^^^ LOL at first I read the above post as “One big change I made last semester was to quit eating” - then I saw Lean Cuisines. Quitting eating is not an option!! 
Sounds like baby steps @“Youdon’tsay” - and good ones.
Thanks also for the new thread!
I have been conscious about my food/nutrition for quite awhile, because of weight issues. I’ve been doing light yoga for the past 5 years, but until last year was pretty much a couch potato other than that. (There is the daily walk with my dogs, but my dogs are aging so at this point a 20-minute walk is their limit).
But last year I also was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my spine, osteopenia in the femoral neck. I’ve never had a fracture of any kind so I opted against medication – but started going to the gym for resistance/weight training. Basically I spend about an hour or so at the gym 3 or 4 times a week, half the time spent on strength training, the other just for cardio.
My biggest challenge is trying to keep my weight from creeping up. Not at all too my surprise, as soon as I started exercising more, I started gaining weight. I realize that a teensy bit of that is going to be from gaining muscle, but the bigger problem is just that I want to make sure I have adequate dietary intake to support the muscles & bones.
I’m age 66 & my gym is 24 Hour Fitness because I have Silver Sneakers (so no $$ for gym membership) – but they are also the best option locally for me – within a 5 minute drive from my house.
@1214mom, 8 years ago, I started think about what my Act II would be after I retired and concluded that working in the fitness industry was a no brainer for me. I embarked upon a game plan to get the formal education and credentials to do so. Never did I dream that at that age I would be immersing myself in college level work in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and nutrition. My brain hurt from it all, lol, but I muddled through it and achieved those goals. So, take the plunge, it’s a great adventure regardless of your age.
@calmom your gym sounds fine - Silver Sneakers is a GREAT program that has got so many people more active! And you seem to be consistent and dedicated - that matters much more than how fancy a gym is.
It is so interesting to me how many people seem to have osteo issues. My 87 year old mom never had a dexa in her life - but I’m told that osteo can be hereditary - she is very active still in her 80’s - I have to wonder if that has helped keep any issues at bay.
@“Youdon’tsay” My first thought was also shoes and how long since you had someone look at your gait. My second was to explore some new options. Walking is great, but are there other classes you could try? Anything you always wanted to learn or try? Yoga? Swimming? Zumba? Indoor cycling can be a great work out. A change could be refreshing and restart your weight loss.
@abasket – I wouldn’t know I have osteoporosis but for the numbers on a DEXA scan – I’ve never had a broken bone in my life, I haven’t lost more than half an inch in height, if that – so no indication of any sort of microfracture in my spine. I was extremely thin as a child and through my 20’s, and was not athletic as a kid. I also have a small bone structure. I have no baseline DEXA - so I honestly don’t know what my bone density was at age 30. So it could simply be that started out with lower bone density.
It took me a while to get past the idea of osteoporosis as a disease and recognize that as currently defined it is a measurement, which may or may not cause problems for me. Low bone density is not in and of itself a problem --it’s simply a risk factor tied to fractures.
But getting exercise of any kind is obviously beneficial – so I think the main thing for me was that hitting age 65 was a triggering event. I got my Medicare, Medicare paid for the DEXA scan, the results provided motivation for me to exercise, and the Medicare supplement gave me a free gym membership. Once I started going to the gym I realized right away the health benefit – feeling higher energy, improved mood, better quality sleep, etc.
@“Youdon’tsay” my oldest kid is now almost 20 years old. About one year before she was born I decided to quit drinking diet Cokes since I wanted to set a good example for my future kid and I really just didn’t know what those chemicals in them would do to me/us over a long period of time. My weight has always been fairly consistent over my life. I can’t explain it, but doing nothing differently at the time, after I quit drinking diet Cokes I lost about 4 lbs.
Not directed at anyone in particular, but one of the other things that I gave up a long time ago was alcohol. Admittedly, I wasn’t a big drinker anyway, but giving it up saved me a lot of wasted calories IMO. Water, water, water and more water nowadays.
Regarding DXA scans, I typically get them about 1x year. I pay $50 here in the SF Bay Area, but they yield a tremendous amount of info about you. I highly recommend them. One caveat. Unless you’re Kipchoge or some other famous elite athlete, you probably won’t like the answer on body fat %. 
@sushiritto – what is the difference beween the type of DXA scan you get for fitness that measures body fat & the DEXA done by a medical imaging center for a bone density report? Aside from cost? (The medical scan has a price tag of around $700 plus a bill from a radiologist, though of course insurance companies don’t pay that. For mine, Medicare “allowed” $705 for the scan, but actually paid only $168. (There was no copay or deductible – The radiologist billed $49 and was paid $11. )
@calmom I don’t think there’s any difference whatsoever, but I’m not a medical professional. I believe gym members receive a “special deal,” but definitely shop around if more than one company is available. Last time I went, the price was $75 for the first scan and then $50 for each additional scan.
I’m just north of 60.
OK, I admit I rarely exercise. For awhile, I went to yoga twice/week but then I got lazy and stopped. Our kids helped us get a beautiful rowing machine that lives next to my computer in the living room. I use it at least every other day. I have worked up to about a mile per session.
I used to walk around the neighborhood with my neighbor but she moved away. I walked with H for awhile but he started having hip and foot issues so we both got lazy.
You guys are inspiring me to get going again. I get hives from running and swimming / water (heat and cold), so have dropped those activities.
I am also trying to severely restrict eating red meat to lower my cholesterol. My weight has been fairly stable my entire life, so I’m grateful for that.
I do have to use supplemental oxygen to exercise but otherwise I am mostly trying to pace myself and build muscle and endurance.
I am thin and Asian and postmenopausal so want to avoid the osteoporosis my older sister has.
@sushiritto – but do they give you a bone density T-score?
I don’t really care about the body fat – I’m one of those people who carries all my excess weight around the middle, so it’s pretty obvious which part is muscle and which is fat
Any other swimmers? I am 59 and I used to run, but got a hip replaced when I was 45 and stopped. My other hip is arthritic. I need to start weight training not necessarily for my osteopenia (I’m not sure we have good data about whether strength training helps osteoporosis), but for overall health. I do swim 4 days a week (2400-3000meters) with a master’s team and hike when I can, typically twice a week.
@MomofWildChild - I love this and I’m asking you now for permission to quote you. I frequently tell myself “JUST ONE MILE” to get myself out of bed and running. Of course it never stops at one mile…
I noticed that a few people here mentioned quitting processed foods. That’s been on my mind lately as I am active and generally eat a healthy diet (I have always loved fruit and veggies) , but struggle to lose the 10 pounds that have crept on in the last several years. I decided to cut back as much as possible on processed food and 24 days in I have lost over 3 pounds. It’s some work as I now make a large salad of veggies, healthy grains and lean protein on Sunday for my work lunches during the week. And I am cooking more at home (taking over from H) from scratch. Also @sushiritto - while I have not stopped drinking alcohol (wine) I have cut way back. I’m also eating more slowly.
Quote away @FallGirl !
Thank for the thread, @MomofWildChild . I was sort of intimidated to go to the other as every seemed very serious about exercising and I’m not.
I’m 60 and didn’t really exercise until 42. I’ve always been slender and that was good enough for me…until my metabolism turned on me.
I started walking and riding my stationary bike, mindful of my eating. I’ve been doing that off and on since, and added weights about 10 years ago. It’s worked well enough, but now I find its not enough.
I’m getting softer, less taught, metabolism is slower. I have osteopenia diagnosed in 2011. My back hurts and I go to acupuncture treatments and am mindful of things that make it worse. I have overactive bladder, so can’t bounce around a lot, I gave up jazzercise as I had to pee every 10 minutes.
I’m going to start Boqua at our JCC and see how I like it. I need to up my regularity in exercise which will make the pudge disappear when I poke my waist.
One thing that has really truly helped maintain my weight this year is IF but that has its own thread, but doesn’t address health and toning.
I’ve learned already by this thread that there is osteopenia ttype Pilates…who knew!
Lots of comments upstream about diet soda and its role in weight gain/loss. For a while, the conventional wisdom has been that zero calorie sweeteners create an “expectation” in your brain that you are taking in calories from sugar and when no calories are present, your brain triggers hormones That cause you to feel hungry with the result that you eat more and then gain weight. Of course, with all things nutrition, nothing is as simple as it seems. Are all zero calorie sweeteners the same? Does everyone react the same?
Here’s an article that probes these issues. Ignore the Disney World “drop you off in the gift shop after the ride” at the end (part of Pn’s marketing but doesn’t denude the article of its substantive content). https://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/diet-soda
And an interesting article on sweeteners in general. Again, ignore the “gift shop” at the end. https://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/all-about-natural-sweeteners
And while I’m at it, an interesting article on what “”calories in vs calories out” is really all about. More nuanced than apparent on the surface. https://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/calories-in-calories-out
Enjoy the reading.
Miserable day here In my neck of the woods. Mixed precipitation turning to all snow tonight. I’m bundling up and “doing it anyway”. I won’t melt.
If it starts to pour and I don’t get in my distance, I will get on the cross country ski machine. I always prefer to be outside… unless it’s pouring. Reminding myself that some cross training is a positive.
^^ Same here with wet messy weather outside. I jumped on the airdyne for 6 miles this morning which may be all there is time for today with other obligations. But I found the time and it’s DONE!
Lots of references above to days we’d rather be the potato on the couch. But its a very rare time that I ever regret getting up and doing something.
What’s your favorite time of day to exercise (by choice, if you have the choice. 
)
I appreciate times when I can exercise in the morning but work often gets in the way as I like to get there by 7:30am. My favorite most enjoyable time of the day - and when I feel for some reason I have the most stamina - is a run at dusk. Especially in the warmer weather. So great!
I used to love getting in my workout first thing but things have shifted since moving and becoming empty nesters. Now I take the time with my H over breakfast, start some chores, and then leave the house after the elementary school bus leaves. I tend to walk the dog first and he’s afraid of the backpacks! I circle him back to the house and then head out alone so I can keep up a brisk, more continuous pace. Today though I need to start by chiseling ice that refroze on the side walk.