When did your body fall apart?

[Anonymous]

This is a question very specific to middle-aged (let’s say, 40 to 60) women who are significantly overweight but were thin and athletic in their 20s and 30s, and specifically women who are unhappy with this weight change.

How much weight have you gained from age 30? Was it mostly having kids, mostly menopause, both, or neither? Did you notice your body change all of a sudden, or was it a gradual weight creeping up and up? If you do wish you weighed less (and some people just accept it and that’s ok) what would you have done differently, lifestyle-wise, and at what age? What advice would you give to women under 35 who think “oh I would NEVER let my body get like THAT”?

[Anonymous]

I would say the 40’s are not great, gradual weight gain and now at 50, it’s worse. Peri-menopause

[Anonymous]

I spent the first half of my life trying to put on weight and the second half, trying to take it off!

Because I was very thin growing up, I ate lots of food to try to fill out. In fact, I could eat anything I wanted and as much as I wanted until my mid-thirties. As a result, I did not establish healthy food habits, so when my metabolism slowed down mid-thirties, then further mid-forties, and mid-fifties, I had to learn good eating habits and continue to refine them. I would imagine if I had healthy eating habits from early adulthood, I would never have put on an extra 30 lbs.

Additionally, while I did lots of cardio in young adulthood, I wish I had started strength training earlier. This really is the key to staying strong, having your clothes fit well, and managing your weight.

[Anonymous]

In my early 20s I didn't weigh enough to give blood; remained quite thin all the way up to 35 when I had to begin taking psych meds. Quit smoking around the same time. Within several years I was overweight, and now 15 years later my BMI is in the obese range. I've lost almost all of it twice, but it's come back on within a year. So for me, it's been medication related. It's absolutely awful. Now I have sleep apnea.

I was never super healthy or athletic or strong though -- just won-the-genetic-lottery thin.

[Anonymous]

I am in my 60s and I have had a steady and rapid decline. I am seeing this in my peers as well. I don’t think baby boomers are going to live as long as our parents did. We experienced the onset of processed foods and were exposed to many toxins before they were known to be harmful. I think stress is going to play a toll on those who are younger.

[Anonymous]

I gained about 30 pounds in my 40s. I do not blame age, kids (had mine in my 20s), or peri-menopause. Even at 51 I haven't noticed any change in my metabolism. It was simple overeating (esp junk) and lack of exercise during a time when I had a lot of stress.

For me, it was not inevitable and it wasn't hard to lose when I was in the right mindset. I didn't beat myself up over it at the time. I weigh 40 pounds less now and still eat a lot - just better food with moderate exercise.

But I know women who exercise all the time, barely eat and definitely find any extra weight nearly impossible to lose. Everyone's body is different.

[Anonymous]

I’m 50. I’ve probably gained a few pounds in the last few years. I don’t weigh myself but some of my pants are a bit tighter. I’m 5’2” and somewhere around 120 last time I went to the Dr. I’ve pretty much been the same size since my 20s. I work out a lot and eat fairly healthy most days.

[Anonymous]

I know I’m premature in saying this as I’m “only” 40, but so far it hasn’t been an issue and I cannot fathom it will ever be. I’ve managed to have three kids with normal weight gains and able to lose it without drastic measures within a year of each baby.

I work out regularly, but more importantly, I weigh myself regularly. At least a couple times per week. Weight cannot creep on if you don’t let it. 5-10 lbs can be easily gained in you live on athleisure and don’t weigh yourself ever. Then another 10 if you don’t make changes and so on. But if you are happy with your weight and monitor it, you can adjust what you eat and your exercise as the needs of your body change with age. While a few pounds may be acceptable to gain with age, there is no reason anyone has to become overweight or obese as they age if they actively take steps to maintain a heathy weight

[Anonymous]

You need to keep up with it, any minor weight gain you lose it, that's how you can look like Christy Brinkley at 60

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I’m premature in saying this as I’m “only” 40, but so far it hasn’t been an issue and I cannot fathom it will ever be. I’ve managed to have three kids with normal weight gains and able to lose it without drastic measures within a year of each baby.

I work out regularly, but more importantly, I weigh myself regularly. At least a couple times per week. Weight cannot creep on if you don’t let it. 5-10 lbs can be easily gained in you live on athleisure and don’t weigh yourself ever. Then another 10 if you don’t make changes and so on. But if you are happy with your weight and monitor it, you can adjust what you eat and your exercise as the needs of your body change with age. While a few pounds may be acceptable to gain with age, there is no reason anyone has to become overweight or obese as they age if they actively take steps to maintain a heathy weight

Yep. You are premature in saying this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I’m premature in saying this as I’m “only” 40, but so far it hasn’t been an issue and I cannot fathom it will ever be. I’ve managed to have three kids with normal weight gains and able to lose it without drastic measures within a year of each baby.

I work out regularly, but more importantly, I weigh myself regularly. At least a couple times per week. Weight cannot creep on if you don’t let it. 5-10 lbs can be easily gained in you live on athleisure and don’t weigh yourself ever. Then another 10 if you don’t make changes and so on. But if you are happy with your weight and monitor it, you can adjust what you eat and your exercise as the needs of your body change with age. While a few pounds may be acceptable to gain with age, there is no reason anyone has to become overweight or obese as they age if they actively take steps to maintain a heathy weight

So I used to say exactly all of this when I was 40. ALL OF IT. Couldn't understand how anyone could ever let themselves gain weight like that, always thin, easily lost all weight after my pregnancies within a matter of just weeks, could literally eat whatever I wanted, etc, etc.

I'm now 46, and I am shocked at how much this has changed for me in just the past year or so as I enter the perimenopausal stage of life. The body changes in this stage of life are very real. For the record, I'm very athletic and have been all through adulthood: competitive runner, workout 5-6 days a week, very toned. And I'm still very much in shape. However, my metabolism is nothing like what it was; it has completely tanked. In my 20s I used to eat an entire pound of pasta for dinner most nights, no joke. No way would that fly now. Just over the past year or so, I gain weight way way more easily, and it's much MUCH harder to lose, even just a few pounds. My weight management strategies of years past just don't work anymore. I read some interview recently that Heidi Klum only eats like 800 calories a day to stay thin at her age. Just a few years ago I would have thought this was nuts, but now that I'm "here", I completely believe it.

I still wear the same size, and I'm still the same healthy weight I've had all through adulthood. However, it is MUCH MUCH MUCH harder to keep it that way. I'm definitely eating crow from the way I viewed this earlier in life, even just a few years ago. More power to you and your 40 year old self, PP, but it's not nearly as easy as you think it is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I’m premature in saying this as I’m “only” 40, but so far it hasn’t been an issue and I cannot fathom it will ever be. I’ve managed to have three kids with normal weight gains and able to lose it without drastic measures within a year of each baby.

I work out regularly, but more importantly, I weigh myself regularly. At least a couple times per week. Weight cannot creep on if you don’t let it. 5-10 lbs can be easily gained in you live on athleisure and don’t weigh yourself ever. Then another 10 if you don’t make changes and so on. But if you are happy with your weight and monitor it, you can adjust what you eat and your exercise as the needs of your body change with age. While a few pounds may be acceptable to gain with age, there is no reason anyone has to become overweight or obese as they age if they actively take steps to maintain a heathy weight

So I used to say exactly all of this when I was 40. ALL OF IT. Couldn't understand how anyone could ever let themselves gain weight like that, always thin, easily lost all weight after my pregnancies within a matter of just weeks, could literally eat whatever I wanted, etc, etc.

I'm now 46, and I am shocked at how much this has changed for me in just the past year or so as I enter the perimenopausal stage of life. The body changes in this stage of life are very real. For the record, I'm very athletic and have been all through adulthood: competitive runner, workout 5-6 days a week, very toned. And I'm still very much in shape. However, my metabolism is nothing like what it was; it has completely tanked. In my 20s I used to eat an entire pound of pasta for dinner most nights, no joke. No way would that fly now. Just over the past year or so, I gain weight way way more easily, and it's much MUCH harder to lose, even just a few pounds. My weight management strategies of years past just don't work anymore. I read some interview recently that Heidi Klum only eats like 800 calories a day to stay thin at her age. Just a few years ago I would have thought this was nuts, but now that I'm "here", I completely believe it.

I still wear the same size, and I'm still the same healthy weight I've had all through adulthood. However, it is MUCH MUCH MUCH harder to keep it that way. I'm definitely eating crow from the way I viewed this earlier in life, even just a few years ago. More power to you and your 40 year old self, PP, but it's not nearly as easy as you think it is now.

I definitely recognize it is harder to maintain weight as you age and your body requires less. But as long as your actively are in tube with what your weigh and adjust your eating, there is no reason you need to gain 20+ lbs with age

[Anonymous]

I’m 48. I haven’t gained any weight but notice the effects of eating badly quicker and it takes longer to shed a few pounds than it did once upon a time ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I’m premature in saying this as I’m “only” 40, but so far it hasn’t been an issue and I cannot fathom it will ever be. I’ve managed to have three kids with normal weight gains and able to lose it without drastic measures within a year of each baby.

I work out regularly, but more importantly, I weigh myself regularly. At least a couple times per week. Weight cannot creep on if you don’t let it. 5-10 lbs can be easily gained in you live on athleisure and don’t weigh yourself ever. Then another 10 if you don’t make changes and so on. But if you are happy with your weight and monitor it, you can adjust what you eat and your exercise as the needs of your body change with age. While a few pounds may be acceptable to gain with age, there is no reason anyone has to become overweight or obese as they age if they actively take steps to maintain a heathy weight

Oh, honey.

Start fathoming it.

[Anonymous]

I read somewhere that you gain about a pound a year once you turn 40, and that's been accurate for me. I'm 47 and have gained exactly 7 pounds since 40.
I exercise regularly and have never had to watch what I eat over the years, lost the baby weight for both kids within weeks of giving birth, but lately, at 47, its definitely harder to keep eating the way I always have (lots of dairy, carbs, sweets) without noticing weight creep on.