Gaining Weight in Stomach

Once pregnancy stretched my lower abdomen out, the loose skin just seemed to collect fat there.
Now my only hope is a tummy tuck but I'll never be able to afford that unless I win a major lottery.
I'm not holding my breath.

If you are gaining weight and are not exercising, then absolutely try to eat healthier and exercise, because you should do those things for your own health. I don't have any miracle cures, and metabolism does slow with age so you need fewer calories to maintain your weight than you did previously. Make sure you are not eating out of habit.

But I do have an alternative thought, because you got an "are you pregnant" comment. I got a comment like this a year or two ago and was upset/stunned. Let me be clear - I was not pregnant and I have a very healthy BMI (well below overweight, on the low end of normal actually). What I realized was that I was still buying clothes that would have looked great on me before I had kids. I wasn't taking my new shape into consideration. Those pants weren't cut for the hips I got during pregnancy. They squeezed my lower abdomin, gave me a muffin top, and made me look like I had a high pregnancy-like tummy.

Some ladies here gave me some great advice, I went on a little shopping trip and bought clothes for women who actually have curves (eg, LOFT's "Julie" fit), and feel much better about myself.

I do crunches on an exercise ball. I was not doing crunches correctly before and was actually making things worse. On the ball, I only have to do a few before I feel it and I hardly have to go up at all. You can Google it. Just enough to feel a slight pull. By far the most effective exercise I've ever tried. A plastic surgeon told me about them. He said to say "Suck it in" in my head every time I crunch up. That keeps you pulling in (otherwise you can push out and make a bulge over time).

Exercise like walking (more if you can handle it).

And reduce snacking really. Or snack on fruit or things like almonds. Water. Up your intake.

Is it weight? Because I thought mine was. Mine was just loose muscles after pregnancy. Not a whole lot you can do about that without surgery.

Certainly can relate.

A trainer once told me that you really can't spot reduce, but you can do ab exercises to make the muscle stronger which will hold in the gut.
You didn't say what your weight was or if it is over the average, but losing weight in general will reduce your size all over.
The bad news is that weight shifts around as you age. I have a pair of pants which I've had since I was in my 20's (much older now), and I actually weigh less now, but I can't button them. Sad but true!

If you haven't recently had a medical check up, consider getting one. The stomach enlargementioned is likely to be age related. However, it's slightly possible to have a medical cause.

I've had experience with the doctor finding a more serious condition when I've gone in for something minor and unrelated to the more serious condition. I strongly believe that regular medical check ups is important.

I went to this fitness retreat about 4 years ago now...and they gave some presentations in the evening. They showed the science...and really it is mostly how much you eat and less about how much you exercise. Exercising helps...especially targeting large muscle groups. So doing one of those weight lifting Power Up classes where you do squats (as well as work out the rest of your body) will help. But for the most part you just have to eat less calories. I struggle with a belly too! It's hard! For me I find if I eat sugar, starchy foods and wheat it makes my gut worse. It's really individual for every person. Good luck. I'll read what everyone else posts.

I do yoga sculpt, yoga, walking and HIIT. Yoga has been the best, but doesn't get rid of it entirely. There's a lot of leftover skin there from having my kids that will never go away. Being 46 hasn't helped, that's for sure.

I'm a mid 40's apple-shaped girl, myself, so I'm right there with you. Sorry I can't offer any solutions, but I'm eager to see if any other ladies have some suggestions.

Weight gain in your 40s is mostly about diet.
Your metabolism slows considerably. If you're not already working out, start.
But a clean diet is what will do most of the work for you.
You need fewer calories than you used to, and your body will hang onto fat more than it used to.

Some foods that contribute to the accumulation of belly fat: alcohol, sweet and sweetened drinks (even diet), and refined carb foods like white bread, donuts, etc. Some people should avoid potatos and potato products.

Unless you're prone to gorging yourself at meals, getting rid of belly fat is more about *what* you eat rather than how much. If you're slimmer in all your other areas but your belly, focus on improving the quality of your meals but don't worry overmuch about quantity.

Do you drink diet soda? If you do, stop drinking them. Studies have shown that they cause bigger bellies. Drink water instead.

Core and strength training. When in our 40s some of us maybe approach him Periomenopause and our bodies start to change, the poochie belly, flat but, metabolism slows and we lose muscle. The best way to combat this is to be on top of it before it hits. Clean diet and strength training with a lot of core exercises

Can you give us an idea about what your typical diet is like? Fast food? Processed convenience foods? Lots of "diet" and "sugar free" foods? Lots of dairy? That might give someone some insight. As we get older, we sometimes have to quit eating and drinking what we used to when we were younger.

Someone with a masters in a health related science who was a Olympic caliber athlete told me the first place you put on weight is the last place you lose it. I've always been quite thin but any extra weight goes to my stomach. I'd try sit-ups and all but once he told me that, it made sense. Right now I have a bit of a gut with stick skinny thighs and butt. I have just been eating too much and won't lose the gut unless I stop or exercise more. It's just excess weight. That's where I store it. I wish that wasn't the case but it always has been.

look up THM (Trim Healthy Mama) cookbook. It's on Amazon too and theres tons of recipes on Pintrest.