Summary

The article discusses the personal journey of an individual facing the challenges of weight gain as they age, detailing their efforts to understand nutrition, adapt eating habits, and come to terms with their changing body.

Abstract

The author recounts their lifelong ease with maintaining a stable weight without much effort, a situation that changed after turning 50. They describe the gradual increase in weight, the shock of seeing a belly for the first time, and the realization that their previous dietary habits were no longer sustainable. The article delves into the author's learning curve regarding calorie intake, nutritional needs, and the importance of mindful eating. It highlights the struggle to balance enjoying food with the necessity of making healthier choices, such as opting for vegetables and modifying restaurant orders to reduce calorie consumption. The narrative concludes with the author's acceptance of their aging body, setting realistic goals for appearance, and finding joy in moderation, including the occasional indulgence in favorite treats.

Opinions

The author expresses a previous lack of concern for diet and exercise due to a naturally high metabolism.
There is a sense of dismay and urgency upon noticing weight gain and the development of a belly, which was unfamiliar territory for the author.
The author admits to having minimal knowledge about dieting and nutrition before embarking on their weight loss journey.
They convey confusion and overwhelm when faced with the complexity of tracking calories, vitamins, carbs, protein, and fiber.
The author acknowledges the challenge of resisting temptation and the need to limit the availability of high-calorie snacks in their household.
They advocate for mindful eating as a way to enjoy food more while naturally controlling portion sizes.
The author believes that weight loss and healthy eating do not require complete abstinence from enjoyable foods, advocating for moderation instead.
There is an emphasis on self-acceptance and setting achievable goals for one's appearance as one ages, rather than striving for a youthful physique.

The Trials of Losing Weight When You Are Older

My attempt to climb out of my fat suit.

I was always one of those hated people that never gained a pound no matter how much I ate or how little exercise I got. I weighed 180 pounds for most of my adult life, give or take a pound or two. I could stuff myself at a buffet, and within a day or two, my weight would settle back down to 180 pounds. The clothes I wore when I was 30 years old I could still wear at 40 and 50. Losing weight was something I simply never thought of.

Until now.

Sometime after I turned 50, my weight slowly started to creep upward. I remember my horror in stepping on the scale one day and seeing that I weighed a whopping 186 pounds!!! I had never weighed that much in my life, not even for a day. I knew I had to take quick action and get my weight back down where it should be, and that is what I did.

I hit my workouts hard and kept my calories minimal. In those days I was in reasonably good shape even when I toted around a few extra pounds. With the additional intensity of my workouts combined with a lower caloric intake, my weight soon worked its way back to 180 pounds.

Whew.

During my mid-to-upper fifties, unbeknownst to me, things began to change. My weight slowly crept upwards like a thief in the night, stealing what was left of my boyish figure and a small chunk of my dignity and pride.

The full reckoning came when I saw a picture of myself, and for the first time ever, I thought I looked fat. I had a belly. A belly? I have never had a belly before. I knew my clothes were fitting a little tighter than I was used to, and I knew I loosened my belt one notch, but I never realized I now had a belly that showed.

This was not okay.

Learning about calories

I always felt bad for people who dieted. No matter what they did, it usually didn’t work, or if it did, it didn’t last. I was also only minimally knowledgeable about the vocabulary of dieting. I knew all foods have calories, and that the better a food tasted, the more calories it had. I knew that protein was important, as was fiber. I heard a lot of talk about something called “carbs,” but I would have been hard-pressed to explain it.

One thing I knew for sure was that the more calories I took in without burning them off, the more weight I would gain. I was also somewhat dismayed to learn that in order to lose just one pound, I would need to have a net loss of 3,500 calories.

I also learned that if I eat around 2,000 calories per day, I would maintain my current weight. However, if I wanted to lose weight, I would need to eat significantly less than that. Every calorie less than 2,000 would go toward the 3,500 I needed to lose one pound. In other words, if I ate only 1,600 calories in a day, those 400 calories I didn’t eat would go toward the 3,500 I needed.

This was going to take a while.

Of course, embedded in those 1,600 calories had to be the right amount of vitamins, carbs, protein, and fiber. How in the heck was I ever going to keep track of all of that? I never knew eating was so complicated. The more I read, the more confusing it all was. After all, I was used to eating whatever I wanted in whatever quantities I wanted my whole life.

One thing was clear. Keeping my caloric intake at 1,600 calories per day was one thing, but getting the proper nutrition while doing so was another issue altogether. I found that vegetables were my friend. I could eat a lot of them, get a decent amount of nutrition, and still have plenty of calories left that I could eat on any day.

I was stunned to find out how many calories were in a fast food meal of a double cheeseburger, an order of fries, and a soft drink. Fortunately, I have never been much of a fast food aficionado, so that was a relatively easy sacrifice to make.

I went online and looked at the menus of restaurants I typically go to and made notes about how many calories my favorite dishes had. I looked for ways to cut down without stopping. For instance, I could cut back on the calories on a trip to Texas Roadhouse in a number of ways. I would skip the bread they give you when you first sit down, use only half of the salad dressing in the cup, and order water instead of a cola. I would also cut the steak in half and take the other half home for lunch the following day.

I found other ways to cut back on the calories at other restaurants as well. Baby red potatoes have far fewer calories than hash browns, so when we go out for breakfast, I order those instead of hash browns and I skip the toast or pancakes that typically come with the meal. By skipping the pancakes and toast, I am simultaneously skipping the maple syrup, butter, and jam.

“I can resist anything except temptation”

In the days since I first discovered I could no longer eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted in whatever quantities I wanted, my weight has waxed and waned. In the process, I have also learned a few things about food and about myself.

I learned that I am a grazer, which can be both good and bad. The naked truth is I love to eat. Reining that in is not always easy, especially if there are plenty of things to graze on in our household. To that end, I try to keep the number of munchables around our house at a minimum.

I learned that I tend to eat mindlessly without even thinking about what I am putting in my mouth or how much. Many times I would eat without tasting the food at all. My mind was simply somewhere else. By focusing more on what I was eating and eating mindfully instead of mindlessly, not only did I eat less, but I actually enjoyed what I was eating.

I learned that losing weight does not have to be a sack-cloth-and-ashes kind of experience either. There are a lot of great foods that have fewer calories that taste great. I also learned that there is a place for ice cream and other sinful delights if I don’t overdo it. Having a zero-tolerance approach to foods you love is unnecessary if you keep it between the lines.

Moving toward acceptance

As I progress through my 60s, I realize that accepting myself the way I am is important. I am never going to look like that shirtless 20-something construction worker young women have on their calendars. I am never going to be able to burn off the pounds as easily as I did when I was younger, which means I need to be a bit more judicious about what I put in my mouth.

My goal is not to look like I did when I was 30. That is a fool’s quest. And while I don’t want to look like Santa Claus sans the red outfit, I don’t want to be a wraith either. Older people who have lost too much weight look as bad or worse than those who have held onto their poundage. I am striving to look reasonably good for a man my age. If I can manage that, I will be happy.

Now it is time to get this piece published and then look in the freezer. I think there is still some of that cherry lemon swirl ice cream in there somewhere.