40 and 5'7 and 160 lbs., anyone out there?

I'm almost 41 and 5'7 with a pretty large muscular frame. I work out 5 days a week for about an hour, mostly eliptical, eliptical sprints, yoga and upper body weight training. I also very active outdoors during the weekends. I have 2 small kids and so rarely sit down during the day. I've gained about 7 lbs. while trying a low glycemic diet. I think it's so weird that I actually gained weight on it. So I'm back here at CC after being gone for a few years. I found a post of 5'7 girls but they all seemed young and all weighed about 130. I'm at 160 and I'm at my best around 154. Does 154 seem high? Is it just that the girls are younger and that's why they are at 130. I feel like I haven't seen 130 since I was in my 20's. Also, I seemed to have put on weight on my upper stomach (rib cage), boobs and shoulders. I feel top heavy all of a sudden. I've heard as you age you put on weight on top.  Any thoughts?

I'm almost 44, 5'8" and 162 with two small kids as well.  I'm trying to get down to about 155, but I want to be at a weight that's easy to maintain, so I might not go that low.  You're right about being 130, it's just not going to happen for me either, and I don't think it would be healthy to try.  To keep up with two kids, your body needs fuel!

Unlike you, I gain weight in a pear-pattern, although I have noticed in the past few years that my arms are more jiggly, so clearly I'm putting on weight in strange new places that I've never had it before. 

Well, good to know I'm not alone out there. Are you a size 8? (looking at your name) What are you doing to drop the 7 pounds? I don't feel like I have anything to give up...accept my weekend wine or light beer (and I so look forward to that)

Welllll.... the size 8 is my goal (or was when I started on CC a year and a 1/2 ago), right now I'm a size 12.  I think I will settle for a 10 if it looks good on me and I feel fit.  Getting down to a size 8 (the size I was in high school, for goodness sake) may not be a reasonable goal.

My main concentration, really, is not weight loss, but healthy eating.  I want to make sure I'm getting enough nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, etc. to keep my body running as optimally as it can for as long as it can.   I'm trying to keep my calories at about 1500 a day, though, until I drop the 7 lbs.  As for exercise, I walk often...I live in Germany so walking is part of life here, and I just started doing yoga to strengthen my back.

I'm very impressed with your exercise schedule!  You're amazing.  Do you think that perhaps the new upper body weight might be muscle instead of fat?   Maybe you could have a fat percentage analysis done at your gym so you know?

Enjoy your weekend wine or beer!  I'm a true believer in the medicinal properties of red wine.

I think you can't rely on sizes. I have pants in my closet that are size 8, 10 and 12. I actually have 2 of the exact pair of jeans, one is a 10 and one is a 12 and the 12 is tighter than the 10! Doesn't make any sense! I agree with you on trying to keep my body running healthy. I have too many things left to do in my life. My sister is a physician that specializes in using diet to control disease (i.e. diabetes, heart disease, etc) She has a machine that analyzes fat, water and muscle weight. She's the one who had me doing the whole low glycemic thing. I just noticed when I gained a few pounds they went to my stomach and upper body. But maybe it is muscle. I'll have to have her check me. That's so cool that you live in Germany. How did you end up there? or are you a native German?  Good luck in reaching your goal. Yoga will definently help your back (that's what I noticed anyway)!  We should make goals to be the "fit" mom's that can keep up skiing, swimming, running etc...with our kids when they are in high school (which means I'll be 50...YIKES)!

I'm 41, 5' 8 and currently weigh about 177 down from around 190ish.   I would love to be 160!  that is actually my goal weight so I have to say you have depressed me a bit!  I was always worried that I may look too skinny at that weight!  I just got back in size 10 clothes so I figured I would be at least an 8 at 160 which would be the first time I was that weight and size since my early 20's.