I agree with those who say you should not immediately blame this on hormones. At 5' and 160lbs you are overweight. If your genetic tendency is to store the excess fat mostly on the belly, you will look the way you do, regardless of hormones. If you want to change that you need to lose fat overall. And yes, your belly might be the last to budge if that is your genetics but eventually it will go. Start tracking your calories and lifting weights and add some walking or gentle cardio and you will see a change.

Why do you think it’s your hormones? Have you tried dieting? You don’t mention an attempt to lose weight. If you want a quick fix, get on ozempic. You sound lazy.

It's called eating too much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t feel like myself. I have so much belly fat, and as a short person, it looks like I am massive.
There are people who have a lot more pounds than me, who look big, but who carry it well. They look ok. I look like an inflated blueberry.

I saw this reel today, and I thought, (btw, I don’t follow this woman or know anything), this is who I thought I would be at 40. This is sort of my energy and who I used to be. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIEmXKjJSxr

I know it might have taken this woman a lot of hard work. I have always, always been active though. I still am physically able and fit.. I just don’t look like I am.

Is it time for me to look at hormones? Hashimotos? Why don’t I look like this lady, when I used to feel like this, I used to be like this, and if you knew me in high school and college, this is what you might assume? Runner, soccer player? Now.. a huge belly.

Btw when I lose weight, I lose circumference in my arms and legs. But not as much in my face, neck. And center.

Hormonal imbalances play a huge role in weight gain. Many people are reluctant to visit an endocrinologist for some reason.

Looking at that woman, she is probably 5'6" 130-135lbs if you want a comparison to yourself.

Women who tend to store fat on the belly but not the legs, tend to have a hormonal imbalance and high cortisol levels. Lift weights and cut back on the carbs to almost zero.

I gain in my belly and I am hypothyroid. Cortisol was surprisingly fine.

OP, I get it. I have lost 55 lbs. after I got my TSH in line. There might well be something…but honestly once I did, the hard work started because I have had to change my entire outlook on food and eating, which is hard because I’m a hardcore foodie. I still eat everything, just very little of it and mostly OMAD, with another light snack.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t feel like myself. I have so much belly fat, and as a short person, it looks like I am massive.
There are people who have a lot more pounds than me, who look big, but who carry it well. They look ok. I look like an inflated blueberry.

I saw this reel today, and I thought, (btw, I don’t follow this woman or know anything), this is who I thought I would be at 40. This is sort of my energy and who I used to be. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIEmXKjJSxr

I know it might have taken this woman a lot of hard work. I have always, always been active though. I still am physically able and fit.. I just don’t look like I am.

Is it time for me to look at hormones? Hashimotos? Why don’t I look like this lady, when I used to feel like this, I used to be like this, and if you knew me in high school and college, this is what you might assume? Runner, soccer player? Now.. a huge belly.

Btw when I lose weight, I lose circumference in my arms and legs. But not as much in my face, neck. And center.

Hormonal imbalances play a huge role in weight gain. Many people are reluctant to visit an endocrinologist for some reason.

Looking at that woman, she is probably 5'6" 130-135lbs if you want a comparison to yourself.

Women who tend to store fat on the belly but not the legs, tend to have a hormonal imbalance and high cortisol levels. Lift weights and cut back on the carbs to almost zero.

That is exactly how I feel when my diet and exercise routine falter and I start to change physically so thank you for verbalizing it for me!

I would see your doctor as PP's have said just to make sure there aren't unknown factors causing the changes. I then highly recommend strength training. I had been a runner for decades, but it wasn't enough to help my body look and feel the way I wanted. I might have been lean, but i was incredibly soft and undefined.

I also have to eat extremely clean during the week (I do indulge on the weekends) to help avoid weight gain now that I am in my 40s, but doing so makes me feel great so it's worth saying good-bye to processed sugar, carbs, etc.

Yes, time to get a hormonal check.Looks like excess cortisol and/or metabolic syndrome

Causes can be:
- underactive thyroid
- high cortisol
- leptin resistance
- low or high estrogen,
- menopause, fluid retention, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

If you are above 40, approaching 43-45, your metabolism may have changed recently. Making it more difficult to regulate sugar levels and what you used to it may not work for you anymore.

Are you sleep deprived? STressed out? drink too much coffee? have an inflammatory diet ? (processed foods, lots of white carbs?)

Lots of things to explore. you can change this !

40yo 5’ 155-160 (a lot of work to move under 155, but 2 years ago I got to 145; almost never ever ever above 158.. 160 after an indulgent vacation maybe, lose it quickly).

I don’t feel like myself. I have so much belly fat, and as a short person, it looks like I am massive.
There are people who have a lot more pounds than me, who look big, but who carry it well. They look ok. I look like an inflated blueberry.

I saw this reel today, and I thought, (btw, I don’t follow this woman or know anything), this is who I thought I would be at 40. This is sort of my energy and who I used to be. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIEmXKjJSxr

I know it might have taken this woman a lot of hard work. I have always, always been active though. I still am physically able and fit.. I just don’t look like I am.

Is it time for me to look at hormones? Hashimotos? Why don’t I look like this lady, when I used to feel like this, I used to be like this, and if you knew me in high school and college, this is what you might assume? Runner, soccer player? Now.. a huge belly.

Btw when I lose weight, I lose circumference in my arms and legs. But not as much in my face, neck. And center.