To be sick of the mid life weight battle

[Mangetoutrodney]

Urgh- I am 46 and feel like I am fighting a weight battle with my hormones.

I eat a dairy free veggie diet thats healthy (I eat eggs so not vegan), exercise 4-5 times a week and barely drink. I calorie track to about 1500 a day & also do 5:2.

One weekend of drinking 2 nights & eating a bit more than normal and I have put on 4lbs. I know some of it will be water etc but I feel like I could literally PILE on the weight if I wasn’t all over what I eat.

It’s like constantly treading water but watching virtually everything I eat & drink & exercising like mad to not put weight on. I am not naturally skinny either so have always had to work at it but it’s feeling really hard to stay a normal weight/ healthy.

Aibu to be fed up- I am perimenipausal & it’s wreakng havoc. Anyone else had similar?

I def think I eat too many carbs & need to look at that! Being virtually vegan means diet is quite carby so need to focus on decent proteins & avoid the bread!! I don’t eat much sugar really

I started a thread on this very subject today, OP. I feel your pain.

Me too. If I watch what I eat like a hawk I can just about keep my weight under control. If I eat normally for a day I put on pounds!

If you cut back on the carbs (apart from green veg) and up the protein and fats you will probably feel less tired. That has been my experience. Low carb isn’t perfect but I do have loads more energy. We eat a lot of saturated fat on the low carb diet and I believe that is a key thing.
Agree it is harder for semi vegans-thank goodness for eggs!
I wouldn’t do a cardio work out more than 3x a week either as it will just make you more hungry. I would be knackered too.
The next Low Carb Bootcamp on here starts in May if you’re interested.
I do believe it’s 80 % food 20 % exercise for weight loss

I should say lower carb veg not just green veg
Cauliflower and celeriac are two really versatile lower carb veg that are great substitutes for potatoes and offer the “comfort factor”.

It's just miserable, isn't it? I remember when I was 20 and I'd eat the same as my boyfriend and I'd lose weight (and he'd gain weight ha ha). Oh how I miss those days of eating whatever I wanted!

I'm 49 and have lost 30kg over the past 10 months through a combination of healthy eating/calorie counting and exercise. I'm now back to a normal weight thank goodness but it has been SO DAMN HARD. I have PCOS, I take steroids and I'm peri-menopausal so it has felt like a very long uphill battle. I'm also a shocking emotional eater which doesn't help. I LOVE eating. I've found the only way to get the weight off - and keep it off - without living on only 1200 calories is to exercise like a demon. I exercise 6-7 days a week, sometimes twice a day. I walk everywhere. It feels like if I'm not in the gym or walking, I'm washing bloody gym kit. But it's worth it to be able to eat what I want within reason. Although I won't be saying that when my alarm goes off at 5.45am tomorrow to get to my 7am HIIT class. Just have to keep reminding myself about the calorie burn.

Hundredmiles, I am the same about exercise

It is so good for the mind though, gives you a boost and a lift

I am happiest when I am physically tired and aching a bit (weirdo) and it means I can eat things like steak and chips for dinner without putting on weight

But it is quite a project

Also, hat off to 30kg weight loss!!!

I've had this problem since I was 30, with it getting worse each year and leveling off by around age 40. Keeping it under control is all about finding a strategy that works for you. Some people prefer dietary restriction, I personally favour one meal a day Fri-Sun inclusive. I found fasting for the majority of the day to be somewhat like running: at first, it feels utterly impossible (I spent the first 3 times thinking nearly constantly about food) but, eventually, it becomes a habit and your body adjusts.

The biggest benefit I've found to my method is that I don't get hangry if I'm delayed in having a meal Mon-Thur (used to be a big problem, nearly cost me a promotion).

Could have written this post myself.
In the space of two weeks I’ve put on 5lb, despite exercise and only eating roughly 1200 cals per day (except for Saturday and Sunday when I went out for a meal - no pud)

I just don’t understand it, especially as I used to eat whatever I wanted.
So, so hard. I favour eating strictly on weekdays and only one meal per day at weekends. Shame I love food so much!

I might try the one meal a day at weekends thing- I think I just go a bit toast mad. Although to be honest, a couple of slices of toast & marmite at the weekend is hardly a sin but it currently means weight gain 😳🙄

I’ve struggled with my weight since puberty - currently late 30s, bmi is just in the obese range. About to embark on another health kick and determined to be fit at 40.
Not sure if having always struggled makes things better or worse!

I might try the one meal a day at weekends thing

Best of luck, I'm afraid that it's quite likely to be absolutely horrible the first couple of times (try to find something actively engaging but not physically demanding, like a game to distract) but perseverance really pays off.

Cut out carbs completely for awhile then gradually introduce them back in but whole grain stuff.

Same age, I have lost 1 &1/2 stone since jan after religiously logging everything I eat and drink in my fitness pal.

I thought I ate healthily, and I did! I just did not consider how many calories I actually needed compared to how many calories I actually ate. The amount of calories in the 2 satsumas, one banana and an apple I ate as a ‘healthy’ snack!! It was learning my tdee that was key.

tdeecalculator.net

Learning that to maintain my weight needed just 1650 cals and that to lose I needed to eat 20%less has been eye opening. I still go over my cals plenty of times (wine) but am now easily able to make changes to make allowances for the days I have wine. My poor morbidly obese DM still clings to the “I can eat 2000 calories a day” thought and can’t fathom why she can’t lose weight, no matter what I say.

I’m with you there. I have to be incredibly strict to lose any weight ie, no crap, low carb. I use MFP and it works but I haven’t got the willpower to stay with it.
I need to eat about 1300 cal a day to lose and about 1400 to maintain as I’m small built but have a belly like a tellytubby!

Why is this so important to you?

You eat healthily, you exercise. What does it matter what you weigh unless you are hugely overweight and have health issues?

I have given up and embraced my new shape and size. Life is far, far too short to go around tracking and restricting and dieting, IMO.

Why is it so important to be thin, especially as you get older. Being a healthy weight is enough surely.

Being fit and happy in yourself is so much more important, IMO.

Yeah me too.

Typical daily diet is :

Scrambled eggs
Greek yog and low sugar apple compote

Big salad for lunch with lentils, chick peas, tuna, chicken, feta. Or a massive bowl of lentil and veg soup with cottage cheese

Chicken casserole, chicken curry, fish in tomato sauce with baked potato and veg in winter
Steak, chicken, pork chops etc done on bbq with roasted veg or a salad in summer

Treat is wine.

I never eat choc, biscuits, cake, crisps, sweets, donuts etc.

Very occasionally I'll have bread, rarely pasta and rice.

Give up dieting and just do more cardio exercise. I'm slimmer now than ever before as I stopped thinking about calories, started trying to eat more fruit and veg, and started running 17 miles a week.

Also if you haven't already, give up diet coke etc. And all diet foods.

Thing is, I'm 37,5'5 and have a sedentary job.

What more can I expect?