In my 20s I had an easy time staying thin, but after 40, it's been harder to keep the pounds off and once they are on me, I diet and exercise and they still leave sloooowly.
I shouldn't complain cuz I know plenty of gals have had this problem all their lives, but it's a big change and depressing.
Any suggestions or encouragement are what I need!

My first suggestion is get a thorough physical and ask your doctor to help you rule out any medical causes for weight gain. Have you started any new medications? Some increase weight gain like many anti-depressants.

Once all the medical stuff is ruled out try making one or two changes a week that decrease calories in and increase calories out. Little things like switching from white rice to brown rice or white bread to wheat bread or having a 2 egg omlette instead of a 3 egg omlette. If the weight is creeping on then it probably won't take drastic measures to get it to creep off either!

Yep. I'm 40 now, and I fight tooth and nail for every ounce I lose. And I gain when I just think about food... I have to agree that it's much harder now for me to lose.

Thank you for the suggestion about seeing a doctor. I already did that and it isn't my thyroid, anemia, etc. The doctor said that women lose muscle as they age and since muscle helps to burn fat, it's important to exercise and reduce your calories.
I just hate how hard it is. I can diet for 2 weeks and lose 1/2 pound and then go to a party and eat appetizers and weigh 2 pounds more!

What's that noise? Oh, it is just a 50 something crashing the forum.

But, now that I am here - it is even HARDER at 50 something than it was at 40 something to lose weight. So - keep at it!
Some things that I have found to be helpful, not only in losing weight, but reshaping by body:
1. Exercise - different kinds - each does something different and wonderful for your body (I use yoga, pilates, weights, fitness ball, dance, and walking)
2. Eat protein at every eating occasion - and try to keep a balance that includes enough healthy fats and protein
3. Which leads me to incorporating MUFAs in my diet (think Sonoma, Mediterranean, and Flat Belly Diets here)
4. Journal and Weigh everything - keep a food journal and weigh your food to keep you "honest" with your portions

You CAN do this - don't get discouraged - those 2 lbs. after a party are probably water weight from those salty appetizers anyway

I've noticed in the last year that all my weight is going to my tummy. I've always been hippy, but my waist reamained small. Now, I look pregnant. Not sure what to do at this point, but eat better, not so much and exercise more. EAsier said than done!

Yes, I gain in my tummy, too. Occasionally I can camo it with what I wear, but it's still there.

same here! i'm 41 now and my stomach knows it, i'm a new member and need all the help i can get. any advise about loosing my stomach and my large behind which just keeps following me around will be gratefully accepted. although i do have one hint instead of a two egg omelette try an egg white omelette you can have up to four egg whites with ham some peppers and a little low fat cheese and it is brill tastes just the same and if you leave out the cheese its fat free

Yes, yes, yes. When I was younger I had a flat tummy.

Now, the weight comes off very slowly and I have a lot more tummy at the same weight. I have an officially unhealthy waist-to-hip ratio even though I have a normal BMI. I wouldn't mind weighing what I weigh now if I could more several pounds from my tummy to curvier parts.

I had a physical and the doctor said my blood numbers are all good and there is no medical reason for my proportions. He gave me the old speech about different women being genetically predisposed to store fat in different places, but I used to have much better proportions when I was young.