I had a hysterectomy about 6 weeks ago and, like Bentwillow, I have been very careful with my calorie intake, since I'm not in a position to exercise much yet. I'm on 1200 and I usually stick to that. Since my hysterectomy I have lost 9lbs .

Luckily, I read up about menopause and hysterectomy prior to my op and realised I was a prime candidate for putting on weight, so I decided to lose weight straight away. Since Feb I've lost about 18lbs, through sticking to 1200 cals a day and minimal exercise. It can be done, but you have to be self-disciplined with food choices and very honest when you log.

Good luck!

I had my ovaries removed 5 years ago and have been in surgical menopause ever since. It's definitely become harder not only to lose weight, but to maintain where I already am. It's frustrating and demotivational to work hard and see so little result, but I do think it's important to keep trying. I'm definitely not someone who enjoys working out, so I'm trying to find exercises that work for me. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear 'em!

I'm definitely not someone who enjoys working out, so I'm trying to find exercises that work for me. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear 'em!

As someone who loves to work out once I've attained a decent level of fitness BUT NOT A MOMENT BEFORE, I do have some suggestions (I was uber fit in my 30's, then became a blob during and after pregnancies):

- If nothing else, WALK. I know it's hot now in a lot of the country, but you can always strap on an iPod and cruise the mall at a nice clip for an hour or so. If it cools down where you are, an evening walk is the perfect way to cap your day or an alternately amazing beginning to whatever the day may have in store for you. Make some playlists you love and go for it. Or download some fun podcasts -- free and so entertaining. Walking where there are other people or changing scenery cannot be duplicated in the gym -- the treadmill won't do it. Too boring.

- Try a class that's set to music. I know it may sound old-fashioned and lame, but Jazzercise is actually really fun. That's what got me out of my sedentary rut, and it's not expensive. I think it's about $50 to join and then $49 a month for unlimited classes. You have to go a few times before you really get the moves, but it's a very supportive environment and pretty easy to follow -- even for a klutz like me. They also have tutorials of all the things they do online, so you can practice before you go to your first class. I think your first class is always free.

- Try group classes at your gym, if you belong. It can be really intimidating to walk into a class where everyone seems to know what to do, but really all those others are just standing around, feeling uncomfortable, waiting for class to start so they can stop standing around feeling uncomfortable! Find a spot where you can see the instructor (very important!) and tell the person next to you that it's your first time and you're afraid you'll trip over your own feet. I can almost guarantee you that person will respond that they felt the very same way their first time. And BINGO! You're not alone anymore and you have and ally. And someone you can say, "hello" to at the gym. Nice.

- Again, if you belong to a gym, make sure you understand how all of the cardio machines work and give each of them a try. At my gym (I belong to Crunch -- not the fanciest, surely not the most expensive), they have kind of an amazing array of cardio choices. I was FLOORED to realize that there's a machine that I actually LIKE! In fact, now that I'm in pretty good shape, I almost crave it some days. Almost. Come on -- it's not like it's chocolate or anything, but it does make me feel good ...

- Lastly, try not to measure your success by how well or poorly the people around you are doing. You are you, and you have your own needs, will have your own failures and your own successes, and need to honor your own self.

Now go do it!!

I had a total hysterectomy almost 5 years ago at age 37. Within 2 years I gained 60 lbs. I've made numerous attempts over the years to lose it, to no avail. If I lower my calories to under 1000 then I can drop a couple but I can never keep that up for very long and it comes right back on. I have been on this program since May and it's taken me that long to lose 12 and a half, but one week on vacation of letting my calories go up to 1750 instead of 1200 ( even though I hiked 3-5 miles each day....a big excercise increase) and I gained back 4 lbs....in one week! So I gave up this last week and gained another pound. Sooo depressing and discouraging. But I don't want to be fat forever......this hormone crap just makes it awfully hard. And people really don't seem to understand. Hell, if I'd known this was gonna happen, I'd have dealt with my pain and health issues and not had the hysterectomy, at least I'd still be thin and young looking.