to try to do something about my ever-growing tummy (but what??)

[Octoberfest]

I need your advice about my booming waistline. I'm a slim and quite fit/active person and, if you looked at me from the hips down, you might even say I was skinny...but my waist is pretty wide (never had a small waist) and seems to be expanding by the day. I just measured myself for an item and my waist measurements qualified at XL, my hips as S!!! I've got to face it, I'm a turning into a total apple.

I'm 55 and on HRT and can no longer go running due to knee issues (this used to be a big hobby of mine). I eat pretty healthilty (though I do have a glass or two of wine or beer ~4 nights a week). I don't think I need to lose any weight, I just need to shift some of my spare tire.

Anyone else experience this? Any tips on what to do? I'm guessing that increasing my exercise (eg bootcamp) might help to turn fat into muscle, but what about things to avoid eating (I'm cutting down on alcohol, but wouldn't want to give up completely)? Any tips gratefully received.

Well the only things you can attempt yourself are diet and exercise but you can’t spot reduce fat.

Maybe see your doctor in case there’s an issue at play.

Beyond that, you can try things like surgery or liposuction.

If it’s always been like that then surely that’s just how you’re shaped?

Try probiotics for good measure

Have you had a doctor check it’s not a tumour growing?

I knew someone with this issue and it was a tumour.

If you are otherwise slim with a really big and growing tummy, I would get it checked out

I think you need to see a doctor about this. Hopefully it is just weight gain but it sounds odd.

See a doc, and then low carb?

We're all different, but i low carb hard my tummy does start to shrink. Plus 250 crunches every morning.

Eat high protein, in a calorie deficit, and do strength training. Limit sugar. Eat only whole foods.

A day of meals for me might be:

• Greek yoghurt, blueberries, flaked almonds, honey
• a 3 egg mushroom omlette
• cashew nut butter on apple slices and a few squares of dark chocolate
• a chicken breast, with vegetable tagine and bulgur wheat

With strength training, lift "heavy" weights, ie, as heavy as you can manage for 3 x 8 reps.

I agree it’s worth getting checked out. I knew someone with a massive and growing cyst in her abdomen - it was not picked up on for years despite repeated trips to the GP. Once the medics discovered what was really causing the “bloating” it was removed as a matter of urgency and, bingo, problem solved.

It’s hard to tell from this post but I think need to get medical help- could be fibroids or worse stomach cancer. My aunt thought it was post menopause belly and it turned out to be stomach cancer. She left it too late and died soon after diagnosis.