I'm in my late forties and am currently experiencing peri-menopause. I am starting to gain weight in my stomach area as well as my thighs. I'm not used to this rapid increase in weight. I can't fit any of my clothes and I did not increase my food intake. Someone told me it's my age. I read somewhere that it has something to do with menopause. Does anyone know anything about either of these answers and if so, provide clarity?

Age, beginning at 40, causes our metabolism to slow down. We have to cut 100 calories per day for each decade past 40 just to maintain. Menopause changed my body shape as well. I was always pear shaped and now I am apple. I find eating only complex carbs and limiting those, and eating more protein, dairy, fruits and vegetables and good fats helps me lose around the middle. I hope this is helpful.

Yes, it does happen, and it is a shock when it happens. The metabolism slows down. Older people just need less food each day.

I did lose 60 lbs., mostly while in my 70s, but it was very difficult. The solution is just to eat less and exercise more, which isn't all that easy as we age.

Avoiding simple carbs is helpful. Concentrating on fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc. is helpful. Being as active as possible is helpful

Keeping a positive attitude as we age is also helpful. There is an old adage that states - "Aging is mandatory, let's do it as gracefully as possible." Another old adage states, "Old age isn't for sissies."

Just know that you aren't alone in the struggle. You really aren't.

You are definitely not alone. I too am in my late 40's and peri-menopausal, gone from a pear to an apple and stuggling to shift it. I recently joined a gym (for the 1st time in my life!) and have started taking regular exercise, both at the gym and swimming. Hopefully it will start to shift soon!!

Sound advice from JoJoJo2

The only way for me to lose the increasing waist size I was noting was to eliminate all sugar and white flour from my diet. Like the above posters, I eat only whole grains, lean meats, RF or FF dairy, fruit, & way more veggies. I also only eat sweet (not white) potatoes & brown rice. I actually weigh less now than I did in high school and am able to maintain it as long as I eat this way. My cholesterol also started to go up & is now normal. BTW, I'm 53 and very menopausal, so there is hope!

I'm a librarian, so when I became peri-menopausal, I read books. My favorite, because it answers so many questions was The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup. It's a big fat book, but you can skip whole chapters and sections that aren't applicable to your situation.

Yes, menopause is undoubtably a cause of weight gain for many women (it's those darn hormones again). I would read up about it or talk to my doctor, then take action. Getting older is not a reason to give up on ourselves, in my humble opinion. At the age of 60, I look better than I did at age 45 because I just did not commit myself to take the required actions (diet and exercise) back then. But I figure it's better late than never. Good luck!

Yes, I'm there too. Almost 47, in peri-pause and hormonal as whack! Weight gain VERY DIFFICULT to get off, but still trying. Was able to shed 17 pounds (& have kept it off for about 1 1/2 years now) but cannot seem to rid myself of the extra 30 pounds I'm still carrying.

It's a b!tch!!!!!! - but I refuse to give up. Eating more healthy, cutting out some bad habits, and trying my best to keep on moving! - easy? Of course not. But then, it never really was.

Hang in there!!!! - and visit with us over in the 40-something group!!

Ditto to what everybody else has said. I'm 51, haven't had a period in 18 months and I'm carrying a lot of weight in my midsection. I HATE it. About 20 pounds went on very quickly in my late 40s, and is proving very difficult to shift. The blues I have about my "new" shape make staying on plan (lower carb, lower calorie) difficult, because I'm plagued by so many "Oh, what the ****, I'm never going to lose this weight" moments. But, as Churchill said, never, never, never give up. So I keep plugging away at it.

Just turned 49 here and perimenopausal and that didn't stop me from losing over 100 lbs so far!

Yes, I have to work a little harder at it than the younger girls, and yes, I have to keep my calories quite low to lose weight, but on the plus side, I do not have as big an appetite as I used to have and I can manage more easily on 1200 cals than I could as a young woman.

Regarding fat distribution, that's definitely a problem. My body is holding onto the belly and letting it go last-- but, it is going. I also stick to a fairly low-carb diet. I stay away from most flour and grain based foods, even whole grains, and I get most of my carbs from fruits and veggies. I drink little alcohol. I exercise a lot.

The thickening middle is NOT inevitable and it's associated with a host of health problems. If you fight back, you'll win.

I have to agree with uber. I'm inching closer to 51 now. No "pausing" yet but have noticed that the fat I still have left to lose is concentrating at my waist. In my 20s it was in my hips and thighs.

But emotionally, I think dieting and weight loss easier now than in my 20's. I have years of experience with my own body to draw on to develop a plan that works for me and the consequences of NOT doing something more immediate. How many times had I said to myself "well, I may be fat, but at least I'm healthy", then the cholesterol started creeping into "borderline" status and the same BP I've had since age 18 has been designated borderline as well.

Instead of bemoaning that I "only" lose @6 lbs. per month (which would have discouraged me in my 20s enough that I'd have quit trying), I'm thrilled with that rate now.

And the payoff is soo great now. While other friends my age are bemoaning aspects of their aging bodies, I seem to be knocking the years off. I'm feeling fit and sexy. At 29 (the last time I was this size), I was so critical of my body, now I celebrate it!

Reading these posts really helped. Even though I was heavy in years past it was always my thighs and hips that held the weight. Now after a hysterectomy 5 yrs ago it is the belly that has grown . I never thought of it as a menopausal problem just a result of the surgery. Thanks for the insight..I need all the knowledge I can to win this battle.

Oh those hot flashes....I called them "My own personal summer." Feel free to call them that too. It explains perfectly.

JoJoJo, thank you for such a beautiful post. I find it very inspiring.

I've read another version of that first adage, that goes something along the lines of, the true meaning of growing older is growing in grace.

My metabolism slowed down tremendously in my forties. I learned, in my fifties, how to find some balance with it. I count calories, pay more attention to how many carbohydrates as well as only eating complex ones. There are certain foods I just don't eat, because I feel so much better avoiding them. For example, I don't eat white sugar or any kind of wheat. I try to make everything I eat be as full of nutrients as possible, with very rare exceptions.

I enjoy my exercise routine, and being much more in control of my lifestyle. JoJoJo, the second adage is quite true, too. It takes a great deal of courage to grow old gracefully.

Thanks very much for this thread!

Great post and very inspiring.

I was about to give in and eat something unhealthy.

Instead, I'm going to slice a cucumber.

Thanks for the save, ladies!