Okay over 50 and can't drop the weight!

[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.

[barrb46]

I have a problem with weight gathering around my stomach area also. I am 54 and always have been thin, but my belly right now is hard to lose. I think it is an age thing -- not so much a permanent issue, but I think it is related to menapause, and once pass that, weight lost will be easier. My Aunt told me she had a problem around 50 and she was able to get her weight under control.

Someone mentioned when she drinks beer or eats certain breads, she feels bloated. I have celiac disease (www.celiac.com) which is a gluten intolerance. I use to feel bloated after eating. I was diagnosis with celiac disase and I am now on a gluten free diet. You may want to read about it, and if you think you may have it see a doctor and have blood tests. I feel much better since I have been on the diet. I have more energy, less skin problems -- my stomach is now "quiet" after I have eaten a meal.

Okay ladies, well those of you in my situation, over 50 and harder and harder to lose weight. Yea, I thought I would never gain weight because I exercise and eat right but lately I have noticed that since I turned 50 three years ago my middle section has been getting thicker. I just can't seem to get this situation under control. Anyone out there experiencing the same thing as me? And if so did you find an answer to shedding the midrif tire? HELP! I mean my hips and legs are fine but my middle argh! I don't want to start wearing stretch waist band jeans like I have seen older women wearing AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHHHH

Sue with more than one spare tire on my bike rides.

[netoll]

Pilates really does firm up the abs and the overlying skin plus it helps you to breathe more effectively.
I enjoyed your photos of biking in France. Have you ever biked in Italy? We are going next summer and we would love to bike in some of the areas of the country.

[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"

[PinkBike]

Oh I hope I can keep this up with the holidays approaching! Hubby will be out of town for two weeks, Nov. 3 - 17, and my daughter and I decided this would be a good time to bake our annual holiday cookie stash. I place the cookies in my big freezer and take them out over the holidays for guests and to give away too. I must bake 12 dozen or more cookies. All kinds! But I'm on a mission now and I think I will get through it fine!

susan,
jillian on "the biggest loser" had a tip - chew gum while you're baking. sugarless, of course. i think that would work for me!

[Susan126]

Saw this at a store and took a picture with my cell phone. Just had to share it!

[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 . . . .

[Zen]

pfff I'd like to be like her now!

[Susan126]

pfff I'd like to be like her now!

Amen Zencentury, Amen to that!

[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....

[Resi]

It's sugar and the wrong fat, which sticks on that specific bodypart.

I know it's hard, this works for me in food and endurance and weight training. Yes we have to do more as we get in a more advanced age

You all take care

Resi

[beth h]

It's at least partly genetic, I think. At almost 45 I am now shaped just like my late mother, with the same big belly and narrow butt and hips. The only difference is that because I ride so much my legs have definition and shape where hers were just a couple of sticks. I am shaped rather like a slightly pudgy tree trunk in the middle. I wear a lot of mens' clothing because women's clothing (especially bike clothing) usually doesn't fit me so well.

My diet choices are somewhat limited by having Crohn's disease, so I shrug, eat what I can (word up: having breakfast is SO important!), watch my meds and symptoms and try to ride at least a little every day. (I average between 40 and 50 miles a week commuting, and also do longer distance rides some weekends.) I also try to stay active at work. But the last thing I want to do is get totally down on myself because my body isn't a certain shape. It's the shape I have.

For me the result is that I have a body I can live with (even if it doesn't always behave) and I'm not cutting out so many foods that I feel totally deprived and bummed. My partner adores me just as I am. I can live with being shaped like a slightly pudgy tree trunk. I'm alive, and vital, and amazingly healthy for someone with an auto-immune disorder. Life is good. I'm going for a bike ride now. Happy riding --BH