Ladies, at what age did you realize that you need to drastically reduce portion size?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:38-39 years old

38

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never modified how I eat. When I was in college I had food problems, anorexia and bulimia. I stopped that and have never tried to restrict my eating. I eat a very healthy diet, no alcohol, fresh fruits and vegetables, organic meats, nuts, no gluten, yet I continue to gain weight, about a pound a year. It's frustrating.
I do try to eat less food in the evening so I'm not bloated when I go to bed. I'm in my late 50s, went through menopause at 55.
I have consciously tried to increase my activity, including tennis, running, lifting weights, and just hrisk walking. It seems to help.
But going hungry is not an option for me. Spiraling into disordered eating would be so much worse than wearing size 14. I was a size 6 pre children, so it upsets me, but I'm never foing there again.

I’m in my mid-30s but same! I’m not super thrilled with my body post-partum but cutting out whole food groups and getting crazy about calories would spiral me back into the disordered eating/bulimia I suffered in my late teens/early 20s. Trying to focus on getting enough sleep, eating healthy, watching my drinking, and exercising daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

No it doesn’t happen to everyone. 55 and still eat whatever I want. Haven’t gained a pound in decades. I work out a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

I am also 42. It is not independent of activity. Make sure you lift weights and stay generally active (walks, hikes, doing errands on foot etc) and you will be fine. I maintain at about 2400 calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

I am also 42. It is not independent of activity. Make sure you lift weights and stay generally active (walks, hikes, doing errands on foot etc) and you will be fine. I maintain at about 2400 calories.

Maybe at 42. Maybe not at 45+.

[Anonymous]

I can pinpoint my slow weight to increasing my alcohol over the years, starting around 2019. But now that I’m not drinking, will the weight come off at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

No it doesn’t happen to everyone. 55 and still eat whatever I want. Haven’t gained a pound in decades. I work out a lot.

That doesn’t mean it won’t happen to you at 58 or whatever. Not sure what you don’t understand about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

I am also 42. It is not independent of activity. Make sure you lift weights and stay generally active (walks, hikes, doing errands on foot etc) and you will be fine. I maintain at about 2400 calories.

Maybe at 42. Maybe not at 45+.

Or maybe not ever. Some of us can eat what we want and not gain. Every body is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

I am also 42. It is not independent of activity. Make sure you lift weights and stay generally active (walks, hikes, doing errands on foot etc) and you will be fine. I maintain at about 2400 calories.

Maybe at 42. Maybe not at 45+.

Or maybe not ever. Some of us can eat what we want and not gain. Every body is different.

It’s very few people who can do that throughout their entire lifetime.

Also “what we want” is doing a ton of work in that sentence. We all want different things and in different quantities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

I am also 42. It is not independent of activity. Make sure you lift weights and stay generally active (walks, hikes, doing errands on foot etc) and you will be fine. I maintain at about 2400 calories.

Maybe at 42. Maybe not at 45+.

Or maybe not ever. Some of us can eat what we want and not gain. Every body is different.

I agree with this. The real danger here is that as you get older and eat less, you can lose significant amounts of weight, which is not actually good, either. My grandmother ate like a horse for much of her life and was rail thin. As she became elderly, her appetite declined and she became very very thin, which was a problem when she encountered some health problems. Probably it’s best to have a teeny bit of padding so you have something to lose if you become ill.

[Anonymous]

Never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

I am also 42. It is not independent of activity. Make sure you lift weights and stay generally active (walks, hikes, doing errands on foot etc) and you will be fine. I maintain at about 2400 calories.

Maybe at 42. Maybe not at 45+.

Or maybe not ever. Some of us can eat what we want and not gain. Every body is different.

It happens to most women but not all women. For most women it happens sometime between 40 and 60. If you’re past 60 and it hasn’t hit you, you’re probably one of the lucky few. I think for most people it hits between 45 and 55. I posted above that I was super thin all my life and thought I would be one of the few that didn’t have this change but it’s definitely a big part of “the change” for me. I think it is true that having a higher muscle proportion does provide some protection. We all debate whether HRT makes a difference, and there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus.

[Anonymous]

42 … but I also seem to be going through peri early. Barely have a cycle any longer at 45.

If I ate and exercised like I do now I’d have been so fit in my 20s. I was always petite and on thinner side but never watched what I ate and barely worked out. Now I am no carbs or sugar, IF for 15 hours, smoothie, big protein salad lunch, big protein snack or small healthy dinner/veggie. If I ever off at all or go out the weight comes on stat.

Sad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this happen to everyone or just some people? And is it independent of activity?

I’m 42 and I didn’t know this was around the corner

I am also 42. It is not independent of activity. Make sure you lift weights and stay generally active (walks, hikes, doing errands on foot etc) and you will be fine. I maintain at about 2400 calories.

Maybe at 42. Maybe not at 45+.

+1
I’m 45. I’m petite and have never had any issues with weight until the last 6-8 months, in which I have gained nearly 20 lbs. That was with no changes in diet or physical activity. Bloodwork at annual checkup showed no concerns (in fact, my triglycerides and cholesterol were improved from the prior year), so my PCP’s comment was “welcome to peri”.
I’ve been under a lot of work and personal stress, too, so I am sure that doesn’t help. Trying to make changes now, but it already feels like an uphill battle.

[Anonymous]

I gained a few pounds after 40 and a few more after 50. I'm still within normal range but I don't love my menopausal body these days, especially the little bit of pudge around my midsection. I think I'm finally going to have to start dieting, which I'm not good at. I'm great at exercising but I'm at the point now where I guess that's not enough.