Is middle age spread inevitable?

[RobertSmithdoesmyhair]

I'm 53 and always weighed between 8.5-9 stones, with moderate exercise and a fairly healthy diet. Got my summer clothes out last night to try on and none of them fit me! I weighed myself and I have crept up to 9.5 stone.
Is this just a sign of being middle aged? I don't have time to do much more exercise than I already do and my eating habits really aren't too bad.
Do I just have to accept that this is how my body is naturally changing?

Yes

To a degree yes unless you want to be very very strict and ration your diet more

I’m the same as you- 5ft5 and my natural and happy weight was always 8.5-9 stone for about 25 years, varied little even with four pregnancies.

At 49 I’m now battling to stay at 9at5 and realise my portions need to be even smaller and the treats ever less frequent if I am to even stand still at this weight let alone lose to get back to normal

And I do a LOT of exercise- run, cycle everywhere, walk daily, swim, weights etc.

Happy days hey?!

No, it isn't. You will gain weight easier as you get older, especially through menopause, but you can lose it again.
I found things settled down a lot a couple of years after my menopause. The key is to exercise as much as possible and include some resistance training to keep your metabolic rate up.

I didn't think it was...however staying around the same weight is harder, let alone loosing weight at 52.
It doesn't seem to matter how much exercise I do nothing shifts. The middle is getting chunkier.
I eat well & watch my calories.
It's only Wednesday and I have been to the gym twice this week. Yesterday I consumed 1450 calories
This appears to be too much and I have gained a lb since Sunday.
I feel that if I don't watch everything like a hawk it would be so easy to gain a lot!

I think a lot of it is to do with attitude.

It gets harder to shift as you get older but, accepting it is like giving up. If you put eating well and regular exercise to the top of your agenda, you can maintain where you have been previously.

Good luck

No!

But it does take a bit of work to eliminate the inevitability

No. I am very similar to you op. I also have crept up but have suffered a bereavement recently and read something interesting about stress and cortisol creating stomach fat. Lots of us in 50s are dealing with various life stresses at the same time as many slow down a bit physically. Hmmm

That’s an interesting point. I have been under a lot of stress for the past five years and my body shape has completely changed even though I am the same weight.

I’m 61 and just today I was thinking how big my middle is now, I seem to have changed shape in the last few years but don’t seem to weigh much more, I just wear stuff like Seasalt and Whitestuff tunics now as a little blouse and jeans or chinos just emphasises it. Actually it’s quite depressing but I don’t think a diet will make much difference as my actual shape has changed, in my tunics I look quite slimmish still, it’s just fitted things that look horrible. 11 stone at 5’10 and size 14 so BMI is ok I think

Yes. Body shape just completely changes with menopause, my weight is the same, I couldn't lose weight round my middle, it just won't come off. I am skinny, 5'9'' 9.5 stone, but now have a nice, sturdy stomach.

If I tried to lose weight a) I would faint b) it would come off my already skinny legs.

I eat once a day and am 48.

Your energy needs tens to decline with age, so your TDEE has probably dropped and over the course of a year your weight may well creep up.

You need to discover your new age-related TDEE, and adjust your diet to meet your reduced needs. It's not impossible to diet; I lost a lot aged around 50. But you do need to find out your new levels.

There is no inevitability about slowing down/getting fat when you are as young as 50. You might need to reduce the amount you eat, but if you stay vigorous, it probably won't be by much

For me it is certainly not fat, simply body shape.
I can tell a slim menopausal woman a mile off!