Strength training is a good thing to add at your age, but what you put in your piehole counts way more than any workout you’re doing. Cutting out the sugary stuff is an easy place to start.
Prepare for H2OFun patronizing diatribe in 3…2…1…
Age 47 female here. Four years ago I did my first full – trained reasonably well and ate like crap. This year I did another one at the exact same time of year – trained significantly longer and harder and was careful about my diet. Both years I went into training roughly around the same weight. This time I was 10 pounds heavier on race day than the one four years ago. I now gain weight just by walking past food, and can’t seem to get it back off. This part won’t apply to you, but I asked my gyno about it. Her response (she’s roughly my age), “yeah, sucks doesn’t it”? Sigh.
I am exactly where you are. 49 years old, six feet tall, and facing for the first time a determined resistance from my body to get back down to 160 pounds. It really sucks. My run times have disintegrated. To make matters worse, the extra 5-10 pounds I’ve been carrying have aggravated all those little injuries I would normally be able to manage. Knocked me out of the Chicago Marathon this year.
It’s the weight, not the age.
Hah - I’m 48 yo female battling the same type of issue ‘wahhhh’ 
when I complained to my dr - she said just be glad you haven’t gained 45 lbs like most women she sees. Guess that is the triathlete silver lining.
Runner66 - I suggest a sincere focus on your nutrition choices. Search out Rich Roll - check out his nutritional habits - and, read his book “Finding Ultra”. That’s a good start. For me - a diet that strives for Whole Food Plant Based has been a game changer - both in terms of weight maintenance and performance. Just my 2cents - ao
had to drastically reduce the run volume … too much junk food, sugar, meat, etc…
there’s your 13 lbs, right there sorry.
my weight has been stable around 165-170lbs from age 20 until now at 56, barring major injuries. Run times have steadily slowed, even without any significant weight gain.
In the Army age 22 went up to 180lbs, since run volume was drastically reduced and ate too much junk food… ha.
Currently at 182lbs, my lifetime high (a PR!) due to broken ribs. The exercise bike and kicksets in the pool just weren’t enough work to keep it off. Running 3-4 times a week now and will weigh myself after 12 weeks of this, too depressing to weigh in any more often…
5’10", 44yo-going-on 45yo-male.
The older I get, the smaller I get.
Atrophy, muscle mass degradation/loss, whatever…
In 2015, I was 162 in season. This past summer I saw 156, at one point. Whoops!!
I finally got myself back up to 162 last week.
IMO: weight gain/loss is personal/individual.
I have been struggling with gaining weight in the past two years, despite training on a consistent basis. 49 year old male, weighed 160 lbs in January, 2015 when training for a marathon. Since then I have had to drastically reduce the run volume due to injuries, but have been swimming and cycling. I have eaten basically the same foods, albeit too much junk food, sugar, meat, etc. I have noticed in the last 18 months I have slowly gained weight to where I am now 173 lbs (6 feet tall). It is extremely frustrating but I have no one to blame but myself. It has only affected my run times, not the swim or bike, except climbing steep hills of course. I have incorporated weight training in the last two months to try and build more strength in the hopes it will also burn more calories.
Anyone else notice the weight gain around age 50 even with consistent training volume? Any suggestions? It is very frustrating because I should be able to get back to 160 lbs at least, which would cut my 5k times down by almost 90 seconds. That is a huge difference, especially in the 50-54 age group where it seems like most people’s run times decline steadily each year.
I think people just use aging as an excuse when it comes to gaining weight. Most of the time its a combo of less exercise, more sedentary lifestyle outside exercise, less strict about diet, less sleep (likely a combo of all of the above). I think in your case more sugar is the culprit. Add to that less running which means your metabolism is less elevated in post exercise recovery and it adds up quickly.
Turned 50 five weeks ago (but who is counting, right?) and this is a struggle. You need to be militant about what you eat, best strategy is as little sugar as possible. I read this saying somewhere and it has stuck with me: You can’t outrun a bad diet!
Turned 50 five weeks ago (but who is counting, right?) and this is a struggle. You need to be militant about what you eat, best strategy is as little sugar as possible. I read this saying somewhere and it has stuck with me: You can’t outrun a bad diet!
One more thing guys…your organs can’t really ‘tell’ the difference between 48, 49, 50, 51, 52. They are likely worn out more at 52 than 48, but there is no diff between 49 years and 360 days and 49 years and 370 days. 50 is just a stupid number. It has zero bearing on general health over a few weeks or several months. So let’s stop giving ourselves excuses about being 50ish (I am 51 and weigh the same as in high school…summer 138, winter 144). Now that I have said that, I’ll likely jinx myself and balloon up to 180 lbs since I have not really been able to do any real run training for a year. But I have not been racing either so I have not tried to get “ultra lean” I have not done any really massive training blocks either. I have found when I do massive training blocks and racing and all the “extremes” that comes with all of that, my body bounces all over the place and it is very hard to stay consistently lean (I think part of this is cortisol levels associated wtih big training and racing messing around with body composition). This year no racing, just daily 1.5 to 2.5 hours of training and almost never weigh myself and every time I do, I have been in the range that I am “supposed to be”.
So this sucks, but good to know it’s not just me. I’m 61 and can’t get below 170 at 5’10".
Right now I’m much more as I’m just back training after a pelvic fracture in July. I also take asthma Meds which also cause weight gain. Wish we could find someone who will offer real solutions and not just say, “Eat Less”
In the exact same situation. Its depressing. I’m planning to write a book about my experience. It’s titled, “How to go from Ironman to Fatman in one year.”
As we age basal metabolic rate reduces. You naturally have to eat less, however, most of us carry on eating like 20 year olds. As a 60 yr old male, my BMR is closer to 1400 kCal than the 2000 kCal plus of my younger years. My weight has held constant around 80 kgs for as long as I can remember. It only increases if I stop exercising, unless I remember/choose to reduce food intake.
It really is a simple equation - energy in - energy out = weight gain or loss.
While we may not like those folk who simply advocate eat less, that really is about it. If you cannot exercise enough to burn off the calories, then you do have to eat less. There is no magic! There are no short cuts.
runner66,
Do you drink alcohol?
On my 50th birthday (about 3 years ago) I consumed my last alcoholic drink. I had retired from IM racing about 2 years earlier and was therefore training less and noticed ‘weight-creep’ so decided to quit. Prior to turning 50yo, my weight was the same when I was 17y0 - 150lb, 5’9". I would get down to sub-145lb for peak race season, then max out at 155lb for off-season - beer, pizza, repeat.
Watching what I eat, moderate exercise, staying injury free, and no alcohol - and I am still at 150lb today.
I do wish I could get back to 145 for some run speed 
So this sucks, but good to know it’s not just me. I’m 61 and can’t get below 170 at 5’10".
Right now I’m much more as I’m just back training after a pelvic fracture in July. I also take asthma Meds which also cause weight gain. Wish we could find someone who will offer real solutions and not just say, “Eat Less”
Not trying to be snarky… but eating less / better is the real solution. Or exercising more.
It is really very simple.
I’d offer a small test for a week. Either:
Cut your caloric intake by 20% for a week, eliminate booze, reduce sugar, get rid of meat… do something to drastically change your diet
Or
Increase your exercise time / intensity by 20%
I’d wager in either case you will lose weight. Most people just aren’t willing to put in the work. Are you?
I have been struggling with gaining weight in the past two years, despite training on a consistent basis. 49 year old male, weighed 160 lbs in January, 2015 when training for a marathon. Since then I have had to drastically reduce the run volume due to injuries, but have been swimming and cycling. I have eaten basically the same foods, albeit too much junk food, sugar, meat, etc. I have noticed in the last 18 months I have slowly gained weight to where I am now 173 lbs (6 feet tall). It is extremely frustrating but I have no one to blame but myself. It has only affected my run times, not the swim or bike, except climbing steep hills of course. I have incorporated weight training in the last two months to try and build more strength in the hopes it will also burn more calories.
Anyone else notice the weight gain around age 50 even with consistent training volume? Any suggestions? It is very frustrating because I should be able to get back to 160 lbs at least, which would cut my 5k times down by almost 90 seconds. That is a huge difference, especially in the 50-54 age group where it seems like most people’s run times decline steadily each year.
I think people just use aging as an excuse when it comes to gaining weight. Most of the time its a combo of less exercise, more sedentary lifestyle outside exercise, less strict about diet, less sleep (likely a combo of all of the above). I think in your case more sugar is the culprit. Add to that less running which means your metabolism is less elevated in post exercise recovery and it adds up quickly.
^thread should have ended right here^
You have gotten solid advice on this post already. My take is much the same - nothing magical about 50 but yes from here on out caloric intake needs to be a big factor. Your resting metabolic rate is just not going to be like when you were 30 or so. I am 6"1’ and race weight is 162 or so, have gone to 158-159. I feel very different in a bad way at 167-168. So at 13 pounds over your race weight I get it. I don’t add up or count calories. Eat healthy, get off any sugar drinks or junk food. Stay a little bit hungry, go to sleep without a full stomach and wake up hungry to a great breakfast. If your 1-2 workout has no intensity, i.e. MAF or HR z1 or 2 all you need is water. Forget the fuel. Burn some fat. Good luck. If you live where there is a winter, 4-5 extra pounds isn’t such a bad thing in cold weather.
Anyone else notice the weight gain around age 50 even with consistent training volume?
To answer the OP’s question, no. I’m 5’ 10" , 52yo and can get to my 155 race weight whenever I need to. I’m usually about 160. Training helps, but my diet and the not drinking thing make it pretty easy.
Get divorced. You lose 15 pounds on the spot