44 and tired of this extra weight-Help!

[Ivy]

I'm fourty four this year. I've been working out for 25 years regularly. The last six months I have put on 9 pounds. Not a lot to some people but I'm only 5'1 and that extra poundage is noticeable. I've tried eating little, less cardio, more weights, less weights more cardio. Has anyone found themselves in this situation? What did you do? I don't even care anymore about being cut I just want the extra pounds off. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[icumom]

Aw IVY -same thing happened to me in the past 2 years AND I've developed sudden onset of shoulders collapsing from years of working out! Its change of life beginning, and the weight is nature, natural, and frustrating!

 

[Ivy]

You know I thought about that, but then you see other women around this age that still look great. I mean Madonna's fifty, not that I need to look that good, like I said I'd just be happy with the extra weight off. I feel like I've worked so hard for so long, this can't be it? I don't want to be perfect just not so heavy.

 

[Boingo1]

I work out 6 days a week (mostly Cathe) and if I eat OFF for ONE day a week, I will only maintain or gain. I've been working on the same 5-10 lbs for 2-3 years now. I turned 45 this year.

THAT is sooooo frustrating!

I wish I knew what to do too....

 

[paulababy]

Well girls, looks like a lot of us in that same boat! I turned 44 in April and have gained a few pounds this year too. I don't think that I've been eating more or any worse, and my clothes seem to still fit OK, but that scale just kills me! Hopefully someone will jump in here with an answer, but I think it's just nature as well. I feel like as long as I keep working out and feel healthy and strong, I need to forget about the numbers. But that's so hard to do .
Paula

 

[Ivy]

I get the working out to feel heathly and strong and at this age that's more important than everything else, but I'm actually looking lumpy and bumpy which calibrates into me not looking so good in my clothes anymore. Now that is extremely bothersome. I too don't eat anymore or less than I used to but I definitely don't look as well. Maybe I need to trade up my whole way of working out. It's very frustrating.

 

[amsterjo]

try watching ALL the hidden sodium

I am 41 and discovered hidden large amounts of sodium in "healthy foods", red bull and no calorie water. You all my try looking for the hidden sodium.

Amy

 

[complik8td]

Ugh.... I detest this particular phase in our lives.... .....it's certainly a time of change.

I, like you, am small.... 5'2-1/2''. I have never been overweight, but yes... and extra 5 or 10 lbs. on my small frame can be enough to make my clothes too tight and unattractive. I discovered this past April that I had gained 10 lbs. in only 8 months!!! Well, I got serious about wanting to shed the baggage and whaddya know......it's November and I'm 25 lbs. lighter!! My initial goal was to knock off at least 10 -15. Reaching 25 is just remarkable.... I NEVER would've thought I could do this! What I did, was monitor my calorie consumption, and I then increased the intensity, duration, and frequency of my exercise program. I used MyFitnessPal.com to monitor my progress. One piece of advice that I found somewhere... I don't know if was on the 'Net or in a mag, but.... it was an article about the A-B-C's of how not to gain weight while on vacation. Avoid: Alcohol, bread, and processed carbs. Well, I have been following this advice since I'd found it, and voila..... excess baggage GONE. Funny how when I tell ppl this, their response is generally.... "well, that pretty much means you can't have anything!" Yeah..... it's a commitment to "eating VERY clean".... something that many ppl aren't willing to do. Anyhoo.... that's JMP experience and I hope you have much success in reaching your goals. Stay positive.... you CAN do it!

 

[icumom]

Excellent point, because along with the "redistribution of weight" comes the "over it" feeling of a life of spartan discipline! I kept to a size 4 for years with pure self discipline and punishing workouts.....over it....
The heavy weight workouts of the last few years demolished my overworked shoulders - who knew it would happen - and I am sick of being so dang clean all the time!!!

That said, coming to terms with the fact that long term health can come by eating less (that in ITSELF the studies show) and moving more....and eating uber clean - it works

Can't compare all of us to Madonna at 50 -that's too harsh - that woman's JOB and personality is all about making her what she is and she can devote the hours a day to doing it- which she clearly does to be able to do a show like the one that she's doing...in fact, I'll bet she's dealing with the same stuff we are BECAUSE her figure looks SOOO extreme, like she's beat the hormones out of it or something! I remember in NY years ago, she told Rosie she ate 1/2 a bagel with butter as her NY breakfast splurge...that's a Madonna binge....

So, yeah, no bread,booze, sugar, or white fat....we all know it....and less calories in....despite al lthe exercise, still gotta slash.....sigh.....

GOOD PART - when I'm not in this crashing PMS depression (almost crippling, and that's new this year)- Ifeel much more sane and together....the neurologists site full development of the frontal lobe in the 40's that brings insight, wisdom and perspective...so it ain't ALLL bad....

 

[teddy16410]

Ivy~
There is certainly frustration in finding exactly what works for your body these days!
My personal experience (once entering the 40's) was simply HEAVY strength training 3 days per week (M-W-F)

Tuesday some type of Plyometrics or LowMax type cardio legs
Thursday a lite cardio of something different than Tuesday
Saturdays Kickboxing.

I also keep all my cardio type workouts to 45-60 minutes MAX!

When I stray from this formula (which was discovered during P90X) I gain bodyfat that wont go away. ~ Also my eating has to be pretty dead on to support the formula (more protein than starches)

I'm fourty four this year. I've been working out for 25 years regularly. The last six months I have put on 9 pounds. Not a lot to some people but I'm only 5'1 and that extra poundage is noticeable. I've tried eating little, less cardio, more weights, less weights more cardio. Has anyone found themselves in this situation? What did you do? I don't even care anymore about being cut I just want the extra pounds off. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[Pearlstrand]

Ivy, I had the same experience -- weight creeping on and staying in weird places, too! I never had a fat mid-section; I'm a hips-and-thighs girl, But then I got a roll that is often called a muffin top!

My advice: You really have to overhaul your diet and exercise program. I've found that by "cleaning" up my diet (lots of threads on eating clean), and increasing the intensity of my workout programs, I was able to get in much better shape. It has been slow progress, but it's progress nonetheless.

Because what worked before isn't going to keep working. Changes in hormones after 40-ish mean that you have to change to keep ahead of it. At first I was really unhappy about it, but I have to say that I've found clean(er) eating has given me more energy and eliminated those blood sugar swings that I used to get. And the increased exercise has given me more muscle definition and a leaner physique.

I feel better and look better, so that is a reward that keeps me going. And after a while you get used to eating better and it's not so hard. But at first: !

Good luck!

 

[fitover40]

I just finished reading the book "Apples & Pears" by Marie Savard, M.D. (found it while purusing the library shelves....yea, I'm a book worm).

Anyway, it was very interesting about why the different body shapes either struggle all their lifes with their mid section (apples) or struggle around menopause (pears), and explains why and what the different types of fat they store (viseral for apples and subcutaneous for pears) have different health threats and why pears start getting apple characteristics with the hormone fluctuations in peri and menopause. It even explained how some are maybe more like bananas and more easily can become apples as they age.

I thought it was an interesting read and it confirmed to me (an apple) why, depending on what I've ate, I've always put weight on easily in the mid section and not much in hips and thighs.

Also, maybe it's why us apples aren't maybe struggling as much with the issues as we age like pears do....apples have struggled all their lives with their mid section, while pears have loathed us for our thin hips/thighs. Those hips and thighs protect you from a lot of the health threats us apples have. Those same threats run along the same lines men have (ie. heart, cardiovascular, etc).

I've rattled on enough, go check out the book, maybe your local library has it.

 

[Ivy]

Wow, all of this is really good information and suggestions. It's so nice to know I'm not the only one. I refuse to think that there is no way to lose it, because I definitely don't want to start a cycle of gaining weight. Gaining weight at this stage in the game is just not acceptable. I'm going to try and be really good with my diet, but I'm thinking I'll need atleast one day out of the week to be a little off. I'm getting older now and I do enjoy french fries or a good burger every once in a while. I'll also try to switch up my workout routine. Thanks so much to all of you for your imput it's really nice to know that I'm not the only one feeling this way.