Anonymous wrote:I am round and my waist is fat. My arms are flabby and chubby. I am an apple that’s become bigger.

I used to be so petite effortlessly

Stop blaming your age and look at what you're eating. You are clearly in denial attributing it to a young age of 30 something. Talk to me in 15 years. Actually you'll probably be morbidly obese a diabetic in 15 years. Get control of it now!..

Anonymous wrote:That’s not a late 30s body. That’s you. But if you want to improve things before menopause hits in 10-15 years, this is a great time to start.

+1

My mid to late 30s to mid 40s were my best years physically and when I felt the most attractive and when I got the most compliments on my appearance.

Late 30s is when it starts, OP. If you're not using it, you are losing it.

At 38 I started seeing the same things you are and realized that I had had the good luck to be skinny fat. I started seriously working out and completely changed my diet. Five years later, I am in the best shape of my life.

I understand where OP is coming from. I’m 33 and in the past few years, I’ve seen almost all my previously slim friends put on considerable weight. I can only imagine what it’s like in your late 30s.

But now is the time to really pay attention to your diet and exercise. You won’t be able to be “effortlessly petite” anymore, but you can be still be fit and healthy.

Anonymous wrote:
I hear you, OP. Exercising is so unpleasant. However, my goal is to stay healthy for as long as possible, and look nice, so I make some attempts in that direction. No idea why some people actually *like* exercise! I want some of those endorphins!

If exercise is so unpleasant, the rest of your life is too easy.

You CAN get your body back but you need to start now and be consistent. For me I have made it a goal to exercise everyday. That can be a 3 or 5 mile walk, a bike ride, lift weights at gym, hike, a yoga class, etc. It doesn't matter what, just try to use your body everyday. I also try to eat in moderation and really only when I am hungry. I limit alcohol to celebratory events. It took about 8 months to really get into this routine and now it's easy to maintain. The best part is my body and weight are back to what they used to be and I feel like myself again. Start now and just keep at it, OP!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Some people here are mean.

Some people get injured or sick.
Take a medication that causes weight gain.
Have a child or adult family member that requires a lot of care.
Have an eating disorder.
Work shift work that messes with your metabolic rate.

Not everyone has time to workout 5x a week.

OP. Muscle mass decreases with age. Some people are naturally more muscular than others, those who are not have to work a bit to maintain it.

I am not thin because I "workout 5x a week". You are wrong if you think exercise is what makes me not have a large belly. It's because I don't overeat. And I eat dessert 3-4 times a week, I just don't eat a ton of dinner on those nights.

I don’t eat “a ton of dinner” either and I’ve never been thin. The caloric difference between being thin and not being thin isn’t a “ton” of food.

Dp. No, but exercise makes a difference. I eat about the same calories now, as I did when I was obese. The difference now, is that I workout 6 days a week. Instead of storing that energy on my body as fat reserves, it's being used in energy expenditure.

Yes Shirley, CICO. If you move more, you can eat more and maintain the same weight. But "working out 5x a week" isn't enough to change your weight if you are sitting all day.

What on earth? Of course it is. Unless you're eating total crap.

An hour, 5x a week is plenty to change your body.

I hear you, OP. Exercising is so unpleasant. However, my goal is to stay healthy for as long as possible, and look nice, so I make some attempts in that direction. No idea why some people actually *like* exercise! I want some of those endorphins!

Late 30s is still young. I'm an early 40s mom and in the best shape of my life. And I'm not genetically gifted or anything - my parents are overweight and I was too when I was younger. I eat right and work out. That's it.

Anonymous wrote:OP is late thirties. It's a late thirties body. He rmetabolism has slowed. It takes more work to maintain a middle-aged body than a young body.

Actionable advice is great, but don't be obtuse about it.

Read books by Dr William Li - he says that metabolism doesn't slow until 60

I'd recommend high protein and weight training - very helpful for me at 50 plus

Anonymous wrote:I am round and my waist is fat. My arms are flabby and chubby. I am an apple that’s become bigger.

I used to be so petite effortlessly

30’s was still easy to stay in shape

After 60 gets much much harder

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Some people here are mean.

Some people get injured or sick.
Take a medication that causes weight gain.
Have a child or adult family member that requires a lot of care.
Have an eating disorder.
Work shift work that messes with your metabolic rate.

Not everyone has time to workout 5x a week.

OP. Muscle mass decreases with age. Some people are naturally more muscular than others, those who are not have to work a bit to maintain it.

I am not thin because I "workout 5x a week". You are wrong if you think exercise is what makes me not have a large belly. It's because I don't overeat. And I eat dessert 3-4 times a week, I just don't eat a ton of dinner on those nights.

I don’t eat “a ton of dinner” either and I’ve never been thin. The caloric difference between being thin and not being thin isn’t a “ton” of food.

Dp. No, but exercise makes a difference. I eat about the same calories now, as I did when I was obese. The difference now, is that I workout 6 days a week. Instead of storing that energy on my body as fat reserves, it's being used in energy expenditure.

Yes Shirley, CICO. If you move more, you can eat more and maintain the same weight. But "working out 5x a week" isn't enough to change your weight if you are sitting all day.

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Some people here are mean.

Some people get injured or sick.
Take a medication that causes weight gain.
Have a child or adult family member that requires a lot of care.
Have an eating disorder.
Work shift work that messes with your metabolic rate.

Not everyone has time to workout 5x a week.

OP. Muscle mass decreases with age. Some people are naturally more muscular than others, those who are not have to work a bit to maintain it.

I guess if OP mentioned any of those things, we can help her troubleshoot. But she didn't. She's lamenting that her body is affected by age and now she has to do something, anything.

Also, honestly, the "Not everyone has time to workout 5X a week" is not a very compelling when people on this board waste so much time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Some people here are mean.

Some people get injured or sick.
Take a medication that causes weight gain.
Have a child or adult family member that requires a lot of care.
Have an eating disorder.
Work shift work that messes with your metabolic rate.

Not everyone has time to workout 5x a week.

OP. Muscle mass decreases with age. Some people are naturally more muscular than others, those who are not have to work a bit to maintain it.

Not one person has been mean. We are telling OP they aren’t stuck. If they don’t like it, THEY HAVE the ability to change it!

This. I’m so tired of women being told it’s normal to start gaining weight, feeling tired, blaming everything on the hormones when they’re in their mid-30s, and not even close to the age to when some of these things start happening. Ladies take charge of your health, fitness, and well-being.

It probably is normal when you don’t eat well, don’t move, don’t build or maintain muscle, drink, etc. The reality is you HAVE to eat well and be active and get sleep and drink water and not smoke and reduce/eliminate alcohol to look and feel great as you age. Op is starting to feel the effects now but it’s early enough to change.

I have been listening to a podcast recently called Wiser Than Me. Julia Louis Dreyfus interviews older women about life and whatnot. TO A ONE, all these women mention the importance of staying active to feel good as they get older. It is so imperative for your overall health.