Yes, you CAN lose weight!

AliceNov2011

If you're a middle-aged woman with more than 20 pounds to lose, please make these 5 simple changes for ONE MONTH:

1) GET RID OF ALL THIS STUFF: junk food, fast food, white processed food (flour, sugar, white rice, cereal, bread, baked goods, pasta, chips, tortillas, wraps), fruit juices, and anything with the words "low fat" or "no fat" on the label

2) EMBRACE WHOLE, NATURAL FOODS: berries, apples, green vegetables, lean proteins (poultry, fish, shrimp, eggs, tofu)

3) TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING: no more than one serving a day of whole grains (Ezekiel bread, brown rice), dairy (unflavored Greek yogurt, kefir, almond milk, unsalted butter, white cheese), legumes, root vegetables, bananas & all other fruits

4) DRINK SMART: drink water all day everyday (including unsweetened iced tea, but not soda), no more than 8 oz. of wine or 2 oz. of clear spirits (vodka, rum, gin) a day, and NO mixers or beer

5) BE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOURSELF: Measure & record everything (I said "everything") you eat or drink to a maximum of 1200-1500 calories/day, and once a week weigh first thing in the morning

P.S. If you regularly exercise vigorously (I said "regularly" and "vigorously"), you can eat back 1/2 the calories you burn.

Let me know how it goes! (More to lose? Rinse & repeat.)

aprueitt

I needed this today! Thank you

AnnofB

You are so right. So often we hide behind the "I can't lose weight because of menopause" thing. It can be done at our age, it just takes a lot more effort and strict adherence to the steps you listed. But it's so worth it! I used to think it was hopeless, that I was destined to be unhealth and fat. I was wrong. Sometimes it's good to be wrong.

There is no magic to it... no pill or piece of exercise equipment. It does take patience, lot's of that,

gatorginger

I am officially menopausal and I have been able to lose 23 pounds just by watching my calorie intake. I am now in maintenance. I however did not give up anything particular but my eating habits did change. i used to eat out every day almost but now I bring my lunch except for one day a week I eat out. I do eat out also on the weekends quite often too. But during the week I enjoy bringing my lunch. Just watching calories may not work for everyone but it did for me.

KANGOOJUMPS

YEAH!!!

FattieBabs

24pounds down so half way to my goal. I drink masses of water and feel much better than before. The Op advice is really sensible..

ggeise14

Bump to remind myself ~

christinecsaucier

I wish I had figured this out 15 pounds ago! Recently getting back MFP and have found that cutting all the processed carbs out of my diet has decreased cravings which helps me stay on track!

Thingirlwannabe

Thanks for this great advice.

lisabinco

I am way past menopause and I have been able to lose almost 50 pounds and keep it off in the past 2 years by following many of these statements, with some exceptions. (What's wrong with bananas or legumes?) It can be done.

lisabinco

... have found that cutting all the processed carbs out of my diet has decreased cravings which helps me stay on track!

Agreed! While I don't restrict carbs necessarily, I rarely eat processed carbs of any kind, and that has also helped blunt cravings.

lisabinco

I drink masses of water and feel much better than before.

Hubby's urologist told him that he only needs to follow this simple rule in order to stay properly hydrated: "If you pee yellow or darker, drink water. If you pee pale yellow to clear, you are hydrated." It's just that easy. (I personally find that eating lots of fruits and vegetables, raw and steamed, also keeps me well hydrated without chugging down glass after glass of water.)