Can anyone speak to Menopause and Metabolism AND how that af

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:

TracieJ65

Well I highly doubt that the sight creators are peri-menopausal so they can only site the same things that you can find on a google search. BUT, I was 44 1/2 when I started my journey, in January of last year, turned 45 in August, so will obviously be 46 this August, and am more than likely peri-menopausal. (was actually just discussing this with my Gyno, yesterday) Anyway if you take a look at my ticker yo will see that I have lost just over 101 pounds! Did I do anything special, or other than what this sight promotes? No, I did what this sight promotes! I have logged on every single day for 348 days, logged EVERYTHING I ate/drank, exercised 3-5 days per week, in the beginning, for 15-20 minutes as that was all that I could manage, increased as I would gain more stamina, to the point that I work out EVERY single day now. I do 30 minutes in the morning, four days per week, and then some sort of class for 45 minutes those evenings, and on the other three days an hour in the mornings. So it can be done, you just have to do it.

TracieJ65

Chaste berry, or chaste tree, is something I have been taking for almost two years, when I first began to have what could have been symptoms. I have NO symptoms now, at all. Maybe low energy but that is more when it is TOM time, or could even be from the workouts that I do. But this even says, on the bottle, "supports Menstrual & Menopausal Health." I have also recommended this to two friends! One took the time to get it and her symptoms are getting better all the time. The other never has and it is crazy to watch her go through a hot flash! (she is a year older than I am). Yesterday my Gyno suggested St Johns Wort, as well, like another poster said that she takes.

pinkgigi

I'm peri-menopausal but also take anti-depressants which also contribute to weight-gain.

Part of the problem with aging is the loss of muscle mass which negatively affects metabolism. Part of the reason why as we get older weight-lifting is so good (well it is at any time).

I have just got back on the bandwagon, but it is taking a lot more effort than it did before, and I have to be very strict with myself.

GG

singer201

I went through menopause around 50. I was maintaining in merely overweight until I lost my source of daily, enforced, enjoyable horse-related exercise. First, I moved to a barn where I no longer cleaned two stalls a day (excellent weight-bearing exercise), and then 2 years later, I sent my horse to my DD in another state and no longer rode at all. Within a year, I noticed a big decrease in my physical and core strength. That's also when the pounds really started piling on because I wasn't paying much attention to what I ate and was getting little exercise.

My other DD suggested I try this site (after my mom said, "You've really put on weight" in Feb). I decided that I really wanted to lose weight to be ready to ride again after retirement in about a year. Using the MFP food diary, exercising 30 minutes per day (mainly walking and yard work), and following a whole food/lower carb food plan are the biggest changes I've made, and the weight is coming off! I take a senior multi-vitamin, cinnamon, fish oil, calcium, and glucosamine/chondroitin (for joints). I anticipate the weight loss to be slower as I move toward my desirable weight, but I'm determined to get out of the obese and overweight ranges.

kent4j

Great feedback from everyone! Friend me if you like so we can support each other through this journey.

suelynn62

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LG61820

Menopause is God's great gift to women! Embrace your power. I have been more successful in losing weight post-menopause than I was before. I am more patient now and don't give up so quickly. I have more life experience so can separate the silly weight loss advice from that which might be fruitful. I no longer expect to be able to do the difficult exercises perfectly on the first few go-arounds and realize that I will get better and I will get stronger. I have more self-discipline to change my diet and complete my exercise routines.

I suggest strength training as an important component of the regimen after menopause. I wish I had started 5 years ago.

Think about this, once you're through the pause your life is no longer ruled by estrogen. That is the most freeing thing. I can now tell authentic anger from time of month anger. The fear of pregnancy is gone. The fear of "what will they think?" can be gone if you'll allow it. I'm not a Red Hat Society member, but I think they have some good ideas about just rolling with it.

I think of this time as my time to shine, to find what brings me pleasure and purpose and not to worry about the "kids" so much anymore-they're adults now. I think my best years are still ahead of me!

kent4j

Very inspirational LG!

juliapurpletoes

:flowerforyou:

So patience and wisdom seem to be some key elements to life after the pause. Very sweet to know!

All you lovely women make me smile...........

vikkij12

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