To ask about middle age spread

[SpeckledHem]

Since my mid forties I have gained weight which collects around my tummy and hips. I don’t eat any more, or differently compared to any other part of my adult life. Despite being active and following a healthy life style my weight seems to be going up not down and it’s really getting me down. Is this about age rather than calories?

@Mum0509

Age. Low carbing can help. Also check vitamin d levels. Deficiency can lead to more fat being stored.

Ooo..now this is a lot easier to do... And one should be taking it anyway

@GoodnightGrandma

Ive done 10,000 steps a day and it makes no difference. It’s actually just 60 mins of walking.

It makes a difference in combination with other measures. Basically it’s eat less move more.

This is a really good thread!

During the Summer I decided I had to do something about my weight gain. My weight had drifted up over the last 4 years and particularly during lockdown. I am 51.

A friend at work told me she shifted 16lBs over a 3 month period by cutting out Potatoes/Pasta/Rice/White bread. Cutting back on alcohol.

I got myself a fit bit, upped my steps to 15000 steps daily. Its approx 10k per day. If I don't make the full 15K daily I make sure I make up for it at the weekend.

My daughter got me using an app called Fitness pal to track my daily food intake. My target is 1200 cals per day.

Also, I log my weight daily on a free app called Libra. I find this really helpful!

I got used to not having the Carbs with my meals, I substituted in small portions of cous cous, noodles or small amount of brown bread. Found it difficult to completely cut them out.

I also cut out Red wine and started drinking Gin & Slimline tonics (only approx 3 a week). Don't get out much! LOL!

I've lost 23lbs since Jul21, but on days when I jump off the wagon I can really see the increase, so I have to watch myself.

Its true to say I can't eat the portions of food I did in the past, my metabolism has slowed down.

The walking has really helped, I find it difficult to get the time to go to gyms, but I think I need to start swimming or something to tone up.

wow, I can't get above 5000 steps in an hour of brisk walking.

@lljkk

wow, I can't get above 5000 steps in an hour of brisk walking.

Are you tracking your steps all day though? I usually do a few thousand a day just pottering around the house.

Yeah it's shit.

My daily expenditure to just maintain is 1300 calories and I am disabled so cannot exercise much. So I either eat 1000 calories a day to try to slim, or have to face my growing tum.

Quitting alcohol is a great place to start.

I remember reading a similar thread 5 years ago and being quite smug about losing the weight, well that smugness has bitten me on my arse.

I still have a very active lifestyle, typically eat between 1200-1400 calories a day and the weight has creeped up and sticking to the middle. Just a bit rubbish so watching with interest.

I’m in my mid forties and struggle to lose weight too. However, I’ve always loved carbs ❤️ Bread and potatoes and rice. Reading this thread is helpful but I do feel sad that I can’t get away with eating what I used to

Me too. I'm hovering around half a stone more than I'm used to. Im too tight and stubborn to buy clothes the next size up so I've started swimming and thinking about 16:8

So a word of encouragement, what I have found is that since I’ve been doing 16/8 my appetite has decreased and I don’t feel anywhere near as hungry as I used to. The weight stays off now without it feeling a huge effort.

Macro counting!
I am 52 and the lightest I have been for years! I have tried every diet going and this is the most sustainable and produced the best results.

Now working on resistance and weight training

I just looked up Macro counting -- no Fing way am I aspiring to eat 171 g of protein/day, and 50% of my calories from fat. Sod that.

Selkiesarereal

I remember reading a similar thread 5 years ago and being quite smug about losing the weight, well that smugness has bitten me on my arse.
Exactly that, coming to the end of my 30s it started to hit me, now at 41 I can grab more than a few inches, and that's with an active job, playing with the kids etc. When I turn sedentary it's gonna be interesting (whispers: but I am not giving up bread!!!)

I'm in my 60s- fat belly, fat upper arms, big heavy boobs - flat saggy bum

@Hoesbeforebroes -- Fitbit calc's about 5000 steps / hour when I'm dog walking. Up to 2000 steps/hr if I'm very briskly tidying up inside the house.

I prefer lifting weights to doing cardio, although I do a little of the latter too. It burns more calories than cardio when you factor in your metabolism being raised for up to 48 hours afterwards as opposed to only 30-60 minutes with cardio.

I also remember a study where the participants weight trained and their resting metabolism increased by 6%. I think was partly due the fact that muscle burns calories. I think it's something like 3x the amount that fat burns per lb.

I started circuit training at 50. Had been very sporty and slim when young then most exercise for years was walking. Doing the circuits really helped me tone up. I didn't lose loads of weight but l lost inches as l toned up and best of all l felt stronger and younger! I love it and it is mentally helpful too. Plan a new exercise that will be a shock to your system.

Sorry, it was 9% their resting metabolism increased by, although it was men.

Lots of women seem to think they need to train with light fluffy dumbbells etc, but really strength training like men do gives the best results. Maybe not as much focus on biceps/triceps etc, but defo squat/deadlift etc. Heavy compound lifts torch calories.

Another fan of 16/8. After a while, it feels so good. I don't eat after 8 pm and sleep so much better for it. Definitely the only thing I have tried that has brought my waist back down. Done it for about a year ñow ànd don't even think about it except when I see threads like this.

I eat absolutely loads. That's what I love about strength training.

I find weight loss slow, with lots of seemingly never-ending plateaux.

Before I was 40, it was easy to lose 2lb a week. Now I struggle to lose 2lb a month.

I've gone from BMI 33 to BMI 24 since January, though, so it can be done.

@lljkk not sure where you got those stats from but I don't eat 171g protein per day and 50% of my calories don't come from fat

Your macros should be set according to your weight/height etc so will vary from person to person. I only focus on calories and protein and let the carbs and fat fall wherever.

It's a balanced diet - no food group is banned and I don't feel hungry as it doesn't force you into starvation. It's so flexible which is why it works for me. It's probably the healthiest I have been and it's taught me how to fuel my body so it's sustainable and not a short term fix

I used a macro planner, Rachel something, put in all my numbers, said I was an 'endomorph' (*), target = maintain weight, and it said this (~170g protein). Same answer if body type = 'unknown'.

Which free macro nutrient planner do you recommend?

(*) decades ago I got assessed according to an Ayurvedic system & it said endomorph, so I stuck with that.

Just playing with other macro planners... The calc's seem to hinge a lot on how 'active' I am. The other estimates are 111 or 135 g protein/day. Still 2-3x more than I could imagine wanting on regular basis.