Okay over 50 and can't drop the weight!

[emily_in_nc]

I'm 5'2" and weigh about 135. I do have a belly but I would not describe myself as fat. I can't imagine someone my height weighing in the neighborhood of 100 pounds yet describing herself the way you do. You don't need to lose weight. You should build muscle.

I do weight and core training on the stability ball. I rarely use weight machines, most of my lifting is done on the ball and with relatively light weights. You can do this in thirty minutes a day.

It is possible to not weigh a lot and still be overfat, though, based on bodyfat percentage.

I do lift weights - light dumbbells (8-12 lbs. depending on the muscle group) and do weight machines, though lately I've been lucky to get to the gym 1-2 times a week for a lifting session, just barely enough time to maintain. However, another often overlooked factor in differences in weight among people of the same height is bone structure. My wrists are like tiny little bird wrists; I have narrow little hips (the boney part, that is!), etc. I have very slim ankles. I'd wager my wrists are a lot smaller than yours as they are smaller than most women I know.

But I do know that I could use more muscle. It seems hard to put on and maintain muscle in my mid 40s, harder than it used to be. One reason: I suspect my testosterone levels are pretty low (they tend to fall in women around menopause).

Emily

[Zen]

But I do know that I could use more muscle. It seems hard to put on and maintain muscle in my mid 40s, harder than it used to be. One reason: I suspect my testosterone levels are pretty low (they tend to fall in women around menopause).

My 50th bday is nipping me on the a$$. I didn't start lifting until I was 42.

See that belly? (Lycra is your friend)
You can do it.

[emily_in_nc]

My 50th bday is nipping me on the a$$. I didn't start lifting until I was 42.

See that belly? (Lycra is your friend)
You can do it.

Yeah, you're definitely more muscular than me - great arms/shoulders!

I started lifting at 39, but I've never gotten that much muscle definition, and now I have even less. When I am lifting, I always think I look pretty muscular in the mirror, when the muscles are actually working, but then I look at my arms later, and they just look kinda slender, not very well defined. I definitely need to lift more -- we've been so busy this summer with buying a sailboat that I've kinda slacked on that -- I always tend I do more in the winter (when no one can even check out my arms! )

Emily

P.S. You can see photos of my on my blog below just to reassure you that I am not an anorexic with a severely distorted body image. I may not weight a lot, but I am definitely still curvy, including the pooch over the top of my underwear....

[Zen]

I am definitely still curvy, including the pooch over the top of my underwear....

why fight it, it's more powerful than we are. Another reason to go commando.

EMBRACE THE POOCH

you're a waif!
I wish I could train with you,you'd have hams like The Rock.

Remember though that a lot of what we look like is genetic no matter how hard we train.

Be glad we're reasonably healthy, can walk talk see, hear and have roofs over our heads.

[teigyr]

why fight it, it's more powerful than we are. Another reason to go commando.

EMBRACE THE POOCH

No embracing here. I poke it sometimes. I'd love to be a waif. And commando? Don't the underwear hold it in a bit? Or is it an illusion?

Yes there are a lot of things to be grateful for but I'm not ready to be matronly. Aging is undignified and rude.

[Zen]

I'm not ready to be matronly. Aging is undignified and rude.

Oh yeah? Don't tell this woman.
I bet she doesn't look matronly either.

[Susan126]

Wow zencentury!!!! Thanks for pointing me to that story! She is one awesome lady! I want to be just like her when I am in my 80s and 90s and . . . .

[emily_in_nc]

why fight it, it's more powerful than we are. Another reason to go commando.

EMBRACE THE POOCH

you're a waif!
I wish I could train with you,you'd have hams like The Rock.

I love you zen.

Pooch-bellies unite!

"The waif"

[shootingstar]

It's been..um 1-2 months since I've weighed myself. In the summer I was weighing myself at least once a wk.

But yesterday I was asked to give my height & weight to match with my photo government ID that I was applying for: 5'1", 100 lbs. Even when I was underweight at 93 lbs. I NEVER had a 24" waist. It's true that part of our body is genetic in terms of its bone structure and natural distribution of body fat.

I am 48 and experiencing I believe, perimenopause for past year. And am hoping that menopause will be the same...gentle, rarely any hot flashes for me. Just a warm flush for 5-10 min., several times per week.

I cannot blame any weight gain in belly, to menopause. I'm simply snacking more in evenings and over past 10 years my intake of sugar has increased. This is completely the opposite of the diet that I was raised on for lst 20 yrs. of life --80% Asian diet. Now it is 60% Asian in dishes and ingredients. Back then , the sight of a Danish pastry made me ill, now I eat one happily.

Because I began life with predominantly Asian diet, I dislike any form of carbonated drink. I occasionally drink wine, perhaps 1-2 glasses per month. I dislike beer. But I have allergy to wine and get flushed even after 1/4 c. of wine. Not good on the bike. But probably natural weight control tactic!

This past summer I found it helpful to increase my intake of fresh fruit by 3x. I became a fruit nut...but it helped with my evening snacking.

For past 4 years, I am eating small breakfast --usually microwaved 1/2 c. of oatmeal with abit of milk. And fruit of some sort or soy cheese. I found this necessary since my day starts at 4:30 am.

For past 8-9 years, I haven't eaten lunch regularily on workdays. I'm just not hungry. If I have a business lunch, then I try to eat more lightly for supper. During weekend, I have some sort of "lunch" since I'm cycling 40-50 kms. each weekend day.

So I know my problems.

In winter I snowshoe several times. But that's all. I walk alot if not cycling, because we choose not to have a car. I sort of do stretching exercises several times weekly. Gotta do more of it.

I would like to stick to 60% Asian diet, because I understand and use many of the healthy cooking techniques very easily, also some of the Chinese veggies are quite healthy for you...and I see powerful evidence of results in my own family in terms of health.

My father is 78, he doesn't really exercise but he has been eating consciously healthy for past 15 years. ie. salt-reduced, little fat , hardly no sugar. He has LOW blood pressure, no respiratory nor other cardiovascular problems. He occasionally has mild arthritis. But that's all. He is a small guy at 5' 2" and under 110 lbs.

And he does share household chores with my mother. I guess that's his exercise plus walking 15 min. to buy newspaper. He was a restaurant cook his whole life before he retired.

By the way, I do eat meat. But only 2-3 times weekly and usually chicken or seafood or low fat pork chop. It's been a gradual reduction..more for cost-saving reasons and sheer laziness.

ANd yes, I do eat primarily white rice, when I do have rice. Approx. 2 times per wk. or so. I find brown rice just too heavy in palate taste for me to eat it often. I will eat sushi and sashimi several times per month.

The pasta I eat now is a lighter Chinese dried or fresh linguine. I do love thicker pastas and will have it occasionally, but they do have more carbs.

At home, we do not stock chips, pop drink. We still have a few boxes of chocolates...from 12 months ago. But I stress, we love European, gourmet cakes and gelatos. This is what I get being with a German-Canadian partner who has instilled in me how to assesss fine gourmet baking since his mother was an excellent pastry baker.....like tortes, kuchens, fantastic German cookies....