Menopause tips...
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I've been menopausal for 15 years now. Unfortunately, I wasn't given a choice for medical reasons at the age of 35. I was on HRT for 10 years and held my own with the weight. At the ten year mark I stopped with HRT and went from 130lbs to a whopping 160 in 5 years. I still ate the same crap as always did. I'm now 50 years old with a bad back and my knees constantly ache. Thanks to the workings of the female body we need the hormones to keep us in balance. Without them all kinds of weird wonderful and sometimes down right scary stuff happens.
Losing weight is one of those scary things. The body doesn't process the fats and carbs like it used to, it simply stores it up for a rainy day when all you crave is the comfort food you used to eat. The trick is convincing yourself that a plate of fresh veg without the fattening mayo based dips or a pot of low fat low sugar yogurt can replace the the chips and dips and the ice cream from the days of old.
I've been on my 'diet' for just a month now, I've only lost 5lbs but the inches are melting away. I'm not a gym type person but I know I need the exercise (I sit on my fat *kitten* in an office 9 hours a day 5 days a week). If you can, get yourself a personal trainer once a week. If he/she is any good, they will give you a tailored diet plan that will work wonders. Check with your local gym, they can help you find someone and they really aren't as spendy as you may think. That's what I have done and it has helped me with the motivation I lack. I'm not saying it's the golden bullet and will work for everyone, but honestly what do you have to lose other the the excess pounds.
I truly wish you all the best!
TY....finally someone with similar issues with comforting advice! I will look into a trainer. I walk 3 to 4 miles most days and am very active but it isn't enough anymore. Best to you on your journey!1 -
I had been perimenopausal from the time I was 44 years old.
At 48, I hit my highest weight. For a little while I figured that was it. I had reached the age where I would just be overweight. But then I decided I didn't want that. I wanted to get back into the long distance cycling I once enjoyed so much. One complication with that was that I now live in a very hilly area, and with the extra weight, I couldn't get up the hills very fast.
So, I joined MFP in February 2015 ... and lost 25 kg (55 lbs) by Christmas 2015. I was back down to my slender 30s weight ... near the bottom of my normal BMI range.
In 2016, I got back into long distance cycling again.
In 2017, I turned 50 and am moving really close to full menopause. I have put on a bit of weight ... it's really hard to get the balance right between the need for fuel for long distance cycling and staying slender, but I'm still comfortably within my normal BMI range.
Since starting perimenopause when I was 44, I've been through pretty much all the symptoms ... some of which have made exercise really challenging ... but I stick with it.3 -
SummerSkier wrote: »How tall are you? MFP sets your goal at 1200 regardless of how much weight per week you want to lose. Also, how much are you trying to lose? If you are say 4'11" and 56 and only have 10 pounds to lose you might be already at your TDEE. That of course means your intake is accurate. Are you eating back all your exercise calories if any? Just some thoughts. The biggest thing I noticed about losing weight in menopause is that the night sweats STOPPED completely when I quit eating a lot of sugar esp in the evenings. It's a completely unpopular opinion here but I (shhhh) actually have been losing about 1 lb per week the past 15 weeks eating under 1200 cals. .... shhhh. Yes - I am short and old. Pretty active. I do not eat back my exercise calories either. Good luck! Overall I recommend more activity - slowly increase. I liked the CT5K program a lot.
TY...I don't eat any of my exercise calories. I an 5'2. I really watch sugar too. What is CT5K?0 -
I am in menopause (53). Haven't had period for almost 2 years now. Losing weight is not any harder than it was when I was, say 48, and not in menopause. However, losing weight and the amount of food I can eat without gaining has definitely changed from my 20s and 30s. I chalk that up to muscle mass loss. Starting in your 30s, you slowly lose muscle mass if you aren't actively trying to increase it. When you start in peri- or full-blown menopause that rate of loss increased quite a bit. Less muscle actually does mean that you basal metabolic rate slows down. That rate is tied to your muscle stores. So it *seems* like menopause worsens weight loss. But it's really muscle loss which is normal for that age. Men have so much more than us and lose their mass at a slower rate, so they tend not have the same issues to the degree that women do. So it often gets blamed on menopause solely.
I do need to add weights into my workouts. TY0 -
Do you do any weight lifting? I cannot stress enough how important it is to lift heavy weights (heavy for you) 2-3 days a week.
Edit: I see after I posted that you haven't incorporated weights yet. I hope you do. You won't be disappointed.
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Tammi CT5K is a program to get you moving aerobically for 30 min a day. It's an 8 week program but you can take it at your own pace. "Couch to 5K". I am 5'2" also. Doing the additional jogging has really kept me on track. Good luck looks like you are getting a lot of tips. There is another thread you might want to read in the maintenance section call 5'1" gals - what are you maintenance calories.0
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I'm 57. I also did the C25K (Couch to 5K) running program this Spring. You just download the app to your phone and follow the voice prompts. You start walking 5 minutes, jogging a minute, walking a few minutes, jogging a minute, etc. You gradually work up to running 10 minutes without stopping, then 20, then 25. I found the challenge of it very motivating. If you're walking a lot, this is a good way to increase your cardio exercise and earn yourself a few more calories to eat.1
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I left heavy weights EVERY SINGLE DAY...
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I'm about 1 month from the one year mark, so about 1 month from being "officially" menopausal. My bloodwork has shown me to be menopausal for about a year now as well.
For me, the last few years of peri were challenging in that I felt like I had PMS for weeks on end, complete with the cravings, the water retention, and the crankiness.
Though I still consider myself "in maintenance", I have gained about 8Lbs over the last 2-3 years.
Now, though, my hormones are pretty well balanced, and the weight has been stable the last 6-8 months. I'm now focusing on losing the few pounds I did gain. My plan is to continue to focus on eating nutrient dense foods, and limiting heavily refined carb foods. That's how I lost my weight (along with a calorie deficit). That's how I've maintained for 15 years. So now, a deficit again, and hopefully the 8Lbs will come off!
Super glad I was mindful throughout menopause, and have always been a regular exerciser.
Best wishes to each of you. Every woman's experience with peri and menopause is different, just as every woman's menstrual years are different.1 -
I see a lot of people above saying menopause doesn't affect weight loss or metabolism. Well that is false. It seems to differ depending upon the person. It is a HUGE factor for some women.
In my case I exercising MUCH more than I did in my 30's and eating 200 or more calories LOWER than I did successfully dieting in my 30's and losing about 1/3 a pound a week compared to the 1.5 pounds I could pretty reliably lose on my 30's. (yes I'm keeping tight logging, no don't tell me I'm doing it wrong, I am losing, just very slowly, yes my thyroid levels are normal). What has changed? Mostly I got old and went through menopause.
So, first thing is I just tune out the self-styled authorities who say menopause doesn't make a difference - they don't have a clue, the most they can say truthfully is it may not have made a difference to them. Paying attention to those "authorities" was very destructive to my mind set as all they want to do is tell you it's your fault somehow - you are doing it wrong...
Second- while I find weight loss to be VERY slow, it is steadily coming off for me at around 1100 to 1400 calories per day (1400 on higher exercise days) - and I started moderately low carb but found that wasn't working well for me. That's the thing, it may be slow- and what works for one person doesn't seem to work for the next so try different things.
Third, I found it way too exhausting and frankly awful to continue dieting at the extremely low intake level I need to lose any weight. So I'm changing things up by eating for the next month or two at maintenance level. I'm still keeping up with my exercise so I expect to end the month at the same weight or maybe a small fraction of a pound lighter. This has improved my mental game considerably!
I get very disappointed and discouraged at the extremely slow weight loss - at this rate it will take longer than a full year to go from my 29.9 BMI to a BMI in the normal range. So, what I try to do is keep my eye on the prizes: I'm getting much healthier each day regardless of how slow that scale is moving. And, purportedly, slow weight loss is easier to maintain.
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I see a lot of people above saying menopause doesn't affect weight loss or metabolism. Well that is false. It seems to differ depending upon the person. It is a HUGE factor for some women.
In my case I exercising MUCH more than I did in my 30's and eating 200 or more calories LOWER than I did successfully dieting in my 30's and losing about 1/3 a pound a week compared to the 1.5 pounds I could pretty reliably lose on my 30's. (yes I'm keeping tight logging, no don't tell me I'm doing it wrong, I am losing, just very slowly, yes my thyroid levels are normal). What has changed? Mostly I got old and went through menopause.
So, first thing is I just tune out the self-styled authorities who say menopause doesn't make a difference - they don't have a clue, the most they can say truthfully is it may not have made a difference to them. Paying attention to those "authorities" was very destructive to my mind set as all they want to do is tell you it's your fault somehow - you are doing it wrong...
Second- while I find weight loss to be VERY slow, it is steadily coming off for me at around 1100 to 1400 calories per day (1400 on higher exercise days) - and I started moderately low carb but found that wasn't working well for me. That's the thing, it may be slow- and what works for one person doesn't seem to work for the next so try different things.
Third, I found it way too exhausting and frankly awful to continue dieting at the extremely low intake level I need to lose any weight. So I'm changing things up by eating for the next month or two at maintenance level. I'm still keeping up with my exercise so I expect to end the month at the same weight or maybe a small fraction of a pound lighter. This has improved my mental game considerably!
I get very disappointed and discouraged at the extremely slow weight loss - at this rate it will take longer than a full year to go from my 29.9 BMI to a BMI in the normal range. So, what I try to do is keep my eye on the prizes: I'm getting much healthier each day regardless of how slow that scale is moving. And, purportedly, slow weight loss is easier to maintain.
You are awesome to acknowledge the uniqueness in each of us. Yes menopause and other aging contributors are real factors for many women. I have always eaten healthy and exercise...just hoping to lose 20 lbs so I stay as healthy as possibe and hopefully avoid problems associated with being a bit too heavy. TY2 -
DebLaBounty wrote: »I'm 57. I also did the C25K (Couch to 5K) running program this Spring. You just download the app to your phone and follow the voice prompts. You start walking 5 minutes, jogging a minute, walking a few minutes, jogging a minute, etc. You gradually work up to running 10 minutes without stopping, then 20, then 25. I found the challenge of it very motivating. If you're walking a lot, this is a good way to increase your cardio exercise and earn yourself a few more calories to eat.
Is the C25k a MFP program? It sounds like just what I need.0 -
SummerSkier wrote: »Tammi CT5K is a program to get you moving aerobically for 30 min a day. It's an 8 week program but you can take it at your own pace. "Couch to 5K". I am 5'2" also. Doing the additional jogging has really kept me on track. Good luck looks like you are getting a lot of tips. There is another thread you might want to read in the maintenance section call 5'1" gals - what are you maintenance calories.
TY so much. The program is just what I need. I haven't looked at my maintenance calories.0 -
tammienichols316 wrote: »I see a lot of people above saying menopause doesn't affect weight loss or metabolism. Well that is false. It seems to differ depending upon the person. It is a HUGE factor for some women.
In my case I exercising MUCH more than I did in my 30's and eating 200 or more calories LOWER than I did successfully dieting in my 30's and losing about 1/3 a pound a week compared to the 1.5 pounds I could pretty reliably lose on my 30's. (yes I'm keeping tight logging, no don't tell me I'm doing it wrong, I am losing, just very slowly, yes my thyroid levels are normal). What has changed? Mostly I got old and went through menopause.
So, first thing is I just tune out the self-styled authorities who say menopause doesn't make a difference - they don't have a clue, the most they can say truthfully is it may not have made a difference to them. Paying attention to those "authorities" was very destructive to my mind set as all they want to do is tell you it's your fault somehow - you are doing it wrong...
Second- while I find weight loss to be VERY slow, it is steadily coming off for me at around 1100 to 1400 calories per day (1400 on higher exercise days) - and I started moderately low carb but found that wasn't working well for me. That's the thing, it may be slow- and what works for one person doesn't seem to work for the next so try different things.
Third, I found it way too exhausting and frankly awful to continue dieting at the extremely low intake level I need to lose any weight. So I'm changing things up by eating for the next month or two at maintenance level. I'm still keeping up with my exercise so I expect to end the month at the same weight or maybe a small fraction of a pound lighter. This has improved my mental game considerably!
I get very disappointed and discouraged at the extremely slow weight loss - at this rate it will take longer than a full year to go from my 29.9 BMI to a BMI in the normal range. So, what I try to do is keep my eye on the prizes: I'm getting much healthier each day regardless of how slow that scale is moving. And, purportedly, slow weight loss is easier to maintain.
You are awesome to acknowledge the uniqueness in each of us. Yes menopause and other aging contributors are real factors for many women. I have always eaten healthy and exercise...just hoping to lose 20 lbs so I stay as healthy as possibe and hopefully avoid problems associated with being a bit too heavy. TY
Interesting. You're my height and I'm also in the process of losing 20#. It's taken me 9 months to lose 17 pounds. I eat 1200 calories and I exercise and lift weights 4 days a week before work. I eat half my calories back. It's slow, very slow. I've done this twice before on MFP and reached my goal weight, only to pat myself on the back for making it, and eventually stopping logging. Of course, I regained all the weight I'd lost.
This time I've read the maintenance boards daily, and come to realize that it never really ends. So, even a pound every month or two is a success, and better than gaining! Keep tweaking the calories down. I will confess that I stopped alcohol two months ago as I hadn't lost in 6 weeks even tho I was counting the alcohol. I've lost 5 pounds since then.
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tammienichols316 wrote: »DebLaBounty wrote: »I'm 57. I also did the C25K (Couch to 5K) running program this Spring. You just download the app to your phone and follow the voice prompts. You start walking 5 minutes, jogging a minute, walking a few minutes, jogging a minute, etc. You gradually work up to running 10 minutes without stopping, then 20, then 25. I found the challenge of it very motivating. If you're walking a lot, this is a good way to increase your cardio exercise and earn yourself a few more calories to eat.
Is the C25k a MFP program? It sounds like just what I need.
No, it's just a popular phone app with MANY companies having one.
I have downloaded the free version from ZenLabs. I've done a few others, but I really like this one.
I did it last fall and by the time I got to week 4 or 5, my weight started really dropping off. That (for me) VERY SLOW JOGGING made such a difference. Walking doesn't really cut it for me for a good calorie burn. I'm 53 and don't have too many physical issues (besides being incredibly weak and never an athlete!!!) and I got through it.
Oh, I never did eat back any exercise calories so that probably helped.
I've restarted it and am on Week 2 now so hopefully I'll see some action on my weight loss in a few weeks.2 -
I am 37 years old & I began going through premature menopause, during April; of 2016! My problem's that the inconsistency of my menstrual cycle, means that I'm unable to gauge my weight riddance; via a scale and/or tape measure with regularity but I am able to with knowing that adherence to my caloric goal & accurate logging, means that I am getting rid of; the weight! To lessen the frustration, I currently only weigh & measure myself monthly, just to see a # but until I'm postmenopausal, the only weights & measurements, that I know'll be consistently accurate's my caloric intake!
So the inaccuracy of the #'s, doesn't mean; that it's a metabolism issue because blood like everything else, that's tangible; has weight & mass to it, as well & how little or much, of it you're producing; for your menstrual cycle & when your body, expels that blood'll determine; your weight & measurements also! For me this fluctuation, also includes extra water; since I become increasingly thirsty & fecal matter, since I cease expelling that waste; as frequently as well but luckily I don't suffer via constipation, so I just let nature run it's course; with that!
Therefore my advice's this:
{1.} Weigh & measure, yourself monthly (every 4 weeks/28 days, not the 1st; of each month etc. because the lengths of the months themselves, aren't always; the same)!
{2.} While you're able to choose how much weight, you desire to get rid of you're unable to choose; where that weight decreases & thus only your starting weight matters for gauging weight riddance, whereas measurements're only to gauge what size; you currently're!
{3.} Log everything, that has calories; including your cheat meals/days (if you've them) because since you're unable to rely upon the scale, to inform you; if your gains and/or losses, were just the result; of extra sodium/water retention and/or how much, they were!
{4.} If you know that you've been as accurate, as realistically plausible; concerning your caloric intake & exercise, then regardless of what the scale actually reads; via your starting weight minus or add how much weight, that you should be; to your 1st month & then continue, with using your 1st month; for subtracting or adding, to your 2nd month etc.!0 -
CaloricCountess wrote: »I am 37 years old & I began going through premature menopause, during April; of 2016! My problem's that the inconsistency of my menstrual cycle, means that I'm unable to gauge my weight riddance; via a scale and/or tape measure with regularity but I am able to with knowing that adherence to my caloric goal & accurate logging, means that I am getting rid of; the weight! To lessen the frustration, I currently only weigh & measure myself monthly, just to see a # but until I'm postmenopausal, the only weights & measurements, that I know'll be consistently accurate's my caloric intake!
So the inaccuracy of the #'s, doesn't mean; that it's a metabolism issue because blood like everything else, that's tangible; has weight & mass to it, as well & how little or much, of it you're producing; for your menstrual cycle & when your body, expels that blood'll determine; your weight & measurements also! For me this fluctuation, also includes extra water; since I become increasingly thirsty & fecal matter, since I cease expelling that waste; as frequently as well but luckily I don't suffer via constipation, so I just let nature run it's course; with that!
Therefore my advice's this:
{1.} Weigh & measure, yourself monthly (every 4 weeks/28 days, not the 1st; of each month etc. because the lengths of the months themselves, aren't always; the same)!
{2.} While you're able to choose how much weight, you desire to get rid of you're unable to choose; where that weight decreases & thus only your starting weight matters for gauging weight riddance, whereas measurements're only to gauge what size; you currently're!
{3.} Log everything, that has calories; including your cheat meals/days (if you've them) because since you're unable to rely upon the scale, to inform you; if your gains and/or losses, were just the result; of extra sodium/water retention and/or how much, they were!
{4.} If you know that you've been as accurate, as realistically plausible; concerning your caloric intake & exercise, then regardless of what the scale actually reads; via your starting weight minus or add how much weight, that you should be; to your 1st month & then continue, with using your 1st month; for subtracting or adding, to your 2nd month etc.!
We don't actually lose very much blood. We lose very very little, like in teaspoon measurements. Like 1ounce.
https://www.bodyform.co.uk/our-expert/expert-advice-chat-to-gill/how-much-blood-do-you-lose-during-a-menstrual-period/
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Periods-heavy/Pages/Introduction.aspx
We DO tend to retain 3-7 pounds of water just before our periods and hang on it until after. And many of us find we're ravenously hungry for a few days. (We also retain 3-7 pounds just before we ovulate).
I also believe we should weigh as often as we'd like. I weigh daily. That helped me know what was real and what was menstrual (or a sushi dinner, or a long airplane flight)...
Hope you have a smooth transition, and glad you found an approach that works for you.2 -
The Couch to 5K phone app I use is from ZenLabs, and it's free.1
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »CaloricCountess wrote: »I am 37 years old & I began going through premature menopause, during April; of 2016! My problem's that the inconsistency of my menstrual cycle, means that I'm unable to gauge my weight riddance; via a scale and/or tape measure with regularity but I am able to with knowing that adherence to my caloric goal & accurate logging, means that I am getting rid of; the weight! To lessen the frustration, I currently only weigh & measure myself monthly, just to see a # but until I'm postmenopausal, the only weights & measurements, that I know'll be consistently accurate's my caloric intake!
So the inaccuracy of the #'s, doesn't mean; that it's a metabolism issue because blood like everything else, that's tangible; has weight & mass to it, as well & how little or much, of it you're producing; for your menstrual cycle & when your body, expels that blood'll determine; your weight & measurements also! For me this fluctuation, also includes extra water; since I become increasingly thirsty & fecal matter, since I cease expelling that waste; as frequently as well but luckily I don't suffer via constipation, so I just let nature run it's course; with that!
Therefore my advice's this:
{1.} Weigh & measure, yourself monthly (every 4 weeks/28 days, not the 1st; of each month etc. because the lengths of the months themselves, aren't always; the same)!
{2.} While you're able to choose how much weight, you desire to get rid of you're unable to choose; where that weight decreases & thus only your starting weight matters for gauging weight riddance, whereas measurements're only to gauge what size; you currently're!
{3.} Log everything, that has calories; including your cheat meals/days (if you've them) because since you're unable to rely upon the scale, to inform you; if your gains and/or losses, were just the result; of extra sodium/water retention and/or how much, they were!
{4.} If you know that you've been as accurate, as realistically plausible; concerning your caloric intake & exercise, then regardless of what the scale actually reads; via your starting weight minus or add how much weight, that you should be; to your 1st month & then continue, with using your 1st month; for subtracting or adding, to your 2nd month etc.!
We don't actually lose very much blood. We lose very very little, like in teaspoon measurements. Like 1ounce.
https://www.bodyform.co.uk/our-expert/expert-advice-chat-to-gill/how-much-blood-do-you-lose-during-a-menstrual-period/
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Periods-heavy/Pages/Introduction.aspx
We DO tend to retain 3-7 pounds of water just before our periods and hang on it until after. And many of us find we're ravenously hungry for a few days. (We also retain 3-7 pounds just before we ovulate).
I also believe we should weigh as often as we'd like. I weigh daily. That helped me know what was real and what was menstrual (or a sushi dinner, or a long airplane flight)...
Absolutely!
By weighing myself every day, I've discovered my patterns so weigh gains don't alarm me. I know exactly what's going on.
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »CaloricCountess wrote: »I am 37 years old & I began going through premature menopause, during April; of 2016! My problem's that the inconsistency of my menstrual cycle, means that I'm unable to gauge my weight riddance; via a scale and/or tape measure with regularity but I am able to with knowing that adherence to my caloric goal & accurate logging, means that I am getting rid of; the weight! To lessen the frustration, I currently only weigh & measure myself monthly, just to see a # but until I'm postmenopausal, the only weights & measurements, that I know'll be consistently accurate's my caloric intake!
So the inaccuracy of the #'s, doesn't mean; that it's a metabolism issue because blood like everything else, that's tangible; has weight & mass to it, as well & how little or much, of it you're producing; for your menstrual cycle & when your body, expels that blood'll determine; your weight & measurements also! For me this fluctuation, also includes extra water; since I become increasingly thirsty & fecal matter, since I cease expelling that waste; as frequently as well but luckily I don't suffer via constipation, so I just let nature run it's course; with that!
Therefore my advice's this:
{1.} Weigh & measure, yourself monthly (every 4 weeks/28 days, not the 1st; of each month etc. because the lengths of the months themselves, aren't always; the same)!
{2.} While you're able to choose how much weight, you desire to get rid of you're unable to choose; where that weight decreases & thus only your starting weight matters for gauging weight riddance, whereas measurements're only to gauge what size; you currently're!
{3.} Log everything, that has calories; including your cheat meals/days (if you've them) because since you're unable to rely upon the scale, to inform you; if your gains and/or losses, were just the result; of extra sodium/water retention and/or how much, they were!
{4.} If you know that you've been as accurate, as realistically plausible; concerning your caloric intake & exercise, then regardless of what the scale actually reads; via your starting weight minus or add how much weight, that you should be; to your 1st month & then continue, with using your 1st month; for subtracting or adding, to your 2nd month etc.!
We don't actually lose very much blood. We lose very very little, like in teaspoon measurements. Like 1ounce.
https://www.bodyform.co.uk/our-expert/expert-advice-chat-to-gill/how-much-blood-do-you-lose-during-a-menstrual-period/
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Periods-heavy/Pages/Introduction.aspx
We DO tend to retain 3-7 pounds of water just before our periods and hang on it until after. And many of us find we're ravenously hungry for a few days. (We also retain 3-7 pounds just before we ovulate).
I also believe we should weigh as often as we'd like. I weigh daily. That helped me know what was real and what was menstrual (or a sushi dinner, or a long airplane flight)...
Hope you have a smooth transition, and glad you found an approach that works for you.
For me it seems as though that, I lost a lot more; than that! I believe that, with the exception; of laws & science, there're no rules; just opinions! So while I've figured what works for me, it might work for others also; therefore my advice was just an opinion! Thank you!0
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