Hello

moorevickie567

Hi everyone, my name is Vickie, I’m 40years old, married to the man of my dreams and have 3 beautiful children. I am really concerned lately because I’ve gained 45 pounds in the last 4 months and it has caused all kinds of health problems. It has also caused some mental health problems. I know I’m older now and it’s just going to be that much harder this time. I had finally gotten to my ideal weight at 34 years old after having my 3 children that made me gain weight to start with. Anyway, any suggestions, comments, or just simply some good recipes would suit me just fine. Excited to begin funny.

AnnPT77

Hello, and welcome!

Have you checked in with your doctor about the weight gain? Yeah, they're not diet or nutrition experts, but 45 pounds in 4 months is quite rapid gain. There are certain health conditions - not all of them dire - than can trigger faster weight gain, and that might be worth checking out.

Specifically, to gain 45 pounds in 4 months, it would imply eating around 1400 calories daily above current weight-maintenance calorie needs. That's a lot. To happen, it would mean eating nearly double what some smaller women's total daily calorie intake needs to be, or moving an equivalent amount less, or some combination. (As context, in case you're not used to thinking about activity calories, an hour of pretty intense exercise might burn 400 calories or so.) That's not impossible, because calories are sneaky, but it would imply a fairly dramatic lifestyle change triggering the gain, if it's purely that.

I'm not suggesting you need to reply to those implied questions, or criticizing in any way if that's what's happened, because everyone here is human, me included . . . I'm just explaining why I think that's quite fast gain, and suggesting a doctor check in for some blood tests and such if that hasn't happened recently.

That said, calorie counting isn't the only way to manage bodyweight, but it can be a good one for those whose lifestyle and personality it suits. It was perfect for me: I lost 50ish pounds, obese to healthy weight in just under a year, and I've been at a healthy weight for 9+ years since. That all happened after I'd been in menopause for over a decade, and while I was severely hypothyroid (medicated for it) besides.

Things that happen as we age, for the average woman, are a lifestyle that becomes gradually and subtly less active - combination of daily life changes and maybe less formal exercise; and loss of muscle/bone mass if we don't do things to keep that up. Both of those are things we can reverse to some extent, by moving more (not just exercise, and definitely not punitively intense, unpleasant exercise) and doing some strength-challenging exercise to give our muscles and bones some love.

This can work, if a person commits to the process, and sticks with it. It doesn't necessarily need to be a super-difficult or unpleasant thing. Part of achieving that last is to pick a sensible, gradual weight loss rate, and focus on finding new permanent positive habits that are pleasant and practical. That "lose weight fast and go back to normal" idea that too many adopt? That's how weight yo-yos keep happening, and happening . . .

You can do this. I'm wishing you success: The quality of life improvement is worth the effort, IME!

totameafox

I will second Ann's encouragement to see your doctor. A physical is a good place to start. Losing weight at 40 is not any different than losing weight at any other age. You just need to be aware of what you are eating and eat within your caloric needs. This is the same at any age. I also know there are people in this world that are older than me that are far more physically capable. Ann being one of them 😉

Good luck and good health

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