Okay over 50 and can't drop the weight!

[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....