Middle age spread. How do you shift it?

[fartmeistergeneral]

Over 40 and trying to shift a spare tyre that has been growing round my middle. I get that I could be (ahem) doing sit ups for the front bit, but how do you shift the muffin top at my back? Big budgy bits above my bum.

when you find out will you let me know. Im in the next age bracket and its horrible. I play badminton 3 nights a week and i still cant get rid of it

You don't unless you're a really good girl.

You buy bigger holdy in pants and deeper waist jeans. And wear slightly looser tops.
Like I do

Body Combat! and diet....

I asked my trainer and she said the only way is to do enough cardio that your overall weight goes down as those bits aren't muscle. Sigh.

double sigh. That's a lot of jiggling about!

However, thanks for the tip. Have been running, but obviously need to run for longer each time.

Apparently strength training is supposed to speed up your metabolism as well, have you tried interval training as well? That means instead of running at normal pace, run as fast as you can for a burst then jog then as fast as you can again etc - I've been told that increases your fitness at a faster rate, something to do with maintaining a higher heart rate for longer.

I do find seeing a trainer helps though, it costs but keeps me motivated - not just for the times I see her, but the rest of the time as well as I'm expected to do a further three sessions a week.

As the once proud owner of a growing spare tyre the only thing that did it was diet both inflating and deflating it.

Excercise can help by improving muscle tone around the midriff but to really shift it I needed to stop eating bread, cakes and biscuits and drinking anything other than moderate amounts of white wine. Eating more protein, fruit, veg and drinking plenty of water meant I didnt starve myself or feel hungry. I do plenty of walking, house cleaning and gentle but frequent excercise like gardening. Sit ups and short but intense tiring gym excercise will not shift it. Eating in the evening, drinking to much or eating too many carbohydrates instantly makes me put the weight back on. I weigh myself every day in the morning and and cut back if I start putting on weight.

I found moving house helped. Shifting boxes and running up and downstairs made me drop 5 kg in 2 weeks.

It is totally shite isn't it.
You eat well and excercise and stay braodlythe same weight for 20 years and then suddenly you change shape and it is all so much harder...

Mine suddenly accelerated when i hit what I am sure was peri menopause which had the double whammy of making me whiney and emotional about it and I was suddenly much more tired.
I have started using a natural progesterone supplement and that has helped my mood and tiredness and, having tipped over the 10 stone bracket for the first time ever, I am now down to my more normals 9 1/2 range.

I am 50 and am very skinny apart from my middle.
I have to really watch what I eat, and have started Pilates, which is making me feel and look better.
I go to the gym- but don't particularly enjoy it- however realise I have to make the effort.
I'm 6 feet and weigh about 11 stone 6- and fit into size 14 clothes.

Does Pilates really make a difference? Never tried it but am willing to give it a go. Was examining my fat kidney area. How did that get there??? Am now trying to avoid bread, as I think that's my downfall. Running, will only be able to gym once a week, but I do enjoy that. Will also try swimming.

Paggy - whats the name of your natural progesterone supplement? Do you think you need to have peri menopause or menopause actually confirmed before taking it? Ta.

I like Pilates as it's all about control, and small movements, as opposed to hoofing around (which I am not good at)
Definitely worth a try- I feel very calm after the class too.