put on 10 pounds in my 40s - help

[Anonymous]

I was a size 8-10, carrying 154 lbs, (on a 5'10" frame), throughout most of my 40s. In my 30s I was a consistent size 6-8 in the 137-141 lb range. So like you OP, I had gained about 17 lbs. as I aged over two decades.

Now approaching 50 I am down to 133 lbs and wear a size 6. For me, daily weight training (and/or yoga as it uses the body's weight), AND hard cardio that ups the heart rate, (like running, cross training, dance, or step) are necessary. I generally limit my alcohol consumption to one or two glasses per week, eat bread only once or twice a week, and drink nine to ten tall glasses of water a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Yes, where are the flattering pants for newly thicker-waisted people! I am 5'8 and 145(ish), roughly 35-30-40, but my belly (below my belly button) pokes out more now. I am still wearing my Express Editor pants that were kind of loose in 2007. #sad. Can others in this situation recommend? I have a Boden Richmond pair that are kind of OK. I cannot deal with all my skinny jeans right now.

Similar build here. I really like the Banana Republic Sloan pants. You need to get "tall" size to get full length, otherwise they hit above the ankle.

[Anonymous]

5'8" PP here. Will check out the Sloan pants.

I also just want to say that I think OP has such a great, healthy attitude! I too am not willing to constantly count and rigidly restrict (hm sort of poetic...). I don't have the energy for it. Others may have the energy and feel they need to do it and that is OK too.

Exercise has so many benefits though, for mental health and pants fitting, that I'm getting back into that in a big way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 45 and 5'1" back down to 116 on my way to 113-114. I finally bit the bullet and went to a dietitian. Not a nutritionist, a real dietitian who has a degree and doesn't believe in all the fad diets. The truth is that our metabolism slows down as we age and we just don't need that much food anymore. She showed me how to eat more, smaller meals and be very mindful of portion sizes and that has helped me lose the 10 lbs. I have to record everything I eat in MyFitnessPal and she analyzes my diet. She also put me on a relatively high calorie diet...1400 calories a day...so I didn't lose weight super quickly, but wasn't starving and discouraged all the time either. I eat pretty much whatever I want, but don't spend the calories on empty mindless stuff that I don't like, similar to what PP said. If I'm going to have to pick up a crappy sandwhich at work, I'd rather pick up a crappy vegetable soup and eat a feel nuts for protein. Instead an entire tiramisu, just a couple of bites. Also, having cheat days every once in a while takes away the drudgery. We have a 4 session agreement and I'm curious to know how to keep this up with out recording every single calorie I eat every day. I'm definitely not doing this for the rest of my life! If you can afford it OP and really want to lose the weight, I'd really recommend the dietian route.

Did your dietitian recommend you look at macros at all or is it just 1400 calories of whatever, hard stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i am 44. i have found that food is very tied to my weight and exercise is much less impactful.

at this age, i have to do the following in order to keep my weight down. it's very hard but for my body, the only way.

no added/processed sugar ever. only fruit.
no wheat products ever.
other starches are kept to absolute minimum (potatoes and rice maybe 3 times per week)
alcohol only rarely. basically, only when out and celebrating with others.
decrease portion size by a little bit. if you usually eat two sushi rolls, eat 1.5

hope that helps.

Not OP, but I would much rather be fat than give up all sugar and wheat. Or dead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a size 8-10, carrying 154 lbs, (on a 5'10" frame), throughout most of my 40s. In my 30s I was a consistent size 6-8 in the 137-141 lb range. So like you OP, I had gained about 17 lbs. as I aged over two decades.

Now approaching 50 I am down to 133 lbs and wear a size 6. For me, daily weight training (and/or yoga as it uses the body's weight), AND hard cardio that ups the heart rate, (like running, cross training, dance, or step) are necessary. I generally limit my alcohol consumption to one or two glasses per week, eat bread only once or twice a week, and drink nine to ten tall glasses of water a day.

I do not limit or restrict any other food intake other than alcohol and bread (as described above), and in fact love my sugar. I have lots of sugar.

[Anonymous]

I'm 41. i've gained 10 pounds while eating the same, working out the same. it is so frustrating. ANd I can't lose it. ugh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i am 44. i have found that food is very tied to my weight and exercise is much less impactful.

at this age, i have to do the following in order to keep my weight down. it's very hard but for my body, the only way.

no added/processed sugar ever. only fruit.
no wheat products ever.
other starches are kept to absolute minimum (potatoes and rice maybe 3 times per week)
alcohol only rarely. basically, only when out and celebrating with others.
decrease portion size by a little bit. if you usually eat two sushi rolls, eat 1.5

hope that helps.

Not OP, but I would much rather be fat than give up all sugar and wheat. Or dead.

Yea, that kind of food existence is joyless to me. I guess I sort of admire the discipline of women who can stick to that, but I'd be truly unhappy without an everything-in-moderation, stay-active-and-keep exercising mo. I might not be as skinny as I was on my 20s, but I'm healthy, strong, fit, and happy. Good enough!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 41. i've gained 10 pounds while eating the same, working out the same. it is so frustrating. ANd I can't lose it. ugh

track calories.
eat in a deficit.
it's pretty simple, not easy, because eating less and doing it consistently enough to make progress is hard, but it's also not impossible.
at 41 I finally lost the weight I "couldn't" lose for the last 6 yrs. I was finally honest with myself that even though I ate healthy I was simply eating too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 41. i've gained 10 pounds while eating the same, working out the same. it is so frustrating. ANd I can't lose it. ugh

track calories.
eat in a deficit.
it's pretty simple, not easy, because eating less and doing it consistently enough to make progress is hard, but it's also not impossible.
at 41 I finally lost the weight I "couldn't" lose for the last 6 yrs. I was finally honest with myself that even though I ate healthy I was simply eating too much.

Yes, my ob-gyn mentioned she lost weight easily once she was more attentive to portion sizes. I'm trying to retrain myself in that respect, and focus on healthy, whole foods. Starting to see a difference and really not painful at all. No fad diets necessary. Staying active is necessary. Do something every single day, even if it's just taking a 20 min walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i am 44. i have found that food is very tied to my weight and exercise is much less impactful.

at this age, i have to do the following in order to keep my weight down. it's very hard but for my body, the only way.

no added/processed sugar ever. only fruit.
no wheat products ever.
other starches are kept to absolute minimum (potatoes and rice maybe 3 times per week)
alcohol only rarely. basically, only when out and celebrating with others.
decrease portion size by a little bit. if you usually eat two sushi rolls, eat 1.5

hope that helps.

Thus helps no one who does not have an eating disorder.

heh - this is op, and honestly it helps to the degree that i know i am not willing to be that abstemious, so makes me think i should try accepting myself at this new weight instead of fighting it.

I definitely do not have an eating disorder. This is what it takes to weigh 134 at 5’3’’. My genes suck. And it kinds stinks for me. Jeez.

I don't think this that bad. Potatoes and rice 3x/week? Do you eat things like small pieces of chocolate once in a while?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 41. i've gained 10 pounds while eating the same, working out the same. it is so frustrating. ANd I can't lose it. ugh

track calories.
eat in a deficit.
it's pretty simple, not easy, because eating less and doing it consistently enough to make progress is hard, but it's also not impossible.
at 41 I finally lost the weight I "couldn't" lose for the last 6 yrs. I was finally honest with myself that even though I ate healthy I was simply eating too much.

Yes, my ob-gyn mentioned she lost weight easily once she was more attentive to portion sizes. I'm trying to retrain myself in that respect, and focus on healthy, whole foods. Starting to see a difference and really not painful at all. No fad diets necessary. Staying active is necessary. Do something every single day, even if it's just taking a 20 min walk.

Exactly. No fad diet needed just watch calories. People are great at over estimating calories they burn and underestimating calories eaten.

Everyone always claims they gained weight out of nowhere without changing anything. But unless you have a medical condition your metabolism does not change that quickly. Over time people tend to be less active and portions tend to grow. I have always exercised, but my daily activity definitely changed from my 30's to 40's. I went from having young children that I was constantly chasing around, pushing in the stroller and doing everything for at home. To having older kids who aren't physically demanding and can go out and play by themselves. I think people gain weight as they age because their lifestyle does change, they just don't realize it.

[Anonymous]

Nothing works for me. I was slimmer than you, and taller... I put on 10 and tried everything and I will lose 5 even 7 and gain it back. I am now watching it just so I don't gain more, but gave up. I think my body wants to me 120lbs close to 50 and I am over trying to lose it.
And was it that diets were not working? No, they worked, and I would lose it, but as soon as I would lose 5lbs, I would eat more than when dieting and voila, 5lbs were back in two days, and it would take 2 weeks to lose 5lbs. So, not worth it to me.

[Anonymous]

Am surprised no one has mentioned IF (intermittent fasting). I gained several pounds when I hit my early 40s and fasting from 8pm-lunch (other than coffee) was totally doable for me. Lost that weight plus a few pounds more. Now I’m 47 and I’ve put away my scale a few years back (getting too focused on sticking to a number) but suspect I’m back to my pre age 41 weight. I typically fast from 10pm to noon but I eat bread! White rice! Pasta! Dessert! Wine! Sometimes if I’m hungry in the AM I will eat a small breakfast. Other times I may eat a larger breakfast and then skip lunch. Basically I’m down to 2 meals a day plus an evening snack (and often glass of wine). I actually love salads so will often eat a huge salad with a pasta or rice and protein added as my dinner. To me that is very doable but you have to figure out what works for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am surprised no one has mentioned IF (intermittent fasting). I gained several pounds when I hit my early 40s and fasting from 8pm-lunch (other than coffee) was totally doable for me. Lost that weight plus a few pounds more. Now I’m 47 and I’ve put away my scale a few years back (getting too focused on sticking to a number) but suspect I’m back to my pre age 41 weight. I typically fast from 10pm to noon but I eat bread! White rice! Pasta! Dessert! Wine! Sometimes if I’m hungry in the AM I will eat a small breakfast. Other times I may eat a larger breakfast and then skip lunch. Basically I’m down to 2 meals a day plus an evening snack (and often glass of wine). I actually love salads so will often eat a huge salad with a pasta or rice and protein added as my dinner. To me that is very doable but you have to figure out what works for you.

I am above pp. I tried that, even longer IF, sure I lose weight, but it comes back. I am not willing to forbid myself to eat every single day from this to that. I can fast for 36 hours without any issues, but it wasn't enough. I would have to also do low carb on eating days. So, I don't care, I have 10lbs more, not the end of the world.