Does body shape change in 40s?
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Anonymous
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I am 43 and while my weight has remained steady, my pants have been feeling really tight recently and I feel like I look wider all of a sudden. I am 5’6 and 148 lbs. and have been this weight since having my last child 6 years ago. I don’t feel bloated but maybe I am (not gassy though).
Is this just what happens in perimenopause? |
Anonymous
| Unless you go out of your way to maintain body composition, yes. Particularly for women. That’s why there is such a heavy focus on strength training. |
Anonymous
| Only if you get fat. |
Anonymous
| and I have to say you sound obese for your hight. Get thee to a gym tomorrow. |
Anonymous
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At 42, I was like: "what's a hip dip?"
At 44, I was like: "WTF IS THIS DIP RIGHT HERE ON THE SIDE OF MY ASS? (no weight change, change in activity, type of exercise, etc). |
Anonymous
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Yes. It changes. It’s normal and natural and there’s not a lot you can do about it unless you develop an eating disorder (not a good idea) or pump weights like Arnold.
Middle-aged women develop a matronly physique that is heavier and wider than a young “missy” sized woman. |
Anonymous
Biggest idiot of the day. Congratulations, PP! OP, your BMI is 23.9. Overweight is over 25 and obese is over 30. |
Anonymous
lol lady. I weigh around this a little less, lift weights, Work out most days, and wear a small - 4/6, 27 in designer jeans. I am a 34 ddd. I’m 44 and I look great in a bikini. So, obese, no. Doesn’t work that way. |
Anonymous
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We’re practically twins. I’m age 39, exact same height/weight as you. 7 years since I had my youngest kid. 34 dd. Wide hips. Hourglass figure but wider than I used to be.
Not obese (thanks for that, PP) but verging on overweight (BMI 23-24). Would love to lose 10-15 lbs. I eat well and exercise but it’s not happening so far. I think perimenopause to blame. |
Anonymous
| You likely are experiencing what it means to lose muscle mass and see it turned to fat. This is why we have to lift heavy in our younger years! This is a known facet of menopause and aging. |
Anonymous
That's it right there OP. Muscle weighs more than fat and so you can lose muscle and gain fat (in your tummy) and not notice a change in weight right away. As your muscle atrophies to whatever your new normal is and plateaus at that level, you'll see the number of the scale go up because your metabolism is slowing down. The way to counteract this is to build more muscle. |
Anonymous
| OP just wait til your 50s. |
Anonymous
I'm the previous pp. I meant to post this picture before hitting submit but it shows you how much volume 5 pounds of fat vs 5 pounds of muscle takes up on the body. Take up walking and do some light muscle building for the upper body to maintain your muscle and keep your metabolism higher.
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Anonymous
That's the edge and you are playitwith fire, keep the BMI in the high teens |
Anonymous
No 44 year old look great in a bikini. I’m 48 and I spare humanity by wearing a one piece. I’m 5’4”, muscular and 118lb. It’s the old skin that does it, not the size or fat or even cellulite some women have (yes, even thin Princess Diana had cellulite). |