Ready to DO This Thing

[Fatty McButterpants]

I realize that my screen name is probably a passive-aggressive case of self-loathing masked thinly as self-deprecation, but whatever. It's funny.

 

Anyway, my real name is Maureen but most people call me "Mo." I was looking far and wide on the interwebs for a real answer to the question of whether to do many reps with light weights or fewer reps with heavy weights, and whether cardio is a necessary component of fat loss, and how to eat a healthy diet on like no money a month (I'm a freelance writer on food stamps so you would figure I'd be thin out of starvation, right? No. Because pasta.), when I came across this wonderful place, and I swear to whatever deities are out there, I felt like I'd stumbled across the door sill of my long-lost home. I'm not even kidding. I'm so happy to be here, I'm even considering taking what little money I have and going to "camp," because I'm THAT EXCITED.

 

A little background: I'm a 53 year old mother of two girls, one 15, one 20. I was always thin when I was younger; in fact, I spent several months in a hospital suffering from anorexia, because while the SCALE said I was thin, the mirror lied, and so did Cosmopolitan and all the other magazines out there. I hated my body, I hated my face, I hated everything about myself, and food was the only thing I could control, so that's what I did (I was also trying to disappear and damned near succeeded). After I hit my 40th birthday, though, all the yo-yo dieting finally caught up with me - that, and the natural loss of muscle tissue that occurs if we don't replace it when we get older. So, between that, my hormones, and some antidepressants, I've gradually inched my way up to 194 lbs. (I'm 5'4"). Okay, not entirely true - I now weigh 185, since I started to do daily cardio and weight machines at Planet Fitness every day. But still, I feel like something's missing, and I'm having a really hard time on my budget finding quality foods (I get $60 in food stamps per month, and I live in a boarding house with 9 other people who suddenly seem to NEED fresh fruit after I go shopping - meanwhile, they all get $189 a month and stock up on Fritos and Dr. Pepper).

 

I'm so happy to be here. I'd write more but I have to go to the gym and try to get rid of the free ice cream cone I just ate. Because free ice cream is free ice cream, Paleo or not. See you Rebels around the forums, and thanks for being here!

[Elastigirl]

Welcome! I'm 51 and love to see older women  on here  who want to gain muscle! 

[Bookish Badger]

Welcome, Rebel! You'll find many supportive souls here.

 

Your financial/nutrition goals do sound challenging. Head over to the financial threads in the Level Up Your Life section and I have no doubt that you'll find many Rebels who have dealt successfully with similar circumstances.

 

As for the other people wanting to snarf your carefully purchased goodies, maybe offer to barter for something you know they won't want to do, like an apple in exchange for hand-washing your unmentionables? Or you could tell them to eff off. Might not make for the friendliest atmosphere but dammit, they chose how to spend their own money and could have gotten a sack of apples and one of carrots for what they spent on a half-rack of Buckhorn. Not your fault and not your responsibility to fix.

 

Good luck on your journey!

[Fatty McButterpants]

On 7/21/2016 at 4:52 PM, Elastigirl said:

Welcome! I'm 51 and love to see older women  on here  who want to gain muscle! 

I know, right? What's so funny is I go to Planet Fitness (or, as I like to call it, Planet Fatness) and I see a bunch of really REALLY fit women doing weight lifting (not She Hulks, just beautifully toned and healthy bodies), and then I see the same overweight people week after week doing the same slow crawl on the treadmill for like an hour. I know cardio is important for your overall health (especially at our age, and after what I've put my body through the old girl needs some maintenance), and I really DO enjoy my cardio sessions and get one in every day. But I've been told by a few people here now that weight training, to add lean muscle tissue, is the way to go if you want to get and stay fit and healthy. I'm well aware that we start to lose muscle tissue after 30, and that after 50 the process accelerates, so I'm doing everything I can to make sure that I keep what I have as well as maybe add a little more. 

 

Thank you all for the warm welcome. 

[Fatty McButterpants]

Where is the "Love This" button? ROFLMAO. I know, I know, but it's better than sitting on my ass in front of the TV, right?

[Elastigirl]

9 hours ago, Fatty McButterpants said:

I know, right? What's so funny is I go to Planet Fitness (or, as I like to call it, Planet Fatness) and I see a bunch of really REALLY fit women doing weight lifting (not She Hulks, just beautifully toned and healthy bodies), and then I see the same overweight people week after week doing the same slow crawl on the treadmill for like an hour. I know cardio is important for your overall health (especially at our age, and after what I've put my body through the old girl needs some maintenance), and I really DO enjoy my cardio sessions and get one in every day. But I've been told by a few people here now that weight training, to add lean muscle tissue, is the way to go if you want to get and stay fit and healthy. I'm well aware that we start to lose muscle tissue after 30, and that after 50 the process accelerates, so I'm doing everything I can to make sure that I keep what I have as well as maybe add a little more. 

 

Thank you all for the warm welcome. 

It's really hard to change people's perceptions. And most women in our generation grew up with aerobics and treadmills and think all weightlifters end up looking up like Arnold