Hi again Barb, @Bmoles
Health issues are a real pain when it comes to having to manage your weight, aren't they?! And genetics play a big part too (both with the health issues and the weight situation). If you are from a family of larger women, it may be that you are really battling the genetics. As much as we "all" want to be slim(mer), being as healthy as we can is maybe the goal to aim for.
Of course, weighing less should help relieve some of the pain from arthritis, as will exercising to make the supporting muscles as strong as possible. Swimming should be good for that! You certainly do live in a beautiful spot. Our caravan was built in Caloundra (AOR - Australian Off Road) so we have visited a few times as my hubby likes to get the van serviced by the manufacturers when we can. When we had to leave it with them overnight, we treated ourselves to a night at The Oaks Oasis at Golden Beach.. (Much as I love the caravanning lifestyle, it was nice to stay in a motel room for a change!!)
I am a bit younger than you (59) and was very fortunate to be able retire at 54. I have almost always been borderline overweight (BMI probably ranging from 24-26) but once I stopped work the weight started to pile on (more eating, less exercising). It just happened that at the same time I realised how much weight I had put on (when I was measured for a costume) that I saw an article about 5:2 and thought "I can do that". I have not spent a lifetime dieting, so I think that helped with the success I had with 5:2. I liked the idea of not having to exclude any foods from my diet, and only reduce my intake on two days a week. I lost weight easily but then found I had to keep fasting 2 days a week to maintain - which I didn't think was ideal, as it meant I was eating more than I needed on non-fast days. I think once the initial success and joy of weight loss had kept me on the "straight and narrow", after a while I started resuming/ increasing the bad habit of overeating in the evening, and probably eating a bit more during the day.
Since discovering this forum, I have done a lot of reading about diets and nutrition, and have been reinforced in my belief that the most important thing is to eat a varied diet that is as nutritious as possible according to hunger (most of the time!). Much easier to say than to do though, but I thoroughly recommend the Amanda Sainsbury-Salis books about the Don't go hungry diet (I borrowed them electronically through the local library). I do still think that fasting does have benefits, however, and can be a way to help lose weight.
Carbs are a bit of a contentious issue on this forum!! There are a variety of views about the benefits or otherwise of these!! I agree that for many people, minimising carbs does help with weight loss - if you can keep it up more or less forever. But I also believe that some carbs can play an important part in a varied and balanced diet - depending on any health conditions / food intolerances or allergies you may have, of course. I guess we each form our own views based on our own research, advice from health professionals and knowing our own bodies and minds,
The other important issue I believe is understanding the eating behaviours that are contributing to you weighing more than you would like (as well as the genetics and health issues that can contribute). Are there behaviours you are prepared to change and how do you change them? Simple things like cutting out all sweetened drinks can make a difference - I recall one health expert (I think it was on one of those excellent programs about the men who made us fat /thin) saying that if we got rid of all carbonated drinks the obesity "epidemic" would be significantly reduced.
I have kept off quite a bit of the weight I lost but I do still think about weight management far too much. I understand totally about wanting to think less about it...
I hope some of this is useful!!
Very best wishes.