to be fucked off that I can't get rid of my belly! Is this it now I'm 46???

[soupdragon321]

So,, I'm a fairly fit individual. Have done yoga and pilates four times a week for nearly ten years. Have been running 5k 3-4 times a week for over eight months. And yet, I have not lost a single lb or inch from my waistline. I am getting seriously pissed off and I can only think that this is simply down to the fact that at 46, my body is just not going to do what I want it to because it's in early menopause and the 'thickening' of the waist is a real thing! Don't we women have enough shit to deal with! My weight has gradually increased over the past year to over 7lbs more it previously was. It seems so bloody unfair that despite all the exercise and healthy eating, I'm never going to have the body I'd like. Yes, maybe all the exercise is preventing me from being even BIGGER at my current age then i would be if I did nothing, (yeah, great, work your ass off just to stay the same which is more than you were originally! How depressing!!) but it feels that once you're over 40, unless you are genetically blessed, or choose to literally starve yourself (and life is far too short for that), then you just have to suck it up. ARGH!!! Rant over, just wanting to see if anyone else feels the same.

If there are any specific 15-20 minute YouTube workouts that anyone could recommend that would be great.

So much on there it’s hard to know what to do.

femtwist
It is difficult to say what YouTube video would be best.
I just put in 15 minute workout for women ( I made an assumption about you, sorry if I am wrong)
There are suggestions for beginners, more advanced, circuits, homecwirkbout etc. Have an explore. The Gillian Michael's shred is always popular though!

At the opposite end of the scale to The Shred, I like Lucy Windham Read’s workouts like “7 minute 7 days”

I like the idea of 7 mins

notacooldad thank you! There seem to be so many shred workouts but I can’t find the original Gillian Michaels.

Shred isn't on You Tube but it can be found on other (possibly Russian) websites if you google.

Jillian Michael's is on YouTube. She was just an example for femrwist though.
7 mins of fitness sounds about my level at the moment though!!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=695PN9xaEhs&list=PLUd5w2-q-Kd-Epip7JkLuXnikKEnE7b8k&index=3&t=0s

She was just an example for

Place marking

At the same time you could learn to love your tummy. Not easy i know but im 40 and sort of beginning to think lide is too short to worry about this crap. Annoying but if you think about it tummies are where the food sits so to have a washboard takes more effort than im prepared to give.

Life even!

I've found dropping my carbs a bit helps with the belly Soup. Try an omelette for breakfast for a week and take before and after pics. I'm not an advocate for 'no carb' diets (despite the name) but they do seem to help with the belly.

Thisvthread is so depressing...of vourse being healthy is desirable but most of us have had kids. As we get older should we really put all our efforts into our tums or enjoying life, travelling, sicialising, learning new skills etc.
I guess if having a flat tum will make you happy then go for it.

Typos! Agggrrr!

I suppose keeping healrhy is v important as we age though

my friend was like you - slim, but a (to me!) tiny belly. She took up weight training and her figure is to die for now. And she eats much more than she used to. You need someone to make out a plan for you though. If you're in a gym already get them to write up a plan for you. And then change your diet - cut out the porridge, and bread, and ramp up the protein. I have a very long way to go - be glad you'll see changes very quickly. It's about changing the ratio of body fat and muscle in your body. Simply by doing that you will firm up your belly. You might even put on a few pounds, but once the body fat is reducing and the muscle weight is increasing you will see the results on the measuring tape and in your clothes and in the mirror. Good luck. You're in a good position really. Wish I was where you are now lol.

She was just an example for
I clearly posted to soon. I've now forgotten my point!!!!

It IS possible to be slim and healthy (I found this out when I was getting pains in my hands at 45 or so) my gran had terrible bent up hands. So I studied Food Combining; it is NOT eating heavy carbs and proteins at the same meal. salad sandwiches ok but not ham, beef or cheese sanwiches. Also only eat fruit on an empty stomach.

It works I lost weight and flattened my belly (without intending to) also the arthritis and IBS disappeared !!!!!!

I guess if having a flat tum will make you happy then go for it.
Cant you aspire to have a flatter tum and still travel, socialise, learn new skills malificent7?
I have just come back from travelling in Kosovo with my friend ( socialising) but I'm going to the gym before work this afternoon ( I'm on a training course so learning new skills!!!)
I've still got a wobbly tummy but it's not as bad as it was!!!

retaining fat around the middle can be a hormonal thing too.
Make sure you’re getting enough rest and not over exercising.

I would agree about swapping out one or two of your runs for strength training.

Just be careful that you don’t do what I do and put on a stone when you start weight training because you hear ‘make sure you’re eating enough calories’ as ‘eat like a teenager’.
I’m losing the weight now and the year I’ve put in weight training is really showing, I look way better than when I was just running.

malificent7 weight around your middle is also unhealthy. I think it's Ok to want to reduce it because you don't like how it looks/feels, but it's also a good idea in order of increasing your chances of good health into old age and so being able to do all that other stuff for longer.

I've never had a flat, washboard stomach and I don't expect to get one, nor am I relying on that for happiness - but i do want to avoid it getting bigger and bigger.

Don’t we women have enough shit to deal with?

You’re looking at the wrong ‘shit’ there’s nothing wrong with your belly, it works just fine and is fit and well as you say. The problem is not your perfect belly which is doing its job, it’s the mysogony that has us all thinking we’re less than shit if our bellies don’t look the way the media portrays a perfect woman (perfect for who???) looks.

So have a good look at that lovely belly that is doing what it should and give it a break from your criticism. You don’t need to look like a magazine cover to be perfect.

Aiming for a flat tummy is not stopping me from enjoying my life. I just get a kick out of it, and like feeling strong and fit.

Anyway, update at my end.... I went to the gym after work yesterday, and tried out squats and lunges with heavy weights!

(Luckily, they had some in the stretching area, as the free weight area was full of very muscular men! Seriously, not a woman in sight in that section).

I managed, my back was fine, but my thighs are properly struggling today. If any of my work colleagues are on here, this will completely Out me, as it's a massive effort to walk to the printer.

notacooldad Thank you so much. Will give that one a go tonight!

Weight training, swimming, aerobic exercise and low carb diet will help greatly.

I lost my tummy and the post pregnancy weight gain from my first pregnancy when I had to go on a low carb diet in my second pregnancy recently. I’m slimmer than I was pre-first pregnancy and my stomach is flatter. I’m sure I would never have lost weight around my middle without the low carb diet. I did a half marathon after my first pregnancy and I didn’t lose weight from my middle as I wasn’t eating less. As others have said, it is always the what goes in and if it is excess calories, you won’t see any weight loss.

Surely it's everyone's choice what is important to us and at what age malificent?

FWIW, I do have a flat, toned and defined stomach at the age of 47. I'm proud of it - because it's so strong. It's a result of taking up weight training to support high volume endurance running, I didn't go out to try to achieve a washboard stomach but knowing at the end of a marathon that my core strength won't let me down, and that's because I work hard for it, that's good to me.

I go to the gym with my Dd and DH, so it's something we share. I run 50 miles a week.

Yeah, I also travel, socialise and enjoy life but actually - knowing the exercise you have to do to achieve this strength is a new skill I've learnt.

I don't care that others don't have the same priorities, that's cool, but it's okay to want this too.

Ps - eat like a horse, buts it's mainly good shit.😁