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middle age spread

Posted: Mar 21, 2010

I know this subject has been done to death, but can anybody tell me what to do as far as diet? I turn 52 this year and have always had great results when just cutting down on sweets and turning up the exercise a notch or two (nothing super strenuous, just a DVD with yoga or stationary bike, pilates) within a month or so. Now I am officially in a size bigger and VERY frustrated. The regular routine isn't working for me anymore, but I will NOT give up. I've just this past couple of weeks revved up my exercise routine (don't go to the gym, I have equipment at home and really do try to utilize it), and I'm trying to eat healthier. Mind you I'm not eating perfect, just trying to eat a little better, but still working on that area. I also try drinking 1.5 liter bottle of water daily. PLEASE I HOPE SOMEONE HAS HAD SUCCESS WITH SOMETHING AND WILL SHARE WITH ME! I know there's no magic cure, but surely someone out there has tried and been successful with some sort of battle of the bulge routine! Thanks so much!

;

diet - there with you

[ In Reply To ..]
I am a little older than you and in the same boat. I attend a "fat lady club" meeting once a week, our leader used to work for the "other diet club" but retired. LOTS of water (6-8 glasses) has helped me. Portion control is the biggest thing she stresses, and water. Fruits and veggies. Watch the satuated fats on your food labels. Are you frying a lot of food? Are you using Canola (which is good if not olive oil). Get all your trigger foods out of the house (chips, pop, ice cream, anything you may over-indulge in)and if you really must have that, you can drive to the store and buy one. One person I know lost 20 pounds just by giving up his 2 cans of coke per day and went to diet. I have seen some that have even giving up the diet pop and straight water now. There is something in that, that my be tricking your metabolism too.

Have you tried the Wii for the exercise on that? A lot of people swear by that.

Walking is really good and one that she stresses to us a lot. I do some dog sitting so they are always taking me for a walk and that helps. I have used the elliptical and the treadmill at the workout gym at our local school. A big manufacturing company in town donated a lot of equipment to the school for workout, so it is free to ANYONE and not just the school kids. I have come down one jeans size and then some in about a month.

Also have you had your thyroid checked? I did not know I had a problem either, but came up in a routine blood draw during my yearly physical. That could be a culprit.

Find a picture of yourself at a smaller size and put on your fridge.

I know it is tough, been there. Still am there, and the old we get, well everything slows down.

You can email me if you wish. You can report in to me your routine, so that you are accountable to someone.

Good luck with it all.

Walk. Walk. Walk. - CM

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Some ideas - LK

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I am 54 and my body looks better than it did in my wedding photos when I was 26, and I have a flat stomach. I'm a healthy weight, not skin and bones, but very fit looking. I exercise religiously at least 5 times a week, and I make sure I SWEAT. Any kind of exercise is good, but you need to stick to it.

Exercise is important, but the major thing that makes a difference in the amount of fat that deposits on my body is what I eat. Cutting back on sweets is not enough, you pretty much need to avoid them altogether, because they are addictive. For me, the bulk of my diet is unprocessed foods, a lot of fruit, veggies, and lean meat. I try to eat very few carbs, that's what really packs the pounds on for me. I still drink wine, eat some carbs occasionally, but really try to keep it down. And let yourself get hungry sometimes. It's not a bad thing to be a little hungry. That's the only time you should eat, when you actually feel hungry. Most people just kind of eat around the clock whenever they feel like popping something in their mouth, whether or not they feel hungry. That's not what food was intended for.

Eat less, eat healthy and unprocessed, exercise regularly. Everybody knows that, you just have to actually do it.

Could you give some examples of things you eat...sm - blondie

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I am not good at coming up with things that are good to eat and good for you. How many miles do you think one would need to walk to lose weight? I was thinking around 2 miles a day.

all food that you can eat raw, is the healthiest food. - best food and walking

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When you cook food, vitamins and enzymes are destroyed.I seldom cook, I mostly eat raw food.

That eliminates meat and eggs, I get my protein and calcium from plant sources.
My BMI is 23, normal range is 20-25.

Yes, 2 miles a day is good, one should walk or exercise every day for 30 minutes.

We should all eat more raw, but some cooked is also good. - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
Some nutrients are actually better assimilated after the cooking process. Cooking does not destroy all nutrients as many of the fads/crazes would have you believe.

Go organic when possible, and eat more fresh and raw, but don't become one of the crazies. :-)

true, you're right, many have to be cooked - cooked

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

What to eat - LK

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I find the best thing is to avoid things that are packaged/processed for the most part. I eat things like salads, chicken, fish, or beef, vegetables (mainly cooked because I prefer them that way), fruits, almonds or yogurt for snacks. I try to avoid bread for the most part. I usually eat three meals a day (none of them huge) and a couple snacks a day. No cookies, crackers, chips, anything like that, except occasionally at a party or something. I don't keep them in the house. Nothing fried or breaded. I try to eat out not much more than once a week, because restaurant food is usually packed with calories. I have never been successful at calorie counting. Just moderation and "real" (not packaged/processed) food.

I think regarding the walking, 2 miles would work (fast walking), but you probably won't actually lose the weight unless you also reduce your calorie intake significantly. That combined with the walking should start to take off the weight. Doing some resistance training with weights is also very helpful because it builds muscle mass which burns calories at a faster rate. It's a way of upping your metabolism throughout the day. Plus it makes you look more in shape and toned. The key is to keep it up, make it a permanent part of your life. Cut things out of your diet in stages until you make the new way of eating a habit. And don't stop the exercise. You just have to keep at it, that's the important thing.

I can tell you that this approach works, because my weight is where it should be and stays there even though I'm 54, my blood pressure and cholesterol levels are great. Just keep at it and it becomes a habit.

You're going to get a lot of different opinions... - Pamela

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and suggestions. Believe me...I've tried them all. What I found that works best for me is exercise and cutting out animal foods, except on a rare basis. All animal foods contain fat plus a lot of other added toxins that none of us need. Even those who say they stay "lean" with animal products have no idea how much fat is on the inside. Lots of "lean" people who exercise die of heart disease because of the amount of fat that's on the inside of their bodies. I occasionally have fish (mostly salmon) but I try to avoid it and have it rarely because of all the toxins it contains. I'm 57 and I no longer have to worry about my weight. I eat lots of veggies (raw and cooked), fruits, nuts, seeds and beans. I take no medications for anything. Most people like to fool themselves into believing that they need animal products but any nutrient you can get from meat, dairy and eggs, you can get from a plant without all the fat and other toxins. It took me several years to transition but I've been meat/dairy/egg free for 10 years. It was the best decision I ever made for my health and my weight never fluctuates, not even when I went through menopause.

Different things work for different people - LK

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And advice from the medical establishment keeps changing as far as what is "healthy." I eat meat, but my weight is great and stable, my blood pressure is exactly where it should be, and my cholesterol is low. I also exercise religiously and have never smoked, which of course is important too. I avoid wheat products because they don't agree with me digestively and I gain weight when I eat them.

You are right that you can do very well on a vegetarian diet, and your diet sounds very good and healthy, as you say you have found ways to make sure you get adequate protein. It's not the only way, though, and doesn't work for anyone. I also don't think it's necessarily the gold standard of nutrition; medical opinion keeps changing on that. It is widely believed now among nutrition experts that people in our country eat way too many carbs, even the "good," whole grain ones.

Yes and way too much meat and dairy... - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
which still continues to be the major cause of illness in this country. Never heard of anyone going in for stents because they just had too many carbs clogging the vascular system. LOL I don't really listen to the "advice" from the medical community or even "nutrition experts" as their ideas are also widely diverse where diet is concerned. They are really clueless in that arena. I don't think meat and dairy carry a "standard" of any kind. They are just far too unhealthy in so many aspects. Fruits and veggies are the "gold standard" as I've seen the proof demonstrated by those who continue to claim meat and dariy is good for you. They're dropping like flies. ;)

Agree with you for the most part - LK

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The problem with carbs is that they can contribute to weight gain, and many people tend to overdo on them. Obesity is one of the greatest predictors of heart disease, as much or more so than fat consumption alone. You can easily eat a low fat diet and become obese by consuming too many calories. I totally agree with you that too much meat and dairy is NOT a good thing, though. Personally I eat virtually no dairy. Fruits and veggies are the best thing to fill up on, along with a decent lean protein source.

My lean protein source... - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
is usually broccoli. LOL People seem to be so concerned about protein when virtually all vegetables, nuts and beans are full of protein. We don't need as much as most people get. The word "carb" seems to frighten most. Simple carbs should be avoided, which I do like the plague. Complex carbs are another story altogether. Most of the carbs that people refer to--donuts, bread, cake, cookies are full of fat and sugar and that's why they gain weight on "carbs." My "carbs" are fruit and veggies. You can't go wrong there. :)

correct, whole grain carbs (fiber!) are healthy and make you lose weight - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Yes, carbs can contribute to weight gain, but not because there's anything wrong -- - SM

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with carbs; it still comes back to overeating. Period. No need to villify carbs because we don't have self-control. :-)

I respectfully disagree... - Pamela

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You can eat a wheelbarrow full of complex carbs a day and not gain the weight you will with eating one gallon of simple carbs daily. The proof is there for anyone to ignore. Self-control is unnecessary if you're eating the correct carbs. :)

Well, to begin with, the OP wasn't discussing simple carbs, just carbs, plus -- - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
It IS quite possible to become very overweight by eating "good" carbs, too. It's calories in vs. calories expended. Maybe YOU can't gain weight on just carbs, but it is, indeed, possible.

There's nothing magical about any of this.

Sorry, that came across more b----y or harsh than I had intended, but -- - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
it's one of my pet peeves, villifying a food, or class of foods or nutrients and elevating others out of proportion to reality. At the root of all of that the basic equation (calories in vs. calories expended) remains, and so many people have been started on unhealthy fad diets by those who label some foods good and others bad. It has led to some pretty wacky (and dangerous) diets over the decades and has really harmed a lot of folks.

I can agree to a point... - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
bur I have to disagree that there is no such thing as a "bad" food or a "good" food. Fruits and veggies are the best foods around and animal products are the main cause of disease in this country. I would think that would classify them as "bad." I've never ever seen where fruits and veggies harmed anyone but I have seen animals products cause disease and death. If you want to talk dangerous and wacky, try living on cheeseburgers and milk shakes. It won't last long, whereas fruits and veggies will keep you going to a ripe old age.

More or less, yeah. But -- - SM what it really boils down to is

[ In Reply To ..]
though some foods are better for one than others, and all that good stuff, at the root of the obesity problem, particularly in the U.S., is that we eat too much and sit on our duffs for the most part. We're overfed and lazy.

And I agree once again.... - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
obesity is a HUGE problem in this country and we do sit on our duffs (not me personally) but I also know of thin, healthy-looking people who died of heart attacks because of a diet laden with meat and cheese. We have friends who own a ranch and my husband helps them part time when they need to work cattle. They're not too fond of my ideas because they make a living off selling this "fat" but friends learn to live with each other's opinions. ;) The fact is I know many ranchers who eat a daily diet of meat. They ALL have health problems. Not all are obese or even overweight but they ALL have either hypertension, arthritis (too much acidic foods), high cholesterol, some have cancer, some have digestive problems. They ALL take at least one med to control some health problem. I've known 3 (good friends-male) who have died of heart attacks while sitting on their horses. I guess you could call that exercise, right? They were all 3 thin. I also have friends who are "wacko vegans/vegetarians" and they literally have no health problems or, at least, the ones who stick to the natural foods (fruits, veggies, beans, etc.) have no problems. I, personally, am sticking to what I know works from experience and research. If others choose to stay on the meat and cheese wagon....oh well...I'll have plenty of work in the years to come but hopefully friends and family can be persuaded. I do have a vested interest. ;)

I second this completely, it's what you put on the wwb that makes you fat - nm

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nm

middle age spread - OP

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So does that mean I can eat a big bowl of fruit salad with apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, pears, peaches, etc. And it will be healthy and ok to do that?

Of course...sm - Pamela

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that would be very healthy, as long as you don't add whipped cream. ;) And don't forget to have some veggies of some kind. I eat 4 or 5 different fruits every day.

exactly: It's all about portion size, 1 portion is actually very small! - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
for meat:

1 portion is measured as a deck of cards, 3 ounces = 100 grams.

If we keep our portions really small, we can eat from everything, even chocolate (lots of flavonoids and antioxidants):

1 portion is 3 small squares.

Yes, however... - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
Keeping things down to portion sizes that wouldn't satisfy a 3-year-old is very unrealistic and does not guarantee permanent weight loss. Most people don't and can't eat that way for very long. Complex carbs fill you up, they're good for you with lots of antioxidants and you don't have to live on a thimble-full to still lose weight and keep it off. Meat is full of fat, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals, even in small portions, it hard to digest and animals can be diseased. But, hey, it's job security in this business. ;)

I agree with that... - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

animal products are generally not good, plant products much better - nm

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nm

You're a smart cookie... sm - Pamela

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and I'm sure very healthy. :)

Mmmmmm..... Cookies - Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties

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did i miss booth sales?

lol, you are hilarious! - Mmmm, no cookies!

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

thanks, yes, I am, and I bet, so are you! - no animals for me, hahaha

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

middle age spread - help! I need somebody!

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I am OP, and I just have to say that my belly is where I can tell a big difference. It used to whittle right down, or rather that's where i'd lose the weight when it snuck up on me, but now it isn't nearly as easy. And my thighs are a little bigger. I have done well with my dance and pilates exercises, and my diet wasn't too bad today. Started off with bran cereal and a banana, then a couple of hours later ate an apple with a spoon of crunchy peanut butter, then boiled chicken for dinner with lettuce leaves, and will have crystal light lemonade just before bed. Have been drinking lots of water today as well. i sincerely hope my new routine is going to do the trick, along with my exercise routine

A couple of suggestions . . . - Also have a "menopot"

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm on the "no carb" band wagon. By no carbs, I mean no processed, simple carbs. Your bran cereal would be one of those. Instead of cereal and a banana (which sounds tasty, but would have me hungry again in 2 hours) try a big bowl of fruit - any kind of fruit and lots of it. Then for a snack go for carrots and maybe some hummus. Lunch can be a huge salad with carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers . . . anything veggie wise you want to put on it. Have your chicken for dinner, and add in another big salad, or maybe some grilled veggies. You'll never be hungry and you wont' have to worry about your weight eating this way.

Peanut butter and soy, while widely touted among the nutrition industry are actually not nearly as healthy for you as the peanut and soy farmers and their lobbyists would like everyone to believe. Plus, soy can be very bad for you if you have a thyroid issue.

I like to eat raw foods as much as possible because that's my personal preference and I feel better when I do it. There is a philosophy behind raw food eating that talks about the enzymes and their breakdown, etc., but that's not been scientifically proven. I just know I feel better. If you focus on whole, natural foods, though, you can never have too many calories. Think about it. An entire head of romaine lettuce only has 80 calories. Chop up a whole head of that, throw in some grape tomatoes, a cucumber, some shredded carrots and whatever else looks good at the Farmers Market and you have a HUGE salad and you might, might hit 300 calories. This will keep me satisfied for quite a while, too.

There is also a school of thought that talks about food combining. The principal behind it is that your stomach has to produce one type of digestive enzyme to digest meat and a completely different one to digest starch, etc. If you combine food incorrectly, then your digestive juices are actually battling each other and canceling each other out. This doesn't give you the nutritional benefit from the food and just gives you gas. Vegetables can be eaten with pretty much everything, but a flesh protein and a starch should never never be combined - which basically cuts out sandwiches. Nuts can be combined with veggies, but should never be eaten with a starch. Fruit should always be eaten by itself and at least 30 minutes before you eat anything else. If you combine fruit with anything, it just ferments and you get..... gas.

When I consistently eat this way my clothes fit better and I feel better.
When I slip and go back to my old habits of eating garbage, I feel like exactly that.

Some diet slogans that I find entertaining and make sense are: "If your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it." or "If God didn't make it, don't eat it."

Good luck. Hope you find a routine that works for you.

I like your philosophy... - Pamela

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to a certain degree. I agree with you on many points but not all. Fruits, veggies, hummus....all good. Peanut butter not so bad if you don't eat tons. Nuts should be included daily but not a ton of them. I think that's the fat that God intended us to have in our diet, not the animal fat that most of us eat today. Food combining I believe to be mythical because there are just some instances where it can't be avoided. I do believe that food "combined" with dairy products is what causes the majority of digestive problems for us. Milk was meant for babies who have no teeth and is better digested without any type of food in the stomach but we all know, as adults, we never have dairy by itself. Not to mention the fact that it's just not good for adults, period. It was meant for babies. Many are astounded that there are those of us who don't ingest dairy and all I have to say to these people is...if I don't need to nurse from my mother any more, why in the world do I need to nurse from a cow? I don't... And as far as meat is concerned...I don't believe God ever intended for us to eat meat either, so that's a good enough reason to avoid it. Your philosphy of "If God didn't make it, don't eat it" doesn't really hold water. God also made humans, dogs, cats, the earth. Should we eat each other, dirt, cats, etc. just because it was made by God. He had a specific diet for us and if we stick to it, I think our health problems are fewer. "I have given you every herb-bearing seed (vegetables) and the fruit of the trees. To you it shall be for meat (food)." No mention of animal flesh or their milk. I know it works to keep me healthy and thin. That and exercise. :)

lots of good advice, but don't you think that - whole wheat bread

[ In Reply To ..]
acc to your diet she will go soon very hungry since she does not consume any carbs? And it's actually only carbs that take your hunger really away.

If I am really hungry, the first I grab is a piece of BREAD, WHOLE WHEAT (GRAIN)BREAD.

Bread is considered... - Pamela

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a complex carb if it is whole grain. I eat whole grain bread and don't gain weight. It's when you starting adding meat and dairy that the weight starts creeping up again. Even low-fat and lean. There is really no such thing as "lean" meat and with low-fat dairy, you're still nursing from that same ol' cow. When I'm hungry, I eat beans and a big salad. You can always add bread as long as it's whole grain. You won't need to eat as much and the weight still comes off and stays off.

yes, very true, legumes are very healthy, - beans and stuff....

[ In Reply To ..]
they have protein, calcium, fiber, lots of vitamins and minerals, and one can do so many dishes with them.

Hummus, which is a chickpea puree with crushed garlic, lemon, salt and sesame oil, then sprinkle with olive oil, is very healthy and very tasty, it's a Mediterranean dish, this is Mmmmmmmmm, when you spoon it up with warm Pita bread............

Yes, I love hummus...nm - Pamela

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`

congrats on your today's food choices, very healthy & tasty! - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Don't fall for the quick fix - Badcat

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About 8 years ago I weighed about 180 and I am 5 ft 4. I started taking ephedra, and started doing step workouts and walking up to 10 miles on weekends. I went down to about 105 lbs, a size 4, BUT I was also a nervous wreck, hard to be around, and it was only my strong constitution that stopped me having a heart attack.

Now I've gained all the weight back, since stopping the ephedra, and am having the same struggle as you, particularly because I was on Lyrica for 2 years which REALLY helped pack on the pounds. Now I am off all medication.

I've seen some results by sticking to water only and not drinking soda or alcohol, and I've tried eating more raw veggies. I also lift weights and do at least 2 miles a day on treadmill, and also 7 miles in the woods when I have the time and the weather is good.

The hard fact to face is that any weight loss that is permanent has to be done by a permanent lifestyle change. Working from home like I do, I eat when I am bored, or because I have nothing else to do, and my husband and son also eat junk food, which does not help me.

I have done a lot of research on the Net about how to lose weight safely, since ephedra is obviously unsafe. I do take caffeine pills every so often because I don't like coffee, but I don't take them every day. I've read that portion control and exercise are the best things to do. I know I can't avoid bad food all the time, because of my family, but if I keep portions small and snack on veggies, and keep up the exercise I should start to see results.

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The U.S.A. has become irrelevant. Please watch your choice of cable news tonight for your daily dose of smoke and mirrors. ...

Nov 16, 2015
is now rejecting Syrian "refugees" in addition to Alabama and Louisana! ...

Mar 01, 2011
Yikes! It's a good thing we're drilling for oil here in the U.S.! Oh wait, never mind. Even still, I bet the rising oil prices are Bush's fault like before when oil prices went up. Oh wait, he didn't ban off-shore drilling - never mind. "Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Tuesday that a prolonged rise in oil prices would hurt the U.S. economy." Oh really? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, does it? Duh. Th ...

Feb 06, 2010
Tax cuts for individuals Total: $237 billion 1. $116 billion: New payroll tax credit of $400 per worker and $800 per couple in 2009 and 2010. Phaseout begins at $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for joint filers.[27] 2. $70 billion: Alternative minimum tax: a one year increase in AMT floor to $70,950 for joint filers for 2009.[27] $15 billion: Expansion of child tax credit: A $1,000 credit to more families (even those that do not make enough money to pay income taxes). 3. $14 bill ...

Aug 26, 2016
less money for other things. Growth in overall health-care spending is slowing, but middle-class families’ share of the tab is getting larger, squeezing households already feeling stretched financially. Growth in overall health-care spending is slowing, but middle-class families’ share of the tab is getting larger, squeezing households already feeling stretched financially. Overall, health-care spending across the economy reached 18.2% of gross domestic product as of June, up from ...

Jun 21, 2012
as a school bus monitor, a job she does to supplement her Social Security. It pays $15,000 a year. After a video one of the kids made went viral, a website was set up to collect money to send Karen Klein on a vacation with a $5000 goal. Contributions from all over the world came pouring in. So far they have raised $355,666, a sum that added $7000 just in the time it took me to type this post. The new goal is to collect enough ...

Sep 15, 2012
"Who stole the middle class's raise? Cheap foreign workers did it. Software did it. The decline of unions and manufacturing did it, too. But don't forget health care." Very, very short article with graph. Note that although the rise of healthcare costs to business has slowed in recent years it's because they've shifted to providing much cheaper plans (such as my own $5,000 annual deductible, plus my usual-and-customary deductible, plus my copay deductible, plus my co ...

Jan 30, 2013
EDITOR’S NOTE: First in a three-part series on the loss of middle-class jobs in the wake of the Great Recession, and the role of technology. By Associated Press, Published: January 18 | Updated: Wednesday, January 23, 4:44 PM NEW YORK — Five years after the start of the Great Recession, the toll is terrifyingly clear: Millions of middle-class jobs have been lost in developed countries the world over. And the situation is even worse than it appears. ...