Any Menopause weight loss success stories?

toomanycurves

I've been trying but I am hindered by a torn nerve in my neck, wrecked shoulder and two damaged knees from a fall early last January. Hence, exercise is limited for me. While I've stopped weighing myself, I do look thinner simply from eating very lightly and getting used to it. I look forward to being able to exercise again.

ChristineVM

Awesome!

ChristineVM

Fantastic!

momoshelly

for me it was cutting back sugars, low to no carbs . plain old eating clean & healthy & walking
found myself off track the last month but im back & determined

nccarolb

I'm 54 and, depending on the doctor and the day, I am either in menopause or past it. Beats me! I had a Thermal Endometrial Ablation at 42 so periods are not an option for determining where I am in the process. I've done it the old fashioned way by calorie deficit and exercise. I've lost 68ish pounds since December 2013. Here is what I look like now, still over 30 pounds from goal.



September 2012, September 2013, early December 2013

padisneyfour

following along!

Wilhellmina

I am in the perimenopause and 2 years ago I suddenly started to gain. In the end just over 30 pounds and the menopause still has to start. In the beginning of this year I lost appr. 6-7 pounds in 2 weeks by simply exercising and eating less calories. When people told me I should eat more, because of all my sporting I once again started to gain, so cutting back the calories and being active seems to be the only thing working. I keep the carbs around 60 grams a day, which I eat them mostly in the morning and eat about 1300-1400 calories a day.

This is what I read this morning, when looking for articles:

"As you reach age 40, you need to eat about 200 calories less a day to maintain your weight, according to the American Dietetic Association. Following a calorie-controlled diet can help you balance your intake for better weight control. Most menopausal women can maintain a healthy weight following a 1,600-calorie diet plan."

Which would mean if 1600 is maintaining we should eat less to lose!

DterMined2012

I found the only way that I could do it was with eliminating carbs like bread, pasta, etc. and anything refined i.e. sugar. I also try to eat my carbs before 2:00.

I am in the pits of menopause HELL :devil: and have found it nearly impossible for me to lose wt. So today 1/18 I have vowed to CUT the carb ADDICTION!!! CARBS ARE KILLING ME!

Guamybear

I am pre also and struggling with a bloat every 2 weeks because my cycle is off.. Glad I lost half my goal before this started. I have a feeling the 2nd half will be much harder.

I'm starting to have pre-menopausal systems, they started about a year ago and then stopped, then last week the hot flashes came back with a vengeance. It looks like I'm already doing what other women have done, working out and eating right and strength training. Hoping that's enough to keep my metabolism up so that I prepared when the real thing hits.

Sabine_Stroehm

I found the only way that I could do it was with eliminating carbs like bread, pasta, etc. and anything refined i.e. sugar. I also try to eat my carbs before 2:00.

I am in the pits of menopause HELL :devil: and have found it nearly impossible for me to lose wt. So today 1/18 I have vowed to CUT the carb ADDICTION!!! CARBS ARE KILLING ME!

Consider eating SLOW carb. Something akin to the south beach approach. Something like a low glycemic approach used with women who are insulin resistant, and/or have PCOS.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Momma_Grizz/view/menopausal-weight-gain-war-zone-576021
It really does seem to help.

Feel free to add me. I've been eating SLOW carb for 12 years and have recently refocused my energies there and I am feeling better and looking better.

DterMined2012

I love this thread

Wilhellmina

I am pre also and struggling with a bloat every 2 weeks because my cycle is off.. Glad I lost half my goal before this started. I have a feeling the 2nd half will be much harder.

Bloat yes and water retention great part of the cycle! I went down from 225 pounds to 163, but when it started it went up with appr. 30 pounds again with the same diet. So frustrating to see al the determination and hard work from before is almost shattered by female hormones going berserk :grumble:

Doinitin2015

Thanks to all the ladiies posting, lover hearing from us "middle age" gals.......from what I am reading a lot of you have been successful with doing calories around 1300 , and I agree I have been struggling with higher , lower so I will put them at 1300 etc and giver that a try with my weight training and spin and walk outside when this horrid winter is done!!! Also as someone put track everything, those spoonfuls of peanut butter add up.....so great post.....I'm on it!!!

Chefloveday

This is a great thread. I am going to be 52 in a few weeks and have been menopausal since 2009. The weight just creeped up and up and now I am looking at losing around 25 pounds. What used to work doesn't anymore so I have to look at different, sustainable methods so that I can feel better. Looking better is important to me too but ultimately I want to feel good again.

danascott798

Great thread! I am 45 and am perimenopausal. Nice to see that I am not alone in this weight loss and middle age journey. Ready to be a hot old chick!

fitnfun1

Thank goodness for this thread! I have been trying for four years and keep gaining weight despite what I do. I am extremely petite so I am thinking my calories are too high despite eating average amounts of what MFP thinks. I am mostly low carb no sugar already with brown rice and quinoa for grains. I workout 6 days/week at 90 min. avg. Just starting to add ST in again.

I hope to post some success in future, but happy to see it is possible. Thanks to you all for lifting my spirits!

1pandabear

I am about 5 years postmenopause, and about halfway to success, having shaved almost 6 inches off my waist since November.
My diary is open; take a look if you wish. I also do strength training to preserve muscle mass, so I try to have plenty of protein. I get most of my carbs from vegetables in as many different colors as possible, a couple of fruit servings a day, and limited whole grains/ legumes. I've eliminated refined sugars, and don't miss them at all anymore; in fact now I really notice the natural sweetness in things like tomatoes & peppers. I try to get enough omega3s & healthy fats from fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, & avocados, but keep fats about 25% of my cals. Oh, and I have a special healthy snack treat each day; for me it's: "Chocolate mousse" made from a cup of FF Greek yogurt, 2 T of Hershey Special Dark cocoa powder & a shaved up square of very dark Lindt Chocolate; under 200 cals ,lots of protein & antioxidants, and soo delish!
Just because weight loss can be more challenging at/after menopause , doesn't mean it's impossible! Go for it; you can get the weight off & keep it off for the rest of your life. Best wishes, and feel free to add me as a friend,
Joan

Joan thanks for the inspiration!

NewLIFEstyle4ME

I have consistently gained and loss the same blasted 3-11 pounds over the past year. I have tried just about everything, except what worked for me when I was at first successful when I joined MFP this time two years ago--almost to the day (at that time I forsook the S.A.D. diet for 3 months straight and not only dropped lots of weight, but felt and looked like I was 20-30 years younger as well). I eat within 1150-1700 cals per day, with light to moderate exercise daily. I've tried eating my exercise cals and tried not eating them back as well. It seems the only thing that will work for me, in this weird stage of my life is to do what I haven't done with commitment for this past year. For me to lose this fat and flab and keep it off...I've got to forsake FORVER:

Coffee (with lots of flavored cream, because I hate it black or with anything other than sweet cream)
highly processed foods (even the so-called "healthy stuff") foods in boxes, cans and frozen stuff....
eating out/restaurant foods more than 1 or 2 times per week
eating meats more than 1 or 2 times per week (instead of eating meat daily)
eating processed store bought sweets and junky foods
store bought juices and soda
Animal products in general (except for the occasional wild caught and/or organic small farm and humanely raised meats & fish)

Basically when I totally forsake daily (even moderately eating and drinking) coffee, meats, sweets, store bought juices and sodas (other than homemade), animal products in general...basically, the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) foods and drinks. When I avoid these foods and drinks/S.A.D. lifestyle eating, drinking and living CONSISTENTLY (as a lifestyle and not a mere "diet" or temporary habit) when I avoid the S.A.D. diet/lifestyle like the plague and instead eat an organic and plant based diet (fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, some fish/tuna once or twice per week), exotic and organic whole grains( millet, barley, amaranth, rice s and stuff like that). When I eat a plant based diet with NO exceptions, The weight (fat & flab and mental flog as well) melts right off of me and stays off--especially in my upper body and all over really--it GOES and and doesn't come back...until I go back to the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) and lifestyle--then I regain ALL of weight and sluggishness right back. The problem for me is the S.A.D. way of eating and drinking taste delicious and is addictive as :devil: to/for me and the S.A.D. lifestyle of being greedy/gluttonous, lazy and slothful (a.k.a. sluggish and sedentary) is natural, comfortable and fun/easy to/for me. Ugh! :ohwell:

I've been here on Mfp for TWO YEARS now :noway: and have read testimony and testimony how so many people eat (moderately or not so much) the S.A.D. way and are not only VERY successful losing weight, but sustaining their losses as well. I'm a special snowflake :grumble: and moderation just doesn't work for/with me...no matter how hard I try. I'm an all or nothing type of person :indifferent:

catholic04

I am approaching 60, 8-10 years post-menopause (not sure how to count that). My weight struggles started at age 50 but just eliminating sugar from my diet and run/walking 3 miles per day, I was fine. At age 54, I began gaining again so, this time gave up bread and added 30 minutes of pilates. That worked for another two years. Age 56, I developed severe carpal tunnel syndrome (severe in left, moderate in right) and had put on weight again. I gave up most carbs, lost 8 lbs and the CTS disappeared. Age 57, I had a severe respiratory infection with a racking cough that so aggravated a prolapse (which had first appeared at age 45 upon the delivery of my 4th baby) that I had to give up my 3 mile run/walks and also developed back issues which the pilates aggravated. I reduced my "deliberate" exercise to a 1-mile vigorous walk and a cut-down 15-minute pilates routine that doesn't stress my back. I've started gaining weight again so have gone back to a diet a friend gave me several years ago--very low carb with measured portions. I hope this works because I'm feeling really dumpy and my clothes don't fit well.

Anyway, post-menopause weight gain is no joke. A few years ago I read the book, "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes and I understand the science. For women, it's pretty much all about estrogen. The loss of estrogen at menopause makes it harder and harder to keep extra weight off. I still have three teens at home whom I am homeschooling so need to remain energetic to keep up with them.

Cheers!
Kathy

BarbBBQ

I'm hesitant to post as my weight just started to come off. I had a hysterectomy 15 yrs ago at 35. This time last year my dr advised me that I was DONE! I had about 6 hot flashes in about 3 weeks but put on about 9 lbs in a year. Nothing was working to loose the weight. I bought the fitbit, the body media band. I am on estrodial.

I recently gave up all processed foods, added sugars, white flour---I eat a small amount of fruit in the am, I cut out gluten....if I decided to have a cheat night with pasta I make sure its imported. I feel like GMO was a big part of my gain too. I eat a sandwich for lunch but its on gluten free bread. I've cut all sweets and desserts.

I've been liking myself to PCOS. I hope this will work...Good luck to you all on your journey