I am starting to accept that some weight gain is inevitable.

I've always been super skinny. I stopped drinking in my late 30s and my appetite has naturally diminished in my 40s. I eat more grains and lean proteins (when you eat less overall, this is what you crave anyway). I exercise 5 days a week, including lots of strength and resistance training. I'm very fit.

And yet I've still put on weight in the last few years. I think it's just the age. My body has decided I need to have more weight in my midsection. It's not a ton of weight and it's not continuing to go up, but I'm still 10 lbs heavier in my 40s than I was in my 30s, despite exercising more diligently, quitting alcohol, and eating less and better foods.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

It is a real nutritional thing because of how fiber is counted on food labels, what are you blathering about

LOL. Sweetie. No, it's not. And, it's not counted that way on food labels. It might be a bold type claim on the front of the packaging (see "marketing thing") but it's not an actual nutritional concept. But please, by all means, find where the FDA acknowledges "net carbs" as a thing on food labels. I'll wait.

Here you go:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#synthetic_fibers

FDA requires labels to count nondigestible fiber as "carbohydrates" even though it is, in fact, not digestible. A "carbohydrate" that your body does not digest is, of course, substantively different than a carbohydrate that your body does digest:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#beneficial_physiological_effects

So yes, it is a "nutritional thing" to consider the two separately, and the only way to know how much carbohydrate in a packaged food is a digestible carbohydrate and how much is not, is to consider the "net" carbohydrate, or the amount that is digestible.

NP here- enough with the suggestion to not eat carb in order to lose weight. half the world lives off of carbs and are not overweight. carbs DO NOT make you fat. Too many calories make you fat.

It’s ok that we disagree! But as a female who spent many years doing the moderation, eat mostly plants, avoid pizza/dressing suggestions this is the ONLY thing that helped me. I read Women, Food and Hormones and found it very helpful. It doesn’t work well for everyone across the world, but they aren’t in the same situation or life stage as me.

Thanks for the book suggestion.

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.

It's hard to write something here without it sounding overly critical, but I mean it in a more compassionate way than it might read.

OP -- you description of your diet sounds incredibly imprecise and lacking in filling nutrients. You eat a cereal bar, a garden salad, and then nothing at all until dinner? You are an adult woman who moves through the world, and an adult woman needs sustenance. What you describe is not it. That leads me to believe that you are unconsciously snacking throughout the day and/or over indulging at night.

You have to start writing down what you are eating and how much before you can really get a handle on things.

This is what I eat every weekday. I don't keep snacks at school and I don't keep them at home because I will eat them. I do not have time to sit down and eat oatmeal every morning. I already wake up at 5 am and that is early enough for me. I'm always looking for something more filling for breakfast but I'm not waking up earlier to eat it.

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.

Anonymous wrote:What’s in those salads you’re eating?

Usually a mix of spinach and other greens, cherry tomatoes, sometimes a crumble of brie or gorgonzola cheese, cucumber slices and a tablespoon of regular ranch dressing.

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.

I am European and eat pizza at least once a week!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

It is a real nutritional thing because of how fiber is counted on food labels, what are you blathering about

LOL. Sweetie. No, it's not. And, it's not counted that way on food labels. It might be a bold type claim on the front of the packaging (see "marketing thing") but it's not an actual nutritional concept. But please, by all means, find where the FDA acknowledges "net carbs" as a thing on food labels. I'll wait.

Here you go:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#synthetic_fibers

FDA requires labels to count nondigestible fiber as "carbohydrates" even though it is, in fact, not digestible. A "carbohydrate" that your body does not digest is, of course, substantively different than a carbohydrate that your body does digest:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#beneficial_physiological_effects

So yes, it is a "nutritional thing" to consider the two separately, and the only way to know how much carbohydrate in a packaged food is a digestible carbohydrate and how much is not, is to consider the "net" carbohydrate, or the amount that is digestible.

Neither of those links discuss “net carbs.” Try again.

Are you aware of what "net carbs" means? If not I understand your confusion.

It means nothing. The concept of “net carbs” is that you can deduct fiber from the carb total to get a net figure of carbs. That is NOT a valid nutritional concept. It’s complete malarkey. And neither of the links you provided assert that.

Yes, the links explain why the marketing term of "net carbs" exist. Because, under FDA labeling terms, "carbohydrates" includes both non digestible fiber and also digestible carbs. So, as I explained to you, it is necessary to separate (subtract) them to understand what you're actually eating.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

It is a real nutritional thing because of how fiber is counted on food labels, what are you blathering about

LOL. Sweetie. No, it's not. And, it's not counted that way on food labels. It might be a bold type claim on the front of the packaging (see "marketing thing") but it's not an actual nutritional concept. But please, by all means, find where the FDA acknowledges "net carbs" as a thing on food labels. I'll wait.

Here you go:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#synthetic_fibers

FDA requires labels to count nondigestible fiber as "carbohydrates" even though it is, in fact, not digestible. A "carbohydrate" that your body does not digest is, of course, substantively different than a carbohydrate that your body does digest:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#beneficial_physiological_effects

So yes, it is a "nutritional thing" to consider the two separately, and the only way to know how much carbohydrate in a packaged food is a digestible carbohydrate and how much is not, is to consider the "net" carbohydrate, or the amount that is digestible.

Neither of those links discuss “net carbs.” Try again.

Are you aware of what "net carbs" means? If not I understand your confusion.

It means nothing. The concept of “net carbs” is that you can deduct fiber from the carb total to get a net figure of carbs. That is NOT a valid nutritional concept. It’s complete malarkey. And neither of the links you provided assert that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

It is a real nutritional thing because of how fiber is counted on food labels, what are you blathering about

LOL. Sweetie. No, it's not. And, it's not counted that way on food labels. It might be a bold type claim on the front of the packaging (see "marketing thing") but it's not an actual nutritional concept. But please, by all means, find where the FDA acknowledges "net carbs" as a thing on food labels. I'll wait.

Here you go:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#synthetic_fibers

FDA requires labels to count nondigestible fiber as "carbohydrates" even though it is, in fact, not digestible. A "carbohydrate" that your body does not digest is, of course, substantively different than a carbohydrate that your body does digest:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#beneficial_physiological_effects

So yes, it is a "nutritional thing" to consider the two separately, and the only way to know how much carbohydrate in a packaged food is a digestible carbohydrate and how much is not, is to consider the "net" carbohydrate, or the amount that is digestible.

Neither of those links discuss “net carbs.” Try again.

Are you aware of what "net carbs" means? If not I understand your confusion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF, keto with whole foods, and weight training.

100% this
Women’s hormones at this stage are tanking and you often need to restrict carbs to see a change. This is particularly true if the weight is accumulating around your waist (the spare tire). Try tracking your carbs for a month, staying under 20 net carbs a day, and I can almost guarantee you will lose weight.

"Net carbs" isn't a thing. I mean, it's a MARKETING thing but it's not a nutritional thing. So ignore this nonsense. Also, 20 a DAY is ridiculous. If you do under 40 a meal, you'll be fine. Most people consume hundreds of carbs a day without realizing it -- and don't eat enough fiber (which does make carbs easier to digest, but again, "net carb" is not a thing).

Best thing to do is write it all down in an app. Every meal. It will make you more mindful.

It is a real nutritional thing because of how fiber is counted on food labels, what are you blathering about

LOL. Sweetie. No, it's not. And, it's not counted that way on food labels. It might be a bold type claim on the front of the packaging (see "marketing thing") but it's not an actual nutritional concept. But please, by all means, find where the FDA acknowledges "net carbs" as a thing on food labels. I'll wait.

Here you go:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#synthetic_fibers

FDA requires labels to count nondigestible fiber as "carbohydrates" even though it is, in fact, not digestible. A "carbohydrate" that your body does not digest is, of course, substantively different than a carbohydrate that your body does digest:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-dietary-fiber#beneficial_physiological_effects

So yes, it is a "nutritional thing" to consider the two separately, and the only way to know how much carbohydrate in a packaged food is a digestible carbohydrate and how much is not, is to consider the "net" carbohydrate, or the amount that is digestible.

Neither of those links discuss “net carbs.” Try again.

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.

Just want to say you do need some kind of strength/resistance training, but it doesn’t have to be barbells to be effective. I’m a woman who builds more muscle, more easily than I would like when I lift heavy. For me, I feel best (and I think I look best) when I’m doing more endurance-style resistance training. Think Peloton bootcamps and strength classes, things like solidcore or Pilates, etc.

If you don't like running, try swimming or intermediate/difficult yoga. (I'm also a woman in my 40s, and swimming and yoga help my tremendously with my belly. walking doesn't, unfortunately).

lift weights.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some women on this board who are insistent that if you avoid rich/highly caloric foods, something is wrong with you. But there is a good reason so many people in America, who eat pizza and ranch even only sometimes, are so fat. If i eat 1800 calories a day while working a desk job given my height, body fat percentage, and workout schedule, I will *maintain* an obese weight. Only 1800 calories. A pretty moderate diet, by American standards.

There is a world between putting on five or even ten pounds in your 40s and 50s, and being obese. Also, it sounds like you might be an extreme case. Perhaps you need more rigid rules about NEVER eating pizza - and others of us need some balance between a generally healthy diet and a general acceptance that bodies change as they age.

At size 16, it seems like I'm actually a very normal and average case.

What were you before you hit 40? That's the salient difference here. The question is, what do you do if you put on some weight in your 40s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some women on this board who are insistent that if you avoid rich/highly caloric foods, something is wrong with you. But there is a good reason so many people in America, who eat pizza and ranch even only sometimes, are so fat. If i eat 1800 calories a day while working a desk job given my height, body fat percentage, and workout schedule, I will *maintain* an obese weight. Only 1800 calories. A pretty moderate diet, by American standards.

There is a world between putting on five or even ten pounds in your 40s and 50s, and being obese. Also, it sounds like you might be an extreme case. Perhaps you need more rigid rules about NEVER eating pizza - and others of us need some balance between a generally healthy diet and a general acceptance that bodies change as they age.

At size 16, it seems like I'm actually a very normal and average case.