How to fight the mid 40s weight gain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Well, this discussion brought out the nasty in some people. I am 5'3" and now around 126lbs. At the beginning of last summer, I was around 121 or so and that's where I feel most comfortable in my clothes. As for protein at lunch, I either have some tuna, a piece of grilled chicken or a hard-boiled egg. I think I'll eat some protein as a snack when I get home so I don't overeat at dinner. I do indulge sometimes but I cannot eat how I could 10 yrs ago.

NP. We are exactly the same height and weight, and I’ve had exactly the same experience in terms of weight gain and difficulty taking it off in the last 1-2 years. I’m 48. I have decided that rather than trying to hold close to 120, I’m going to shift to 125 as my target weight. I am healthy, and my clothes fit, just a little differently than they did five pounds ago. I love to eat, and I want to enjoy it.

In another five years, I might have to shift to 130…which will also be healthy. Our bodies are going to keep changing, and I’m going to try to be OK with it.

OP here. I wish I could feel okay about it but I really do not have the $$$ to buy all new pants. Only 2 pairs of pants fit right now. I'm a very practical person and I just don't have the $$$. Maybe I'll move up to a size 6 but I'll have to buy a few pairs at a time (and keep washing the new pairs over and over).

I'm around the same height and used to be heavier. I'm now at 123 and have been there since March (I think). My clothes fit best at that weight and that's where I feel good.

Last two years the scale was not my friend, but in the past 8 months I lost 18 pounds, have maintained that weight and feel confident in keeping it going forward. It ebbs and flows depending on what I've eaten and that time of month, but if I have a day where the scale goes up, I try not to stress. My biggest advice, and what turned things around for me, is to write down everything, I mean everything, that you eat. Also the portion sizes. I ate way more than I estimated. Then portion it out. Taking this as an example (and recognizing that you may be correct in your estimation) but I'd guess that you are having more ranch dressing than a tablespoon on your salad. And if it is a tablespoon, there are salad dressings that are a better choice, like Bolthouse ranch. Little things like this really add up. I did not restrict any food group, but tried to amp up my portions of veggies and fruits, and avoided fried stuff. More chicken, less beef. Wheat pasta instead of flour pasta. I did this for four months, and got my eating under control and started to just be aware of what I ate and when. Listen to the signs that your body is full or that you are boredom eating. Then came the exercise. You've probably heard the adage that you can't out-exercise bad eating. It's true. Gain knowledge of what you eat. Then add in the exercise. I hate exercise for exercise sake. Tried spinning classes, group circuit classes, running. I joined a rec soccer team and that did it. I sucked at first but as my weight dropped and I got into better shape, I play better. I'll never be great, but at my age I don't have to be. I like the social aspect and I do body weight training with the team that works on building muscle. This is a lifestyle that I can maintain and that's the most important thing. This isn't the magic cure-all for everyone. I do think that at least writing down everything you eat for a week will give you a baseline of where you want to go next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is you needed to have started in your 30s. Building muscle mass and enduring habits of nutrition and exercise in your 30s is so critical for getting through your 40s/50s/60s in good shape and with a strong baseline of health. It’s hard to try and start doing that at 47 when you’re fighting age and natural changes in your body

It's *harder*. But not impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is you needed to have started in your 30s. Building muscle mass and enduring habits of nutrition and exercise in your 30s is so critical for getting through your 40s/50s/60s in good shape and with a strong baseline of health. It’s hard to try and start doing that at 47 when you’re fighting age and natural changes in your body

It's *harder*. But not impossible.

That’s why I didn’t use the word impossible

[Anonymous]

Calorie cycling. That is the only thing that works. Do not listen to people telling you to eat 1000 calories all the time. That will cause many issues, such as clinging to every extra calorie when you eat a tiny bit more, which you will do, your body wants more calories.

[Anonymous]

Id get your labs checked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calorie cycling. That is the only thing that works. Do not listen to people telling you to eat 1000 calories all the time. That will cause many issues, such as clinging to every extra calorie when you eat a tiny bit more, which you will do, your body wants more calories.

Could you share some details about how you do this PP? Curious about whether you do every other day, weekends/weeks and the calorie differential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The day should start with a healthy breakfast, this cereal bar is likely 75% sugar and that is setting the tone of your day and leaving you hungry at the end of it.

oatmeal has no sugar in it - you add chopped apples and it's sweet but still, very low sugar. You can also add nuts for protein / calories.

do not eat pizza it is really high in fat and carbs - there is basically zero nutrients in a pizza and its something like 350 calories per slice.

Never have a soda, never have dressing, what is the "protein" you're adding to your lunch? There's a big difference between a can of tuna and a few slices of salami in terms of fats.

You don't have a clue.

How tall are you and what do you weigh? You might be trying to maintain at a weight that is too low for your height/frame. No pizza ever or no dressing is crazy.

I am European we don't eat like you do.

Why do people call themselves European? Why not just say you are Belgian or Swedish or Spanish or Polish? It’s almost like you’re trying “flex” because you think “European” sounds more worldly.

No, its because I don't want to be identified as the "Brit" or the "French lady" who may be posting elsewhere on here. It's a privacy issue but yes, as a side note - of course we're more worldly, because its easy to move around in Europe cheaply and quickly. Obviously.

OK European Poster!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calorie cycling. That is the only thing that works. Do not listen to people telling you to eat 1000 calories all the time. That will cause many issues, such as clinging to every extra calorie when you eat a tiny bit more, which you will do. Your body wants more calories.

Could you share some details about how you do this PP? Curious about whether you do every other day, weekends/weeks and the calorie differential.

I often have two weeks or so of eating anything as much as I want. Way more than some 1600-2000 calories that are recommended for me. I am 5'4" and at my "heaviest" now at 120lbs and 51 years old. I often skip lunch at work, though. Sometimes I skip breakfast. I sometimes eat all three meals and large ones, then I eat small portions for a week or two, then back to more calories. I do not follow some two weeks off, two weeks on, strict regime. Whenever I eat more, unless I do not stop for a month, I do not gain weight. Anytime I restrict myself to 1200 calories unless I was cycling before, I gain weight. This is something that I've always done without thinking about it. Only recently, I found out that it is called calorie cycling.
Sorry I can't be more helpful. It is just something I do not pay that much attention to, but I am sure if you google it, you will find out. There is science behind it, or so I understand.

[Anonymous]

Perimenopause hormone fluctuations has a lot to do with weight gain during these years, especially if you are seeing the weight gain in the belly area. HORMONES!

[Anonymous]

No carbs. No processed sugars. Cut back to 2 meals and a small snack. Water only. Getting to about 1,500 calories shouldn't be too hard.

[Anonymous]

Focus on protein and produce and get a fitbit. I find it really encourages me to walk more and has a big impact on my weight.

[Anonymous]

Eat less, smaller and fewer meals. Exercise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:46F. Cutting back alcohol was the first thing I did and saw immediate results. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep also works for me with weight control. I also upped my protein intake and cut down on intense cardio (made me super hungry). I do much more weight training now than ever. I don’t belong to a gym so I don’t do heavy weight lifting. I have a set of dumbbells up to 65lbs that I am working up towards. I don’t weigh myself daily but rather once a season. If I weigh myself daily and see I’m at an acceptable weight, I would relax on my eating and exercise routine and would stop weighing myself after I saw the weight creep up. But weighing myself once a season leaves me to strive towards my goals daily. Kudos when my stats are good when I get a DEXA scan. It has been working for me a number of years.

This is really good advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perimenopause hormone fluctuations has a lot to do with weight gain during these years, especially if you are seeing the weight gain in the belly area. HORMONES!

But what the hormones are doing is atrophying your muscles.

[Anonymous]

I don't know, but I empathize. I am 43 and have gained around 10 pounds over the last two years and am having such a difficult time losing the weight. I have always been active and never had trouble maintaining my weight around 135-137 (5'6") with a healthy moderate diet, but nothing I do now seems to help. I exercise 5-6 days a week for at least an hour, a combination of walking, biking and various strength-training and interval classes at the gym, and have cut calories to around 1300-1400 a day and the scale has not moved in weeks. It is frustrating to say the least. It was much easier to lose the weight after my three pregnancies.