Hell To All:

First, Dr. Mercola's website recommended a book entitled "The Metabolic Typing Diet", which I ordered from Amazon.com. I ordered it to confirm which metabolic type I am, and it did confirm that I am a protein type. It's a good book, so if you question what you are doing buy it and take their test. It's very in depth.

Secondly, I know I feel better all around on a protein diet but since I am "older" I suffer the slower metabolism that many others share as well. I keep track of calories and carbs on Lifeform, particularly since I haven't lost a pound since before Christmas. Gained five there thank you so much! Anyway, it is clear that I have to keep my calories down, 1000-1200/day. I simply do not lose, even with daily exercise. I do a weight training aerobic workout five days a week. Nothing's happening trust me. Now I am seriously looking at the calorie level, my carbs are always around 20, sometimes pushing 30. Are there any other "older" people out there who have experienced the same problem, and if so will you please share info with me?

SuzeQ: 162/152/130 Age: 63

Sorry about leaving off the "o" in Hello. Serious slip there.

SuzeQ

Well...I guess I'm old too!

I'm also having one Hello of a time trying to lose. I'm now experimenting with whether or not allergies to foods are to blame.

I've only lost 5.5 lbs since I started before Thanksgiving. And I've been up and down because of Christmas, etc. I really didn't do anthing REAL bad, just nibbled on forbidden foods a little. But not enough that I shouldn't have lost something more by now. The first 5 lbs came off in the first 2 weeks, mostly water.

It is frustrating. Granted getting older does contribute to weight gain and a harder time losing, but you seem to be doing everything right otherwise.

Do you also have any allergies that you suffer with? These can include sinusitis, rashes, unusual bloating? What you might want to check out is the posts about Candida. It's a yeast problem. That's where I'm looking now. It will definitely cause a complete stall in weight loss.

Let's keep in touch on this, ok?

Hi Suze, and welcome!

Are you doing Protein Power or Atkins?

Sandy

Thanks for posting so quickly. I am somewhere in the middle of Atkins and PP. Don't use strips, usually stay around 20 grams but sometimes go up to 30. Have sinus problems but otherwise nothing. Have read "everything" on L/C I could get my hands on.
Weight training, Pilates, walk videos with Leslie Sansone. Love my glass of red wine but am eliminating that for next couple of weeks to see if it makes any difference. Currently am having a serving of Living Fuel twice a day and for another meal protein and veggies. That's about 1000 cals. and roughly 23 carbs. We'll see.

SuzeQ

I don't lose like I did when I dieted in my 20's--which is part of my problem, of course, that I dieted too much of my life, and therefore my metabolism adjusts quickly to anything I do, trying to keep me alive against this series of famines I have convinced it existed during my lifetime!

The mentors here will advise you to NOT lower your calories but raise them--as counterintuitive as that sounds, it has worked for several people. What happens is that once you eat normal calories again your body becomes convinced there is no famine and raises your metabolism accordingly. The best way to raise calories is through adding healthy fats to the diet.

Unfortunately for me, that didn't work. All that happened to me in raising calories was that I slowly put on weight (it was slow, though, just a pound or two per month) My explanation for why it didn't work for me is that I had well over a decade of super-low-cal diets (under 500 calories per day) and my metabolism is simply permanently screwed from that. I don't know if the same is true of you, but it's a possibility.

I can lose darned slowly if I drop to 1000 calories, but here's the result of that: my metabolism will lower MORE! Eventually even 1000 calories won't see a loss, but a stable weight. So if you want to consign yourself to a lifetime of eating 1000 per day forever, that's an okay choice. Make sure you choose your calories very wisely, though (and it wouldn't hurt to see a doctor and nutritionist...if you can find some that understand LC principles). And forgive yourself if you suddenly wake up one morning starved, start eating normal amounts, and gain back weight. That's really too few calories to expect to eat forever.

However, a second option is available and is the one I've chosen. I eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full, and I tend to eat around 1550 calories per day with dairy in my diet, a bit less without dairy in my diet. My weight stablizes around 175 (24% body fat the last I had it checked--I lift weights so have a high LBM). So the option I chose is come to terms with that reality the best I can.

I cannot change my metabolism (I've tried! believe me!). I cannot go back and erase my diet history. I have been dealt this hand of cards (and drew some of them myself)...and the best way to go forward is to understand the hand I have and accept, with as much grace as I'm capable of. To the best of my ability, I ignore the scale, I ignore the cultural mandate that we should all look like Jennifer Aniston, and I switched my focus to something other than the number on the scale. I've worked hard at body image work, coming to love and appreciate my body for the pleasures it brings, the abilities it gives me and the beauty I can see. If other's can't see that beauty, that's their choice...but it doesn't make me wrong or ugly. It just makes them short-sighted.

HTH!

Hi Suze,
I am 49 and this is the first serious diet I have ever been on. I do have metabolic issues because of a thyroid condition. I found that with Atkins I lost slow and steady for the first couple of months, then I got very bored with the food. I was afraid to go past Ongoing Weight Loss because I was losing so slowly. I started CAD early this month but only could give it a week, and that is not much of a chance. It seems workable; basically you eat low carb for two meals a day, then you have a reward meal where you eat balanced portions of vegetables, protein and carbohydrates. At your reward meal you can have wine, as long as it is balanced by equal portions of protein and carbs.

I am getting to think that the best thing to do is eat healthy. That would mean no white flour or white rice, no hamburgers; lean meats, olive oil, fish, chicken and turkey, plenty of fresh vegetables and some fresh fruit. Today I read something that we all know but I had forgotten. There are 3500 calories in a pound. If we reduce our calories by 500 a day we can lose a pound a week. Even in Dr. Atkins' book, he says it all basically boils down to how many calories you eat. I mean it is definitely not okay on Atkins to sit down and eat three pounds of steak. To lose one pound a week, 500 calories per day, if I add one hour of aerobic exercise, and skip a 250 calorie candy bar a day, there is my one pound loss per week.

Just a thought,
Jaded Sandy

I veto your replies completely! My guess is that I can lose slowly if I stay around 1300 cals a day. If I go over I probably won't gain unless I am doing it for more than a couple of days, and that has to be if I really add up carbs. Eating L/C I feel better and if I go up in calories I may not lose but I won't gain. For me it's the perfect way to maintain. Losing means exercise, a reasonable amount of carbs, and about 1300 calories. I also have to add the Metamucil or equivilent so I don't bloat up. Thanks so much for your feedback. Oh, I just received an order of bagels and bread which are very low carb and a couple of times a week really hit the spot, that and the Living Fuel which is just full of good stuff.

SuzeQ

SuzeQ,
You have to figure out what works for you and your body. I have read that "older" people need to eat less. Most older folks do. But you sound like you are very active physically, and that might change the amount of food you can eat and still lose or maintain.

I wouldn't worry about how long it takes you to lose, but how you feel along the way. Does it make you feel more energetic? And what is living fuel? My Mom takes Barley Grass for nutritional supplements. Is it something like that? Victoria

I just read in Dr. Atkins' Age-Defying Diet Revolution, copyright 2000, that grapeseed extract will replace the daily glass of wine for non-drinkers. If you want to eliminate the wine but keep the health benefits, you might consider adding grapeseed extract to your daily vitamins.