I was a skinny kid. When most girls were starting to buy their first junior size pair of jeans, I had to wear boys size 16 slim jeans. I was also one of those annoying women who could eat anything and remain a size 6, even after 6 kids. Of course, I had been told, almost from birth, that once I hit 40 that would all be down the tubes, and I would get fat, no way around it. I didn't believe anyone who told me that. I was a bit arrogant, you could say.
And then I turned 45. Well I was pregnant when I turned 45, but three months later I had the baby, and unlike all of my other post partum periods, the weight didn't melt off overnight. In fact, 5 years later, it is still not entirely gone, and while I can squeeze into a size eight, I do not plan to see a size six on my body again.
Now, many would say that I am doing great, because a couple of years ago, I got depressed, and gained about 70-80 pounds, which put me in the obese range. Now, I am back down to being within an acceptable weight range, so good for me, right? Yes, indeed. But, I would still like to lose 10 lbs and it is not going anywhere. It is a sad fact that a woman in midlife can try all of the old tricks that used to assure weight loss, only to find that none of them work at all anymore.
It Isn't All Perimenopause
Most woman think that all of the midlife weight gain can be blamed on perimenopause, and menopause, and those nasty hormones playing tricks on us. This is true, to a point. During our childbearing years, our ovaries produce the estrogen that we need. As our ovaries slowly shut down, our bodies begin to make estrogen from a new source--fat--especially the fat around our middles. That explains the thickening waist, even if we don't gain a pound, but that doesn't explain everything.
Beginning around the age of 30, both men and women can expect to gain 10 pounds by the time they hit age 40. During this time, lean muscle mass is decreasing due to natural aging, and that lean muscle mass is replaced by fat. Less lean muscle mass leads to a lower metabolism, and a lower metabolism means a slower fat burning machine, so you add more fat more easily.
At the same time, you become much more sedentary during those years. You are no longer chasing little kids around, and doing many of the physical things that you once did. While all of this is going on, you continue to eat the same portions sizes that you once did, and those wacky, fluctuating, hormones, and the emotional feelings that come with them may lead to a lot of emotional eating, especially sweet foods, and carbs. It's no wonder that you've gained weight, is it?
Now comes the really rotten part. For a woman between the ages of 45 to 60, losing weight is hard, hard work. You will need to change just about everything when it comes to food and exercise. If you are not there yet, or are just beginning to gain weight, now is the time to make changes. Begin with what you put into your mouth, and how much.
You Wear What You Eat
Take a good, close look at what you eat, and how much you eat. If you are still loading up your plate they way that you did in your 20's and 30's, you need to cut down your portions considerably. Do some reading on what an actual portion size is, and do not think that what you see on your plate at a restaurant is an accurate guide, as a restaurant portion is two to three times the proper size. While you are reducing your portion sizes, look at what you are eating. You may want a white Christmas, but if most of the white that you are seeing is on your plate in the form of white potatoes, white rice, white sugar, and white flour, it is time to change things up a lot.
Get rid of the white stuff and replace it with a whole lot of fruits and vegetables--at least 5 servings a day. Eat only whole grain food, no white flour and sugar goodies. Eat more fish, and less meat. When you do eat meat, make it lean. Get rid of junk food, and when you eat out, split a meal, or take one half of your meal home for the next day. Remove that portion before you start to eat. You do not need dessert, nor do you need an appetizer before your meal. Sure, if it your anniversary, or birthday, live it up, but otherwise, eat sensibly at all times. At the same time, stop drinking your calories in the form of alcohol, sugary pop, and those triple mocha lattes.
I Like To Move It, Move it
While at one time you may have needed 300 minutes of exercise a week to maintain your weight, between the ages of 45 and 60, you need a whopping 500 minutes of brisk exercise a week to hold steady. I know. The thought of that makes you want to head straight for those Christmas cookies, doesn't it? That is a lot of exercise, and it needs to be the kind that makes your hair messy, and you sweaty.
Many experts recommend a personal trainer who will crack the whip, but who can afford that? So, you will need to find, and commit to an exercise plan that gets you moving, and moving plenty. This plan should include weight training, not just to build lean muscle mass, but also to keep your bones strong. Enlist a workout buddy, but make sure that she is a the drill sargeant type, not the, "Let's not and say we did," type.
You can lose can prevent midlife weight gain, but you have got to work to do it. You can also lose weight in midlife, and I can speak to that, having lost almost 80 pounds, and many inches around my waist. If you have been pretty much sitting on your butt, you may find that once you begin to move around more that your metabolism will get going again fairly easily. Of course, you cannot backslide. Also, do not just weigh yourself, but keep track of your waist measurement. You want to keep it under 33 inches to prevent heart disease.
I read one expert on midlife weight gain in women who said, "If you're maintaining your weight during midlife, then you are doing a great job." So, if you are at a reasonable weight, make staying at that weight your goal. If you need to lose, work at it hard, as being half hearted isn't going to get you anywhere but discouraged. And, if you are still young, begin now to prevent midlife weight gain. You will be way ahead of the game once you hit 45, and you'll be grateful for all the lifestyle changes you made, as they will have already become healthy habits for life.
Women, Midlife, and Weight
http://www.caringforwomyn.com
Barbara Kantrowitz and Pat Wingert
Her Body: Battling Midlife Weight Gain
http://www.newsweek.com
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2498099/women_and_midlife_weigh...
