Photo by Kalen Emsley.
Wish me luck; I’ll take heat for this one.
I was never a worker-outer. I’m Team Napper.
For those of us trying to lose, working out doesn’t actually work.
Hear me out.
Say you swim like Michael Phelps (most decorated Olympian with twenty-eight medals), then yes, your caloric intake won’t have a prayer against your energy output.
Turns out, Phelps famously ate 8,000 to 10,000 calories (!!!) a day in his prime and still found it challenging to get enough food.
That said, muggles like you and me don’t work out like Phelps. Most of us take yoga classes or bike three miles, five times a week, call it good, and head to the nearest fridge. Even a long day of snow skiing doesn’t require the amount of calories Phelps needed to bring home the gold.
How a Sweaty Workout Does Do a Body Good.
Here’s what I finally figured out: Working out for reasons other than weight control is vital for a healthy body and state of mind especially when we’re on the other side of menopause. For example:
- Taking a long walk to get my sweet German shepherd his needed exercise: smart for me and River.
- Working out for endorphins to feel high without the side effects of drugs: brilliant.
- Getting sweaty to keep my heart fit and – hopefully – avoid the dementia that has long swept like wildfire throughout my family: again, brilliant.
But working out to help me lose weight?
No, never happened.
And scientists are just now catching on to what we’ve long suspected: lowering our food intake is really the only path to successful weight loss especially after age 50.
The Important Basics I Needed to Lose Fifty-Five
One
Committing to a great eating plan — I call it a structure — turned out to be critical for long-term success. I’ve used the Weight Watchers original point system since 1997, but there’s no particular magic to WW. Any healthy eating plan works if makes the most sense for your life and if you can imagine using it for decades to come.
Also vital: keep a pretty tracker with a pen next to your fridge to track what goes into your mouth daily. Studies are firm: those who document what they eat, are the most successful. And remember, “pretty” matters. No keeping track on old envelopes or the back of receipts. A spiral notebook is best. The spiral part makes it easier to record your eating. You also want to keep track so that you can go back in time and see what’s worked and what hasn’t work.
Two
As I lost weight, I focused only on establishing rock star eating habits:
First I committed to my eating structure (WW) and only after my WW habits were solidly established did I create a strong habit of intermittent fasting for 14 to 16 hours each day. Specifically I stop eating by 6:30 p.m.
My thought: attempting to create too many habits at once is a recipe for failure. One fully installed positive habit is way better than five squishy habits.
Three
I used my favorite study to extinguish my evening sugar habit (what do you mean there’s no confetti?). The first two weeks were rough — no fib — but by week three, sugar was in my rear-view. Details on how I eliminated sugar here.
How long does it take to establish smart habits like tracking your daily intake? My favorite study by a group of researchers in England discovered that we need sixty-six days to create a behavior that is reliable and becomes like second nature. (Published in 2009 in the European Journal of Social Psychology.)
Why I Did Not Do Hard Workouts while Losing
Other than long walks with my River (GSD), I didn’t add work outs to my days until I’d maintained my weight loss for years. Only then did I add yoga and Pilates, and finally stumbled onto my forever workout activity that I love (recumbent trike-riding). Updated on 8-28-22: I might know how to lose/maintain weight after 50, but I’m still a fawn on wobbly legs when it comes to working out. I’m learning that doing different types of working out is the best for mind and body.
Okay, I’m ready to take the heat for this post. Tell me what you think. Does working out help your weight loss or send you on the hunt for a hot fudge sundae?
Ready for take off! (Get it?) 🙂
♥, Wendy
P.s. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!
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I am not an expert, a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse or a nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. ♥
22 Comments
This article is an inspiring perspective. I appreciate the reminders for heart/organ health, as well as health of spirit. If I lose a few pounds as well, what a bonus. Everything about health and fitness doesn’t always have to be a huge weight loss goal. Thanks for the motivation.
Great point! Thank you Shelley!
Fabulous post Wendy! I love your attitude, and the only thing about you that looks like Santa is your red shirt! 😉 Thanks, as Shelley says, for the great perspective, and for your sense of humor! I’m so glad I found you through Between Naps on the Porch!
Barbara, could you have written a nicer email? Your words mean the world to me — thank you! And I never connected my red shirt to Santa, but how funny! I’m clicking over to MantelandTable.com right now. Thank you again!
Barbara,
You are one sweet lady with a gorgeous blog!
Wendy
Good points! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Heidi!!
Thank you Heidi! 🙂 — Wendy
One habit at a time…
Good advice.
The trick is to really — really — let the habit become part of you.
No walk in the park.
Wendy
I know it’s an acquired taste, but working out can become really addictive!
Lauren,
I totally believe you. I was devoted to a yoga/Pilates studio. And 2.5 years in, the owner moved.
I need to find a new place and re-establish the habit.
I’m curious: what activity do you do?
Wendy
And again, thanks for sharing your post at our Senior Salon Pit Stop linkup ending this Saturday, October 31.
I pinned this on our Senior Salon Pit Stop InLinkz Linkup Shares board and also share it on Twitter @EsmeSalon with #SeniorSalonPitStop
Thanks Esme!
Wendy
Wendy, I agree with you. I see many patients frustrated because they are not losing weight with exercise. They say they have restricted their eating but I doubt it is as serious as what you describe ( I assume you count time asleep in the fasting hours?) Of course there are other benefits to exercise, or physical activity as I prefer to call it, which you get from walking River nor are you someone who spends much time on the couch. But I do think too much heavy exercise at the start can be self defeating, the body just gets more efficient at using what you feed it. Everyone seems to be different so one needs to see what works for them. Congratulations on your success.
Dr. Oglesby,
Thank you for your words. And yes, I count sleeping in my intermittent fasting. 🙂
I love how you said, “too much heavy exercise at the start can be self-defeating.”
That’s exactly how I’ve felt.
Thank you for commenting!
Wendy
It depends on the exercise for me… a quick 30 minute workout or a hour long walk doesn’t work if I eat more but a full day of hiking and I find I can pretty much eat whatever I want after we’re done without any weight gain.
Joanne, wow you are gifted!!
I want to be you when I grow up!
Wendy
I think this is a great approach. Establish one habit before adding another. It’s soooo tempting to do it all at once, but for me, it adds enough stress that my weight loss (and attitude) is affected.
Thanks for sharing with us at Creatively Crafty #ccbg 🙂
Boy, isn’t that the truth?! I love #ccbg!
Wendy
Many congratulations on your incredible weight loss! I’m in agreement… I follow Keto and have found that I don’t need to work out as much, if I start adding fitness routines in then I need to add in more protein and messes everything up. I find walking helps to keep everything toned, such a good all round exercise that is free! Good for the body and mind! Sim x #TrafficJamWeekend
Hi Sim!
I totally agree: walking is the best. And congratulations back on the Keto. Finding the right plan sure matters. Thanks for writing!
Wendy