How to fight the mid 40s weight gain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calorie cycling. That is the only thing that works. Do not listen to people telling you to eat 1000 calories all the time. That will cause many issues, such as clinging to every extra calorie when you eat a tiny bit more, which you will do. Your body wants more calories.

Could you share some details about how you do this PP? Curious about whether you do every other day, weekends/weeks and the calorie differential.

I often have two weeks or so of eating anything as much as I want. Way more than some 1600-2000 calories that are recommended for me. I am 5'4" and at my "heaviest" now at 120lbs and 51 years old. I often skip lunch at work, though. Sometimes I skip breakfast. I sometimes eat all three meals and large ones, then I eat small portions for a week or two, then back to more calories. I do not follow some two weeks off, two weeks on, strict regime. Whenever I eat more, unless I do not stop for a month, I do not gain weight. Anytime I restrict myself to 1200 calories unless I was cycling before, I gain weight. This is something that I've always done without thinking about it. Only recently, I found out that it is called calorie cycling.
Sorry I can't be more helpful. It is just something I do not pay that much attention to, but I am sure if you google it, you will find out. There is science behind it, or so I understand.

not possible., If you are in a deficit you will lose weight. The reason many "can't lose weight" on 1200 calories is because they are not really only eat 1200 calories or at least not doing it consistently. They may do it for a few days, but then feel deprived, hungry and overeat. Cycle repeats.

Calorie cycling is beneficial because you build in days of fewer calories and days of more calories which often feels less restrictive and allows for things like eating out or eating more on the weekend.

To calorie cycle figure out your deficit calories. I like the formula of goal weight X 10-12. So goal weight of 140 is a calorie range of 1400-1680 calories. For this calculation let's use the middle value 1540 cal. To lose weight you could eat 1540 cal every day or average them over the course of the week. So weekly calories are 1540 x 7= 10780. which could mean eating:

1300
1500
1400
1300
1500
1890
1890

But really any combo that works for you.

could do 1450 5 days a week and have 1765 each day of the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:46F. Cutting back alcohol was the first thing I did and saw immediate results. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep also works for me with weight control. I also upped my protein intake and cut down on intense cardio (made me super hungry). I do much more weight training now than ever. I don’t belong to a gym so I don’t do heavy weight lifting. I have a set of dumbbells up to 65lbs that I am working up towards. I don’t weigh myself daily but rather once a season. If I weigh myself daily and see I’m at an acceptable weight, I would relax on my eating and exercise routine and would stop weighing myself after I saw the weight creep up. But weighing myself once a season leaves me to strive towards my goals daily. Kudos when my stats are good when I get a DEXA scan. It has been working for me a number of years.

This is really good advice.

Thanks. It works for me now, in the future it may not. Then I’ll have to find something else that does- I must remain adaptable. I can’t do now what worked when I was 20 and am not fooling myself to think what I do now will work in my 50’s. On a positive note, with changing routines even slightly, keeps me from getting bored.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I had a regular checkup the other day and my doctor recommended a magnesium supplement. What a big difference it has made in just a few days. Regular bowel movements every day. Amazing. Now that I am out of school, I can get more water in and that should also help move things along. It's awful not being able to go to the bathroom when you need to at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calorie cycling. That is the only thing that works. Do not listen to people telling you to eat 1000 calories all the time. That will cause many issues, such as clinging to every extra calorie when you eat a tiny bit more, which you will do. Your body wants more calories.

Could you share some details about how you do this PP? Curious about whether you do every other day, weekends/weeks and the calorie differential.

I often have two weeks or so of eating anything as much as I want. Way more than some 1600-2000 calories that are recommended for me. I am 5'4" and at my "heaviest" now at 120lbs and 51 years old. I often skip lunch at work, though. Sometimes I skip breakfast. I sometimes eat all three meals and large ones, then I eat small portions for a week or two, then back to more calories. I do not follow some two weeks off, two weeks on, strict regime. Whenever I eat more, unless I do not stop for a month, I do not gain weight. Anytime I restrict myself to 1200 calories unless I was cycling before, I gain weight. This is something that I've always done without thinking about it. Only recently, I found out that it is called calorie cycling.
Sorry I can't be more helpful. It is just something I do not pay that much attention to, but I am sure if you google it, you will find out. There is science behind it, or so I understand.

not possible., If you are in a deficit you will lose weight. The reason many "can't lose weight" on 1200 calories is because they are not really only eat 1200 calories or at least not doing it consistently. They may do it for a few days, but then feel deprived, hungry and overeat. Cycle repeats.

Calorie cycling is beneficial because you build in days of fewer calories and days of more calories which often feels less restrictive and allows for things like eating out or eating more on the weekend.

To calorie cycle figure out your deficit calories. I like the formula of goal weight X 10-12. So goal weight of 140 is a calorie range of 1400-1680 calories. For this calculation let's use the middle value 1540 cal. To lose weight you could eat 1540 cal every day or average them over the course of the week. So weekly calories are 1540 x 7= 10780. which could mean eating:

1300
1500
1400
1300
1500
1890
1890

But really any combo that works for you.

could do 1450 5 days a week and have 1765 each day of the weekend.

NP. Thanks for this explanation. Makes sense. I’m going to try this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is you needed to have started in your 30s. Building muscle mass and enduring habits of nutrition and exercise in your 30s is so critical for getting through your 40s/50s/60s in good shape and with a strong baseline of health. It’s hard to try and start doing that at 47 when you’re fighting age and natural changes in your body

This is crap advice. Don’t listen. It’s never too late to make changes. Every day is an opportunity.

Exactly! It’s harder yo catch up but it’s not impossible.

[Anonymous]

OP, this was me about a month ago:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/1057962.page

I was really stuck at about 195 as my "set point" in my 50s. I started doing 12-12 intermittent fasting, which essentially boiled down to "no snacking after dinner". I ate whatever I wanted, including dessert if desired, but 7 PM is the cut off. I wait 12 hours until 7 AM to eat breakfast.

That one change helped me get down below 190. Then I started adding in some other things, including:

- trying to change my gut flora by adding more prebiotics and probiotics. I take a good prebiotic/probiotic supplement every day and I also eat some naturally fermented sauerkraut or other vegetables.

- trying to be sure I get 8 hours of sleep each day.

- brushing teeth after every meal (to encourage no snacking between meals, basically)

- a little bit of weight lifting every day

- I still walk the same amount I always did each day -- this hasn't changed but I do do it. I had already stopped drinking alcohol 4 years ago (didn't help me lose any weight)

I now hover between 183 and 185 pounds, and these changes I have made are definitely sustainable. I like the intermittent fasting 12-12 because it is just simple. I don't have to count calories or think about my meals. I just DON'T EAT after 7 PM.

I cannot say what is the reason I am slowly losing weight, but these are the things I have been doing differently. It is likely that I am eating fewer calories than before because I am no longer snacking all evening long!! But, I can say that I do not feel hungry in the evening anymore and I don't feel like I'm being deprived of any foods. If I'm hungry for something, I just eat it... just not between the hours of 7 PM and 7 AM.


I am in my 50s.

[Anonymous]

Ask J. Lo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You say you eat salads for lunch, but so what? What do you eat in the morning, in the evening and do you snack?

Do you put sauce / ketchup / soya / salad dressing on your foods? Do you consume a lot of dairy.

It sounds honestly, like you don't have a clue.

OP here. No need to be rude. For breakfast, I eat a cereal bar on the way to school along with coffee. In the evening I eat a normal dinner or chicken, fish, pasta etc. I think I may be eating too much at dinner so maybe I’ll add some protein to my lunch to keep me fuller. The only dairy I consume is cheese on pizza every few weeks and a splash of creamer in my coffee. I eat maybe a tablespoon of ranch dressing on my salad. No alcohol. Dessert maybe once a week. Soda maybe once a month.

1. The cereal bar is basically candy. It won’t do much for your energy levels and you don’t need the simple carbs and sugar. Try substituting for quality protein with breakfast, such as eggs (you can even add a little cheese if you watch your calories), smoked salmon or other fish, or even chicken, etc.

And/or add a cup of oatmeal made from steel-cut oats, which is a quality complex carb source and will also keep you feeling full and energetic (unlike the useless cereal bar). This is an example of a reasonable portion of a quality carb that you can “afford”, and you can add fresh berries as well.

2. Watch the amount of dressing and cheese you are adding to that lunchtime salad. It is possible to turn a salad into a calorie bomb. Have you tried a high quality extra virgin olive oil as a dressing? This contains valuable nutrients, is great for your skin and hair, and will also help you feel full more than sugar/garbage packed processed salad dressing from the store. And a little bit of quality protein with the salad is essential.

3. I assure you that your serving of pasta at dinner is larger than it should be. Research the serving sizes: it really isn’t a plateful, or anything close to that, of noodles. Bulk up your pasta with vegetables (mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, whatever) and add lean protein. What else are you eating with dinner when you have fish or chicken?

4. Berries for desert, with Greek yogurt or quark if you are feeling you need some additional calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I had a regular checkup the other day and my doctor recommended a magnesium supplement. What a big difference it has made in just a few days. Regular bowel movements every day. Amazing. Now that I am out of school, I can get more water in and that should also help move things along. It's awful not being able to go to the bathroom when you need to at school.

I am a teacher and I go to the bathroom when I need to go. My colleague in the next room and I cover for each other if a bathroom break is needed, leaving the classroom door open so the other teacher can pop their head in periodically. If you have a colleague willing, this is fine to do. I can go to the bathroom and back in 3 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I had a regular checkup the other day and my doctor recommended a magnesium supplement. What a big difference it has made in just a few days. Regular bowel movements every day. Amazing. Now that I am out of school, I can get more water in and that should also help move things along. It's awful not being able to go to the bathroom when you need to at school.

I am a teacher and I go to the bathroom when I need to go. My colleague in the next room and I cover for each other if a bathroom break is needed, leaving the classroom door open so the other teacher can pop their head in periodically. If you have a colleague willing, this is fine to do. I can go to the bathroom and back in 3 minutes.

I'm at the end of a hallway and there are no other teachers around. Sometimes I can flag down someone passing by but not always.

[Anonymous]

Recently I have been trying to lose weight. I’m more diligent about doing cardio at the gym 3-4 days per week and I also walk some daily. But what has made the absolute most difference is strictly eating 1200-1500 calories per day, any foods I want.

[Anonymous]

Read the Obesity Code by Jason Fung. I am 5’2” and 121 and still losing doing intermittent fasting. Lost 20 lbs after gaining during the pandemic. I am 39.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You say you eat salads for lunch, but so what? What do you eat in the morning, in the evening and do you snack?

Do you put sauce / ketchup / soya / salad dressing on your foods? Do you consume a lot of dairy.

It sounds honestly, like you don't have a clue.

OP here. No need to be rude. For breakfast, I eat a cereal bar on the way to school along with coffee. In the evening I eat a normal dinner or chicken, fish, pasta etc. I think I may be eating too much at dinner so maybe I’ll add some protein to my lunch to keep me fuller. The only dairy I consume is cheese on pizza every few weeks and a splash of creamer in my coffee. I eat maybe a tablespoon of ranch dressing on my salad. No alcohol. Dessert maybe once a week. Soda maybe once a month.

The day should start with a healthy breakfast, this cereal bar is likely 75% sugar and that is setting the tone of your day and leaving you hungry at the end of it.

oatmeal has no sugar in it - you add chopped apples and it's sweet but still, very low sugar. You can also add nuts for protein / calories.

do not eat pizza it is really high in fat and carbs - there is basically zero nutrients in a pizza and its something like 350 calories per slice.

Never have a soda, never have dressing, what is the "protein" you're adding to your lunch? There's a big difference between a can of tuna and a few slices of salami in terms of fats.

You don't have a clue.

How tall are you and what do you weigh? You might be trying to maintain at a weight that is too low for your height/frame. No pizza ever or no dressing is crazy.

I am European we don't eat like you do.

Why do people call themselves European? Why not just say you are Belgian or Swedish or Spanish or Polish? It’s almost like you’re trying “flex” because you think “European” sounds more worldly.

No, its because I don't want to be identified as the "Brit" or the "French lady" who may be posting elsewhere on here. It's a privacy issue but yes, as a side note - of course we're more worldly, because its easy to move around in Europe cheaply and quickly. Obviously.

I think it’s ends up coming off as close minded and like you are failing to recognize the diversity that is Europe. Ragusa is Europe. Lviv is Europe. Cork is Europe. People in those cities (much less the small towns) don’t eat like Parisians and most of them aren’t jetting around Europe. You sound like one of those New Yorkers that thinks everyone lives like they do in Manhattan. People in the European towns my grandparents and great-grandparents came from actually probably eat more simple carbs and less fresh veg than I do.

I have actually lived in a lot of different places. Many on your list, above. Should I call myself a New Yorker now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You say you eat salads for lunch, but so what? What do you eat in the morning, in the evening and do you snack?

Do you put sauce / ketchup / soya / salad dressing on your foods? Do you consume a lot of dairy.

It sounds honestly, like you don't have a clue.

OP here. No need to be rude. For breakfast, I eat a cereal bar on the way to school along with coffee. In the evening I eat a normal dinner or chicken, fish, pasta etc. I think I may be eating too much at dinner so maybe I’ll add some protein to my lunch to keep me fuller. The only dairy I consume is cheese on pizza every few weeks and a splash of creamer in my coffee. I eat maybe a tablespoon of ranch dressing on my salad. No alcohol. Dessert maybe once a week. Soda maybe once a month.

The day should start with a healthy breakfast, this cereal bar is likely 75% sugar and that is setting the tone of your day and leaving you hungry at the end of it.

oatmeal has no sugar in it - you add chopped apples and it's sweet but still, very low sugar. You can also add nuts for protein / calories.

do not eat pizza it is really high in fat and carbs - there is basically zero nutrients in a pizza and its something like 350 calories per slice.

Never have a soda, never have dressing, what is the "protein" you're adding to your lunch? There's a big difference between a can of tuna and a few slices of salami in terms of fats.

You don't have a clue.

no clue is someone who thinks you can't eat pizza or have salad dressing. what a depressing existence. No i am not suggesting anyone douse their salad in blue cheese dressing or eat Pizza every day, but both of these things can be incorporated in a balanced diet and eaten on occasion.

This isn't a healthy, balanced diet. A healthy balanced diet is full of fish, vegetables not processed cheese and white flour and fatty meats. Really you need to start all over again in terms of what you understand to be healthy. But you're clearly an advertisers dream because you bought into the idea you can eat all these things and not become obese / diabetic / suffer heart disease.

[Anonymous]

You should eat healthy food, control the number of calories and do exercises a few times per week. When I started losing weight, I read this article https://betterme.world/articles/how-many-pounds-to-lose-an-inch/ and some advice helped me to do it faster.