Menopause. ..sorry

scarlet67

Hi, It took a year to lose 30 lb. SInce February I've gained it back . I'm going through the menopause and feel in never gonna lose it again. Any advice to help me survive it would be great. Thanks

Vegplotter

Menopause is much over hyped! It's just a phase of life. It can be a bit depressing (as any sign of growing older can be). But the good news is that it won't effect your ability to lose weight. If you've lost your impetus I'd suggest starting again with a new spirit.
I'd say eat a healthy balanced low calorie diet, get plenty of exercise (walking is fine) don't engage in fads! Choose as low a regime as you dare. But as you start approaching your target do as I did and increase calorie consumption and activity. That will save your metabolism (which is probably why you put the weight back on)
Happy to friend and answer further questions. I had an early menopause which turned out to be a non event - very few symptoms. I've got my weight under control now and certainly don't see menopause as anything but a first world construct!
You could lose that 30lb easily and much faster than you did before.
Good luck!

RoxieDawn

Menopause is just ending your reproduction cycle, its a phase and you certainly can lose weight, get fit, get stronger and be a better version of yourself in spite of menopause. Its is not a setback unless you let it.

I am 1000% better now that I lost weight and exercise and have better habits now in my life.

CMNVA

scarlet67 wrote: »

Hi, It took a year to lose 30 lb. SInce February I've gained it back . I'm going through the menopause and feel in never gonna lose it again. Any advice to help me survive it would be great. Thanks

What were your daily calories during the past year that you lost the 30 lbs? I am also going through/just about done with menopause and my usual caloric goals would no longer work. I did just lose some pounds on much lower calories than I'm used to.

My mother was also struggling when she was in her late 60s, but she ended up really getting strict about it and she dropped 30 lbs.

It can be done but it is harder when you are older and menopausal.

snowflake930

Everyone is different. I started MFP @ 60. I lost over 1/2 of my current body weight in 20 months and have kept the weight off for almost 3 years. I totally bought into the losing weight over 40 and menopause myths of how hard it is too lose weight, consequently, I did not make much of an effort to lose. My thoughts were, "why try if it is so hard", and so I didn't even try. Then, I found MFP, and the success stories here (especially the people over 40), motivated me to try. If they did it, so can I, and I found that I could, and did lose the weight.

It isn't easy at any age, and at least for me, it is much harder keeping the weight off than losing it.

Don't let anything keep you from achieving your goals to be healthier! Unless you have health issues that complicate losing weight, anyone can do this.

DON'T EVER GIVE UP!

fattothinmum

I went through menopause in my thirties. Just lost over 100lbs. Don't worry. Menopause isn't a barrier to losing weight. It does play havoc with your hormones though.

Machka9

I'm in perimenopause and have been for a while now (probably since about 2011). When I hit my peak weight in early 2015, I had a female-related surgery and my gynecologist confirmed that, yes indeed, I was well into perimenopause ... and at a guess I still had at least 3 years left. That was 1.5 years ago.

I had been slender most of my life and still hoped to lose weight again, but for a little while at that point, I figured I might just be overweight forever.

I signed up with MFP to prove it.

I entered my details, set myself at sedentary, and stuck to my calories like glue in an attempt to show anyone who cared that I could not lose weight.

For 10 days I was right.

And then the weight started coming off ... and I've lost 25 kg/55 lbs. Not only that, but I've kept it off for almost a year now.

I've struggled through perimenopause ... it's not been a pleasant experience and made worse by the fact that I can't use HRT. But losing weight was all right, and it was kind of nice to have control over something my body was doing.

Elaine352962

I struggle trying to kose weight, I will never give up. I just need to eat healthy foods. My greatest downfall is biscuits and temptation. Good Luck everyone, we will all get to our goals eventually. Just need support along the journey.

Sued0nim

So you lost 30lbs, that takes dedication and commitment ...well done

Unfortunately so does maintenance ..that's where you messed up

This isn't about menopause, sorry... you gained it all back because you returned to your pre weight loss "normal" of eating too many calories and moving too little. You can't do that.

Menopause doesn't impact on your ability to lose weight, lack of a maintenance plan has done that

So what are your plans now? You have 30lbs I presume to lose ...what are you doing about that?

I would strongly advise a proper weight training programme, not for weight loss but for bone density, hormonal regulation and pulling everything in tightened high ....sets ones body back decades ...heavy resistance training

But the weight loss is down to calorie control

workinonit1956

I went through surgical menopause 11 years ago at 49. Personally, I haven't found losing weight any more difficult this time. I think we hear "how hard it is to lose after menopause", but barring any additional medical issues you should do just fine!

scarlet67

Many thanks for all your support and advice. .I have taken on board all your advice and decided I'm going to embrace my life and dedicate myself to getting fit losing weight and stop making excuses! ! Thanks again

NancyCaz61

I was using menopause as an excuse also...then I finally admitted to myself that, nope...it's just me eating way more than I should be! It is coming off slowly, but it is coming off. Be diligent with your food choices and with logging your food and you will lose again.

Sabine_Stroehm

Fellow menopauser here. Don't be sorry!

It sounds like you're figuring out what you need to do.

If you want more support, we have a great group:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group

markrgeary1

Wife's down 57 pounds post menopause. She didn't get the memo, tear yours up, not true.

maxit

You will get a lot of anecdotal information about menopause and weight gain - here is a pretty useful exploration of the subject that includes science: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/menopause-weight-gain/art-20046058

CoffeeNCardio

Nothing necessarily on topic here, cause you've already been answered, but I wanted to say this for everyone's sake:

Please enough with the apologizing for talking about "icky" period stuff or menopause or whatever. You do not have to apologize for bringing up something that some people mistakenly find icky that really does have an effect on weight loss, on a public forum where people are free to read or not at will. You ended up with two X chromosomes and that's nothing to apologize for, no matter how uncomfortable it might make some ignorant jack*kitten* who doesn't understand that female biology isn't icky, it's reality.

You didn't go to someone's house with pamphlets and photographs, and this is a perfectly valid thing to bring up in this context, in this place, without feeling ashamed of it.

ETA: And it is a testament to the Men of MFP that I have never once seen any of them get on a period or menopause-based post and do or say anything rude about it, and when called upon, viciously defend against those paltry few ignorant jerks who do and then disappear forever shortly after thanks to that.

canadianlbs

i'm 51, got serious about bike commuting again about 3 years ago and took up lifting after about 9 months of that. idk where i am with menopause thanks to hormonal iud, but i imagine it's under way by this time, because stuff. [insert gross girl's-sleepover perimenopause-period stories right here. plus, hot flashes]

do it anyway because you might as well. here's a cluster of my various reasons at various times over the past four or five years:

-hot flashes totally, totally suck. but from my experience so far, they're worse and far more psychologically upsetting when you don't feel like you have the rest of your body's *kitten* together. feeling in physical control of what you actually can physically control is a help.

-why not? it's fun to be 50-something and weigh what you weighed when you were 25, or even close to it. even if things have moved on a little since then, on the individual-physical details front. looking at YOU, obese inner knees >:[

- what have you got in mind that's better to do, project-wise? once again, you might as well, right? unless trying to lose it again is taking you away from other awesome later-life projects you have in mind. not to imply that you don't have such projects, honestly. just one of the ways that i looked at it. so some people retire to ibiza; i'm going to press 80 pounds and deadlift any guy who looks sideways at me. i want to be a terrifying little old lady that nobody in their right minds would try to pat on the head.

- osteoporosis. it's no effing joke, and i already have presbyopia, wrinkles, boob droop and other stuff. i do not want to spend half of what's left of my life in the additional pain and indignity of crumbly bones. i started lifting heavy at least 30% because this is my last chance to stuff calcium in there and toughen them up.

- it's just plain fun to be older than some people's moms, and able to do things no-one expects you'll be able to do.

kshama2001

My mom is 78 and struggles to stay above Underweight due to her very high activity level. She's recently added strength training to her regimen and wishes she'd started decades earlier due to its positive affects on bone health.

frankiesgirlie

I gotta say, I never, ever imagined feeling this good about my fitness level and body at 55 years old. Living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight has significant benefits at any age.
You're going to IMPROVE instead of doing a steady DECLINE if you put in the effort.

GottaBurnEmAll

frankiesgirlie wrote: »

I gotta say, I never, ever imagined feeling this good about my fitness level and body at 55 years old. Living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight has significant benefits at any age.
You're going to IMPROVE instead of doing a steady DECLINE if you put in the effort.

All of this. I'm 54 and am in better shape than I've ever been in my life. And that's with arthritis! I haven't been this thin since I was in grade school!

Being past menopause is no hindrance to losing weight or getting in shape. I lost 70 pounds in my first year of dieting, and 21 additional pounds this year so far. I'm working to get down another 4-9 pounds.

pattymom1000

good to read these posts. I am 63. Nice to be reminded no matter what our age, eating less and moving more and doing weight training can be done. Plus so many benefits like feeling better. I want to sleep better and ahve more energy all day long. Thankful for the inspirational examples and ideas here. Thank you people!

Elaine352962

pattymom1000 wrote: »

good to read these posts. I am 63. Nice to be reminded no matter what our age, eating less and moving more and doing weight training can be done. Plus so many benefits like feeling better. I want to sleep better and ahve more energy all day long. Thankful for the inspirational examples and ideas here. Thank you people!

I totally agree with your response. I am also inspired by the posts on here.

leejoyce31

kshama2001 wrote: »

My mom is 78 and struggles to stay above Underweight due to her very high activity level. She's recently added strength training to her regimen and wishes she'd started decades earlier due to its positive affects on bone health.

Wow! Your mom rocks.

nowine4me

I'm 51 and have no idea where I am with menopause as I'm still on the pill and have regular cycles. I get super bitchy, but that could be hunger or not drinking wine!!

Anyway, I've lost 70 pounds and am still rolling. I lost the same 70# back in 2012 and gained it all back. Had nothing to do with hormones and everything to do with not logging or counting calories. Keep at it!!

akamran1

canadianlbs wrote: »

i want to be a terrifying little old lady that nobody in their right minds would try to pat on the head.

That's my plan too :-)

lorrpb

I'm 61, in the best shape of my life, and the lowest weight in 25 years. Remember, at this point in life you have lots of experience of how to accomplish your goals and overcome hurdles. Put that experience to work so you can enjoy the rest of your life.

Karihappy

I started hot flashes at age 42, had all the crazy perimenopause symptoms of short period, long and heavy period, spotty periods, until finally, at age 48, my periods stopped and I entered menopause. Unfortunately, I STILL am having hot flashes and night sweats, at age 53. Anything I've tried to help this has resulted in throwing off my hormones horribly, so I just suffer through them, hoping someday they will finally stop. But I digress. What I wanted to say is that I always blamed my hormones on all my weight gain, but I have managed to lose over 50 pounds since last August by using MFP and walking. Just jump in, OP. I have faith you will succeed in your weight loss efforts!