new

goldenm

Hello, I am new to MFP and just saw this group. I have been reading some of the other posts from different groups and am glad to have found a group of other women that may have the same types of issues. A lot of the people on MFP seem to be quite a bit younger.
I was quite slim in my youth, have been going through menopause and have gained too much weight, too much menopot(pot belly), and am looking to get back to a slimmer more fit me. I would like to lose 40 lbs, but at this point would be willing to settle for 20. It would be awfully nice to at least weigh less than my husband. Anyone else out there with a spouse that still weighs close to his youth weight? Mine is 6'3" and weighs 150lbs. Right now I am at 165. I am 5'4" and 55 years old.
Any tips for success?

dcdickerson2

My husband is a bit shorter than yours, but is still slim and trim. I am about 4 inches shorter than him, but usually weigh more... sometimes considerably more.

A couple years ago I bit the bullet and joined Weight Watchers (and I said I'd never pay to lose weight!). It took about a year and a half, but I lost 50 lbs and reached my goal weight. (And got into my husbands pants again!) Over the last year about 15 lbs have crept back on, and I'm battling to re-lose them. I've lost 6.

Tip: Slow, but steady. Make sure you are making life choice changes you can live with for the long haul, because if you go back to your old habits, you will regain. Celebrate the little victories... in a non-food way. I used to buy one new piece of clothing a week once I had lost a size. (Usually at a discount store and often off the sale rack.) Very motivating.

You can add me as a friend if you think it would help! Good luck!

kimiel51

Welcome to the group!

tegla

Hello! I'm glad you found this group also. It's full of great women and tons of information, ideas, and group hugs. I hope you find comfort here.

Luckily I do weigh less than my hubby, but I have more to lose than he does... it's just not fair!

*group hugs Ladies

BackwoodsMom

Welcome! I'm 51, 5'4" and weighed 166 a year ago. Now I'm down to 150 (was 148 before Christmas) but it comes off very slowly and with lots of work. I find that I have to log my food before I eat it to make sure it's what I can have calorie-wise. I've also learned what things trigger me to eat more and what foods make the scale jump up (mostly salty things).

Have your little goals and celebrate those!

jojo52610

welcome I have chemically induced menopause and am struggling with the last ten pounds keeping going off right back on

Dumbell_Diva

Hi Im Helen and Im 43, 2 days ago I was diagnosed with premature menopause, in fact my doctor thinks Im post menopause which has come as a shock! I put on 30lbs very suddenly (between sept and oct last year) and after several years of night sweats my doctor finally did a blood test. My weight is sooo slow to come off and I have to exercise like mad to see any weight loss and Ive been suffering with low moods and depression on and off for the past year or so. Feeling drained with constant waking up feeling either hot or shivvery! I have about 20-30lb to lose. Its been hard work, before I was diagnosed I joined this site and followed my 1250 calories and my weight didnt budge, I then gained 5lb in one week but since new year Ive been stricter with myself.

BackwoodsMom

Hi Im Helen and Im 43, 2 days ago I was diagnosed with premature menopause, in fact my doctor thinks Im post menopause which has come as a shock! I put on 30lbs very suddenly (between sept and oct last year) and after several years of night sweats my doctor finally did a blood test. My weight is sooo slow to come off and I have to exercise like mad to see any weight loss and Ive been suffering with low moods and depression on and off for the past year or so. Feeling drained with constant waking up feeling either hot or shivvery! I have about 20-30lb to lose. Its been hard work, before I was diagnosed I joined this site and followed my 1250 calories and my weight didnt budge, I then gained 5lb in one week but since new year Ive been stricter with myself.

Welcome! I think you'll find good support here. What has finally worked for me is making sure I exercise at least 4 times a week with good cardio and get in some strength training, too. I also am a stickler for what I'm actually eating, weighing out my food to be sure my portions are right. What has worked great for me was to figure out my BMR and then shoot for about 100 calories above that for each day. I have seen a good results doing this.

Persevere! It will be worth it!

Dumbell_Diva

Thank you BackwoodsMom, lovely to meet you and to find this group! Im still battling with the news that Im menopausal... as well as trying to lose weight and coping with sleepless nights!! Last full nights sleep was months ago! I didnt mind it so much when I thought the night sweats were a virus as I thought the virus will pass and things will get back to normal, but discovering its fairly permanent is frustrating! Need my sleep with 3 children!! Thanks again, have a lovely day, Helen

CnocNaCu

Just wanted to introduce myself and say "THANKS" to BackwoodsMom for letting me know this group exists:flowerforyou:

I'm 52, 5'4" and have lost 3 stone since September last. Only 10-12 to down, but it's getting harder now.
I have to get used to the fact that in menopause I don't lose weight that easily and that it takes longer to build muscle.
But in general I am very positive about the whole menopausal thing. Last year I found a different approach to menopause: it is a change and will be a change for the better. It is MY opportunity to start living MY life again after having dedicated so many years being a stay-at-home mom and housewife.
I was kick started into menopause by hysterectomy ; I refused HRT and still do. I've learned to control the hot flashes a bit (sugar makes them worse, and caffeine and alcohol) and deal with them at night (only cover half of my body with the duvet LOL).
I am amazed at how I'm feeling now after having lost weight and quit smoking: I look much younger than I used to, healthier, my confidence has grown big times and I can really enjoy being myself.
My greatest non-scale- victory was last week when, after 1 1/2 years, I met my former employer at court (I'm going to fight for justice) :
he thought I hadn't turned up and he'd won the case. :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: He did NOT recognise me:bigsmile:
So there is still hope for all of us menopausal girls:bigsmile:
Let's stick together, let's sweat together and have fun as well:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

fibrogirl

Hi and welcome to the group there are some lovely people on here and it´s great to share your experiences.No more Aunt Flo for me as I´ve just had a hysterectomy on 20th January and although I was due to have a total abdominal it turned out that I have kept one of my ovaries oh and my cervix afterall so that was a relief as I thought I´d be thrown straight into menopause! I always had severe headaches just before a period due to hormone fluctuations and since the op I´ve had some dreadful headaches but just hope they´ll settle down once my body adjusts. So far no hot flushes but I read somewhere that sage is great for these taken as an infusion or cooled and made into ice cubes to suck on. Then again maybe it´s just the ice cubes cooling you down!!
Angie :flowerforyou:

Di3012

hi OP!

Welcome to MFP!

Dumbell_Diva

Thanks all for making me feel so welcome. My 44th birthday is today and Im starting to come to terms with my menopausal diagnosis last week. Still in floods of tears all the time (I dont know why, and it always seems to be in the middle of the night when I feel like that!). I still know nobody who has gone through the menopause, so if Im on here alot then please forgive my ignorance!! Aunt Flo has come for a visit today...on my birthday too!!! So I have tummy cramps, splitting headache and sleepless nights/hot sweats to look forward too! .....BUT... I have the weekend to look forward to as my 3 children are all going for sleepovers so I get some "me" time and a nice lie in!

cmriverside

Welcome, and Happy Birthday.

The dang hormones are to blame for the tears!

It will all make sense after a while. Just try to get a little exercise daily, even if it's a 20 minute walk. You'll be surprised how much of a difference that makes.

Dumbell_Diva

Thank you, I will try and keep up the exercise, I love walking in the countryside and it also cheers me up being outside. Have a good day everybody!

chicpeach

I hear ya on the husband thing. Mine still has ice cream every night. I gave up keeping up with him 20 years ago. I'd be bigger than a house if I hadn't. When I'm highly motivated, it doesn't bother me, but in my weaker moments, I literally have to leave the room.

I hear ya on the weight thing too. I was always thin when younger and losing weight was a breeze. Slimfast for a week always took care of it. Weight loss started becoming a problem for me in my 40s. Now I've hit 50 and it was kinda like hitting a brick wall. Then I found MFP and I love it! Great support and a lot of great tools to really help you eat better, exercise more effectively and it all seems to be working for me, so.....

WELCOME ABOARD! Feel free to add me as friend.