How do middle-aged women like J. Lo avoid middle aged spread?

[Anonymous]

I was reading this article by NYT saying how normal it was to become apple shaped in one’s 40s and 50s and it was so depressing to read. On the other hand, there are women like J Lo. And Liz Hurley who still keep their hourglass shape. Sure they exercise but I also wonder if they take hormones etc.

[Anonymous]

Probably mostly genetics. Pilates has been really good for my body-- even just once a week makes a big difference. Also low dose BC pill.

[Anonymous]

They have a lot more expert resources at their disposal.

[Anonymous]

$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Anonymous]

I’m not apple shaped at all. Late late 40s. But I am wider in the middle due to having had a child. That’s what changed my body. Not age.

[Anonymous]

Someone like J Lo exercises hours a day. I think a lot of those stars also have very precise diets—they eat a ton of lean protein, and veggies, and extremely little carbs. I could probably keep my weight down if I lived like that. But I need to feed three kids who like carbs, don’t even have time to shower/sleep, never mind Exercise, etc. luckily my livelihood and sense of self does not rely on my looking super hot.

If I didn’t have to cook for my kids. I do think I would do better, as we wouldn’t have snacks in the house plus I would have something like a huge plate of roasted Brussels sprouts with farro for dinner, instead of pasta, pizza etc.

[Anonymous]

I think that if your career had always depended on you having a certain body shape, you’d figure out a way to get it and maintain it. And I’m sure plastic surgery helps.

[Anonymous]

As a 56 year old female who has avoided the "middle age spread", and who has maintained her weight for the last 20+ years, my secrets are:

1) 5-6 days a week of intense exercise
2) pretty clean diet, little to no alcohol
3) Hormones (after menopause)
4) genetics

[Anonymous]

I am going to say estrogen. I went from an hourglass to a rectangle the year around menopause. No weight change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a 56 year old female who has avoided the "middle age spread", and who has maintained her weight for the last 20+ years, my secrets are:

1) 5-6 days a week of intense exercise
2) pretty clean diet, little to no alcohol
3) Hormones (after menopause)
4) genetics

I think this is a decent list and I'd like to point out that the one that people have the most control over is diet and alcohol.

Hormones impact different people in different ways and there are reasons you might choose not to take them. Genetics you have no control over. Exercise is really important but 5-6 days of intense exercise is hard for most people (I currently cannot exercise that much due to an age-related injury, for instance).

And I'll add that I don't even eat that well. But I barely drink at all beyond a glass of wine or a beer at the occasional social event (maybe 20 drinks a year).

I know women of many activity levels and many different diets with different genetic backgrounds. But the women who drink a lot in their 40s and 50s struggle a lot more with body shape and weight than those who don't. And unless you have an alcohol dependency, you can almost eliminate alcohol from your diet with very little actual impact on your lifestyle -- you don't have to dramatically change your schedule or get a new job or do a bunch of research or talk to a doctor. You will have to alter some habits, but in my experience this is easier than most other habit-based lifestyle changes. And it can make other good habits easier.

I don't know how JLo stays thin and I assume whatever it is, I can't afford it. But I know that mostly quitting alcohol around 40 has been the single most useful thing I've done for my own weight/health/apearance.

[Anonymous]

I just want to point out that it is literally JLO's job to maintain that figure. Other celebrities too. They work as hard on that as they do on anything else that you would do for your job. They are literally paid to look good. They are not squeezing looking good around a full time job. Their full time job is to look good.

Someone said that to me once years ago and it really reframed how I felt about celebrities and their bodies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a 56 year old female who has avoided the "middle age spread", and who has maintained her weight for the last 20+ years, my secrets are:

1) 5-6 days a week of intense exercise
2) pretty clean diet, little to no alcohol
3) Hormones (after menopause)
4) genetics

Thing is, you're "young" for purposes of this topic. Mid 60's or so it starts getting a lot worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a 56 year old female who has avoided the "middle age spread", and who has maintained her weight for the last 20+ years, my secrets are:

1) 5-6 days a week of intense exercise
2) pretty clean diet, little to no alcohol
3) Hormones (after menopause)
4) genetics

Thing is, you're "young" for purposes of this topic. Mid 60's or so it starts getting a lot worse.

JLO is 52. So how is the pp too young for this topic ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a 56 year old female who has avoided the "middle age spread", and who has maintained her weight for the last 20+ years, my secrets are:

1) 5-6 days a week of intense exercise
2) pretty clean diet, little to no alcohol
3) Hormones (after menopause)
4) genetics

Thing is, you're "young" for purposes of this topic. Mid 60's or so it starts getting a lot worse.

Okay but OP said JLO, who is 52 so I thought my input at the age of 56 would be relevant. Also for most women "it starts to get a lot worse" as they enter their 50's.

[Anonymous]

JLo will turn soon too. Jane Fonda kept her tiny waist into her 50s too. So did my mother, who has always had a great shape and small waist/shapely hips. Now she is more rectangular in her 60s. 40s it happens to those who to DGAF about diet and health, 50s for mortals who care but aren’t putting in tons of effort, and 60s for those with wonderful genetics who also put in lots of effort with diet and exercise