Late 40s, menopausal and fading

[Swedes2]

I haven't as yet submitted to the full beard and elasticated waistband trousers. But heck, it's hard isn't it? I absolutely love clothes, make-up, and all that shit.... but I am becoming more and more interested in my garden (not a euph). Last night I went to the garage to buy milk in my gardening clothes.

Anyone else going through the same thing? Have you any tips you can share?

What is best way to start running? I assume I need special trainers - any tips on ones to get?

I hope people will post their progress on here so we can all feel the positive vibe.

Worst thing for me (apart from lack of sleep) is that I had a breast reduction last year (36 H to 36 DD) and now I have dear little beautiful breasts and a mid section like a stout barrel. I think I had not noticed the stomach under all the boobage!

noddyholder Someone will be along in a little while to extol the virtues of the Shred dvd.

I know it works, but I hate it so much.

Just weighed myself on the wii and my little mii's t-shirt is too small for her fat belly. I'm at the top limit of my healthy weight range. It's just so awkwardly distributed.

My face now takes about 8 hours to settle into position. Two years ago, I could look vaguely OK by 11 am.

My upper chest is covered in thread veins. No potions are helping and I can't afford laser treatment.

I have a gunt.

Must do something. But what? How? When? And will it make any bloody difference?

What is a gunt?

A gunt? How awful!!

It is a delightful bulge/shelf of flab located midway between ones gut and ones cunt.

Often, but not always, exaggerated by a section scar.

HTH

Haha I am not doing the shred thing will just up my walking and do some pilates

Yeah .. gunt here too.

It was still there even at my thinnest and most toned miniegg.

faustina you're so right about losing the weight sooner rather than later. I put about half a stone on at xmas but I've found it really hard to shift this year through normal dieting/exercise and have had to up my game.
minnieeggfan - I only run on the treadmill at the gym - started in about March and already can see a difference with my gunt. Can go up to 5k on the treadmill now from about 5 mins when I first started! I just got some running trainers from Sportsworld. I haven't yet got the courage to run outside though. Will running make my face sag?

It all sounds like such hard work!
Maybe I will make a feature of the gunt instead.
At school I was taught by a troop of nice middle aged ladies who all looked 7 months pregnant. They just tied their belts above their bellies and got on with it.

but once we have the flat tummies we can keep them that way surely?

Everytime i start an excersize prog i end up feeling really ill. It knocks me bandy for a week. Walking on a treadmill is fine but anymore is a no no. At our time of life is walking on a treadmill really enough?

sadly probably not

LadyCorny you have inspired me to get on the treadmill.

chipstick you probably have to work up to it veeerrry gradually. The tendency for so many people trying to start a fitness programme is to jump in with both feet and immediately increase time / speed /incline all at once in order to see results. Then you get ill and are set back a week. If you are doing, say, 20 minutes try first doing 4 of those minutes (in the middle) at a sort of trot. Do that for a couple of weeks, then increase the time you are on the treadmill by 10% (2 minutes). Etc. It doesn't seem like much but well within a year you will be doing 30 - 40 minutes of jogging or even running. HTH.

Pondering . . . maybe that is the answer for Ms Sausage Thighs here . . . I must get off the cross trainer and onto the treadmill. Again.

Like the idea of some sort of booster club for us perimenopausal mners -- something to feel good about even if no amount of exercise, creams etc will make me look like a 20 year old supermoddle.

If I just up the exercise a bit and eat less I do usually see results ESP low carb. Apparently 200 less calories a day after 45! I am going to have to seriously address eating out and wine I think that's my downfall.

200 less calories a day?! Bloody hell.

My dp is hopeless as support he just says you look ok enjoy yourself but he is 50 with a six pack and the body of a 20 yr old who goes to the gym every day! Thank god he is bald

I am working my way into an exercise regime.
I really admire people who just go "right, I am going to the gym 3x a week" but I have history of back problems and I end up hurting myself.
Plus I can only exercise around caring for ds2 and dd , which means that during holidays it becomes difficult and that gets disheartening.
I do dynamic yoga for 1 1/2 hours every week and the difference in my back is remarkable.
And I keep doing weeks of shred. And I got wii zumba for mothers day and that is a killer.

I have found it hard - putting on a stone over such a short period and just not being able to lose it. Really depressing. But getting compliments on holiday helped a bit. It is like someone said up thread, I think I am a young looking older woman rather than an old looking young woman.
I get lots of "fucking hell really?" when people hear I am 50 this year. I guess that just accepting that shift in attitude is the secret.
My ds1 having his 18th and going to uni is a good time to do this. All part of the change I guess.

Do I sound like someone trying to convince themselves

Anyone here bought the Ines de la Fressange book? Any good? I ask because she is une femme d'un certain age and yet a)thin and b) a style icon and c) did I mention thin?

I'm 42, and not ready for this thread yet

For inspiration I give you Emmanuelle Alt age 45 and age 54

BTW, I seriously cut back on dairy and wheat about 6 months ago, and I'm skinnier than I was at 20. I know it's a bit extreme, but gets results.

I love this thread as I am finding it inspiring. I think the worst thing is I have always taken how I look for granted and now I can,t