Pre Menopause and Menopause struggles
Wotan48
Posts: 36 Member
Hi! Turning 45 and learned that menopause decided to settle in and make itself at home 
I have about 80 lbs to lose and it seems nearly impossible. Looking for support, people to exchange ideas with and any one who needs or wants to give motivation.
I have about 80 lbs to lose and it seems nearly impossible. Looking for support, people to exchange ideas with and any one who needs or wants to give motivation.
6
Replies
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I'm 51 An been going thru menopause for almost 10 yrs now but I think I'm about thru it all but its been tough for sure..I need to lose 150 lbs an it's very hard.. I have no willpower at all so I'm struggling..just wanted u to know your not alone here.. good luck2
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I don't know where I am on the menopause journey, but I'm 46 and have 69 pounds to lose. I feel you on the whole, it feels like nothing's happening front. Part of the issue was I wasn't eating enough; that's how I ended up here at MFP, at the suggestion of my trainer. 1
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I am a 54 year old that is also going through menopause and need to lose 30 more pounds. I lost 30 in the last year. I wish someone out there (trainer) would come up with a workout plan for middle aged women going through menopause. MEN don't have a clue.
Not as easy as it use to be. Keep up the hard work! YOU can do it!! Good Luck!3 -
I'm 48 and I think I'm going through menopause? I kinda don't even know what that means. No period for 8 months. Lately it seems the waist line is growing with out a reason. This sucks...2
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I got kicked into menopause early (49) after having uterine fibroids treated (with uterine artery embolism). I was also in a very high-stress situation from about 50-55 (toxic relationship with an alcoholic). I have finally come out of the end of the tunnel on both, and here is what I've got in terms of hints and support. First, evaluate the amount of stress in your life and do what you can to reduce it. My take-home from my experience is that 1) cortisol is a killer, and creates inflammation on every level that makes it very difficult to lose weight or stay motivated enough to stay on track. 2) Maybe the best/easiest (no special equipment required) way to reduce cortisol is to GET MORE SLEEP. 3) Go easy on yourself in terms of what you "should" be able to get done (including losing pounds). Nothing is the same any more, so really, you have no idea of what you "should" be able to do. You need to figure it out for yourself day by day. Check in with yourself frequently, by whatever means you do it (diary, video blog, meditation, whatever). 4) Movement (give yourself a break and quit calling it "exercise") is VERY important. Get out and do some movement every day you can, even if it's just a walk around the block in the morning. In fact, that is a great way to start your day in a non-stressful way-- it's early, before things can start falling down all around you, it's quiet and cooler (in the summer). 5) practice gratitude for what you have and what you are gaining (even from menopause-- no more periods! ). In fact, spend that 20 minutes on your morning walk concentrating on what you have to be grateful-- that is a double stress reliever. 6) Don't focus on the weight and scale while you're in menopause, because it's a set-up for disappointment because it's biochemically difficult. There is so much hormonal stuff going on, and nothing works like it used to. You don't process food the same way, you don't react to life the same way. So focus on reducing stress and working on good habits which are good for you regardless of what you weigh. The good news (seems to be for me, anyway) that once you're through menopause, it becomes less impossible to lose weight. Still hard, but less impossible.
Basically, menopause means that many of the strategies and work-arounds we figured out in the first half of our lives no longer work, and we need to figure out new ones. View it as an opportunity to create new good habits for the second half of your life, because it is, and we need those good habits as we get older and have less brute energy to solve problems simply by hurling ourselves at them. Good luck!17 -
THANK YOU so much for that! I have no idea what's going on and don't know where to turn! I appreciate your words!!1
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1) take iron supplements if you need them - I had terrible problems when I was perimenopausal, got very anemic.
2) have your thyroid checked, thyroid meds can make a huge different in how easy it is to lose weight.
3) there's some evidence that heavy lifting is better than cardio for reversing metabolic syndrome and losing that waist
4) you can do this, I've lost 55 lbs in 6 months and I'm postmenopausal with one ovary removed8 -
conchita962 wrote: »THANK YOU so much for that! I have no idea what's going on and don't know where to turn! I appreciate your words!!
I keep wondering when the school nurse is going to come explain all of this like they did at puberty
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@02bridget I know right?!? I guess I need to get "Menopause for Dummies" !
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conchita962 wrote: »THANK YOU so much for that! I have no idea what's going on and don't know where to turn! I appreciate your words!!
I keep wondering when the school nurse is going to come explain all of this like they did at puberty
So So So much this!!!1 -
I am 46 and in a menopausal hell, I have gone totally bat *kitten* crazy. yep.thats what my husband and kids will say. blame it all on that!, I am lucky to get 5 hours sleep a night. but the worst thing in the world for me is ANXIETY, I have never had it in my whole life, til now. I so KNOW how people feel that have this. ITS HORRIBLE.4
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Go easy on yourself in terms of what you "should" be able to get done (including losing pounds). Nothing is the same any more, so really, you have no idea of what you "should" be able to do. You need to figure it out for yourself day by day.
This is SOOOO worth repeating. I've been peri-menopause for the past year. Weightloss is SLOOOW and I often have to constantly adjust what I eat and how much based more on how I feel then my desire to lose weight. Case in point. for the last few weeks, I'm been dealing with some serious fatigue issues. Made it hard to workout consistently and when I'm not working out... I seem to have less will power to avoid over snacking. After looking through my reports, I realized my iron was running low... so I spent this week on a steak and egg diet. Not only to a feel better and more back to normal... I actually managed to drop a whole pound this week (my average since April has been closer to .2 to .5 lbs per week).
Over the past 3 months, I've only lost 5lbs. But I didn't let the frustration make me give up, rather I kept at it and I'm now 5lbs lighter for it.
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Only 41 and already peri menopause with periods getting longer and longer apart. Thyroid issues, cortisol problems, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, etc. and of course, ridiculous weight gain- lots of belly fat.
Using this app is just one tool to lose weight. Hope we can encourage each other on this journey!3 -
I'm 48 and been thru menopause already and come out the other side. I take HRT so I don't have to deal with horrible hot flashes, insomnia, and the rest of the mess.1
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Hi all I'm technically menopausal because I had to have a full hysterectomy 6 months ago. I had no clue as to what to expect and still don't. Im 37 and have no idea what to do about the hot flashes and stuff I am experiencing let alone I have to lose 65 lbs. Idk how I'm gonna do it.0
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I hear you ladies! 46 and perimenopausal - have always been on the plump side but at this stage of my life the scales seem to be going up and up, not down and down!!! I'm not giving up though :-) Feel free to add me0
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What worked for me in menopause was walking. The only symptoms I had was maybe a couple hot flushes at night. But the misery was not there at all. I made sure that I exercised every day, walking really helped, cut back on processed food, sodium etc. Watching what you eat is really important.
I lost 24 lbs, felt good, guess what happened, became too comfortable. Now I am back and need to lose at least 30 lbs, its is a slow progress as I do not have a thyroid, but I am trying and plan to exercise every day.
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Forget to mention, check your Vitamin D, that is really important.1
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The biggest thing that helped me was stopping dairy - the hot flashes stopped.2
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hello all - i am 46, in menopause, hysterectomy 4 years ago. my normal weight is 125, i am 5'7".
my last pregnancy was just horrible, i was 42, baby had 2 chromosomal abnormalities and died in utero at 2nd trimester. had a D&E and then hysterectomy. my weight starting creeping up and i went from 125 to 200lbs.
i have spent the past year trying to lose it, i work-out with weight lifting and also do some cardio. gym 3 days/week. i was just diagnosed with autoimmune diseases (both thyroid and arthritis) and on meds for all of that. lost 25 lbs in past year, now down to 175. still wanting to hit my 125 goal, but my dr says IMPOSSIBLE> would love to prove him wrong! starting LCHF diet on monday. anyone want to friend request me, i am 2DUNNY
i live in houston.
:flowerforyou:3 -
gnatseyelashes wrote: »The biggest thing that helped me was stopping dairy - the hot flashes stopped.
wow did not know this one. TFS!0 -
I'll be 46 this August. What are the signs of pre-menopause?0
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I think the key points to get from above are, listen to your body, LOG everything regardless, that info can become pricelessThis is SOOOO worth repeating. I've been peri-menopause for the past year. Weightloss is SLOOOW and I often have to constantly adjust what I eat and how much based more on how I feel then my desire to lose weight. Case in point. for the last few weeks, I'm been dealing with some serious fatigue issues. Made it hard to workout consistently and when I'm not working out... I seem to have less will power to avoid over snacking. After looking through my reports, I realized my iron was running low... so I spent this week on a steak and egg diet. Not only to a feel better and more back to normal... I actually managed to drop a whole pound this week (my average since April has been closer to .2 to .5 lbs per week).
Over the past 3 months, I've only lost 5lbs. But I didn't let the frustration make me give up, rather I kept at it and I'm now 5lbs lighter for it.
For me, I started at 44, lost weight (not sure if is was hard or not, though I did have some days when I cried, etc) and gained some back. Now at 48 (49 in August) I have learned that the body changes, usually not is a good way and we may have to adjust our goals. For me, the weight needs to not matter as much as how fit I am, I know I am good when I am keeping up with my strength workouts, I see the most results from not a great deal of work (as opposed to cardio - time wise that is) and I feel better. I know you have a ideal number of pounds you want to lose but gaining muscle will offset that and could be better in the long run so work with measurements and the scale.
You may need to try different methods to find the one that will work for you and with what your body is going through at this time.
Right now I am taking iron with a side of prunes and I just started with the mini-pill to try and regulate things . . . lots of trial and errors on this journey.
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Hi, I started an early menopause at 31 and it was fully completed at 36 (no medical explanation). Since then, except for 2 years, I have been on hormone Replacement Therapy (the European, breast friendly kind!). At age 53, I was taken off HRT for those above mentioned 2 years by an over-careful doctor. Back on it, now I am 61.
The number one problem with menopause must be the hot flashes. When you get them regularly, they wake you up at night and you are always so tired that you eat for energy. Without HRT, I get something like 12 per night, meaning that I do not have more than 30 min of uninterrupted sleep. Total killer. Forget about trying to loose weight, maintaining is already enough of a struggle. I also notice during those horrible 2 years that my body started changing with my waist expanding to go from a figure 8 to an 0 shape. You pack the pounds on your belly. and of course the lack of sleep also induces mood swings. After I was back to sleeping normally, I lost the extra weight (OK had only 20 pounds to loose), had enough energy to exercise and got my figure back.1 -
Struggling with menopause! Going plant based in hopes to avoid hormones..looking for friends and support going through this ! Thanks.2
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I'm 48 and been thru menopause already and come out the other side. I take HRT so I don't have to deal with horrible hot flashes, insomnia, and the rest of the mess.
HRT not work I g for me as well as it should, have to take progesterone or should, do to a history of cancer. Stupid pills make everything worse, did make my hot flashes better...
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Just was recommended to check out this link. So glad I did! I thought I was going crazy! I'm not alone. I'm 38 - early peri-menopause. I'm all over the place with my periods and PMS, hot flashes, lack of sleep, etc. I've been dieting religiously for 3 months and have lost little to nothing. On the plus side, I'm eating healthier and exercising regularly.
I tried progesterone only therapy for two months but the side effects were pretty bad. Felt like constant PMS. Maybe I gave up too early? What's worked for you ladies? My Thyroid appears to be normal. I did go from 4 to .86 in a few months, but docs seem to think that is normal.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!0 -
midlomel1971 wrote: »I'll be 46 this August. What are the signs of pre-menopause?
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/66-peri-menopause-menopause-symptoms-you-may-experience-which-may-help-some-ladies-2719030 -
Hello everyone, I am 48 (for a few more days anyway) and just entering perimenopause. Saw my doctor this morning seeking a confirmation because my sleep patterns have changed dramatically in the last few months. While the flushing, sleep issues and irritability suggest perimenopause, I am still getting periods every month, so it is too early for HRT. My doctor shocked me my suggesting anti-depressants. Is this normal? Anyone here used them to help with symptoms?0
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