Slow weight gain. What am I doing wrong?

[Jillie]

So I've noticed over the last 2 or 3 months, that I have slowly been gaining weight. I've tried tracking my food and getting back into running, but I'm still on a slow gain. What am I doing/not doing that I can't get back on top of this? I'm about to turn 38 in a month and I know our matabolism (sp) slows down as we age, but this is crazy! I'm really feeling depressed about it. I do have some days where my fook intake is to high, so I'll work on that but sometimes it feels like even holding back on eating I easly top 1500 calories. I try to run every other day, sometimes just a mile of walking, but usually at least 3 miles. I'm so bumed about it....

[ambereva]

Our metabolism doesn't have to slow down. Slowing metabolism is a product of inactivity and loss of muscle mass, not a product of age. I'm almost 38 as well, and I can eat twice as many calories a day to maintain my weight as I could 10 years ago, because I'm more active and have more muscle mass.

I'd suggest tracking your calories and activity very carefully for a week or two. You can use a site like fitday, sparkpeople or caloriecount to help. You'll probably find some extra calories hiding somewhere. If not, it's possible you have some kind of endocrine issue at work and a trip to your health practitioner could help shed some light on things.

[Linda on the move]

How's your emotional state? Are you stressed? Depressed? Overwhelmed? Afraid? Angry?

Many of us are prone to eating emotionally, and I do believe that our bodies process food differently when we are emotionally out of wack, storing fat rather than buring fuel.

[ameliabedelia]

Yes...being stressed makes causes your metabolism to slow and your body to hold onto the weight.

Maybe try some strength-training in addition to the running. I find that I really need to do strength training to keep my muscle mass up and my metabolism active. Just aerobic exercise doesn't do it.

[saoirse2007]

SLeep....?

[rozziemama]

Wow, I seriously was going to post a very similar message to you, Jillie. I've noticed that since I stopped BFing in February 2010, my pants fit snugger. I had begun to fit into even the snuggest pants from pre-pregnancy days, and now I have to totally suck in to squeeze into them.
I've gained a few pounds though I feel that nothing has changed except that I don't BF anymore.
I'm so depressed about it... Not sure if I can help just wanted to say that I feel like I'm experiencing the same thing.

Stress, yes
Sleep, not much right now (see toddlers forum on lack of sleep posts, but i go to bed by 10:30 every night. I know sleep is important. sighhh)
Exercise, 3 times per week on average - good weeks 4X though I am not doing enough strength training mostly cardio - this is due to time mostly - I don't have enough...

My goal is to get back to 125 pounds. I'm currently 138. But in Feb, I was actually hovering between 132 and 134, and in general my hips/butt/thigh area felt smaller.
I'm somewhat distraught.

My exercise goal right now might be to get back to some regular yoga practice. This was a big part of my life pre pregnancy and due to timing constraints has gone out the window since becoming a Working Mom.

Anyway. Should we start a support each other thread???