie R.

[Mountaingal 322]

Dottie, Joann and anyone else who is stay at home you are welcome to pm me. Don't want to hijack a thread and take it off topic. New here and I'm not sure if off topic chat is appropriate here or not. I'm still considering banding. Not only would I have to self pay, travel thousands of miles to get it done, but my ins would be of no help if I have any complications. Hence I am taking my time to figure out if this what I want to do. I am an early retiree who moved to a very rural area and am having some troubles building a new life. Good luck with all interests, your weight loss, schooling and other factors in your lives,

Liz

[JoannMarie 0]

Hi Liz, I appreciate the concern about hijacking the thread. I sometimes digress a bit, but people have been patient with me. In some ways I think it is very good to have a feel for other posters' lives aside from banding. It all fits together for us - and it is a pleasant surprise to see how much we are different - and how much we are alike. Feel free to pm me, as well.

[ocotillo 0]

Liz, Joann, Dottie, Lynn

Hey, I'm really enjoying reading your posts. I love to hear what people are doing outside the work force. Unfortunately I am still a slave to the paycheck, but I'm hoping that will come to an end in a couple of years.

I always wonder if I would go back to school and what I would take. I really don't want another career, but there are so many things to explore. I've taken a couple of classes on the side, but find my self wishing I had not committed my time to it. And I too am grade driven.

I told my boss about my surgery today. He's the only one I'm telling right now at work. I really don't want the scrutiny for a while. I'm sure I can hide the weight loss for a couple of months. My body shape is very round and I wear loose clothing so I shouldn't have to explain what I've done for a while. I've been wearing the same shirts for years...up and down the scale, so it will be good camouflage.

Have a great day ladies!

Eva

[Apples2 19]

Count me in as one that is "retired/stay at home". I owned two ins. agencies for many years, sold in 1997, could not take retirement. Went to work as the main grain accountant with a super busy grain company. 90 hours a week was not unusual and interferred with me helping out when needed on our own farm. Finally called it quits after two years of the best job I ever had and the worst job (stresswise) I have ever had.

I am FINALLY, after ten years, settling into life without a job to call my own. It was tough on me after having a business that I could call my own. My DH and I own a farm and have another business managed by our son (still participate in daily).

DH tries to include me in management decisions but there have been sooooooooooooo many times very expensive equipment will be delivered that DH "forgot" to let me in on. He by no means was trying to decieve me....just makes so many decisions on his own. A reminder once in awhile of how I feel better if included helps.

Welcome Newbies. I am not very active on this site during the summer and only have time to respond a couple of days a week. I love taking the time to catch up with my threads and plan on staying active....what a better way to stay on top of things with the band and make new friends!

I also would welcome anyone to PM me.

[JoannMarie 0]

Eva - congratulations on your brand new band, and welcome to this thread. It sounds like you have your early band days well mapped out. I also have not told a lot of people, but as you might have guessed I am a stay at home wife these days, so it really has not been an issue with me. It amazes me, though, that when I attend meetings and get-togethers these days, no one has commented on a 46 pound weight loss! That does seem a little strange.

Glad you have joined it in our journey.

[Apples2 19]

Eva - congratulations on your brand new band, and welcome to this thread. It sounds like you have your early band days well mapped out. I also have not told a lot of people, but as you might have guessed I am a stay at home wife these days, so it really has not been an issue with me. It amazes me, though, that when I attend meetings and get-togethers these days, no one has commented on a 46 pound weight loss! That does seem a little strange.

Glad you have joined it in our journey.

Joanne...I am also amazed at the people in my life that have NEVER said a word about my weightloss. But, I chalk it up to the fact that maybe commenting on someone's weight is something they consider to be rude, etc.

I get more comments from people that I barely know more so than people that are in my life every day.

[phyllser 3]

Dottie, and All,

I've been "stay at home" due to disability and now retirement, since 2000. Inactivity is our enemy! I spend way too much time on my computer, but try to find things to do outside every day. I'm "mobility impaired" due to two arthritic knees that need total replacement. I'm getting one done the end of the summer. The other has a partial in it and can wait until next summer, at least. Exercise is KEY to our weight loss, so I do what I can...

mostly Wii exercise in the summer,

water aerobics in the winter when we are in our RV in CA.

I think it's important to get as involved in activities outside the home as we can once retired. Volunteer work is usually a good outlet..if we can find something we enjoy. We have a "Primetimers" group at our church that we enjoy attending. Most of the people who come are older than us.. it is supposed to be a community outreach for sr. citizens... but I've enjoyed the elderly since I was a teenager!

I enjoy photography, and one project I'm working on right now is a slide show of the Alaska cruise we took in May... and I'm going to present that at Primetimers this week. Then my TOPS group (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) wants me to write up an article about my weight loss journey (with photos) for our monthly newsletter,

and to present to the group later this month.

We just need to exercise some creativity in figuring out things to do that use our talents, and things that we enjoy, to keep ourselves occupied so we don't become "Couch Potates"!

I'm talking to ME, here, too!!

[Charlene K 1]

Dottie, and All,

I've been "stay at home" due to disability and now retirement, since 2000. Inactivity is our enemy! I spend way too much time on my computer, but try to find things to do outside every day. I'm "mobility impaired" due to two arthritic knees that need total replacement. I'm getting one done the end of the summer. The other has a partial in it and can wait until next summer, at least. Exercise is KEY to our weight loss, so I do what I can...

mostly Wii exercise in the summer,

water aerobics in the winter when we are in our RV in CA.

I think it's important to get as involved in activities outside the home as we can once retired. Volunteer work is usually a good outlet..if we can find something we enjoy. We have a "Primetimers" group at our church that we enjoy attending. Most of the people who come are older than us.. it is supposed to be a community outreach for sr. citizens... but I've enjoyed the elderly since I was a teenager!

I enjoy photography, and one project I'm working on right now is a slide show of the Alaska cruise we took in May... and I'm going to present that at Primetimers this week. Then my TOPS group (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) wants me to write up an article about my weight loss journey (with photos) for our monthly newsletter,

and to present to the group later this month.

We just need to exercise some creativity in figuring out things to do that use our talents, and things that we enjoy, to keep ourselves occupied so we don't become "Couch Potates"!

I'm talking to ME, here, too!!

Amen, sister! Move! Move! Move! or your ticker won't move. As you can see I have only walked once in two weeks due to a cold I had and this 100+ weather. It rained today and cooled off a little. NO EXCUSES FOR ME!