Is dieting necessary

I might go for a gentle ride on my bicycle.

Sorry!

until the day you drop dead from it

I am pretty active, and have just come back from doing some walking on the South West footpaths in Cornwall. This involved some very steep hills. Of course I got puffed, if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have been exercising my heart.

Being puffed is essential to good cardiac exercise.

I think what is coming out of this discussion is that we all have different attitudes to our bodies and our weight. Before my recent weight loss, my weight had been steady for many years but I was worried about my knees and my blood pressure. I don’t think I’d realised how overweight I looked (I’m only 5 ft) till I lost the weight. I think my GD will always think of me as the ‘cuddly’ grandma but that’s probably not a bad way to be remembered.
Can I just say that there is one disadvantage to losing weight when you’ve been the same weight for many years? It’s very expensive. I’ve had to get rid of almost all my clothes including those standbys like black evening trousers that one trots out on the odd occasion when they are needed. I have shrunk back into the odd outfit but most clothes need replacing. I’m going for fewer, slightly better quality clothes but my wardrobe is half empty.

You're so right, Monica. Fact is I was active too but I was aware of feeling puffed out when doing a steep hill and running for a bus (not that I do that!!) was out of the question. I now play crazy and sustained action with GC with joy (and even win the odd race!). They're only 7 (the initial motivation!) and 5 and I feel this race result is about to change. I haven't ever found a formulaic diet that worked for me (well done you, in that) but eating less of everything has been my solution. My only downside has been that many of the clothes I truly loved no longer fit.

Kim19* I was fortunate that I have always been a fit active person, so that aspect of my life remained unchanged.

Until seven years ago I would have pretty much agreed with this. Then I had a successful and sustained weight loss and, without doubt, my sense of wellbeing has increased enormously. I was happy but undoubtedly somewhat unfit. My improved state of fitness has added a healthier and fun element to my life that I hadn't even realised was missing.

What I find irritating is the assumption that if you think your weight is above what it ought to be and would like it to be less, then you become dieting and food obsessed, can think of nothing else, cannot eat normally and are miserable and unhappy.

Like many I put on a coiple of stone during and after the menopause. I also found, like most, my usual calorie counting and up the exercise for a couple of weeks to lose itsystem I had previously used did not work anymore.

But although I wanted to lose the weight, I wasn't obsessed by it, I didn't 'hate' my body. I wasn't always worying about food, what not to eat, what to eat. I was quite happy even though I had gained weight but a couple of times a year, I would have another go at losing weight. I was reduced to trying a couple of 'name' diest. The Atkin's diet made me ill. A vegan diet, after a fortnight, had me eying next door's cat speculatively.

Then when it came out I tried the 5:2 diet - and to my amazement, it worked for me. I lost the two stone and I found out then that the extra weight had been causing me health problems because my indigestion disappeared, my knees stopped aching and my blood pressure that had been creeping up, went back to where it used to be.

You can be modestly over weight, keeping an eye on it and hoping to lose it and also enjoying life.

I've just done an NHS BMI calculator thingy. Mine is 23.4. I think that's OK.

Just looked at the smart bmi.

Wow! But I guess it is really saying the same as the doctor.

So I’m 73
12st 12lb
5ft 7 inch

So in healthy range for age etc. No need to diet, but eat healthily and keep fit

Good to know isn’t it?

I've struggled with my weight since my teens and have yoyo dieted a few times. After 2 children despite losing weight during pregnancy as a result of extreme sicknes for about 4 months I always put back more whilst breast feeding so overall gained a stone for each child. More dieting followed , the result being obsession with food and not a lot of weight loss! When I topped 16 stones I decided the diets had to stop as I daren't get any bigger so the aim was to 'not put on any more'. I maintained for a number of years, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Two and a half years ago I asked my adult children to get me a fitbit for Christmas and since then I have gradually walked more steps a day. My medication was changed to include a diuretic and now I have lost about 3 stones. I reckon about half of that was fluid as my legs no longer swell up like balloons in hot weather. This makes walking easier too so a virtuous rather than vicious cycle. I seem to have found a new plateau and the weight stays the same within a small range. I still don't diet but am obsessive about my '5 a day' and often eat 7 o 8!
The smart BMI is a revelation - thanks to the poster who mentioned that. I've gone from obese to slightly overweight on that scale. Old age has its advantages after all. I'm celebrating with chocolate!

Think of a 6' tall male who weighs 11 stone. He does no regular exercise. Then think of a male the same height but weighs 14 stone. The second guy plays rugby. Whose BMI will be lower but not necessarily mean he is fitter? BMIs are just not a good measure of how healthy a person is.

I'm retired now but my job used to be pretty active then due to restructuring I was given a desk job f/t. The weight crept on. Since retirement we had wine every evening, I cut it out & now only drink very occasionally. I cut out puddings, cakes & biccies & sugar. But the weight stayed, I've done exercise classes too. I'm on a fair bit of meds & our practice nurse said one of them was notorious for weight gain & got gp to switch it. But still no loss but no increase and my cholesterol has really improved. I feel fat & swollen. I used to be a stick insect.

I've been to many slimming clubs in my time, I'm not sure why. I've never really been overweight. I love the dad in the Royle Family's view on slimming clubs.

I’ve been on the Jane Plan for nine months now and have lost 35 pounds. A 28-day supply of food is delivered in a box, and can be stored without freezing - hot dishes simply need 3 minutes in the microwave. No shopping, no cooking. If possible, I’m going to use this plan as the basis of my daily meals forever. It’s the easiest diet I’ve ever done, and no bother now with my arthritis.

I was reading the healthy waist measurement for a woman is 32 inches. They didn't have an age scale. A 72 year old is expected to have the same waist measurement as a 22 year old then presumably.

Slimming Clubs.....lordy I've done about 30 in my time. No more, ever.

" Now then Pauline, have you had a good week?"

I was always overweight and on a diet, then I retired and it has just dropped off me despite being on steroids.

I keep a check on my weight, put quite a bit on while on holiday but careful eating when I came back has now seen me regain my normal weight. I do find it hard not to have cake when I out having a coffee and love chocolate but well I have decide life is to short to worry.

I went to a slimming club for years and lost weight then gained it. The leader finally said "that's the weight you're meant to be ". So there I have stayed.

Yes I am a firm believer in keeping active.

We do have smaller dinner plates at home these days. Mind you, I just couldn't manage to eat the enormous dinners that we used to have!

Tinker

Exactly the same as you, as long as my clothes still fit, I’ve stopped fretting, I’m sure I’d feel a bit better two stone lighter, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

After a lifetime of yoyo dieting, when I retired I decided to embrace 'peaceful eating', and my relationship with food has improved. I no longer weigh myself but as my clothes from the previous year still fit I know I am roughly stable. 1.5 -2 sizes bigger than my previous ideal but I feel much better being free of the diet industry's clutches. I am very healthy, active and strong and I'm never going back!

I have lost two stone. It has been difficult but I am now just between NHS guidelines for my height. I feel so much better and have loads of energy. It is important to stay as fit as possible as we get older.