I've been doing South Beach. I have lost 30 pounds, but not one inch off my waist. Go figure!

I hate dieting! I mean hate-hate-hate. Depriving myself of tasty food is torture. Wouldn't cutting back on portion size and exercising do more good than sticking to a rigid plan?

I have same problem with my waist - belly budda! I'm fairly trim, at 145-150 lbs., but my belly hangs on no matter what exercise I try to trim it. It looks like I'm in the 5th month of pregnancy. Life is so unfair.

I've read that we put on some belly fat (not a big roll hanging over your waistband) during perimenopause for estrogen storage, but I don't recall which books had that info. It made sense since so many women have that complaint, even those who are thin.

I had liposuction. It was horrid but worked a treat. I have since gained more weight, but the waist is still a waist. I weigh 14 pounds more than before the lipo but am in the same clothes and feel better with a more in proportion shape.

Well this makes sense, I was watching one of the morning shows recently, and it was pointed out that our ancestors were hunters/gatherers and their systems reacted to the lean times by packing on weight, to hold them over through the food scarcity. So, today, we have wayyyyyy too much temptation of food available to us, and we have to pretend we have 'lean times'.

No, the answer is not to deprive yourself of any of your favorites. Just eat less of them. Chew food slowly and savor. Eat half the meal portion you used to eat. You don't need much food to survive, and look, and more importantly, feel good. Get a hobby that excites and occupies your time without obsessing on it, and overdoing it. And drink more water, not diet drinks.

....stepping off the soapbox now-

Please, please research and consider:
Suzanne Somer's food regime + the use of a good enzyme mixture supplement + the use of Alpha Lipoic Acid.
ALA can help the body regulate insulin. Please, please research these items.
Everyone laughs at the Somer's way of eating. It is serious and based on real research.
I wish you well! You need not starve!
Consider organic foods in order to avoid added hormones, anti-biotics and such. I had breast cancer.
All the added hormones to foods might have added to the increase in the occurence of BC.
Enzyme production decreasees as we age. You need them to digest the foods and use the nutrients.
Good luck!

As I've gone deeper into my 40s, it's been harder to keep that dang fat OFF. (I never even had a problem until around 40.) I've found that I must get exercise every day - intense cardio is the only thing that burns the fat for me - and I have had to work harder on portion control (I am a member of Weight Watchers online). I don't like it, but it's a fact.

Sheryl

I have found the same thing... just eat right and exercise my behind off, literally... the only thing to do. I feel better, helps regulate hormones and I look better.

I read an interesting book "The Pause", and in it explained what is happening during menopause...very interesting. One point was why we gain excess weight during this time. Apparently when estrogen isn't produced as regularly in our younger days estrogen is produced in the fat cells we buildup during menopause. Something like that...so I've decided since the extra 10 lbs isn't really hurting me physically I'm going to keep it but try not to gain anymore.