Amy Myers, MD is a two-time New York Times bestselling author and an internationally acclaimed functional medicine physician. Dr. Myers specializes in empowering those with autoimmune, thyroid, and digestive issues to reverse their conditions and take back their health. In addition, she is a wife, mother, and the successful founder and CEO of Amy Myers MD®.
Your muscles are important for bone density, strength, and overall health. However, your body starts to lose muscle as you age. Building muscle can increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories at rest. Muscle also takes up less space than fat, so you can feel leaner and toned as you increase your muscle mass. Good options to increase your muscle mass include light weightlifting, body weight exercises, and Pilates.
If you were very active in your younger years, you may have had some injuries.  Like a spicy pepperoni pizza does after dinner, those injuries from your carefree days can come back to haunt you.  These ghosts of injuries past show up in the form of early arthritis, bone spurs, tighter muscles, pinched nerves, etc.  After our 30’s, new injuries also take longer heal.  No wonder we slow down.
^{You may wonder if you should even try to lose weight in midlife. Shouldn’t you just accept weight gain during menopause as part of life? The answer is “No!” While accepting and loving your body is important, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight as you are reaching menopause is not about how you look. Excess weight in later life holds a variety of dangers to your health and well-being.18 Losing excess weight, and especially belly fat, may significantly decrease your risk of a variety of health issues, including19,20:}
If you are taking the appropriate measures (e.g., eating enough of a calorie deficit for your age and body composition, stressing less, and working on strength training) and still not losing weight, and you also have other symptoms of hypothyroidism (such as constipation, fatigue, dry hair and nails), then it may be worth considering getting your thyroid levels checked," advises Dr. Peterson.

I am 59 and have been on a injury / weight gain cycle for several years. I have never been overweight till my first accident , then I gained weight and kept gaining and now that I am almost 60 , I want that great body and high energy back. The older I get the more problems my weight causes , legs hurt , falling asleep in my chair , I am too young for that. So I am eating better and boxing , which is a great workout . I plan to sky dive for my 60th next year.

Pay attention to what you are eating. Read labels and ensure your foods are organic, nutrient-dense, and anti-inflammatory. Avoid eating in front of the TV, while standing up, and when busy with other tasks. Keep a regular eating schedule. If you are craving something, check-in with yourself to see if you are truly hungry or just thirsty, stressed, or bored.

Sometimes the medicines you're taking for other issues, such as high blood pressure and antidepressant meds, can increase your weight or keep you from losing it, says Dr. Stanford. Ask your doctor if your weight concerns could be side effects of the prescriptions you're getting filled. Often, there are other formulations that can be effective but wouldn't have those side effects for you.

Amy Myers, MD is a two-time New York Times bestselling author and an internationally acclaimed functional medicine physician. Dr. Myers specializes in empowering those with autoimmune, thyroid, and digestive issues to reverse their conditions and take back their health. In addition, she is a wife, mother, and the successful founder and CEO of Amy Myers MD®.
Hi, Thanks for this wonderful information. Exercise is one of the most powerful ways to take control of your health. Not only can it prevent heart disease, strokes, metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer, it has been shown to help with depression, insomnia and stress. I hope this information will really help everyone to get motivated toward the importance of exercises not only for lose weight but to live a healthy life.
Chronic stress can increase cortisol in your body, and lead to high insulin levels. You may even end up craving more sugary and fatty junk food,41 resulting in more stubborn pounds and belly fat. Managing your stress will increase your overall well-being and can help with weight loss. Breathing exercises, meditation, dance, gentle exercise, journaling, and listening to uplifting music are some of my favorite ways to lower stress.
_{Hi Kathy - You are doing things right - I am a fan of bodyweight and dumbbells while doing HIIT and circuits, etc. You don't need to do the traditional free weight workout... BUT you do want to make sure you are challenging yourself enough to feel your muscles working - if you can go a little heavier, do it! Also - I don't know how much weight you have to lose - if it's only a few pounds - those are the hardest. However, if you have a lot of weight to lose and the scale isn't budging - you are doing a good amount of exercise - I would really analyze what you are eating - that is at least, if not more than 50 % of the equation. Have you checked out the Ultimate Healthy Eating Guide that you received when you signed up for Get Healthy U TV? If you need a copy, email [email protected]}
Sometimes the medicines you're taking for other issues, such as high blood pressure and antidepressant meds, can increase your weight or keep you from losing it, says Dr. Stanford. Ask your doctor if your weight concerns could be side effects of the prescriptions you're getting filled. Often, there are other formulations that can be effective but wouldn't have those side effects for you.

"One of the reasons that it's difficult to lose weight in your 40s is that you are beginning to lose muscle mass, so the composition of your body tissue changes," explains Keri Peterson, MD, Women's Health advisor. "Having higher muscle mass raises your metabolism, so your body burns more calories." So when you're dealing with the opposite—less muscle mass—that means a slower metabolism. Argh.