An article I found about losing weight....

Lose weight after 30
Provided by Rhea Seymour

Two years after giving birth to her daughter, Nora, Patricia Gautreau was still struggling to shed 20 extra pounds of baby weight. "I breastfed and thought the weight would just fall off," recalls the now 39-year-old Brampton, Ont., native. "It didn't, and that made me feel depressed, so I ate far too many high-carb and comfort foods."

Too many munchies probably wasn't the only reason Patricia couldn't lose the extra weight. Our bodies tend to cling to fat at certain points in our lives: after age 30, post-pregnancy, at times of extreme stress and during perimenopause, says Dr. Arya Sharma, director of the Canadian Obesity Network and a professor of medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. While there's no denying that some weight gain is simply in the genes, says Dr. Sharma, pesky pounds may also pile on because of hormonal changes and lifestyle.

If you're stuck in an extra-pounds rut, don't despair. We talked to weight-loss experts for the secrets to lose weight. (Get this: hitting the snooze button may stave off pounds!) Read on to find out why weight is tough to lose at your stage in life and what you can do today to start your weight-loss engine.

Passing the big 3-0
In her early 30s, Patty Provost found her clothes felt snug even though her diet and exercise habits hadn't changed since her 20s. "I really started noticing the weight gain around 33," says the 37-year-old Ottawa native. "I very seldom weighed myself, so it had gradually crept up by 40 or 50 pounds and it wasn't stopping."

Why it's tough to lose now
During your 30s, there's usually a gradual decline in your calorie-burning ability. Experts estimate that your metabolism slows by about 10 per cent per decade. So if you can eat roughly 2,000 calories a day at age 30, that number might be 1,800 by 40. What gives? "It depends on the individual, but it's normal for your metabolism to slow down," says Dr. Sheila Laredo, an assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Toronto. "Your muscle mass declines as your fat mass increases. Muscles are primarily responsible for your resting-energy expenditure - if you have less muscle, it's hard to burn extra calories."

As we age, time - or lack of it - can also contribute to weight gain, explains Dr. Laredo. Whether you're busy carpooling kids or slogging away at work, if you don't make exercise a priority, it naturally falls off your to-do list.
Start your engine!

• Pump some iron "Resistance training is especially important for women over 30," says Jennifer McConnery, an exercise specialist at The Weight Management Clinic in Ottawa. "With more muscle, you're more of a fat-burning machine." She suggests lifting heavy weights with few repetitions - rather than light weights with many reps - three times a week. "Start with three- to five-pound free weights for your upper body and eight- to 10-pound weights for your lower body, and increase the amount of weight every second or third week." While you should be working intensely, McConnery says you shouldn't feel pain. It has worked for Patty. She now lifts 15-pound weights, in addition to watching portion size and walking or going to the gym regularly, and has lost 60 pounds. Not interested in lifting weights? Try yoga or Pilates, which both use your body weight as resistance.

• Pass the chicken Load up on protein-rich foods that are essential for building muscle, says McConnery. Also, a recent study at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, revealed that people who ate twice as much protein (30 per cent of their total calories, up from 15 per cent), while consuming an average amount of carbs (50 per cent) and less fat (20 per cent), felt satiated earlier, ate fewer calories and still lost weight.

• Make workouts a priority "We say we want to be healthy, but we work long hours, and we don't think about exercising," says Dr. Laredo. "Put exercise at the top of your priority list every day, along with brushing your teeth. Say 'I'm going to find 30 minutes for a walk or bike ride,' then set aside a time to exercise. It doesn't happen without scheduling.

Serious stress
Three years ago, 36-year-old Erin Scannell gained 25 pounds while caring for her terminally ill mother. "When Mom got sick, I completely stopped going to the gym," recalls the Milton, Ont., teacher. "We were taking care of her at home, and people were bringing us casseroles and desserts. We ate non-stop for comfort and because there wasn't much else to do."

Why it's tough to lose now
"Increased stress levels can lead to hormonal changes that promote weight gain," says Dr. Sharma. "The hormone cortisol is released during stress and it increases appetite and promotes the formation of fat cells. People who are stressed out might find they have less control over what they eat, feel hungrier and are more likely to put on weight." While some people can't stomach food during stressful times, Dr. Sharma says overeating is more common. Double whammy: if stress is keeping you up at night, you may also experience a reduction in the appetite-controlling hormone leptin.

Start your engine!
• Get physical Exercise helps break the stress response in your body, and it's a useful way to gain perspective and clear your mind, says Beverly Beuermann-King, a stress and wellness specialist in Little Britain, Ont. While all exercise relieves stress, more intense activities, such as running, trigger a feel-good endorphin rush. It worked for Erin. She lost her stress weight after hitting the gym three mornings a week. "It kick-starts my metabolism for the day," she says.

• Spend time with friends A Finnish study reported that women were most likely to eat under stress when they lacked emotional support. "Having support helps us problem-solve the sources of our stress, keep things in perspective and maintain hope," explains Beuermann-King. Support can also minimize the effects of stress hormones, she says.

• Don't drive-thru Resisting burgers or fries during stressful times could stave off weight gain. According to a U.S. study, adults who consumed fast food more than twice a week gained an extra 4 kilograms (10 pounds) over 15 years compared to those who ate it less than once a week. If you're turning to food for comfort, look for alternatives that can be done on the spur of the moment, says Beuermann-King. "Go outside for a breath of air, grab a glass of water or try taking some deep breaths," she says.

• Catch some zzzs Ensure you're getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night, says Beuermann-King. "When we are sleeping, the mind and body are repaired." So focus on getting to bed early during stressful times. If stress is keeping you awake, Beuermann-King suggests getting your mind off your worries before you hit the sheets by making a to-do or pros-and-cons list, or listening to relaxing music.

Perimenopause
For most of her adult life, Judy Jones* was naturally slim. Even after having two children, the weight just melted away. But since the Toronto teacher hit age 45, she's packed on 20 pounds around her midsection in just five years, and they won't budge. "It's so frustrating," she says. "Even if I walk every day and cut back on what I eat, I just can't seem to get the weight off. "

Why it's tough to lose now
Women like Judy, who have never had trouble shedding pounds, may be in for a rude awakening when they hit perimenopause, which may begin between 35 and 50. "On average, estrogen is 30 per cent higher, which results in food being packed away as fat," says Dr. Jerilynn Prior, scientific director of the Vancouver Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (cemcor) and author of Estrogen's Storm Season: Stories of Perimenopause (cemcor). "I think of it as insulin resistance. The insulin increases because it becomes less effective. Because you have higher amounts of insulin, you get hungrier."

Stress may also make perimenopausal women more prone to extra pounds. For many, night sweats and mood changes can be distressing. And, because of higher estrogen levels during times of stress, the hormone cortisol is higher, which leads to belly fat. "That's why women get a thicker waist," says Dr. Prior. Aside from making it harder to find jeans that fit, belly fat has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. But don't despair! Perimenopausal weight gain is not inevitable.

Start your engine!
• Intensify your exercise program "The extreme hunger of perimenopause is hard to describe," says Dr. Prior. "Try decreasing portion sizes and increasing the intensity and duration of exercise by at least 20 per cent." Exercise specialist Jenni- fer McConnery says to increase the frequency, length or intensity of your routine every few weeks so it doesn't get stale and easy.

• Get out your measuring tape During perimenopause, some women see an incredible gain in waist circumference, which is a predictor of insulin resistance or diabetes risk if it exceeds 88 centimetres (35 inches). If you're trying to lose weight, use your waist as a yardstick of how you're doing, says Dr. Prior. "Often waist size goes down before weight changes, because you put on muscle and muscle weighs more."

• Eat at regular intervals "Don't get hungry," says Dr. Prior. If you delay meals, you could end up choosing something unhealthy. "Avoid simple sugars, which make insulin go up and make you feel hungry again," she says. "Fill up on healthy veggies and increase protein."

*Name has been changed.

First published in Chatelaine's February 2006 issue.