Anonymous wrote:I’m a European woman who travels home regularly so I have hope I will not gain a ton of weight after menopause. I’m 45 now and a the same weight I was when I was 25. However; I learned during my pregnancies that hormones can take over to the point where I have absolutely zero control over my body. I just hope menopause is easier on me than my pregnancies were. I gained a lot (and lost it easily once the hormones subsided, basically my willpower and habits had nothing to do with either the pregnancy gain or the subsequent loss).

Anonymous wrote:I spent the first half of my life trying to put on weight and the second half, trying to take it off!

Because I was very thin growing up, I ate lots of food to try to fill out. In fact, I could eat anything I wanted and as much as I wanted until my mid-thirties. As a result, I did not establish healthy food habits, so when my metabolism slowed down mid-thirties, then further mid-forties, and mid-fifties, I had to learn good eating habits and continue to refine them. I would imagine if I had healthy eating habits from early adulthood, I would never have put on an extra 30 lbs.

Additionally, while I did lots of cardio in young adulthood, I wish I had started strength training earlier. This really is the key to staying strong, having your clothes fit well, and managing your weight.

Anonymous wrote:Bodies actually fall apart at death. Anytime before that, you can influence and improve the functioning of your body.

Anonymous wrote:I'd be curious to hear what some of the men have to say about this question. My sense is that most of the responses thus far have been from women though I could be wrong.

Anonymous wrote:Look up Susan Nierbegall, Joan MacDonald and JJ Virgin on Instagram. I'm following their plan.

Anonymous wrote:I’m almost 51 and had three kids in my late 30s. I was never my ideal weight but I was a size 6 in my 20s until child number three, when I just never managed to lose those final 10 pounds.

Having three kids, including two with SNs, has brought its challenges, especially since I work full time too. While my diet isn’t horrible, over the years the temptation to eat my kid’s’ leftovers or join them with pizza, coupled with the challenges of getting exercise and a slowing metabolism have made the weight steadily increase. I’m now 5’5” and 162 pounds, squeezing into size 10 work clothes in denial of the fact that I should really wear size 12.

Fast forward, I start my Ozempic journey today. Wish me luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I’m premature in saying this as I’m “only” 40, but so far it hasn’t been an issue and I cannot fathom it will ever be. I’ve managed to have three kids with normal weight gains and able to lose it without drastic measures within a year of each baby.

I work out regularly, but more importantly, I weigh myself regularly. At least a couple times per week. Weight cannot creep on if you don’t let it. 5-10 lbs can be easily gained in you live on athleisure and don’t weigh yourself ever. Then another 10 if you don’t make changes and so on. But if you are happy with your weight and monitor it, you can adjust what you eat and your exercise as the needs of your body change with age. While a few pounds may be acceptable to gain with age, there is no reason anyone has to become overweight or obese as they age if they actively take steps to maintain a heathy weight

So I used to say exactly all of this when I was 40. ALL OF IT. Couldn't understand how anyone could ever let themselves gain weight like that, always thin, easily lost all weight after my pregnancies within a matter of just weeks, could literally eat whatever I wanted, etc, etc.

I'm now 46, and I am shocked at how much this has changed for me in just the past year or so as I enter the perimenopausal stage of life. The body changes in this stage of life are very real. For the record, I'm very athletic and have been all through adulthood: competitive runner, workout 5-6 days a week, very toned. And I'm still very much in shape. However, my metabolism is nothing like what it was; it has completely tanked. In my 20s I used to eat an entire pound of pasta for dinner most nights, no joke. No way would that fly now. Just over the past year or so, I gain weight way way more easily, and it's much MUCH harder to lose, even just a few pounds. My weight management strategies of years past just don't work anymore. I read some interview recently that Heidi Klum only eats like 800 calories a day to stay thin at her age. Just a few years ago I would have thought this was nuts, but now that I'm "here", I completely believe it.

I still wear the same size, and I'm still the same healthy weight I've had all through adulthood. However, it is MUCH MUCH MUCH harder to keep it that way. I'm definitely eating crow from the way I viewed this earlier in life, even just a few years ago. More power to you and your 40 year old self, PP, but it's not nearly as easy as you think it is now.

I definitely recognize it is harder to maintain weight as you age and your body requires less. But as long as your actively are in tube with what your weigh and adjust your eating, there is no reason you need to gain 20+ lbs with age

DP Sure what happens when you get arthritis in your knee or your ankle goes out? Think that will not happen to you? You are dreaming,

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I’m premature in saying this as I’m “only” 40, but so far it hasn’t been an issue and I cannot fathom it will ever be. I’ve managed to have three kids with normal weight gains and able to lose it without drastic measures within a year of each baby.

I work out regularly, but more importantly, I weigh myself regularly. At least a couple times per week. Weight cannot creep on if you don’t let it. 5-10 lbs can be easily gained in you live on athleisure and don’t weigh yourself ever. Then another 10 if you don’t make changes and so on. But if you are happy with your weight and monitor it, you can adjust what you eat and your exercise as the needs of your body change with age. While a few pounds may be acceptable to gain with age, there is no reason anyone has to become overweight or obese as they age if they actively take steps to maintain a heathy weight

Oh, honey.

Start fathoming it.

Anonymous wrote:I'd be curious to hear what some of the men have to say about this question. My sense is that most of the responses thus far have been from women though I could be wrong.