Losing weight in my 50's

[Annie G]

Not being familiar with Weight Watchers, can you explain whether you add in the calories of your ‘free’ foods when you calculate your daily calories? I assumed you didn’t really count calories, that the points replaced that need. But if you were eating potatoes and oatmeal every day and not adding in those calories, you might have greatly exceeded the 1400 calories you calculated. Little adjustments like that can make a difference. 

[KSera]

I continue to be really concerned about all the talk about calorie counting and weight loss with someone with an underlying eating disorder 🙁.

[Night Elf]

2 hours ago, Annie G said:

Not being familiar with Weight Watchers, can you explain whether you add in the calories of your ‘free’ foods when you calculate your daily calories? I assumed you didn’t really count calories, that the points replaced that need. But if you were eating potatoes and oatmeal every day and not adding in those calories, you might have greatly exceeded the 1400 calories you calculated. Little adjustments like that can make a difference. 

They have it calculated that if you eat those foods, they are being counted in your points. I was losing 3 points a day even if I didn't eat the food because I think the idea is I've counted the points for the food ahead of time.

FWIW, I am counting points for WW but also counting calories because I'm supposed to be eating a certain amount. If I start seeing my dietitian again, she'll have me counting exchanges instead of calories. She may also want me off WW. I don't know yet. My therapist doesn't want me off WW, but my DH and I think it's useless when I'm not losing weight. Counting calories instead of points, or vice versa, won't make me lose weight obviously, but I really don't need to be doing both.

 

[Night Elf]

3 minutes ago, KSera said:

I continue to be really concerned about all the talk about calorie counting and weight loss with someone with an underlying eating disorder 🙁.

It's okay. I have a therapist who is monitoring my calories and am about to start seeing a dietitian where she'll probably have me counting exchanges instead of calories. 

As long as I don't go below 1300 calories, I'm in no danger. I count the calories to make sure I'm eating enough. Without counting, my disorder causes me to eat much less. A normal meal will blow itself out of proportion in my mind and by the end of the day I believe I've eaten over 2000 calories and start freaking out, when if I count them, I'm less than 1000. I have to count something to make sure I'm eating.

[Night Elf]

2 hours ago, Annie G said:

Not being familiar with Weight Watchers, can you explain whether you add in the calories of your ‘free’ foods when you calculate your daily calories? I assumed you didn’t really count calories, that the points replaced that need. But if you were eating potatoes and oatmeal every day and not adding in those calories, you might have greatly exceeded the 1400 calories you calculated. Little adjustments like that can make a difference. 

Oh and yes I count calories of everything I eat. Just because it's 0 points with WW doesn't mean it's 0 calories! A bowl of oatmeal, for example, is 150 calories. So it's 0 with WW and 150 in my calorie tracker.

[Annie G]

22 minutes ago, KSera said:

I continue to be really concerned about all the talk about calorie counting and weight loss with someone with an underlying eating disorder 🙁.

I agree with that, which is why I asked if she was counting the calories in her ‘free’ foods in with it. Because if she thinks she’s eating 1300 calories but she’s really eating 1600, and not losing weight, she might cut her calories further.  Which could be really dangerous if she’s really eating 1300 but decides to cut further in order to lose weight. But you’re right- Beth needs help from professionals. We’re just trying to be helpful but maybe it’s not. 
 

[Night Elf]

3 minutes ago, Annie G said:

I agree with that, which is why I asked if she was counting the calories in her ‘free’ foods in with it. Because if she thinks she’s eating 1300 calories but she’s really eating 1600, and not losing weight, she might cut her calories further.  Which could be really dangerous if she’s really eating 1300 but decides to cut further in order to lose weight. But you’re right- Beth needs help from professionals. We’re just trying to be helpful but maybe it’s not. 
 

I hope you see I responded to you. 

[KSera]

Wild thought, but any chance your insurance is such that you have the opportunity to change plan providers at the next enrollment period? If you were out from the Kaiser system, you would have so many more options for treatment and people you could see. Kaiser can be really limiting.

[Night Elf]

11 minutes ago, KSera said:

Wild thought, but any chance your insurance is such that you have the opportunity to change plan providers at the next enrollment period? If you were out from the Kaiser system, you would have so many more options for treatment and people you could see. Kaiser can be really limiting.

I know people feel that way about Kaiser but we've been with them for 25 years and feel good about it. It's a great plan and we've rarely had trouble getting the attention we deserve. The thyroid test may be an issue according to a previous post but I'll find out more tomorrow. I have the choice to go to Kaiser affiliates that charge me the same copays Kaiser charges me. I'm currently getting chiropractic services and physical therapy outside of Kaiser but pay Kaiser prices. 

[PeterPan]

On 3/8/2022 at 6:34 PM, KSera said:

Given your disordered eating history far predates Covid even being a thing,

Fwiw, I was merely suggesting it as an explanation for an uptick. However I'm with you that if it happened it would be pretty obvious. 

[Night Elf]

On 3/8/2022 at 12:55 PM, KSera said:

I agree so much with this. Giving standard weight loss type advice to someone with an eating disorder history is very risky. 

In line with the above, having your therapist double as your dietitian does not seem like a good idea unless she is specifically trained in ED (both anorexia and binge eating). It is odd advice in my experience for an eating disorder therapist to suggest weight loss as a solution to preventing a relapse of anorexia. Losing weight is often the trigger for anorexia, on a metabolic level. 

Hmm.. I didn't address this. I am not anorexic anymore and don't want to be. My diagnosis is Binge Eating Disorder. I gained almost 30 lbs. in 3 months and that is the weight I need to lose. I even had a medical doctor freak out that I gained that much that fast and he told me I needed to lose weight due to knee pain. I am very much overweight these days and cannot lose a single pound. That is very discouraging. I'd be happy to just lose 15 lbs. which would still have me in the overweight range but it's not as scary as where I am now. 

Would I like to be thin again? You bet, but that is not in my future. My sister says I should be a little overweight because kids love to hug a squishy grandma not a bony one. LOL And as I am very excited about being a grandma, hopefully within the next year, I am wanting to be healthy so I can play on the floor like I did when my kids were little. I firmly believe on being on a child's level. Right now though, I have a very difficult time getting up off the floor. I really don't want to live like this. This is miserable. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by Night Elf
Yikes! No I did not gain 30 lbs. in 2 months. That would have been much worse. LOL

[itsheresomewhere]

What about instead of focusing on weight loss you focus on strength training for your bones. Resistance training and weight bearing exercises might be best for you especially with your disordered eating.  There are personal trainers out there who work with eating disorders who could also help guide you with exercises.  And even though it is not close, I would still consider a different psychologist/psychiatrist.  Sometimes fresh eyes really help us see things we have missed. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by itsheresomewhere

[Tanaqui]

Eating disorders screw up your metabolism.

Medical doctors, unless they are specialists in patients with eating disorders, tend to have a one size fits all approach, and that one size is "have you considered losing weight?"

It may be the case that, for you, counting calories is healthier than not counting them. However, fixating on your weight, the actual number, surely can't be - especially if the reason you're having trouble losing weight now is because you harmed your metabolism to the point where you cannot lose weight by cutting calories, because your body reacts to cut calories as though it's being starved and starts to hoard them.

[Ellie]

11 hours ago, Night Elf said:

I know people feel that way about Kaiser but we've been with them for 25 years and feel good about it. It's a great plan and we've rarely had trouble getting the attention we deserve. The thyroid test may be an issue according to a previous post but I'll find out more tomorrow. I have the choice to go to Kaiser affiliates that charge me the same copays Kaiser charges me. I'm currently getting chiropractic services and physical therapy outside of Kaiser but pay Kaiser prices. 

We liked Kaiser for many things, but its policies on treating thyroid conditions pretty much sucked (as I said above). Good luck tomorrow. These are the labs you really should get, but at the minimum Free T3, Free T4, and Reverse T3. Also, don't settle for your lab results being "normal" or "in range." They need to be optimal.
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