I mean - do any of you just choose quality of life vs. endless watching of food?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm about the exact size and eat a really healthy diet to maintain a size 8/10 at age 46. To lose weight I basically have to starve myself.
I've never been super thin or below a size 4 or 6--even when I was a rabid cross country runner (running 20 miles a day) and subsisting on rice cakes and water in high school and college.

I'm just not built like a pencil (a fact that has annoyed me my whole life). I'm sturdy and always have been. At 46 I just don't care anymore and so I've embraced being me.

This is OP and YES - I just don't care. I'd rather be healthy and happy than healthier and watching every morsel.

Yup, same. Also mid-40s, and a size 8 mostly, up to 10/12 for fitted tops (I have broad shoulders). I've really leaned into intuitive eating during the pandemic, which has meant more sweets but also less obsession with food. Mostly I eat what I want, which includes plenty of veggies, protein, and water, and treats, too. I love working out, which I think helps overall. But yeah, I'm trying hard to embrace what I like about my body (I put on muscle very easily, especially for a woman) vs. what I don't (all my fat seems to go directly to my thighs--and aside from altering my DNA, there's not a lot I can do about that). Being skinny would take SO much work, and for what?

Late 40s - and I think I am pretty much there, too. But I might feel differently if I were actually overweight as opposed to just a bit heavier than I was in my 30s. At this age, at this weight, I don't find it worth the effort to stay as thin as I was. But I am pretty happy with my weight now, which I maintain by being a conscientious grazer, is how I sometimes describe it. I don't restrict calories or go on diets but I am aware of what I am eating, and if my clothes start feeling tight I will make small modifications (like skipping appetizers for takeout, or giving up dessert for a while).

Ask me in my 50s how I'm doing with all this - I can't imagine that even keeping this weight will get easy when I get older!

But yes, to me, I enjoy food more than I enjoy being my skinniest. But I also like being the now version of thin, and I can't say how I will feel or what I will do if this gets harder to maintain.

Yeah, the bolded is fair. I’m not the slimmest I ever was, but that was when I was in my early 30s and on an antidepressant that suppressed my appetite. On balance, I’d rather not be depressed, even if I’m a bit heavier (I’ve also had three kids since then).

I’m hoping weight-lifting will help me stay as healthy and happy with my body as I can reasonably be. Or, if not happy all the time, accepting of it. I feel very similarly to PPs’ expressing gratitude for all the things their bodies do for them, and my body deserves to be well-cared for, too.

[Anonymous]

Skinny Pop has more calories than if you use Smart popcorn or just pop it yourself.

[Anonymous]

It seems to me you've been doing pretty great for 20 years. You are maintaining your weight, but asking advice here? Clearly, you are not denying yourself much food, and you are staying the same weight.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you, OP. I'm 46, 5'3", athletic build. I've always been a size 4-6, ranging from 125 to 140 pounds. In the past couple of years, I've grown to a 6-8, about 140-150. I fretted over it for awhile, tried keto, tried intermittent fasting, and found that I had to eat basically nothing but lean protein and vegetables to get under 140 and be a 6. Meanwhile, I can eat and drink what I want and stay under 150 and be an 8. So, I bought some new clothes and decided to stop worrying about it. I don't want to spend all my time thinking about my size and weight. The main thing I want to change is my activity level. Prior to Covid my exercise consisted of weight lifting and going out dancing. I haven't been able to do any of that in a long time and either don't enjoy or can't do other things. So I'm hoping to get more active again. Otherwise, I'm done worrying about my body.

[Anonymous]

Yes of course it's fine.

Different people have different things they enjoy and want to do. Worry about yourself.

[Anonymous]

I'm one of the previous posters. I don't worry about my creeping up to 220. It's been stable for a good ten years and I'm now past 45. I don't eat a terrible diet at all and I can eat what I want and stay this size (a sturdy size 8 at 5'7"). To get done to a size 4-6 I literally have to starve myself. Plus I think the extra weight is probably my good for my face at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re happy, go for it. I’m 49 and I’m starting to see folks (friends and coworkers) who are my age or slightly older fall apart. As you get older, 10 pounds easily becomes 20 pounds. People’s lifestyle start to show. Watching what I eat and working out consistently is important to me so I can keep up with my kids and be active when I’m 60 or 70.

This exactly. What OP describes is “letting yourself go” which means developing diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure and an overall reduced quality of life due to chronic disease.

[Anonymous]

Question: I mean - do any of you just choose quality of life vs. endless watching of food?

Answer: The VAST majority of Americans eat whatever they want as they age. The percentage of women who obsess over every morsel into their 40s and 50s so they can stay a size 4-6 is very small. This is not real life beyond Hollywood and wannabe influencers.

[Anonymous]

Being doughy takes away from my quality of life. I like to eat, so I make sure I am active and also exercise daily. I don't obsess over every bite of food, but if my doctor advised me to lose weight, I'd do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You eat healthy, you sound healthy both physically and mentally. Don’t worry about what the doctor says. You’re doing better than most of us. Enjoy!!

I agree. And to be honest, I wish this was me. But I just have too many hang ups to let myself get above a size 4. I just care too much about being thin (not very thin, but a 2-4) and how I look in general. Im hoping once I’m 50 and the rest of my attractiveness tanks, I will put less importance on body size and not be quite as restrictive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You eat healthy, you sound healthy both physically and mentally. Don’t worry about what the doctor says. You’re doing better than most of us. Enjoy!!

I agree. And to be honest, I wish this was me. But I just have too many hang ups to let myself get above a size 4. I just care too much about being thin (not very thin, but a 2-4) and how I look in general. Im hoping once I’m 50 and the rest of my attractiveness tanks, I will put less importance on body size and not be quite as restrictive.

When you are 50 and a size 4, you will look super decrepit and frail.

[Anonymous]

Get a new doctor. Your weight and sizes are normal and healthy for your height.

[Anonymous]

The key for anyone to do health and fitness well and stick to it is to find the best you can look and feel for the amount of time and work and effort you can put in. Of course I could look my 100% best if I worked out 2 hours a day, did cardio, ate perfect. My life would also suck. So I settle for looking maybe 88% as good as I optimally could because I CAN work out 5x a week for an hour, move when I can, and eat well with plenty of treats included. So that’s what I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a new doctor. Your weight and sizes are normal and healthy for your height.

This

[Anonymous]

I had a dr who told me a good rule of thumb for women was 5 lbs for every inch over a 5 ft and 100 lb baseline. So at my height at 5’5” he said I should weigh 125. He would maybe allow 5 extra lbs for my “big bones”. I weighed 140 and told him GTFO. I got a new doctor. I would have to starve myself to lose 10 extra pounds when I was already at a healthy weight. No thanks.