How to fight the mid 40s weight gain?

[Anonymous]

I cut back on my carbs, and it helped. I intake the same number of calories as previously, but more protein. I was never super thin, though. Always 5 foot four and 130 lbs.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PPs about fewer calories. I’m 45 and also noticed the weight creeping up. So I cut down on my random snacking and stopped my almost nightly bowl of cereal. Made a huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 47 and just in the last 9 months, I've noticed the pounds creeping on. I haven't changed my eating or exercising. What can I do to shed these 5lbs? I really don't want to have to buy new pants.

Re-check what you are eating. Metabolism does not change that quickly unless there is an underlying health issue. It is very likely that while you say your diet hasn't change it actually has change, A little extra food at each meal, a little extra snacking, more alcohol consumption..the list goes on for ways in which you could be adding in extra calories while still convincing yourself nothing has changed.

Either way the solution is the same. Eat a little less move a little more, but mostly eat less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 47 and just in the last 9 months, I've noticed the pounds creeping on. I haven't changed my eating or exercising. What can I do to shed these 5lbs? I really don't want to have to buy new pants.

Re-check what you are eating. Metabolism does not change that quickly unless there is an underlying health issue. It is very likely that while you say your diet hasn't change it actually has change, A little extra food at each meal, a little extra snacking, more alcohol consumption..the list goes on for ways in which you could be adding in extra calories while still convincing yourself nothing has changed.

Either way the solution is the same. Eat a little less move a little more, but mostly eat less.

OP, I'm 45 and have also gained 5-10 since last summer. I would have initially said my eating habits haven't changed, but they have. I'm still almost entirely WFH and it's too easy to snack without really thinking about it. Sigh. So, I'm paying more attention to what I eat and when, etc. It's irritating AF. I work out daily, my diet's reasonably healthy, etc., but I also don't want to keep gaining weight.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Have you had your muscle mass measured? You've probably lost muscle mass as you're aging which is changing your metabolism. Age alone does not slow your metabolism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You just have to eat less. You don't need as many calories as before. I have found that drinking enough water (at least 60 oz a day) helps a lot with weight control.

Just curious - is this an assumption based on the fact that OP is gaining, or are you saying everyone needs less calories as they age? And why? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

I will definitely try tracking the carbs. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Ugh, me too. I am an avid runner, and I get HUNGRY. I know that cleaning up my diet is the answer to these 5 annoying pounds, but I find it hard to make the tough choices when I make so many good choices!

[Anonymous]

Down 19 pounds since January. Overhauled diet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

It is a real nutritional thing because of how fiber is counted on food labels, what are you blathering about

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

It is a real nutritional thing because of how fiber is counted on food labels, what are you blathering about

LOL. Sweetie. No, it's not. And, it's not counted that way on food labels. It might be a bold type claim on the front of the packaging (see "marketing thing") but it's not an actual nutritional concept. But please, by all means, find where the FDA acknowledges "net carbs" as a thing on food labels. I'll wait.

[Anonymous]

What’s in those salads you’re eating?