Let's Introduce Ourselves
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Thanks for the book info. I think I will go and purchase this. I'm at a time in my life where I need some encouragement.0
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Hi. I'm Kim. Been in this group for a few months and glad to see some new posts finally! I'm 49 and last year I lost about 30 pounds and went into this huge depression and hot flashes! I was like WTF I should be deliriously happy. Well, I found out that your fat cells hold estrogen and losing the fat I seemed to have started the peri-menopause? I thought, geez, I think I would rather be fat! I gained 10 pounds back and have been fighting it tooth and nail to get it back off.
I have been trying to follow the Hormone Diet books advice and it has helped. Wine helps more but I know it really doesn't! LOL Hoping it warms up soon cause I know being stuck in the house has not helped. Seems like winter started here in October and hasn't quit yet! (I'm in Illinois).0 -
Mother Nature must be experiencing peri/menopause like the rest of us this winter! ...lol
We woke up to another blanket of white this morning! The weather is looking promising for the week ahead her in Ottawa, Canada!
Time for a glass of wine
cheers
Karen0 -
Hi ladies, I just joined the group and wanted to say hello. I'm Rene' and after reading some of the comments, I learned that I am not going this alone!!! And I learned that maybe "crazy" in the normal for us! I have been prerimenopausal for about a year now, and still don't "get it". I am a grump these days, I feel sorry for my husband and children and can't even begin to explain what I'm going through to where they understand. I have gained more weight than I ever thought possible in a year but I can happily say that I am doing my best for me right now. I look forward to getting to know you, and this journey together.0
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Just stopping in to say Hi and Welcome to the new ladies!! Lots of good information out here, and no... WE ARE NOT CRAZY! :happy: I really believe that menopause is just like weight loss... a personal journey that we have to navigate and find the best road for us. I have found that arming myself with as much knowledge as I can and trying different avenues has been the best combination for me.
So far I exercise very regularly (like 6 days a week). That has helped tremendously with the hot flashes and my overall mood.
I have implemented flaxseed oil to my diet and I think that has helped with some of my symptoms as well. Plus I have implemented a low GI diet...for the most part. I just cannot have the higher carb foods anymore. It's like my body does not know what to do with them so it just stores them... on my REAR. HA!!
Anyway... just saying Hi. Take care all.
Lisa0 -
I just cannot have the higher carb foods anymore. It's like my body does not know what to do with them so it just stores them... on my REAR. HA!!
Lisa I have the same issue but my body stores it in my belly!
Like you said it's a different personal journey for all of us.
I agree eating and being active is key to obtaining optimal balance in all aspects of our lives.
Welcome to all the new ladies.
Karen0 -
Hi! My name is Toni and I will be 63 in July. I live in Greenbelt, Maryland, which is right outside of Washington, DC. I am finally on the other side of menopause, and 1 year post-surgery from a condition called hyperparathyroidism, which causes the body to reabsorb calcium from the bones and place it in inappropriate places throughout the body. A lot of my symptoms from my hyperparathyroidism were attributed to menopause and aging, i.e., brain fog, fatigue, muscle aches and pain, bone pain, osteopenia, constant heartburn, IBS type symptoms, depression, anxiety...I thought I would never feel better then. My surgery eliminated 90% of those symptoms and has been life-changing.
I started my weight loss journey (again) almost two years ago by joining a program over at Walter Reed Hospital called Ship Shape. Through that, I have lost thirty-eight pounds, and I have been working out with an exercise physiologist. to regain muscle and get back into shape. He uses a bio-impedance machine to help track my progress, and although I have been gaining the same two or three pounds over the past year, I have been losing fat, gaining muscle, and losing inches. I am wearing clothes that I have not been able to wear for years, and feel at least 15 years younger.
Due to issues with my knee, I cannot run, but I do walk at a very brisk pace. I use MapMyWalk for tracking, and my splits for my 5-mile walk yesterday were:
1 - 4 mph
2 - 4.4 mph
3 - 4.7 mph
4 - 4.9 mph
5 - 3.0 mph (cool down)
I also work out with weights, and have gotten up to 80 pound barbell squats on the Smith Frame.
I do try to stay within my calorie allowance, but I do have a sweet tooth.0 -
Hello Ladies! I am 58 and have gone through what you girls are experiencing. Take my advice and lose as much weight as you can before you are post-menopausal. At 52 I was in the best shape of my life and was walking 6 miles a day...up and down hills, inclines etc. Well, I stopped walking and now I'm starting over. I think it's even harder now to lose but I'm not giving up! I am reading the book, "Younger Next Year for Women" and it makes all kinds of sense. It was written by Chris Crowley and Henry S Lodge. At Barnes and Noble. It's worth the read for sure. I'm applying some of their wisdom in my life and things are starting to change. Good luck to all of you. We all just want to be healthy, happy and feel good about going into that next half-century.
Here's a quote from the book: page 32: "So let me say that again: You (we women) may well live into your nineties, whether you like it or not. But HOW you live those years, on the other hand, is largely under your control. Which is a good reason to make the Last Third of your life terrific--and not a dreary panoply of obesity, sore joints and apathy. 'Normal aging' is intolerable and avoidable. You can skip most of it and grow old, not just gracefully but with real joy." How's THAT for inspiration!?0 -
Hi ladies . I will be 48 next month. I started with the perimenopause stuff at the age of 40. Last month was my first skipped period. I have gained weight during the last eight years , due only in part to hormones I think. I am also disabled with very little mobility most days. I miss exercising so much, almost as much as I miss work, and I never thought I would say that! I always thought when I was able to retire, I would fill the days with exercise, try yoga, read, garden, cook, nap. I raised three girls as a single mom with no help. No financial help, no child support, no sitters ( couldn't afford them) , and just when they were all grown I have adopted my granddaughter, whom I have had since birth. She is three. I started over at the age of 43, still a single mom!!!!
I love the gym, also for many years used DVDS and home equipment when I was working and my girls were still home. All were great. But now I am told I can only safely use a recumbent bike, so I recently got one. It thoroughly confuses my three year old lol! She can't understand why I never get anywhere. I am also going to try free weights again to offset muscle atrophy. Problem is, I am useless with extreme fatigue as well as other symptoms after I exercise, and that won't improve due to the nature of my illness. BUT I still have to do something to maintain the mobility that I have. Can't chase a three year old in a wheelchair.
As for symptoms, I found Natures Way DIM very good for hot flashes. Amazon is cheapest. Since I started a low carb diet I no longer have any hot flashes. Knock on wood . Hope to make some friends, I'm very isolated, and lose 40 lbs. and to figure out this ticker thingy 0 -
Welcome Toni and Tulip!! You have found a great group! We all seem to share similar symptoms and provide info and wisdom into dealing with those symptoms.
I'm like you Tulip and have finally bitten the bullet and given up most carbs. If I eat carbs these days I couple them with a high protein meal of some sort to balance out the entire meal. It appears to be working. The scale is finally moving down instead of up. :happy:
Both of you ladies seem to know the value of exercise through this journey. Seems to help with a whole slew of different things that we go through at this stage of our lives.
Take care and glad you are with us!
Lisa0 -
This really does make sense to me. I downloaded the book. As soon as I finish what I'm reading now, I'll get started on that.I haven't read that book, but may see if it's in the library.
I try to eat SLOW carb, i.e.. low GI/GL foods
I'd say (I don't log) that my carb intake is at about 30% and of those, most if not all are low GI/GL nutrient dense, high fiber carbs. It does seem to help. It helps with the cravings by keeping my blood sugar more stable.
I joined a few of the PCOS groups here a while back because I've been long convinced that menopause is/leads to/causes a form of insulin resistance. Dunno. I just know that focusing on eating slow carb helps for me. Hope keeping an eye on the carbs helps you as well.
Sabine... The entire premise of that book I'm reading is basically the philosophy that Menopause does lead to forms of inulin resistance. And truly, THAT's what I feel..in my gut...is what's happening to me. I spent many a year on low fat diets in the past to lose weight. And they worked in my youth...but not the case anymore. It really has come down to nutrition and slow carbs for me too! Giving it a go from here on out. Just tired of this!!0 -
I'm Nancy and I'm 46. My cycle is all over the place. Sometimes it will be 60+ days long, sometimes it's three weeks long and sometimes it tricks me by being regular for a couple of months.
I have PMDD and sometimes my moods destabilize after I ovulate. Sometimes it's sadness, sometimes it's anger, sometimes it's something else. It can get pretty bad and I have to keep a mood stabilizing medication in the house for those days.
My mother went through menopause in her 50s so it would seem that I have a long time to go. I'm studying Ayurveda which is completely changing my ideas about food, herbs and spices.0 -
Nancy I was diagnosed with PMDD a few years ago and I have to take meds daily! It's a wild ride for sure!
Welcome to all the ladies joining in it's great to be able to share.
Karen0 -
I love the Younger Next Year Concept.
I don't know who it was who said that at 20 you have the face you were born with, but at 50 you have the face you deserve...but I think something similar holds true for our health (genetics factored in, of course.)
Each of my parents declared when they reached retirement age that now they were going to do whatever they wanted...and that included overeating on high fat/high sugar foods. Within 5 years, my father had 2 heart attacks and he spent the last 3 years of his life in and out of hospitals. My mother went from a vigorous 120 lb woman who was teaching herself her 4th language and repainting the house annually to a woman who slipped away into dementia after a stroke.
Whether it is absolutely true or not, I like to think that we can make choices now during menopause that shape how we age into "old" age. I think menopause is kind of life our body's forcing us at mid-life to reevaluate how we live and whether or not those choices will support a aging vitality or aging old.0 -
I love the Younger Next Year Concept.
I don't know who it was who said that at 20 you have the face you were born with, but at 50 you have the face you deserve...but I think something similar holds true for our health (genetics factored in, of course.)
Each of my parents declared when they reached retirement age that now they were going to do whatever they wanted...and that included overeating on high fat/high sugar foods. Within 5 years, my father had 2 heart attacks and he spent the last 3 years of his life in and out of hospitals. My mother went from a vigorous 120 lb woman who was teaching herself her 4th language and repainting the house annually to a woman who slipped away into dementia after a stroke.
Whether it is absolutely true or not, I like to think that we can make choices now during menopause that shape how we age into "old" age. I think menopause is kind of life our body's forcing us at mid-life to reevaluate how we live and whether or not those choices will support a aging vitality or aging old.
Awesome thoughts!!! Thanks. Hitting 50 is december is my mid-life re-evaluation. My sister is 11 years older than me and has terrible arthritis. I have some of it but trying to keep moving to keep me limber. I think I need to find a yoga class cause I am sure not as limber as I used to be!0 -
I love this. It's funny, I was just thinking about this. I just had my 49th birthday (so the big one is looming). I was just at a conference where I (separately) met up with for the first time in ages: my boss from my 20s and Mmy boss from my 30s. I hadn't seen either since I was in MY 30s. Both commented on how great I looked, but especially my boss from my 20s. My first real mentor. And a dear, dear friend. He's now in his 70s (and looks great) and just kept saying I looked exactly the same, and how fit I was and how lucky I was (and Vince was) that I liked to be fit....He was always a father figure to me....he reached out and ran his fingers along my crows feet and said: a little wisdom too I see. But then he'd say again: how great I looked. That he couldn't believe I looked just like I did when we met. He's a pretty blunt guy usually. Very caring, but not one to sugar coat things. It stayed with me. What I'm doing is good for me. What I'm doing will benefit me in the long run. I come from people who die young. I come from people who sorta burn out and give up in their 50s. I've never known someone in my family to exercise, eat right, limit the bad stuff.... it just doesn't happen in my family.I love the Younger Next Year Concept.
I don't know who it was who said that at 20 you have the face you were born with, but at 50 you have the face you deserve...but I think something similar holds true for our health (genetics factored in, of course.)
Each of my parents declared when they reached retirement age that now they were going to do whatever they wanted...and that included overeating on high fat/high sugar foods. Within 5 years, my father had 2 heart attacks and he spent the last 3 years of his life in and out of hospitals. My mother went from a vigorous 120 lb woman who was teaching herself her 4th language and repainting the house annually to a woman who slipped away into dementia after a stroke.
Whether it is absolutely true or not, I like to think that we can make choices now during menopause that shape how we age into "old" age. I think menopause is kind of life our body's forcing us at mid-life to reevaluate how we live and whether or not those choices will support a aging vitality or aging old.
I believe that what I'm doing now WILL benefit me in to old age. I'll probably have to cut out the lovely wines eventually, or cut them back to a half glass or whatever, but what I'm doing now (and have been doing for many years) WILL benefit me.
Thanks for posting this. It's just what I needed on a Sunday morning.0 -
Hi everyone! I'm Vicki, I'm 54 and past the worst of it. I feel you on the occasional but horrible periods in the peri-m stage. I had them and it was awful and a mess, besides being unpredictable. I'm happy to have that behind me.
I did a little bit on the estrogen patch. I didn't like the way it made me feel, so I went it without meds except for those few months. If was fine. I figured out what my triggers for hot flashes were and tried to not consume them (caffeine of more than a cup a day, alcohol, animal foods which are full of hormones) and it helped a bunch! I think everyone is different, but that's what worked for me. I get an occasionally "personal summer" moment but it's usually when I fall off the wagon and have a glass of wine or something like that.
I just want you all to know that it'll be better once you get a year or so past the year without periods. Of course, most people get more "barrel shaped" if they're not careful like I did, so now I'm on MFP to lose the weight.0 -
Welcome Vicki. Great to know there is relief for us that have not yet made it to the "other side".
Great to have ya here!! Fabulous group of ladies.
We can do this!!
Lisa0 -
Hello everyone,
I am Jennifer, a Catholic wife and mom to six, age 48 and definitely perimenopausal. I have struggled with my weight since I stopped having babies (when I was having them, I didn't worry--nursing helped me to lose my baby weight pretty well and only with the last two did I have a hard time losing my weight--did Weight Watchers after the last two and lost my weight pretty easily). Of course, I had my last at age 41, so perimenopause came at about age 44 and then I began to really struggle to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.
Until about three years ago, I never really exercised regularly (or cared to)...I now enjoy a good walk/jog about five times a week and find that it is actually therapeutic for me and helps to calm my hormonal swings!
Looking forward to joining in and contributing as I can. I would also love to find some more friends for my app for encouragement....
Take Care,
Jennifer 0 -
bump
hello, i am 48 and i went into menopause (hot flashes- mental disturbance-fluctuacting moods when i was 44, i relented and gave in to taking hrt (femoston 2/10) about 2 years ago. it's helps but my pms i think is still out of control and dictates my life.
i have numberous health problems but have only been diagnoised with fibromyalgyia, i am still seeing specialists so expect a proper diagnosis soonish. my symptons are pain/fatigue.
(i need to come back and read this read tomorrow, you are all a mind of knowledge! thank you)
feel free to add me if you relate
thank you0
