Tips for avoiding middle age spread and bloating

[Dingdong99]

I'm 42, I'm slim, eat well and exercise regularly with weight and running. I also walk a lot

I've noticed a thickening around my waist, bum and hips in the last couple of months and can't seem to shift it

None of my jeans fit!

I also feel bloated and gassy a lot despite nothing changing about my diet

Are there any tips to help mitigate this? I don't really want to cut calories as feel I don't eat that much as it is

Oh the joys of getting older haha

Peppermint oil capsules for bloating are helping me.
HTH

Watching because I'm heading that way too. No weight issues per se but definitely see the middle aged spread coming

I was weighed at the doctors recently and to my surprise I am only about 4 pounds heavier than a decade ago. But omg my body shape has changed gone is my 24 inch waist it’s 4 inches bigger and my boobs are two cup sizes bigger. I bloody hate it so watching with interest.

I have started drinking a spoonful of apple cider vinegar with hot water, honey and lemon and I do Grow with Jo exercises including the ones targeting bloat. Both have really helped.

I think smaller portions more frequently help (rather than bigger meals). For me, I always need carbs but reducing bread / rice / pasta helps (tho potatoes are fine for me).

I should drink more water (tho I do drink a lot of herbal tea)

I exercise every day; it really helps, I find I'm more 'regular' - constipation & bloating tend to be issues for me in perimenopause.

I'm more toned & muscular than I was when younger so I've no extra weight. I do feel my shape has changed though but overall it's ok.

It's tricky; I think just observing what affects you is useful & seeing how you can tweak it.

Also following... I'm about the same weight as I was pre-kids (maybe a pound heavier) but there's no way my old clothes will fit anymore. Waist has totally spread. And my BMI is on the low end of the normal range so I don't feel like I can deal with it through dieting (I eat healthily anyway). If anyone knows the answer, I'm all ears! Is there some sort of magic, waist-restoring exercise regime that works???

We have to exercise a lot more and watch what we eat. Is the only eat!

I’m 43, still strong / toned from a lot of Ashtanga yoga but I have much less leeway than in my 30s. smaller portions, lots of veg each day and and a lot less sugar helps me. Let’s see if I can maintain through the next decade, I’ll definitely try.

Definitely smaller portions. I think 'maintenance and not growth' when eating. So fewer carbs, less sugar and alcohol. Exercise every day, don't eat too late in the day and an evening walk. These things have made a difference to me and I can still fit into trousers I have owned for over 25 years.

Several people saying they weigh the same or similar to when they were younger yet are larger. It's because we lose muscle mass as we age so you have more body fat which means you've ended up bigger but same weight. Up your resistance training to build up muscle mass. This can help reduce body fat and you hopefully will shrink albeit stay the sane weight

try a spell of OMAD or similar.

Avoid milk in coffee / tea - drink water or black tea / coffee to avoid the extra calories through the day.

Eat protein / healthy fats / veg before any carbs especially on empty stomach as the body will grasp onto the carbs and convert to fat - eating protein or similar beforehand slows the metabolism of the carbs.

Drink green tea and / or matcha with a squeeze of lemon juice in it. Both help the body lose weight and prevent hunger.

@journeyofinsanity

I'm very muscular, very low body fat. I exercise a lot to achieve this. I agree with you, but also am affected by bloating / stomach distension. It's not noticeable to anyone but me but can feel uncomfortable.

I also notice my appetite has changed. This is possibly due to stress & lifestyle. I often don't want to eat & can end up snacking instead - sometimes healthily, sometimes not. Too much sugar, which I find hard to address. Even though I exercise a lot, I often exist on chocolate which is very poor I know.

1. Cut out sugar. 2) Go lower carb as carbs turn to sugar. Look on the backs of the packets as you can compare, eg some rice is 25g carbs per 100g but some is 70g carbs per 100g! This has helped me slim down a bit.