When I was younger, meaning under 40, if I so much as inadvertently skipped a meal or two, I lost a half a pound. Now, if I diet and exercise, I not only don’t lose weight, sometimes I gain weight! What the heck is that about???!!! If I starve myself my body retains every ounce as if it were alerted that I am stranded in the Sahara and need every bit of fat it can hold onto until I reach civilization again. Now I don’t know about you, but I have very little willpower. Ok. I have zero willpower, but I am determined to get back into my pre Covid clothes so am trying to stay on track. Not unlike many people, I ate a lot during Covid. I also read a lot and worked a lot and played board games a lot. More eating than cooking I would say because I did that during all the other activities I mentioned, but I digress.
My biggest mistake during Covid was not the eating. It was the not getting dressed in proper clothes which I am often still guilty of. I wore loose pajamas and sweats mostly and when I went to take my daily outside walk amongst other shut-ins, I wore leggings. For those on the planet who don’t know what leggings are, they are not unlike women’s tights except that they are thicker and footless. They have a stretch waist and tend to be comprised of spandex, so they hold you in a bit and the pressure makes you feel like you are physically fit not unlike when you are pregnant, and your belly feels firm. I don’t think I felt fitter than when I was carrying a 7+ month baby inside me. Oh, the happy memories…
But I am here to tell you that what I have going on now which is a cross between normal weight gain and the after menopause muffin top is nothing like a wonderful baby. For starters, I delivered the baby eventually, both of them, and returned to my girlish figure. Whatever this thing is now seems determined to stick around and leave me destined to wear leggings for the rest of my life with, as the name implies, a fat roll hanging over the top hence the word, “muffin.” The problem is, I am stubborn. I am not willing to agree that the destiny of a person over 40 is to look and feel dramatically different from his or her first 40 years even if her weight gain is completely her own fault.
So here I am on the quest to get back that girlish figure albeit perhaps a more mature version but at least one that can close her pre Covid pants. Rather than dieting outright, I am approaching the process by eating healthier, moving more and incorporating some intermittent fasting which studies have proven are good for longevity on a cellular level. It has been a little over 2 months and as of today, I lost my 6th pound. Many diets suggest weighing yourself every day, but I think you need to know yourself before doing that. I’m not sure why but very often we may gain a pound back even while watching our weight and if you are like me, when that happens you might either be so upset for no reason because it almost always sorts itself out in a day or two or like me exactly, you may use it as an excuse to overeat and drown your sorrows in pizza and chocolate. Tip: Definitely avoid the scale for a day or two after that. Notice I did not say “don’t do it. Don’t eat the pizza.” Real life includes pizza and chocolate and a lot of other wonderful things. By excluding them completely it makes perfect sense that at some point we will feel so deprived and eat much, much more of it than if we just had it once in a while when we feel the desire.
Did you know bloating is more common as we age? It will also change the number on the scale as well which will not reflect our true weight. For all of these reasons, I weigh myself two times a week maximum because in the worst case scenario I will be the same weight as the last time I weighed myself but often I am down a pound which motivates me to do the happy dance - an actual dance I do to 80’s disco near the scale and am grateful no one can see but it makes me happy and counts towards my exercise minutes so laugh at me all you want.
Before all the die-hard weight loss experts write to me and tell me I am doing everything wrong and that is why it is so difficult for me to lose weight more quickly, I don’t care. If there is one thing I learned growing up with a mother who was a lecturer for Weight Watchers but did a liquid diet when she herself needed to lose weight for a major event, and being surrounded by weight conscious girls, then weight conscious women and a weight conscious society my whole life I know three things are true about weight loss. There are no magic solutions, people don’t address the underlying issues for their weight gain, and eating properly and exercising in a way that becomes a lifestyle and not a prescription for x months to lose x number of pounds, is the only way to master weight loss once and for all and the complicated relationship many people have surrounding food, myself included.
Am I a nutritionist? No. Am I a dietician? No. Am I an exercise guru? No. But I am over 40, actually over 50 and I am on the road to a healthier lifestyle with the bonus of looking and feeling better. I’d love to have anyone who would like to follow my journey and or join me please share, comment and reach out. Let’s do this!!!! And please share with likeminded friends. Everyone can use extra support and inspiration.
And remember, being over 40 is not the end. It's the beginning of a long and healthy life.