Sudden onset of middle age spread - how to get rid of it!

[AlwaysTheGoodGirl]

I'm new to the exercise board so apologies if this has already been done to death, but having always been skinny, body of a 12 year old boy basically, as soon as I hit 46 I developed a podgy tummy and I don't like it at all. When I sit down, my tummy sits on my legs like when you're six months pregnant. I run once a week for about 6-7 miles, but I need an exercise regime to work on the bulge. I've seen all the abs and crunches and wall pilates videos on instagram, but not sure how useful they really are. Any advice welcome. Even if it's to tell me this is all perimenopause related water retention and that I'm stuffed. At least I'll know!

@AlwaysTheGoodGirl Prior to perimenopause and menopause, I was like you - skinny and didn't have to exercise. With hindsight, I realise the lack of exercise was mistake as it made having to start exercising so much harder. In one respect, i was lucky in as much I already had food intolerances earlier in life so managed to avoid it during in menopause. Looking at what you eat, I would bloat and be full of wind just looking at that stuff. You need to radically overhaul how you eat. Look at FODMAPS to see which foods could be making you bloat. Intermittent fasting also worked well for me too.

Also, not all exercise is equal. I know it's said over and over again on all threads about perimenopause, but strength training and building muscle is the best thing to do along with low impact steady state cardio such was walking and swimming.

Good luck with it all.

No-i don't as a rule eat one meal a day-but that's what I have to eat to lose weight. When I'm trying to lose, I eat two eggs at about 12 and a healthy dinner, lots of water and that's about it. Sort of a variation on fast 800/intermittent fasting. It's the only thing that works and even then it takes weeks.
My body has sort of got used to the walking. So when I eat normally-3 meals a day, plus the odd snack and wine on weekend nights, I'm left with skinnier (or toned at least) legs and bum, and then a few big roles of fat from belly to under boob. It's a bit grim and hard to dress.
I've been a size 10 since I was 15. All of a sudden since Turning 43 last year I'm a 14. It's not massive but it's bigger than I'd like and I don't carry it well as it's all around my middle.
I probably should see the Dr but mine is one of the ones you read about where there it's takes an hour to get through and then there are no appointments and it all feels like too much effort!

@MajesticWhine I did pilates classes for years but gave it up recently as I have some family things that are taking up a lot of time on an evening, and I don't know if it's a coincidence but I have noticed the weight coming on since I stopped going. But at the time, I felt like it was doing nothing for me, it was just an evening out of the house.... Is it really more useful than I gave it credit for???!

Also, a question for everyone, what form of 'weightlifting' is the best? There are so many different things you can do, what do I specifically need to do? My DS15 keeps giving me advice as he does quite a lot of weights, but I don't think he appreciates the difference between my old woman body and his!

I keep getting spam about wall Pilates. I might give it a go. I don't think I can do weight lifting. I broke my arm a few years ago and it's really weak and also I just don't know where to start either.

I look back at the skinny photos of me - could eat, drink whatever. Then hit my 40’s and I’m struggling- the weight around my stomach, face & chins. The rest of me pretty not bad.

Im constantly hungry & looking for snacks - craving bad foods :( drink plenty of water and only one coffee in the morning - herbal teas the rest of the day. Exercise. I’m still putting on weight or holding at the heavy weight.

If I could just shift a stone I’d be happier :(

I'm the same. I can lose 2lb by going keto/fasting then one piece of toast on a Sunday and it's all back on again. It's infuriating. Saw a photo of me at the weekend and I look like a very jolly chubby farmers wife. In my head I look like Paula Yates. It's heartbreaking 😄

I find weight lifting helps. Just try a few on YouTube to see what you like.
I avoid eating before midday (else I am starving all day). I do eat breakfast on a Sunday.

I don’t usually eat after dinner. This has reduced eating into a 6/7 hour window. You do get used to it.

It sucks - Dh can eat anything.

I’m now going to reduce Ultra processed foods significantly to see if that helps. My bmi is normal 20-22. I’m mid 40s.

Question - does anyone only eat home made bread and avoid all supermarket bread? I love bread but I’m sure i increase a kilo just by sitting next to a loaf! Is it the large quantity of salt that causes bloating etc? Or other ingredients?

I can't go below about 15000 or 16000 calories, I just can't. I feel so hangry and utterly depressed.

I've been working out most nights recently (cardio) and my fitbit tells me I burn around 550 cals a session. Surely a good chunk of this must swallow some of my eating calories? I use hand weights throughout but I don't do a weight programme specifically.

If I still need to do the cardio but also starve to the point of anger then I just don't know what's next. I'm in hrt anyway, it's worked great for stopping hot flushes. What else is there?

I'll see how it goes anyway. I haven't put any weight on this week so that's a win I suppose 😂

I was a size 8 until I hit menopause then went to a 12. It is depressing. I have recently got back down to a size 10 by simply cutting out eating any rubbish, so I mainly eat fish, veggies and rice (I don't eat meat). By not eating crisps or chocolate, or snacking, I've lost several kilos. I also do 5 or 6 reformer pilates sessions a week and I now have abs! But really, it's down to what you eat. I don't eat out much anymore or eat takeaways which helps. And drink less alcohol. Can't say I miss the crisps etc and I feel healthier for it.

No, it's not the salt. Again, it's down to the changes in our guts during perimenopause - falling oestrogen levels can affect the way that we digest our carbs, so if you tend to have a high-carb diet, with lots of food such as bread, pasta, white rice, those kind of foods, they can take a lot longer to digest as well, and that can cause bloating, too.

Yes snap. I'm 41 and peri menopausal. Normally a size 10 with excerise and eat healthily. Now I have a big round fat tummy, and neck. The only thing that works now is fasting. I was doing so well, i was nearly back to a size 10, but slipped (when my mum passed away) and gone back to being a rounded lady. Hoping to restart it again. There's actually a great group on here.

This is all so useful, thanks all!! I haven't eaten white bread for about a year, always wholemeal, same for pasta, but will try to use more brown rice. More fish, chicken and eggs. I always have veg with whatever I cook on an evening, so I suppose I'll just have more.

I don't drink alcohol anyway, or eat crisps, so nothing to cut out there. But I must admit I am a bit of a biscuit monster with cups of tea, so that's something I can get rid of. My only joy in life!

Yesterday's McDonald's breakfast was a one off, I don't normally eat breakfast at home, but sometimes have a cereal like granola about 11am at work.

Lots of stuff to work with here. Thank you!!

People say it’s declining oestrogen levels but when I tried hrt for a while I put on 7lbs in 2 weeks. Stopped hrt after those two weeks and no more weight gain 🤷🏻‍♀️

I do pilates for 45-60 minutes daily and it really helps to tone the body. If your issue is your stomach then there are lots of great exercises that helps strengthen your transverse abs which holds your stomach in.

I have also noticed that I have to eat less and less as I am entering my mid-40's so I now do 16:8 fasting which has really helped shed those last couple of inches of flab around my stomach. I have only done it for three weeks and have only lost about a kilo and a bit but it has made a huge difference to the stubborn fat area around my middle. With 16:8 I get to enjoy feeling full for parts of the day, and seeing it makes a difference makes the hungry hours feel like a breeze. It takes a week or two though before you see any results on the scales or visually.

HRT can take time to figure out the right levels, and also the right type.

The initial dosage of oestrogen I was given was way too high for me, so yes, I gained weight because this meant the rest of my hormones were out of balance. It's not just about replacing oestrogen but ensuring ones hormones are still balanced. Some of the HRT delivery systems such as patches make it difficult to reduce the dosage as needed. Also, many GPs just don't understand HRT and how to prescribe it.

I persevered, and am now on the the lowest possible levels of oestrogen but in combination with higher level of progesterone and a touch of testosterone.

HI I can only sympathise as I have the same problem! I've started weight training at my local gym and the trainer has given me a choice of 2 workouts to do 3 times a week. It being going really well and I have lost the top "extra" stomach (although still have a lower pot belly) but unfortunately I have also lost a bit of weight off my bum and thighs which as a thin person I really did not want! Anyone know the answer to this problem? I've been eating healthily, given up wine but not cut down on food as such.

One fistful of protein per meal, one fistful of carbs and two of veg. Also really struggling to lose weight. Also join the plank thread