Menopause anyone??

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I am 43 years old, and had a hysterectomy in 2008. I am now feeling like I am going through menopause, hot and cold at night, can't sleep right, and now what used to work for me with weight loss doesn't seem to be working as great as it used to work. I am finding that I can't have as much salt, and that even if I work out for nearly an hour, am also doing strength training too along with cardio- the scale is not budging all that much. I lost a lot the first week and now it's not moving. I wonder if it's from menopause, and also wanted to know what others are doing for hot flashes and cold flashes?
Thanks :)

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  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    I am 43 years old, and had a hysterectomy in 2008. I am now feeling like I am going through menopause, hot and cold at night, can't sleep right, and now what used to work for me with weight loss doesn't seem to be working as great as it used to work. I am finding that I can't have as much salt, and that even if I work out for nearly an hour, am also doing strength training too along with cardio- the scale is not budging all that much. I lost a lot the first week and now it's not moving. I wonder if it's from menopause, and also wanted to know what others are doing for hot flashes and cold flashes?
    Thanks :)

    Hi, I am 51, went through the menopause a couple of years ago. I used to shed weight easily, then suddenly when I was around 47 years old, it got more difficult until in the end I was despairing. I went on 1200 calories per day, reached my goal, I SWORE I would never go back to the weight I was, but proceeded to stuff my face with crap and ended up putting much weight back on.

    Well here I am again, 15lbs away from my goal now, the only way I can do this is on 1200 calories per day of no junk or crap food, I really need to make every calorie count in a good way. Running on my treadmill three times per week as my exercise.

    Regarding the hot flushes, a pain aren't they :-/. I did have a little gadget called a Ladycare - it is a small magnet that you put on your underwear, it seemed to ease the flushes a lot. I eventually stopped wearing it as the flushes had virtually stopped. I have one occasionally, but nothing I can't handle. You can find info on it here, copy and paste below into your browser:

    http://www.ladycare-uk.com/?gclid=CKPPuqHeoq4CFQwgfAodtWXXSA

    Unfortunately, weightloss does slow down significantly during the menopause, it is annoying, but it is not impossible to lose the weight due to the menopause alone, seriously.

    Feel free to add me, we can all do with support in this journey, that's for sure :D x
  • LauraSS
    LauraSS Posts: 25 Member
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    Mer, unfortunately, everyone's metabolism slows down after 40, after 50, after 60....you get the idea.

    For myself personally, to stop the hot flashes/night sweats, I started with Flaxseed Oil, which I still take today and within a week of taking it, the hot flashes/night sweats had all but disappeared. Black Cohosh works really well for this too, or did for me. Getting the scale to move past a plateau is without a doubt the hardest thing to do. To increase my own metabolism and detox my system in the morning when I get up I have a glass of very warm, not hot water with 1/4 lemon, or 1 tbsp if you only have Real Lemon. I add my 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin C powder and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and take my vitamins/supplements with it. The cayenne gives the metabolism a kickstart in the morning. The lemon detoxes the liver and the Vitamin C is a great antioxidant to prevent illness before it happens. I have been doing this religiously for the last two years and it has made a difference.

    Changing up the workout routines works too. Don't be afraid to give yourself an active recovery week or two. Do one week with no strength training with weights, but switch up to PiYo, etc because you know our bodies get used to the same workout routines, even if they aren't the same workouts. Like doing Turbo, day after day, or the elliptical day after day, or the treadmill, day after day.

    I also (and I was just talking to my friend who was here this morning doing my hair) never ever go to bed with my hair down anymore because I just wake up covered with wet. I also know that if I eat anything with MSG in it, even if it isn't stated, I will go through horrible hot flashes/night sweats. Strange thing about this is that this happens to Bob too!

    The less salt you consume the better. If you are still adding salt, switch to idonized sea salt because your body can process it better/easier than table salt.

    Like I said, everyone is different, but I know many women personally I have told about getting that Flaxseed Oil into you daily and it has helped them and if it didn't, adding Black Cohosh worked.

    Hormone imbalance is a long road to travel, but when you discover the personal answers for your own body, the journey becomes one with much more sunshine in it.
  • michelleinpa
    michelleinpa Posts: 68 Member
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    I could be you (in fact, I was crying about this just yesterday) - I"m 43 and had a hysterectomy in 2010 due to cancer. They left my ovaries. I'm not sure about menopause(no hot flashes, but I'm always warm) , but I can't seem to lose to save my life. I am doing extremely similar exercise routine to you and I believe my diet is pretty darn good.

    I hope someone has some good advice, I'm joining you in frustration here.