Hi ladies!
So I’m really struggling with weight gain now that I’ve turned 37. I feel so puffy and bloated, and no matter what I try, I’m still gaining.
I workout 4-5 times a week with a mix of heavy weight lifting and cardio – with a long walk most weekends (12-20kms). I eat as healthily as possible – usually protein oats for breakfast with blueberries and walnuts, tuna with veggies for lunch, probably the same for dinner unless I have a steak or roast. I always add veggies to every meal. I use the sauna 2x per week, and get adequate rest.
Today I cried after a yoga class because suddenly I have a belly in the way – one that wasn’t there mere months ago- and everything just feels puffy.
I have a history of eating disorders, so I am so worried this will send me back there again.
Any advise from others experiencing this? Is there a supplement i should be taking?
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Have you gone to your doctor to get a blood test to make sure there aren’t any underlying medical issues? Thyroid imbalances are really common for women in their thirties, and that can make it very easy to put on weight and very hard to lose it
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Do you have other signs that might point to menopause? Out caloric needs drop a bit in menopause and under the influence of hormones fat gets redistributed in different places of the body.
Have you had bloodwork to check hormone and thyroid levels? That’s where you need to start. Also keep up with pelvic exams and make sure your reproductive organs don’t have cysts or fibroids or other abnormalities.
I have done all that (I’m 42) and after becoming pre diabetic and finding out my thyroid wasn’t functioning properly I was prescribed tirzepitide (Mounjaro). My body is not capable of metabolizing properly on its own anymore for whatever reason and I’m treating it properly.
I have friends who also have had hysterectomies and found that solved their weight issues as well- but that can backfire and also go the other direction just depends on the individual.
I am recovering from EDs and body dysmorphia and I also used to be a workout addict so I completely empathize with you. On my new journey I am realizing how much damage I was doing to my body forcing it to workout so much (especially cardio) and now I’ve found a great balance with weight lifting and low impact activities.
Do you drink alcohol? I cut it out and my weight melted like butter
It could be insulin resistance, especially if you notice energy drops. Obviously try to see a doctor but if it is that, you can also do some squats after a meal or go for a bit of a walk.
Do you lift or are you only doing cardio? Are you ingesting enough calories?
Joining the recommendations to talk to your doctor, especially if this is a sudden weight gain.
On another note- Regardless of whether the food you eat is healthy or not, you can still overeat.
Granted it’s much easier to overeat on calorie dense junk food, but “healthy” doesn’t mean “low calorie”.
Yeah i agree call your insurance and look into an Endocrinologist and get a full blood panel and check your thyroid. Also see if your insurance covers a dietician.
Don’t be so hard on yourself. I’ve gained some weight myself and I know it’s a tough road but it’s going to come off. Work with your Dr. To make sure your hormones are in check blood work is clean. Then the dietician will help you with the food.
Working out is good but always remember, excercise is for the shape of your body, diet is for weight. Make sure your doing good internally before you jump to your diet.
Echoing some other replies: start by seeing a doctor. You could have a health condition you don’t know about at play or it could be thanks to perimenopause. You won’t know if you don’t go get checked out and it might involve having to advocate for yourself and insist on being referred to other doctors. A registered dietitian would absolutely be a good idea, too!
I have a history of binge eating when I’m bored or stressed. When I hit my 30s, the weight packed on FAST. I was experiencing something similar that you are describing and my doctor was no help since my lab work was normal (sugar/cholesterol/Bp). That answer didn’t work for me so I began semaglutide injections at a Medspa (similar to Wegovy). I went from 207lbs to 134lbs over the span on a year on the medication. The meds KILLED my energy levels and made me have to really up my fiber/water intake bc of the constipation but it changed my life. Best decision I could have made for my health, imo.
I have been OFF the medication for a year now and have been able to maintain my slim physique easily. My cravings for binge eating haven’t returned. I have become a lot more aware of how food impacts me now. If I eat fatty foods, I get a stomach ache, so I naturally steer clear. Sugary foods and dairy make my acne bloom so I try to avoid as much as I can. Exercise is easier and more comfortable without all that extra weight on my joints.
Disclaimer: I think I lost too much weight and started to lose my muscle mass, too. I have GAINED 15lbs (at 150lbs) but it’s all muscle and my clothes still fit as they did when I was 134lbs. For reference, I’m 5’6”.
Good luck to you, OP. Rapid weight gain can be such a confidence killer.
Girl, I’m in the same boat as you. I’ll be 37 this year and for some reason, these past few months, I’ve ballooned as well. I’ve had blood drawn and checked my thyroid and I have no idea what is going on. I hope you find an answer. Much love ❤️
>Is there a supplement i should be taking?
Supplements don’t cause weight loss.
Furthermore, depending on where you live, OTC supplements can do more harm than good because they’re unregulated. Sometimes you just pee out the excess supplements (waste of your money that is literally going down the toilet), sometimes the excess supplements can do damage to your organs.
I won’t bore you with the details of my experience, but the short version is I once took supplements for health reasons and I ended up having to get multiple brain MRIs and see expensive neurologists. When I stopped taking the supplements I was taking, my medical issues magically disappeared.
Here to second and third the doctor comments, BUT!
If you still don’t feel right, don’t be afraid to get a second medical opinion. From a different doctor. I gained a lot of weight and couldn’t lose it, tried everything, and my doctor told me I simply wasn’t trying hard enough to lose. Recommended me a weight loss book. And I struggle with ED.
A few years later, after a different doctor saw me, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (13.8% a1c and not obese), hypothyroidism, and PCOS. Started meds for all of them, and now I’m back to being as healthy as I can be! Make sure your doctor takes you seriously!
I turned 36 and I’m experiencing the same thing. I’ve gone to the gastro doctor and there’s still some on going test but so far nothing is coming up abnormal. So I don’t really have any advice but I know it’s incredibly frustrating.
Note: If you’re able to take it day by day and use the below data as a tool, and do so safely (don’t need to be perfect!), it can be invaluable. If any of this triggers overwhelm or anything related to your previous ED, please don’t do it.
Are you tracking your intake and burn? If not,
Make sure to eat at least 100-150 calories above your basal metabolic rate (BMR) or resting calories burned or you could have adverse side effects like poor sleep, headaches, hormonal fluctuations, or impacted metabolism.
To not lose muscle mass, you need to be eating at least 100g of protein a day. Could simply just start with this. And could also just measure some of your food maybe just for one day just to get an idea of how much or how little you’re taking in.
I’m going to be 35 and I am having this same problem. I teared up when I read your remarks about this new belly being in the way – I had the same moment the other day when trying to tie my shoes.
I did go to the doctor and everything was normal with my reproductive organs and my thyroid so I resolved myself to thinking this is just how it is at our age.
My next steps will be to work with a dietician and possibly an endocrinologist- I do have a history of diabetes in my family and I’m curious if being prescribed a Mounjaro or other type medication would be right for me.
I don’t know if this will be helpful to you, but I have insulin resistance (from my pcos) and when I started working out really seriously, I gained a fuckton of weight. Some of it was muscle but I had the hardest time losing fat on top of it so I just looked big. Literally the opposite of what I was trying to achieve, and I worked so hard! I was also on lexapro which worsens insulin resistance. Have your doctor order you these tests: fasting insulin, fasting glucose and a1c. You can then calculate your homa-ir score and see if maybe insulin is fucking you up. If your doctor is being annoying you can order these by yourself from like LabCorp or Quest
I could be left field on this, but perhaps try listening to your body, tuning your lifestyle to your menstrual cycle. If you’re constantly pushing your body, it’s not going to be very happy. Also, focus on your protein and fiber intake.
Fibre is very helpful for weightloss and if you’re lifting weights you 100% need to focus on the amount of protein you are consuming, do some googling, it could be more than you’re ingesting & overloading on carbs isn’t giving your body the substance it needs.
Good luck.
Alcohol, gluten and dairy have an inflammatory response in my body now. It’s gotten more apparent as I’m getting older (37 this year). When I avoid these I am okay.
I did start gaining weight around my pelvis and my gyno says she can feel my uterus just by pressing on me. Now I’m getting an ultrasound and a biopsy and she said it could likely lead to a hysterectomy.
I see a lot of people saying thyroid or insulin resistance, but it can really be anything.
Do you count calories? If you think you eat less calories than you burn, but you are still gaining weight, you need to see and speak with a doctor. Could be your thyroid, for example.
See your doctor, first and foremost.
Explore cutting out all sweeteners (including artificial, noncaloric as well as natural ones)
Explore cutting out all flour products
Explore cutting out all alcohol.
Sounds hormonal OP. Talk to your PCP and perhaps an endocrinologist. Could be a thyroid issue, insulin resistance, perimenopause, or something else.
No advice but here to commiserate as I’m in the same boat. I’m 36 and have gained about 20lb in the past year. No change in diet, I exercise regularly, and labs were normal. I had to buy new clothes and even went up half a shoe size.
I will just second all the thyroid comments and add another one – my hypothyroid is subsequent to Long Covid, so that could be a contributing factor too.
I would go to your doctor and get your hormones checked out, could be perimenopause.
Are you aware of your calorie intake? It is quite rare to have an underlying issue that causes you to gain weight when on a deficit, but still check it out just in case!
Otherwise you might be eating healthy, but you’re potentially still eating too much of it. I got very surprised of my calorie intake of a day that I ate super healthy! Calories can be sneaky.
This may seem totally out of left field, but your current diet seems high in nickel (which is naturally occurring in most natural foods like grains, legumes, dark greens, coconuts and chocolate). I experienced a similar bloating and weight gain on a whole foods diet (after doing keto) and learned it was due to the accumulation of nickel from all the salads and oatmeal and health foods I was eating. Might be worth checking out SNAS and low nickel foods if your bloodwork comes back fine.
Dr
I started perimenopause around this age about 6 months after my 3rd child. I got on birth control to regulate my cycle and it helped a lot. 4 years later I’ve started experiencing breakthrough bleeding on the pill. I’m gaining weight again and constantly feel bloated which makes sense bc I’m constantly starting my period every few weeks. I have a doctors appt to figure out new options
I’ve been experiencing this in the past year too and decided to see a dietitian through Nourish (covered by insurance). It was kind of like a private nutrition course with tailored homework to my concerns and state, and it helped me realize I’ve been eating wrong for a long time (misinformed by a lot of fads). I started making changes not just for weight reasons, but for general health (e.g. better immunity, better digestion, eating for workouts for better recovery, etc). After three months, I really felt better and more energized. However, my weight barely budged and my fats panel from my blood test is still on the higher side. My dietitian and I suspect now that it’s not diet related and possibly thyroid related; I’ve been on the cusp of hypothyroidism for years now and it might be getting worse and I’m about to consult my doctor.
I highly recommend seeing a dietitian as a starting point if you haven’t already.
The first thing I’d suggest, while it isn’t a long term strategy, particularly with a history of ED, is tracking everything you’re eating.
With weight lifting you can get away with eating way more than you think as long as a lot of it is protein. If you’ve never tracked, then you’re almost certainly not eating enough protein.
Our metabolic rate doesn’t actually change until around the 60s and even then it’s a small change, but metabolism is dependent on lean mass. Get that protein and weight lifting in!
I definitely find a huge difference across the month with both hunger and water weight, so don’t judge yourself based on one day.
There have been a lot of good recommendations here, but I just want to point out that you can eat healthy and still be eating in a calorie surplus, which is going to lead to weight gain.
Are you elevating your cortisol levels by working t out too much? That can result in bloating and increased fat reserves. I think easing off on your workout routine might actually be the answer here.
I don’t have advice, but I’m in the same boat. I’m 38 and have gained 15 lbs in the past year for no apparent reason. I joined weight watchers to help me break some bad habit like eating too many chips and candy, and I’ve basically seen no results. You’re not alone!
Are you eating enough calories? I actually bloat more when I under eat… eating more and eating more protein has helped me actually loose weight!! Also have you tracked it to see if it is every day or certain times? Like the week before and week of your period it’s normal to bloat and weight to fluctuate. I get like one good week a month lol
Get on a GLP-1. It will help.
“I’m Eating Clean, Lifting Heavy, Crying After Yoga—Why the Hell Am I Still Puffy?”
(A hormone mystery unraveled with humor, labs, and no gaslighting.)
You’re 37.
You eat oats and tuna like a nutrition nun.
You walk 20 km like it’s a hobby.
You lift like a Viking.
You sauna like a Scandinavian.
And somehow… you’re still gaining weight, bloated, and sobbing in child’s pose.
What gives?
⸻
Diagnosis: You’re Not Broken—You’re Just Entering HORMONE HELL (™)
Here’s what’s really happening behind your bloated, beautiful belly:
⸻
• Estrogen’s partying
• Progesterone’s ghosted
• Cue: puffiness, belly fat, mood swings, water retention
• You’re not old—you’re chemically spicy
Labs to run:
→ Estradiol, progesterone, LH, FSH, DHEA-S, testosterone, SHBG (days 19–21)
⸻
• Overtraining + clean eating + past ED = cortisol overload
• Cortisol says: “Store belly fat, retain water, fry your sleep.”
• Even yoga can’t save you if your nervous system is fried
Labs to run:
→ 4-point salivary cortisol or DUTCH test
⸻
• High estrogen + high cortisol = insulin saying “screw it”
• Clean food doesn’t cancel out blood sugar crashes
• That bloat isn’t fat—it’s hormonal whiplash
Labs to run:
→ Fasting insulin, HbA1c, glucose
⸻
• Ferritin low? Hair falls out.
• B12 low? Brain goes foggy.
• Vit D low? Everything feels like molasses.
Labs to run:
→ Ferritin, B12, MMA, Vitamin D, homocysteine, CRP-hs
⸻
What You Actually Need (Spoiler: Not More Cardio)
• Shift to smart strength + slow walks
• Rebuild your nervous system, not just your glutes
• Eat more protein + fat, less oat-and-fruit sadness
• Sync your food + workouts to your cycle
• Get the labs done. You’re not guessing anymore.
⸻
You’re not gaining weight because you’re failing.
You’re gaining weight because your body is protecting you in a hormone-driven hostage situation.
Test, don’t guess. Eat, don’t restrict. And for the love of estrogen—stop letting oatmeal gaslight you.
No advice, just want to add that you’re not alone! I’m also 37F and have gained 20 lb. over the last 2 years mostly in my belly. I have done all the blood tests and ruled everything out. I gained weight after cutting alcohol last year rather than losing weight. I’m working out consistently again, which is at least helping keep my weight steady.
While the weight gain is real in that I’m seeing the weight go up on the scale and I’m seeing my belly in the mirror and my clothes fitting tightly at the waist, one thing that helps a little is remembering that the only person really noticing this and caring about this is me. My fiance doesn’t notice or care. None of my friends, colleagues, family, or strangers notice or care. My therapist reminded me today that I am the only person putting pressure on myself to achieve this perfect body image, and for what? It’s part of a larger issue I have around perfectionism and being too hard on myself.
I would follow a lot of other suggestions here and get a blood check but also consider that you might be suffering from high cortisol levels. I have been athletic my whole life but I am very susceptible to stress and anxiety and for the first time in my 30’s I’ve started to develop a “Cortisol belly” which was very bizarre for me because I trained kickboxing 2-3 days a week and regularly weight lifted after those sessions.
I noticed my thyroid was very active because I’d feel a fluttering in my throat when I was highly stressed, I felt like I was constantly in fight or flight mode even when I was in a restful state, and I also started to experience eye twitching. Even though I was very used to doing high intensity cardio workouts those were actually doing more harm than good and created a very irregular parasympathetic/sympathetic nervous system imbalance. The nervous system is responsible for triggering the fight or flight response system in our bodies but also being able to turn on the parasympathetic nervous system which allows us to digest, relax, and sleep. As a result of this being out of wack my body was storing fat and cortisol actually makes stored fat much harder to burn. I started slowing down my movement in the gym and stuck to weightlifting with breaks in between each set and for cardio I would keep my heart rate at the 50% to 70% max heart rate zone to target fat burning only and keep my cardio low impact. I started taking supplements like magnesium malate / glycinate, L-theanine, B-1, and ashwagandha whenever I was feeling the stress (please research these first.) I also integrated more stretching and allowed for more rest which eventually with time regulated my nervous system again.
I have also heard that working out based on your cycle can affect your hormones, but this is something I have yet to understand or research myself. It does make some sense that as we get older, we should be mindful and make adjustments as women because we tend to suffer more from bone density loss starting at our 30’s, thyroid issues, menopause and so many other factors that as we get older.
I will post this here as an example, but I have no experience with this type of routine, it’s just some food for thought:
When to work out or rest during your cycle:
Menstrual Phase (Days 1-5): Rest and gentle movements due to low estrogen and progesterone levels.
Follicular Phase (Days 6-14): High-energy workouts and strength training.
Ovulatory Phase (Days 15-17): Active and engaging workouts.
Luteal Phase (Days 18-28): Moderate workouts and recovery
Definitely bring this up with your gyno and get a CT Scan. Last winter I ballooned, (gained over 15lbs in 1 month). Turns out I had a large 20cm cyst on my ovary and it was cancerous. Not to scare you because it’s rare, but it’s definitely worth getting looked at before it’s too late. Gyno related cancers are the worst because the symptoms are so mild and easily looked over. Good luck and hopefully you’re in the majority and it’s nothing.
If you suspect thyroid issues, which you should, eliminate dairy. Give it a quick google. Dairy inhibits your body’s ability to absorb what your thyroid needs to function.
What’s your weight and height? I don’t want to give you bad information if this is all in your head and you’re not actually overweight.
Oatmeal is a no no.
I was told a long time ago to quit eating oatmeal because it leaves a film in the GI. Now they are learning further that oats metabolize as sugar.
The more water, the less caffeine ever, the better.
Carbs every other day.
It sounds to me like your hormones may be starting to change a bit early.
Did you recently start taking any antidepressants? Those made me rapidly gain weight. I went up several sizes in a month and a half. It was horrible.
I’ve been having this issue, and I also had disordered eating in the past. I’ve been doing Noom but aiming to eat about 2000 cal/ day (about 200 less than I burn–I also exercise a lot) for a very gradual weight loss. (Basically just not eating some cheese I’d otherwise eat, etc–but still eating cheese!) It seems to be working. Noom makes it really easy to log calories, which can be pretty time consuming, so I’ve been liking it more than free apps. I guess I recommend it if you feel like you wouldn’t go back into disordered eating from tracking calories–I find that I don’t. I think it would just feel too painful to me to go into extreme restriction at this point in my life, and this feels totally comfortable–I don’t feel hungry at night, for example.
You could have uterine fibroids. This started happening to me a few years ago and I wrote it off as aging, but my uterus had become a fibroid factory. Just had a hysterectomy and there were over 25 fibroids that enlarged my uterus to the size of a football.
Hi this is me. I’m wondering if it’s perimenopause. I read somewhere Covid might be triggering it early for us (I’m 39).
I tried intermittent fasting and I had cortisol problems and gained it all back.
I’m at a loss of what to do. I’ve gained 45lbs in 3 years. I’m disgusted. Going to check my hormone levels at next physical. Ask about weight loss drugs I guess. I thought I never would be in approaching 200lbs (I’m 5”9) and I cry a lot.
I too exercise and eat well. I’m starting a food journal to count calories to look for hidden issues. I use my fitness pal app.
Time to discuss this with your pcp, gynecologist, and an endocrinologist to rule out thyroid and hormonal issues. Perimenopause can hit early. I think I was 42 when I realized that was what was causing my uncontrollable weight gain. Three years later, I was obese. My doctor prescribed Wegovy. I’m 46 now and back to a normal weight. My long list of issues have resolved.
It’s not just about eating healthy food, it’s about the portion/amount as well.