Can anyone speak to Menopause and Metabolism AND how that af

juliapurpletoes

Hi there!

I, like many other women over 50 or through menopause, am completely frustrated with the process of losing weight and getting fit after menopause. Most of us describe it as flatout "impossible". None of what you try seems to work on the post menopause body, it is very disheartening to say the least.

Can anyone speak with true information about why it is so much more difficult and more importantly WHAT we can do about it?!

I know at least a gazillon women who would appreciate some answers/advice and support.

Thanks so kindly,

Julia
:flowerforyou:

sbwood888

I am worried about this too. I read an article about the pre-menopausal woman (at 43, that's me) and it warns of slowing metabolism. That scares me! I will be interested to hear what people say. Are there any ladies on here who lost a considerable amount of weight POST menopause?? If so, please sing out!

mweather74

I am going through peri menopause right now and I am finding the weight becoming an issue for me....I am 37.

I am interested as well to see what is said,

RMinVA

I just hit 1 year since my last cycle, so I am officially "done." I lost 50 pounds almost 3 years ago, and I suppose I was pre-menopausal at the time.

Don't confuse weight loss with getting fit. The weight certainly does not come off like it did when I was younger. I could cut calories and the weight would fall right off: now I have to pay much closer attention to nutrition and WHAT I am eating too. I started running a few years ago. And while I certainly have been thinner, I have never been fitter!! I have completed several distance races and will be competing in my first sprint triathlon this fall @ the age of 49.

This link explains some of what we face: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause-weight-gain/HQ01076

LoriLou67

bump

Jenn728

I had a hysterectomy when I was 25 and it wasn't until I hit 30 that I started to gain. Now I'm having to give up EVERTHING in order to MAYBE lose a pound or two...totally frustrating!!!

Rhonnie07

Bump- interested, too

juliapurpletoes

thanks for the bumps and replies.

I am hoping one of our sites personal trainers might post???

anniepants1

I agree with RMinVA. My last cycle was in July 2007 and in order to loose weight I have to make sure everything I eat is nutritionally sound, WATCH THE SODIUM and drink lots and lots of water.

Debinapril

Hi there,

I guess I will have to admit that I'm starting the menopause, I'm nearly 53 and my periods are irregular and I'm getting the dreaded night sweats too. You could power a small town on the heat I generate at times! LOL I refuse to worry about it though. Three years ago I decided to get fit and to tackle my weight problem. I can honestly say that I'm fitter and stronger than I have ever been in my adult life. Gradually over time I've lost 35lbs and have another 35 to lose. In spite of that I feel in great shape. It might be slow, but in my opinion slow is better anyway, it still comes off. When I'm in weightloss mode (as opposed to 'resting') I lose about a 1lb a week, which is very good. It's a safe sustainable amount and doesn't put your health at risk. Of course when I was younger I could lose 3-4lbs a week easy but those days are gone. So I have no doubt that I can do it - continue to lose weight and maintain fitness. By being fit and a healthy weight will make coping with the changes easier. That's what I am hoping anyway!
All the best.

juliapurpletoes

from an article on Mayo Cinic website:

Eat less. To maintain your current weight — let alone lose excess pounds — you may need about 200 fewer calories a day during your 50s than you did during your 30s and 40s. To reduce calories without skimping on nutrition, pay attention to what you're eating and drinking. Choose more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Opt for lean sources of protein. Don't skip meals, which may lead you to overeat later.

So how does this fit in with not going into starvation mode philosophy???

If we need to eat a few hundred less calories a day (because as we age we have a metabolism slow down as well as menopause), it brings up a coupla questions:

Does MFP take this into consideration when they guide us though setting our limits? (age factor)

And it seems, it would set us pretty close to starvation mode??

Thoughts?

Wightvixen

It's because of all the horror stories I've heard that I decided to get a grip on my weight before menopause came knocking. At 46, I could start to see symptoms literally any day now. I just hope the effort isn't wasted if my metabolism goes into complete disarray.

I too would be interested to know what the advice would be as regards a lower calorie intake post menopause. I highly doubt that MFPs one-size-fits-all calculator takes it into account at all.

RMinVA

I highly doubt that MFPs one-size-fits-all calculator takes it into account at all.

I completely agree!! There are so many things that impact it at ANY age. You just have to figure out what works best for you.

california_peach

I am intersted in this too. I figure as long as I stay active, I'll be fine. I am more worried about hot flashes and stuff like that. Yikes, can I just skip this step.

gmom81158

I to have been dealing with menopause but a year and a half a go found some supplements that my DR reviewed and said would not hurt me to try and I have lost close to 70 lbs-and feel better than I did in my 40's. No more dealing with hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain etc. Starting to think the 50's may be the best years of my life! this site also helps me to stay focused and realize there is a whole world out there going thru the same thing. Gives me hope and encouragement daily!

marci355

Remember ladies, MFP asks for our age, when we calculate our formulas. So, I bet that MFP does take into consideration just how old we are. I'm 56 (i still think I'm 26 however! ) and I can lose weight. I have it set at about 1 lb a week. At this age, I'm not in a hurry about anything, including weight loss! :laugh:

sellingsworth

Hi there,

For me exercise is the key - I am over 55 (okay I am 57) I really started my weight loss journey on 11/3/2010 and I have no idea why. It just happened - I joined the local Snap, hated every second of it for 3 weeks, then I found that it just became a habit and I had no choice and started craving exercise. I really didn't change my food - I haven't had fast food in years, not a big cake eater, but I do love the bread, pasta and potatoes - I quit eating them. That has helped. Instead of pasta or potatoes I eat spaghetti squash - yummy!!!! Instead of a sandwich I eat salad - and whatever I would have on a sandwich I put on my salad. Then gradually I started to pay attention to calories and sugar - I love to eat so I try and get more food with my calories .. The weight has come off slowly - I have only lost about 18 lbs - but the inches have been dramatic and also my clothes fit.

Baby steps for sure - but always forward

juliapurpletoes

I truly am appreciating all your thoughtful comments. Please help me keep this thread going, I really believe alot of us "menopaused" women are confused and need solid information and support.

Please know that I would be glad to become friends if you are willing.

RMinVA

Remember ladies, MFP asks for our age, when we calculate our formulas. So, I bet that MFP does take into consideration just how old we are. I'm 56 (i still think I'm 26 however! ) and I can lose weight. I have it set at about 1 lb a week. At this age, I'm not in a hurry about anything, including weight loss! :laugh:

The problem is that menopause is not an age specific thing though, so it is very difficult to account for. There is nothing that says..."HMMM, she's 48 and must be going through menopause." Everyone experiences it at a different age and everyone has a different experience.

I use what MFP gives me as a guideline, nothing more.

stormieweather

I am 50 and losing this weight has been a major struggle for the last 5 years. First I tried eating nearly nothing...no breakfast, or snacks, often no lunch or a lean cuisine and some crackers and SoBe energy's at dinner. That didn't work (of course!!), although I tried it for 3 years. Then I quit smoking and got serious about nutrition and health. For the last 2 years I've tried various calorie levels, exercise levels and macronutrient levels. I had my metabolism tested and did a 2 month reset of eating at maintenance.

.. It is now coming off, but slightly slower than anticipated (.8 pounds per week, instead of 1). What has worked is knowing my calorie burn exactly (I use a FitBit), measuring and weighing everything precisely, and absolutely no cheat days/meals/whatever. I consider my eating habits to be a lifestyle, not a temporary abberration.

I exercise daily, but nothing horribly drastic...intervals on Mon and Fridays, strength training on Tue, Thu and Saturday, and a walk or similar on Wed and Saturday. I follow a 40/30/30 c/f/p macro split and avoid anything artificial. I get at least 6 hours of sleep per night, mostly closer to 7. I take a multi-vitamin, a b complex, a C1000 and a D supplement. No other drugs or supplements.

Compared to my younger years when all-nighters were common, as were skipping meals, heavy athletic exercise, plenty of drinking, smoking, carousing and I could eat anything and not gain a pound.

So it's not the same anymore. Weight loss can still happen, but it takes dedication and committment. I've just started running again, after 25 years away from the track. It's never too late to get (back) into shape!

needamulligan

I to have been dealing with menopause but a year and a half a go found some supplements that my DR reviewed and said would not hurt me to try and I have lost close to 70 lbs-and feel better than I did in my 40's. No more dealing with hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain etc. Starting to think the 50's may be the best years of my life! this site also helps me to stay focused and realize there is a whole world out there going thru the same thing. Gives me hope and encouragement daily!

Do tell! Which supplements are you taking?

glcarr65

bumping up....

Enigmatica

Ohhhhh yeahhhhh... been dealing with this myself - for years. I have found it possible to still lose weight but it takes much more work than it did when I was younger. I've found the tips from RealAge.com to be really helpful.

I walk a LOT. I'm talking 6-12 miles (90-180 minutes) per day. I keep the saturated fats low and work healthy fats into my diet with nuts and avocados. And I take quite a few supplements, most suggested by my doctor who's been through this herself.

I'm now fitter and much slimmer than I was 10 years ago. But it ain't easy, lol.

kent4j

I find the only way I can do it is to be super strict with my diet and exercise. The calories I consume are clean foods, no junk fillers (of sourse sometimes I slip!). I've been exercising 5-6 times a week for 60 minutes. I also drink a lot of tea, probably 6-8 cups a day. I believe different cultures embrace different health measures and I've heard a lot about the benefits of tea. Oolong is suppose to help with fat burning and Pu-erh is a very popular diet tea because studies suggest that they help increase metabolism. You can check out the health benefits here:http://www.teavana.com/tea-info/dieting-with-. I have gotten into loose teas and make a blend of oolong and pu-erh. Don't know if it's working but hey it's worth a try. Green tea is supposed to be super for metabolism too.

rydn4h2o

I to have been dealing with menopause but a year and a half a go found some supplements that my DR reviewed and said would not hurt me to try and I have lost close to 70 lbs-and feel better than I did in my 40's. No more dealing with hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain etc. Starting to think the 50's may be the best years of my life! this site also helps me to stay focused and realize there is a whole world out there going thru the same thing. Gives me hope and encouragement daily!

What supplements are you taking? I take black cohash daily and it helps a bit with the hot flashes, but not 100%. I'm not able to do hormone replacement therapy due to a history of blood clots!

RMinVA

Just got back on the tea bandwagon myself. And someone was asking about supplements. On the recommendation of my Dr. I take Calcium and D.

Supposedly Vitamin E and soy milk help with hot flashes: I am inconsistent with taking them, but they do seem to help. My Dr. agreed wtih both. I have some issues, but they aren't bad. And I refuse to do HRT.

kylakesgal

Hi I'm not 50 yet but will be 46 in June but have been going through menopause over a year now. I had no idea why I was feeling so crappy until it hit me to look up the symptoms of menopause and yeah I was experiencing about 25 of the 30 symptoms. Wow I thought ,, this is too young! Some days my energy level is so crappy but also have my good days. I take estraval and st. johns wort which helps with a lot of the symptoms, hot flashes, mood changes, etc. Weight loss is a lot harder than it was even just a few years ago but isn't impossible. I'd love to hear from other women going through the change or has already gone through it to find out what works for you. I take tons of multi-vitamins, calcium, omega fish oil, garlic, and seems to me, I do feel better if I take my supplements every day. Good luck to all you ladies and please share your experiences too:)

kettlewitch

I went through the menopause 11 years ago when I was 29 after a full hysterectomy due to ovarian cancer. I think i was over 18 stone at the time and didn't lose much because of the illness. Chemotherapy made me sick, but as I was sitting around at home a lot I ate more so it balanced out. I've slowly put on weight since but that's because I was eating too much and although I feel like I don't lose it as quickly as before, ive dropped 40 lb in 11 weeks so it's all possible. I'm way past any symptoms and although I took HRT for a short while, I couldn't get on with it so have taken nothing for several years. To be honest, I kind of forget that it's happened and have to remind myself that my friends actually still have periods! At least I don't get the monthly weight and water fluctuations that I see so often on here so every cloud.......

bebemc

I too have experienced difficulty in loosing weight. I had a hysterectomy at 26 and ovaries removed at 45. I do use a small dosage of a hormone replacement patch. When younger I did exercise some. I'd say in the last 7 years I have steadily increased weight and gained about 40 lbs. I tried dieting, and diet pills without much success. In early January after years of neck and low back problems I decided I needed to take control of my health. I have completed Couch to 5K, run two 5K's, done a 6 week boot camp, and now take spin class two days a week as well as work out at the gym til the next boot camp starts. I am also so thankful for this website. I believe tracking the calories, drinking lots of water and exercise are key to helping me stay on track. It does take a lot of work but I wouldn't trade it for the sense of accomplishment I feel. I average a 1 to 1.5 lbs a week and while I know my metabolism slows the weight lose I feel so much better!!

kent4j

I work at a farmer's market on Sunday's and sit next to an herbalist/nurse. She recommends making a tea out of the herb Sage. Add fresh sage to a cup, add boiling water, put a cover on the cup so the essential oils don't escape and let steep for about 5 minutes. She said it's a drying agent so it helps with profuse sweating, night sweats, sinus problems, colds. etc. Just thought I'd pass it along as something to try as a natural remedy. You can add honey if you like. I think you have to do it consistently though, at least a cup or two a day.

juliapurpletoes

Feeling so grateful and blessed that so many beautiful women shared their journies and strategies to getting through their menopause.

I am hoping for even more in the future. :>)

:flowerforyou: