We Were Being Infantilized. The Truth About Losing Weight After Age 50

We can likely succeed once we know the truth of how the game’s being played

Hello Thrivers!

We have new thrivers who’ve just joined us. And welcome everyone!! If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to read Begin Here to get started on the right foot. (Even if you’re not new, you might want to have a gander. It was badly in need of loving care so “Begin Here” enjoyed a lovely day at the spa.)

Shall we?

Pearl One

It’s the last thing the diet/food-cartel will ever point-blank tell us, but experience has proven it out.

The only thing that really “works” for long-term weight-loss success is the last thing anyone wants to hear so the diet folks don’t talk about it.

Creating a forever-loss for ourselves — not losing twenty for the wedding, — hinges on losing weight slowly like cold syrup-slowly.

Ready for more bad news?

What we’ve all called “plateaus” — I call “holding” — are actually the best things ever for our long-term success.

Here’s the thing, there’s talk on the streets about “a weight set-point” and that it doesn’t matter what you and I do, our body will always default back to that particular weight.

I disagree.

If you and I lose ten pounds at a time – slowly, maybe a pound a week –, and then let our body “rest” (or plateau) for at least a month, we just upleveled our entire weight loss experience. I think of it as “locking in” the new weight.

As you know, if you drop weight quickly, the weight just piles back on. It’s at this point traditionally that we’ve agreed to agree collectively that there must be a biological “set-point.” It’s like the diet-cartel has said, “sure, you can lose two pounds every week, that’s eight pounds a month! Go you!”

We were never told the truth: that losing weight slowly with ample plateaus along the way is the only natural path to a forever weight loss. ♥

Pearl Two

Want to hear a funny thought? We’ve all seen the dramatic weight loss from celebs like Oprah and Kelly Clarkson. The main gist of the meds – if I’m understanding correctly – is that they really curb your appetite so that food loses it’s luster.

But the funny thing is: an apple does the same thing. That’s why I stress the importance of “Eat Before You Eat.”

A little bit I’m being tongue-in-cheek, but I’m also serious. Along with using healthy food to curb our appetites I also include embracing new reframes such as, “Do I want to eat five of those homemade chocolate chip cookies or do I want to be a size 10?” and “If I’m dreaming about junk food, it simply means that I need to eat real food.” (I use this one almost daily.)

And welcome to our newest reframe: when friends and family ask you about your new weight loss just say, “I’m on nature’s Ozempic. Totally works.” ♥

Pearl Three

In January, we’re talking stress-eating, and how we can walk it quietly out of our daily

We’re hurting. We’re furious. We’re exhausted from the drama.

When it comes to big emotions, you and I turn to food. Eating junk food is comforting, always available, and socially accepted.

Somewhere along the path of our lives we established a connection between heavy emotions and food.

I’ve said it before, “The hack we used successfully as kids – given that we survived –, is the very hack that is causing us such trouble today.

Do you ever “meta” notice you? The other day something really disappointed me (forget now what is was, but I’m sure it was huge).

Just as I was circling the drain, it occurred to me to watch myself handle the disappointment (I just remembered what I was disappointed about: I didn’t get a job that I wanted).

If I can digress for a second. Do you see what just happened? I forgot why I was disappointed and just a few words later my subconscious supplied the answer. Writing is a superpower. I can’t emphasize how important journal-writing is to our trek.

Returning to meta-noticing. In your journal write about the chain reaction that ends with you descending into overeating. Because there’s a number of steps that proceed overeating. What emotion is your most difficult to manage? Mine – present day – is boredom. I’m in “danger, danger Will Rogers” territory when I’m bored (especially if I don’t have a structured plan in place for the day). ♥

Pearl Four

I read two “I loved them” books this week. I’m giving both titles because some may have no interest in one and vice-versa. I just finished the best book – fiction or nonfiction – on Alzheimers. If you have any interest, I highly recommend Fighting for My Life: How to Thrive in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s by Jamie TenNapel Tyrone.

Fighting for My Life is like two books in one. The first half of the book Jaime writes in memoir form sharing the immense difficulty she’d had getting a diagnosis, and the surprising diagnosis she finally ended up with. The second half of the book was written by her neurologist Marwan Noel Sabbach, MD.

An absorbing read. Highly recommend.

The second book that comes off my own bookshelf is The President’s House: 1800 to the Present. The secrets and history of the world’s most famous home by Margaret Truman.

This is a super fun read. If you enjoy history it’s like being a fly on the wall. This book will not disappoint.

And look who wrote the book! ♥

Pearl Five

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool.” ♥

Richard Feynman

I’m sorry this post got to you so late in the day. I sat down on the couch for a second and the cat crawled into my lap and settled. He rarely does this with me, so I didn’t have the heart to stand up disturbing his “cozy.” Cats can be so cuddly, but Max only loves my boys. I’m clearly second=tier.

If you’ve liked this post, I hope you’ll share it with others. And if you’re interested in my new paperback — The Inspired Eater: Fed Up! you’ll find it here.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

♥, 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). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. 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!

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

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. ♥