Old age spread? Any solutions.

Oh Gundy! Unlucky, thought I was bad at 8 (42) .

M0nica

I know my shrinkage is partly caused by osteoporosis, otherwise I do not have any medical problems, just natural shrinkage.

I won't deny I've lost an inch in height, M0nica I think it's partly postural. I keep telling myself to sit and stand straight. I'm doing it now! 😆 But there's no denying my spine has probably compressed a bit. Oh well, it only stops me towering over people of 5'5" and I can still look down on people 5 '4" and under! 😂😂😂

I know my shrinkage is partly caused by osteoporosis, otherwise I do not have any medical problems, just natural shrinkage.

Have a check at your docs just to make sure that there is nothing underlying this, there probably isn't, but when my mum started having this happen it was fluid retention, caused by heart failure and went away once she was put on meds. There can be a lot happening inside that we don't know about. A blood test and a chat to the doc is maybe a wise precaution even though it is probably unlikely to be anything out of the ordinary

I put on weight during the pandemic and 2 years waiting for a hip op. Some of it on crutches hence no exercises, whereas I usually walk my springer. have just done the human being diet, brilliant lost 2 stone. I feel great, slim, energetic and have also come off my diazepam and dropped my pregabalin, both for depression. I cannot recommend it highly enough. A bit hard but now I enjoy it and the way I feel makes me want to continue as I am so much happier. Take a look. T
he human Being Diet by Petronella Ravenshear. Many people have felt healthier and dropped their medications, even severe ones. Good luck Jenny

Whitewavemark2

There are things that I know I can’t attempt because of my age 78. I simply don’t have the strength I had as a 20-30 year old. But I’m content with that fact. Age I find brings other attributes that I did not have when younger.

I’m much younger than you (Mum is 81) but admire your attitude.Nothing much any of us can do about ageing, best to accept it.Mum has def shrunk a couple of inches and she calls herself an all rounder 😂 but dresses to suit her shape, wears make up going out and has her hair done regularly and always looks great in my view.She’s cheerful and good fun to be with which is always attractive.Fatter older women seem to look younger to me, Mum has a thin friend who looks years older than her real age.A bit haggard if you know what I mean.

I have never been heard to say that I am too old for anything - and I never will, but what that has got to do with my body having gone through the normal aging process that leads to me being shorter than I was and having a smaller waist, I cannot work out.

There are things that I know I can’t attempt because of my age 78. I simply don’t have the strength I had as a 20-30 year old. But I’m content with that fact. Age I find brings other attributes that I did not have when younger.

Give in and give up on life M0nica of course! We can say, "I'm too old for sky diving." That's an excuse. We can say, "I won't go sky diving. It's too dangerous." That's a decision. So many things people say they are too old to do! That's why others are ageist and tell us we are too old.

Up to the menopause I was the same weight all my adult life - since the menopause my weight has increased but once again I have remained the same weight for the past 25 years - I am now classed as overweight - I have attempted dieting - but every time my body returns to exactly the same weight to the lb. Even say over Christmas when I put on a few lbs. It just settles back to my usual weight after a couple of weeks. I have clothes 25 years old and all wearable.

So that’s the weight I am and content with.

give in and give up what LPB?

The fact that my shape has changed, and in my case, increased by osteoporosis, doesn;t mean I have given up on anything. I stillkeep my weight within recommended bounds, put as much thought into how I dress and present myself as ever and keep fit. I never had much of a waist anyway, it is my build.

I can't believe it's just ageing. That excuse makes it easy to just give in and give up. I'm 71 but I'm not giving in. Don't give in folks!

Have the same problem. Bit younger than you.
I still weigh the same, but everything has shifted into middle area. If I could rearrange it, I would!

Try substituting fruit, vegetables, nuts & whole grains (widest possible varieties) for bread, pastry. cakes & sweets and taking a bit more exercise. You will feel fuller and after a few weeks will be fitter.

I'm afraid the rest is just ageing. Good luck

No - no medication apart from OTC hay-fever tablet and occasional asthma inhaler.

Are you on any medication that could cause you to retain fluid? Statins among a whole host of other medications can play havoc with our bodies as well as old age!!

Thanks to all of you for your helpful and reassuring comments. You made me laugh (whale bone corsets! Aveline; clothes shrinking in the wardrobe, Vintagenonna) and made me realise that I just need to embrace my new shape (not too literally). I have been doing the 5:2 for a number of years, but it has turned into a very relaxed version, which basically means eating frugally and sensibly 2 days every week, with no 'treats'. I could definitely try to cut down on a few carbs (though love my porridge and muesli) and take up hula hooping again - I used to be very good at this, but thought it might be contributing to a back problem, so gave it up. And I loved the idea of just going out and buying new dresses - but not sure if budget will run to that at the moment. So thank you, gransnetters - it's good to know that I'm not the only one with this problem.

Grannyjacq1 - are your clothes shrinking in the cupboard?

DH has that problem every January. What slid over his boyish waist and hips on 21st December has shrunk at least one size by January 6th.

Apparently.

I am like exwife skinny all over but with a large waist and stomach.I cannot bear anything tight around my waist even a bra which is really not needed but evens me out hurts. I exercise daily but to no avail. I am in my late seventies

It's natural - so my 'solution' would be to wear different clothes - with nothing too tight around the waist. Do check your side and back view in the mirror (you'll need two).

We really do get to see some funny sights around here, I'm afraid, with women having the same haircuts and styles of dress they had when young.

Sadly we change shape as we age. My mother always told me that and I didn't believe her but now the evidence is before me...literally in front of me.

As foxygloves said - learn to embrace it. I’ve had to. At our age there is little that we can do to substantially reverse things… unless you really work at exercising a lot, like everyday or at a gym.

My case, I fell off a couple of my stairs in my condo and fractured two lumbar in my spine. Automatically I lost two inches (in time), add losing another inch due to aging, so I went from 6ft 1in to 5ft 10in in about two yrs time. Sh!+ happens.

I didn’t mind losing the inches, but it did nothing to reduce my foot size. I was born with sz 10 feet. 🙄
USA Gundy

I am the same and for years I was so skinny! But in my late 40s the pounds started to go on in the middle, I did do the 5:2 but now I eat things in their natural way, ie wholemeal bread, potatoes with skins, brown rice & cakes made from not white flour but a mix of wholemeal & almond meal & less sugar, mostly I eat meat/fish/veg/wholemeal bread & that helps me keen to a low carb count and feel full. I also have tablets from a company called Wild Dose for bloating, a mix of probiotics etc and they really help. I think the only place you get them from is wild-dose.com & I find them very good, I really notice my bloating when I forget to take them for a few days.

If it is only your waist that has thickened, I would suggest you get hold of a hula-hop ring and try getting it to move in nice circles round your waist as we did when we were about nine or ten.

Sit-ups tone abdominal muscles but don't have much effect on the circumrence of our waists!

If you can stretch both arms above your head as if trying to touch the ceiling, then link them and bend as far sideways as you can first to the one side, then to the other.

Arm excersices for ballet dancers (porte de bras) done properly without raising your shoulders will trim the waist too. You can find good YouTube videos showing these.

*NOT TO FRIGHTEN ANYONE ***. Please make sure your physician has checked you for ovarian cancer. It adds fluid to your middle. My mother in law had the same problem - dieted with no results, only - too late - did she find she should have been PERSISTENT with her health care provider. Just something to think about.