menopause and after weight loss

clarkie57

i am having the same problem. Been here for 4 weeks along with guidance from a nutritionist. the first week i lost 2.4 lbs, then .4 last week .2 this week NOTHING!! this is typical for me with " other" weigh loss plans which is why i went the nutrition route!! Its pretty difficult i think to rev up the metabolism!!I was never a poor eater either!! Considered myself a healthy eater as i have tried to eat "clean' for years now. I dont have soda, junk food, etc to give up!!! I have a meeting with my nutritionist today. I will show her my food diary and see what she has to say!!!
Good luck everyone!! :drinker:

clarkie57

you really might NOT be getting enough calories or nutrients???

anyonebutmehaha

I break a good sweat with at least 100 minutes of exercise such as walking/hiking

hey i can break a good sweat sitting here typing- thanks hot flashes! :laugh:
i just started menopause too and am finding it incredibly hard to lose anything. seems like Hormones Gone Crazy can override the old cals in/cals out formula. and as someone mentioned above- the slightest amount of carbs, no matter how nutritionally 'good for you' form they are in can cause weight gain no matter what cals total are for some of us. you might find a lot of the stuff thrown around MFP (esp by the shirtless 6-pack young men set) just simply won't apply to you, your weight loss formula looks more like 'cals in-hormones-cals out' and you'll need to keep that in mind on your journey.

ps. i recently found that Enymatic's "am/pm menopause formula" (has black colash in it among other stuff) does indeed work as far as cutting down the intensity and frequency of hot flashes. i've actually been able to sleep through most nights instead of waking up 10 times a night to throw off covers since starting it.

Dumbell_Diva

Hi Ive just been diagnosed with premature menopause and have struggled with my weight for the past 6 months. I gained 30lb in September and October and hadnt realised it was due to the menopause, so I went from a size 10 (UK) to a size 18 within 2 months. My first month here I stayed the same for 5 weeks and then gained 4lb!!! And that was following approx 1,300 cals and walking 4 times a week. I then gave up for 2 weeks and then came back again and started an intense 20 mins exercise DVD 5 times a week (30 day shred) coupled with the walking which kick started my metabolism. I got the results of the hormone blood test 3 weeks ago which is when I realised I had the menopause.

Its a long journey though and this past week Ive had my 3 young children off school so havent had a chance to exercise and have gained 3lb, which goes to show, it is the exercise for me that really helps me stay on the straight and narrow! Ive also found that eating clean really helps with my symptoms, I buy fresh meat, vegeatables and fruit and make my own pasta sauces, my own soups and stews and try not to use anything processed.

If anybody would like to add me then please do, Ive just turned 44, most of my friends are under 40, I dont know anybody going through the menopause, my Mum didnt have it so I have no experience and nobody to talk about the hot flushes and sleeplessness nights and endless tearfulness with!!! Would be great to have some friends who are going through the same thing

suchick

Let's be candid ladies - menopause is a b*tch, and wreaks havoc. Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, slowed metabolism. Yikes ! And there is precious little help out there for women 50+ regarding how to stay healthy and fit, and acknowledging the role "The Change" brings. Pretty much all information on fitness and nutrition is geared towards 18 - 45 y.o. We might get a little footnote, but otherwise, I suppose the fitness community figures we're invisible.

Vibes on fibro - I'm sure that makes things even more difficult when it comes to exercise.

For what it's worth, here's what worked for me to get fit after The Change (I know everyone is different) :

- ditched the HRT. It didn't seem to make a damn bit of difference to the symptoms, and after decades on the Pill, I really wasn't stoked about pumping more hormones into my body. As disruptive as it was, I just let Nature take her course for 5 years from 46 - 51 when I became officially menopausal.( I was doing the yam-based HRT. As a horse lover, I couldn't rationalize the stuff made from mare's urine.)

- going gluten/wheat free. Nothing has made a bigger difference in getting the scale to move downward. Nothing.

- going back to hard core, high intensity aerobic work outs and weight training. I'm talking military style "Your Mama Ain't Here to Wipe Yo' Nose No Mo'!!" kinda stuff. Lunges, squats, push-ups, dips, burpies, basketball shots, military crawls, high knees... Repeat ad nauseum for 75 - 150 minutes per session (YES!) 2 to 3 times a week. Nothing has made a bigger difference in the tale of the tape when it comes to body measurement. Sorry, but Curves and a cute little Zumba class now and then just won't cut it if you truly are serious about re-shaping your body. It's brutal. It's difficult. It's challenging as hell. Especially at 55. And it works. No, I don't go quite as fast as the 20 or 30 somethings, and I swear under my breath non-stop while holding a plank for 2+ minutes. But I show up, I do it, and it works.

- cut back on the booze (wine). A lot. A glass with dinner and a couple in front of the TV each night adds up quickly. I love my wine, but I had to cut back by about 50 - 75% of my consumption.

- most of all : DON'T GIVE UP ! surround yourself with positive people of all ages, who support you in your health and fitness goals.

MenopauseLady

Weight gain and perimenopause/menopause seem to go hand in hand unfortunately. I've heard it called many different things like the midriff bulge, the middle-age spread, of course "muffin-top", I've even heard it called meno-pudge. It's due in large part to estrogen dominance. Here's how it works: Too much estrogen circulating in the body produces body fat. Too much estrogen compromises your body's ability to metabolize fat, which means that no matter how much you diet or how little you eat, the fat will not go away. Too much estrogen inhibits your body's ability to distribute fat - so it tends to store it around your middle, hips and thighs it also causes your metabolism to slow down. Excess estrogen causes your body to release insulin more rapidly which can trigger hunger faster and cravings for sugar. I its discouraging but don't throw in the towel! While I won't promise that you will regain the body you left behind in your youth, I can say that it is possible to loose those extra pounds if you really want to. You need to begin by balancing your hormones. Without hormone balance it doesn't matter how much you exercise or how much you diet. You will be fighting a losing battle. There's a free report that outlines the steps you need to take now to take control of your menopause experience at www.menopauserelieftoday.com You can win the battle of the bulge!

CnocNaCu

Let's be candid ladies - menopause is a b*tch, and wreaks havoc. Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, slowed metabolism. Yikes ! And there is precious little help out there for women 50+ regarding how to stay healthy and fit, and acknowledging the role "The Change" brings. Pretty much all information on fitness and nutrition is geared towards 18 - 45 y.o. We might get a little footnote, but otherwise, I suppose the fitness community figures we're invisible.

Vibes on fibro - I'm sure that makes things even more difficult when it comes to exercise.

For what it's worth, here's what worked for me to get fit after The Change (I know everyone is different) :

- ditched the HRT. It didn't seem to make a damn bit of difference to the symptoms, and after decades on the Pill, I really wasn't stoked about pumping more hormones into my body. As disruptive as it was, I just let Nature take her course for 5 years from 46 - 51 when I became officially menopausal.( I was doing the yam-based HRT. As a horse lover, I couldn't rationalize the stuff made from mare's urine.)

- going gluten/wheat free. Nothing has made a bigger difference in getting the scale to move downward. Nothing.

- going back to hard core, high intensity aerobic work outs and weight training. I'm talking military style "Your Mama Ain't Here to Wipe Yo' Nose No Mo'!!" kinda stuff. Lunges, squats, push-ups, dips, burpies, basketball shots, military crawls, high knees... Repeat ad nauseum for 75 - 150 minutes per session (YES!) 2 to 3 times a week. Nothing has made a bigger difference in the tale of the tape when it comes to body measurement. Sorry, but Curves and a cute little Zumba class now and then just won't cut it if you truly are serious about re-shaping your body. It's brutal. It's difficult. It's challenging as hell. Especially at 55. And it works. No, I don't go quite as fast as the 20 or 30 somethings, and I swear under my breath non-stop while holding a plank for 2+ minutes. But I show up, I do it, and it works.

- cut back on the booze (wine). A lot. A glass with dinner and a couple in front of the TV each night adds up quickly. I love my wine, but I had to cut back by about 50 - 75% of my consumption.

- most of all : DON'T GIVE UP ! surround yourself with positive people of all ages, who support you in your health and fitness goals.

I just love your post :flowerforyou:
Yours is the right approach to menopause! No HRT, stop crying after you've cried enough and start working your butt off. Blood, sweat and tears and you'll be fitter than the 20 somethings:bigsmile:
After a few years of crying over my lost youth, after moaning, after ifs and buts I finally came to the point where I started changing my life, my approach to life , to menopause and to myself.
Even though my boobs look down and not up any more, even though I can see clearly the lose skin of my belly when in a plank position and more lose skin where my butt used to be fat...hey, I have tighter buns than ever, toned arms, a tight belly with abs and hey: suddenly less complaints :bigsmile:
Menopause is not nice at all but it's not a death sentence either but a HUGE opportunity for ourselves:flowerforyou:

suchick

Thanks c ! I'm glad you found it helpful. Congrats on your progress and accomplishments.

Personally, I find looking at older, fit and healthy women to be really inspirational. It makes me realize that I can still be the best zI can be, regardless of chronological age. I covet Helen MIrren's upper arm tone. I want to be like her when I grow up