periemopause or diet?

shakybabe

My monthlies have changed quite significantly this year, they have been getting gradually lighter but these last 2 months in particular when I have been very low carb I've had very little weight gain.

I used to put on about 6lbs the week before, I know it was coming, severe cravings, cramping, back pain then they'd start and I spend first two days sandwiched between hot water bottles for the pain and having to change very frequently, they would last the entire week (but lighter after first few days) then the water weight would take up to a week to come off fully. sometimes the whole amount wouldnt come off ie I might put 6lbs on but only lose 2lbs so spend rest of month trying to get the other 4lbs off.

my first monthly cycle after I started my new diet I only put 3lb on, it lasted 2 days and water came straight off plus an extra pound, today this monthlies have started.. i got the cravings a few days back but have had no cramping so didn't relaise it had started and I'm only 1 lb heavier than I was at yesterday's weigh-in. my tummy is still soft (it used to go rock hard) and to be honest I'm not sure whether the extra pound if cos I haven't been to the loo yet or from my monthlies.

I'm hoping this one only lasts 2 days and is alot less painful as I'm meant to be going xmas shopping Tuesday which for me is a challenge as I have to manage to sit in my manual chair (one in pic) for about 6 hours with no break and push myself up and down the shopping centre for about 4 of them (travel each way and lunch takes a few hours)...I'm usually housebound and everywhere is hilly so can only use electric chair/mobility scooter around here and can usually lie down anytime I need to take a break or recline in powered chair.

I've also dropped about 16lbs of the weight I've lost in the last two months since going low carb, the first 9lbs took me 4 months to get off I was still eating carbs but reduced calories then.

so I'm not sure whether these changes are due to my new diet or the perimenopause was gonna make them much lighter anyway?

Artemis_Acorn

I've had some similar ponderings as my patterns have shifted (although at 50, I'm wondering about menopause, not perimenopause) What I've concluded is that there really is no way to know for sure when you're in it - hindsight will most likely give me more answers than analysis today.

I'm glad that things seemed to ease up for you some. Hopefully the trend will continue and you can enjoy your Christmas shopping. :happy:

MissMaggie3

That's a tricky one, but my money would be on the diet; you are 42, right? That's quite young, but it would be good if you could check when things started to change for your mother as I think we normally follow the same pattern. Also, 16lbs is a lot to lose in 2 months, and it could affect you that way. Maybe you could think about slowing down your loss and see what happens next month? Having said all that, I've been told off before for giving psuedo-medical advice, so the best thing of all would be to talk to a doctor!

shakybabe

Hi

Yes I've only just worked that out (the 16 pound thing) I started dieting in June after my birthday when I was struggling so much at 12st 7. I know it was about mid to end of august when I first decided to try cutting carbs.. well its 20th nov now so maybe nearer 3 months now.

I think my metabolism seems to have been kickstarted. I have ataxia so it takes me more energy to do things anyway and i get additional involuntary muscle contractions.. I always assumed my thyroid problems was over riding that so even though things took more energy cos my metabolism was slow I still wasn't losing (was stuck at 12st 7 for about a year)

With a little help it seems my metabolism is running much faster I'm managing to exercise more now with a special set of motoried pedals i can now burn an additional 600 cals a day on top and i guess dropping carbs as also helped.

Another thing is like I'm planning a treat day Tuesday probably be KFC which is high cals but I'll be in manual chair pushing myself up and down a shopping centre (my friend carries my shopping!) so I'll burn near or possibly over 1,000 cals then so even with high cal lunch I'll probably have burned most of it off by time we get home??

This week with choc cravings I've had 2 gluten free brownies around 300-400 cals each and I've still managed to lose 3lbs at weigh-in! I might allow more carbs during week? usually replace rice with cauliflower rice, potato with butternut squash or carrot * swede mash etc I have got myself a rhubarb crumble for this week (with custard) was planning on having that with sunday dinner!

I'm only about 3lb off top end of healthy for my height now (8st 7 - 10st 7) and I'd like to reach that for xmas day, but I might try and lose the last stone slower to give me chance to finish toning tummy as i lose? lost 12" off tummy form dropping carbs so thrilled with that! :happy:

MissMaggie3

12" off the stomach? That's fantastic! My tummy measurement has stayed the same for months and months! :ohwell:

It sounds like you are thinking sensibly about all this. If you are close to your goal I think it would be a good idea to slow down,or you could overshoot!

I have really cut down on carbs too with positive results, as I used to eat loads of bread, rice etc. But I'm also conscious of the importance of fibre in the diet (some research recently has emphasised that it does things that fruit & veg can't!), so I'm trying to have 3 helpings a day - oats, bran flakes, wholegrain muffin for example.

BTW, do you eat all your exercise calories? I always eat all of mine, but that's mainly because I LOVE food!

shakybabe

not usually but I do when i have monthlies cos I get cravings so my snacks tend to be choc bars or toast rather than a bit of melon or carrot sticks!!

I pulled a back muscle last sunday so haven't exercised all week so I was super strict this week and had no carbs unless it was in veg, although after weigh-in when i saw I lost 3 lbs I had scrambled eggs on toast with bacon for sat lunch!! :happy:

Today I'm allowing cheese toasties with some regular white bread I have left in freezer, as I'm doing so well and only gained 1 lb with TOTM, i can cope with another 2lb from cheese toasties.. lol! and it be back off in a few days!

For the tummy measurements my tummy used to be 48" and problem was with me been sat in a chair all day it placed a big strain on my lower back with all my weight been around my middle as my trunk was weakest cos of the ataxia in it. I haven't really gained any weight on arms as I been wheelchair user 6 years so pushing myself around everyday with arms indoors until recently when the involuntary movements in my arms become more noticeable.

I've been diagnosed recently with dystonia as well on top of my ataxia (which started 8years ago) and both conditions tend to result in extra energy needed and extra movements so that also maybe why my weight has dropped quicker once I dropped carbs?

I wore a sauna belt around tummy when exercising since June and then also got some zaggora hot pants and placed the sauna belt higher up now to try lose more around waist. (8" off waist) so whole of my middle sweats much more than arms and legs, which are getting quite muscular anyway form the muscle contractions and the exercise on top!

I'm nearly in size 14 jog pants.. I'd like to get in 14's I think and be about 30" waist (now 32 ") .. I'm not expecting to get in 10/12 now as 20yrs older than I was at uni and sizes have shrunk since I was a young fit thing.. lol! .. not sure if can get to about 9st 7 but I'll try and would be happy around there... just hope I can maintain it when I get there!! I think that will be next challenge as I'm obviously burning more calories than I and MFP have predicted, but it put me at 1200 for sedentary as a wheelchair user.

MissMaggie3

Enjoy the cheese toasties!

I'm thinking that a Bodybugg or Bodymedia device would be great for you, to find out exactly how many calories you are burning. They are expensive though, I know, as there's a subscription charge as well as buying the device itself.

shakybabe

I've looked at those but it mentions tracking steps which obviously won't work for me as I'm rolling about.. lol!... I wondered if it would give an accurate reading anymore than a website would? ... after all I'm guessing you are inputting your height and weight into it, I usually go with 5ft 4 though I'm slightly under.

I wondered if my involuntary movement (which is present even at rest.. unless I'm fast asleep) would confuse it and if it would have difficulty working out my resting metabolism from when I'm exercising?

I thought of a cheaper watch with heart rate strap around chest too, i figured at least the heart rate should be an accurate reading?

MissMaggie3

No, the HRMs don't work unless your heart rate is up through working out; you can't use them while you are just going about your normal day as they are apparently completely innaccurate for that. I don't think tracking steps is a mjor part of the BodyMedia Fit device (yes, the BodyBugg does this). I'll ask another friend to tell you about hers ...

In the meantime, have a look at this: http://www.bodymedia.com/

I'm not on commmission, honestly! :laugh:

I don't have one myself - can't justify the expenditure as I'm now at maintenance, although I would love one as I'm a closet geek!

fiberartist219

I thought the body buggs did use heart rate, but they use some other calculations on top of that to be more accurate about calorie burn. I could be wrong though. I've never had a HRM or a body bugg.

I think that would be a great idea though. Tracking your activity with one might answer a lot of the questions you've had lately.

I was confused by the first post here. When you said you were getting lighter, I thought you were referring to your weight, not your cycle.

My cycle is off, but I thought it was because I stopped taking my birth control pills and maybe a little due to the weight loss, but I haven't lost much. My doctor said if I go more than two months without a period, I absolutely should come back in. I told her that we are abstaining until I get an IUD and she still said to come back in, because there are other hormonal issues that are probably going on.

I don't know a whole lot about perimenopause and menopause since I'm younger, but I agree that if you know anything about how it went for your mom, you should expect something similar to happen with you.

armaretta

Oh my! that is quite an issue you have there. I am a BodyMedia/Bodybugg user and I can tell you that they measure just about everything except heart rate! They measure your skin moisture/sweat, temperature, and movement. If you are seriously considering the product, I would contact their customer service to see if the device would still work for you. I think it should still work so long as it is worn properly. Your involuntary movements problem will be picked up by the body media, but I think that will even itself out in the end. Even if the movement is involuntary, it still takes energy to move.

For the monthly issue, I found that after losing a significant amount of body fat, my cycle is lighter, shorter, and less painful! Huge bonus for the weight loss I think! Your hormones are regulated and fed by your diet, particularly fat in your diet and fat in your body! If you've lost a lot of fat or you changed the ratio of amount of fat you are eating, this is probably why.

Good luck!

shakybabe

I did mean my monthlies were lighter in the first post (but am also lighter weight wise!) sorry to confuse you.. I confuse myself sometimes.. lol!

Sadly my mum passed away in 1991, she was only 45 (secondary Leukemia after having breast cancer 5 years before that).. My brother and I were still in our teens at the time so I have absolutely no idea whether she was still having her monthlies or whether all the chemotherapy would have affected that or the cancer?

I am thrilled mine are lighter as they did used to be very heavy and very painful, haven't even needed painkillers today! I'd usually got through about 6 by this time of day previously!

I'll look into the bodymedia thing but it will have to wait until after I've got my xmas shopping sorted and I've determined whether I'm gonna have to replace my fridge freezer (the freezer door keeps sticking and the fridge part won't stay shut unless you really press on it) .. I'll see how I'm doing by January unless i can find one on ebay.

Thanks for your help guys! :flowerforyou:

MissMaggie3

Good luck with it; let us know how you are getting on.

:flowerforyou: