Advice for maintaining weight into 40s

[Anonymous]

I’ve been the same weight minus during pregnancy basically my entire adult life. However, suddenly as I enter my 40s, it’s clear that the weight is starting to increase despite mostly healthy eating and exercise. I will admit that I consume a lot at night and little in the day typically. I also usually have wine and dessert. This has always worked for me, but I’m wondering if now at 41 I need a new approach if I want the scale to pause. I can’t exercise more than I do (weight and core and about 5-6 miles of cardio 3-6 days per week depending on schedule). I also eat tons of produce and am not much of a meat eater.

For others who have always been slim and fit while still being able to indulge, how did you manage it into 40s to maintain and not steadily gain? I would add more strength training if helpful, but I am skeptical that’s the difference (and fear it’s the wine and dessert).

[Anonymous]

You obviously started eating more than you used to or you are moving less in general due to the pandemic despite your exercise. The formula does not change in the 40s. If you overeat relative to your activity you will gain weight at any age.

[Anonymous]

Start tracking your calories and see how much you are consuming on a regular basis. Then find a TDEE calculator and see what you should be eating. There is most likely a difference in what you are eating and what you should be eating.

[Anonymous]

I just find that every few years (not just in my 40s), I have cut back on some of the "treats". I'm 43 now and weigh the same as I did at 30. I, however, no longer eat potato chips with lunch, eat significantly less at each meal (especially of carbs), never snack at night anymore where I used to quite a bit, only have ice cream a once or twice a week, and I don't drink much anymore. There are certain recipes I make that I've been making for a decade and sometimes I remember the portion size I used to eat and realize that now I feel full with half of what it used to be.

I think the key is to make gradual changes. I don't miss any of the above. I still have all of it sometimes, just much less frequently. But because it's not totally off limits, I don't feel deprived.

[Anonymous]

I’m 42. Had kids at 35, 37, and 39. Each time it was much harder to lose weight and maintain it between pregnancies.

Now at 42 I eat very small portions, almost nothing indulgent, and have cut way back on desserts. Exercise hard 5-6 times per week just to maintain. It’s just aging.

I’m not sure if at some point I will just give up and out on those extra 15 lbs, so I can relax on my diet.

[Anonymous]

I was fortunate to be able to eat a lot and stay relatively thin for most of my life. It started catching up with me in my mid to late 30s after my second child, and now I find it really hard to keep weight off in my early 40s without sticking to a very restrictive diet of little to no carbs or sugar.

I am 5’6” and weighed 130-135 for most of my life without ever watching what I ate, but not my body wants to be at 145 which I am just not happy with. At the same time, I hate not ever being able to indulge and don’t necessarily want to live my life that way.

[Anonymous]

I am the same weight now as pre kids, ages 13,11, now. I am 45 and it is a constant battle. I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted, though have never been a fan of sweets and have always been a clean eater. In the last 6-7 years, I have nearly cut out all carbs, and do not eat much red meat any longer. I have had to increase exercise and have added in weight training which I do not love. In order to maintain, I work out at least an hour every weekend sometimes also walk a few miles, and on weekends it is at least two hours each day as I have the time. I do a mix of running, spin bike, weight training and yoga once a week. It’s a slog but it works (for now ).

[Anonymous]

Pp here. * every week day

[Anonymous]

Eat less overall, indulge less frequently, daily weight to keep in check

[Anonymous]

Instead of eating 2-3 meals every day, eat only 1 meal less than 500 cals every other day.

[Anonymous]

I am 43, babies were at 35 and 37, and honestly it has gotten harder every year over 40. I eat almost no carbs at all, wine is pretty much my only vice, and I work out 6 days a week. With that, I am about 5 lbs more than I weighed in college, although my body fat is pretty low and I think a certain amount is muscle. One trick that has really helped me is to weigh myself EVERY DAMN DAY. I cut myself some slack the week before my period because I always shoot up then, but otherwise, if I am more than 2-3 lbs above my target weight I dial in way back for a couple days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 43, babies were at 35 and 37, and honestly it has gotten harder every year over 40. I eat almost no carbs at all, wine is pretty much my only vice, and I work out 6 days a week. With that, I am about 5 lbs more than I weighed in college, although my body fat is pretty low and I think a certain amount is muscle. One trick that has really helped me is to weigh myself EVERY DAMN DAY. I cut myself some slack the week before my period because I always shoot up then, but otherwise, if I am more than 2-3 lbs above my target weight I dial in way back for a couple days.

* it way back

[Anonymous]

I think many people don’t understand that if you want to continue to drink at the same level as you get older, you either have to accept extra weight or REALLY cut back elsewhere while maintaining a high level of exercise. And honestly, the latter is hard to do because alcohol is harder on your body as you age and you may instinctively handle that by eating more or exercising less.

Try cutting out most alcohol (maybe limit to 1-2 drinks a week). See what happens. I think you will see weight come off and stay off more easily. And if you find it is mentally/emotionally hard, then you will have learned something useful about your relationship to alcohol.

Also, people are drinking too damn much during Covid. Try therapy or knitting instead.

[Anonymous]

In covid due to less bodily movement, I have to pick one - alcohol or dessert. I don't have both in one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think many people don’t understand that if you want to continue to drink at the same level as you get older, you either have to accept extra weight or REALLY cut back elsewhere while maintaining a high level of exercise. And honestly, the latter is hard to do because alcohol is harder on your body as you age and you may instinctively handle that by eating more or exercising less.

Try cutting out most alcohol (maybe limit to 1-2 drinks a week). See what happens. I think you will see weight come off and stay off more easily. And if you find it is mentally/emotionally hard, then you will have learned something useful about your relationship to alcohol.

Also, people are drinking too damn much during Covid. Try therapy or knitting instead.

Tea is a better substitute. It's comforting and mimics the movement of drinking alcohol.