Weight gain/menopause HELP!!

kkooge

If anyone can give me some advice, it would be greatly appreciated because I am driving myself crazy with trying to lose weight.
My details are: I am 52 next month, 5' 5", weight this morning 75.5 kgs. I have been having a very hard time with menopause symptoms for about a year now and have been on HRT twice (off it now - have been off it for three weeks) and am now using a progesterone cream to aleviate the symptoms.
I am reasonably active, as an example my week this week has comprised a walk of around 30 minutes every morning with my dog (so it's not a fast walk), Monday night I went to a dance class (high intensity), Tuesday I cycled for an hour and a half, Wednesday I did a 40 minute fast walk at lunchtime and then a one hour 45 cycle that night. Thursday I was tired and sore so just stuck to two walks with my dog. Today (Friday) I did my morning walk as usual and will go for a swim at lunchtime.
Sundays I always do a big bike ride of around two and a half to three hours.
I am using a fitbit and a heart rate monitor.
MFP has allocated be 1200 calories daily. My pattern up until now has been to average out at around 1500 a day rather than eating back calories (otherwise on my big bike ride day I would never stop eating).
Not only am I not losing weight, but I am constantly gaining it. I initially lost 5kgs with MFP and I have gained back all but 1kg - and yet I haven't changed anything. I AM SO OVER IT!!! I haved gained 2.1 kgs in the last six weeks.
I probably should mention I usually have a glass of wine a night with my dinner and on the weekends would average two - three glasses each day.
Can anyone give me any advice? Thanks in advance.

LMW1015

Unfortunately I don't have any advice but I can sympathize with you. I'm only 39 but I'm a year out of surgical menopause (no HRT). I have gained about 20 pounds since my surgery. It's so frustrating. Hormones (or lack thereof) are so complicated. The only things I keep reading are to watch what you eat (reduce calories but never go under 1200) and up the physical activity. I'm finally just starting back up with MFP and exercise. Having a hard time "caring" but I know I need to do it. Good luck!

deksgrl

Set MFP to lose 1 pound a week (not sure what that is in kg, half a kg?). And eat some exercise calories back.

OR calculate TDEE - 20%.

Women with hormonal issues often become insulin resistant so you may want to look at the carbs in your diet.