Advice on weight gain during menopause!

ToniZ60
ToniZ60 Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi I was wondering if anyone else is going through menopause and having a hard time losing weight (actually gaining) . I was a member last year and did so well lost 10 lbs but this year almost impossible I am doing all the same things and nothing I am getting really discouraged. I would appreciate any advice. I take spin class 2-3 times a week and usually do treadmill and some weight training the other days, I usually try to stay about 1400 calories a day. Thanks

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    As you age you need fewer calories to maintain your weight. It really has very little to do with menopause. More of a mindset.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    you say you try to stay about 1400 calories. To quote Master Yoda, "You do or you do not. There is no try".

    Are you logging everything you eat? Are you weighing your portions? Or are you getting to the end of the day and guessing what you ate, forgetting those biscuits in a meeting, that dressing you added to your salad, the crisps that were part of a meal deal with your low fat sandwich and diet coke .....? (I've done all those before I joined MFP:blushing: )

    When you put your stats into MFP, what does it give you calorie-wise if you aim to lose 1lb a week? You seem to be having some vigorous exercise, so how about setting yourself to "sedentary" and eating back all your exercise calories (works for me!). Its true we need fewer calories as we age, but MFP should account for that unless you lied about your age!:bigsmile:
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
    Ditto to what both of the other commenters said.

    The bad news is that your metabolism does slow down as you age. So what worked before won't work now.

    The other bad news is that workouts are great for fitness but 80% of losing weight happens in the kitchen. I could be wrong, but if you're not losing at 1400 calories you're either pretty small or miscalculating your calories.

    There is good news: I lost 180 lbs in menopause. So it's possible.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    WOW that's some loss! I'm trying to do my losing now before the dreaded M catches up with me and slows everything down, but maybe I need to just get things into perspective :flowerforyou:
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    I'm 60. Went through menopause some time ago. As soon as I started controlling mindless eating, the weight started dropping off. I'm getting between 1300 and 1500 calories per day now and no trouble losing. I don't really do any formal exercise - go walking, ride my horse, practice rapier fencing, take care of horses.Sit at a desk during the day.
  • ToniZ60
    ToniZ60 Posts: 23 Member
    I am 52 and I am 5'3" I weigh 147 it calculated me to have 1200 a day but when I posted questions before the advice was I was not eating enough calories so I increased them. I guess I will try paying more attention to logging my food. The one thing I do know is there is a difference in menopause because what else has changed. I have read that the decrease in estrogen makes our bodies hold onto fat. I still fit in size 8's so I know that my weight traing as definitely put on muscle weight (that's what the trainer at gym said) I am going to try going back to 1200 calories again ugh!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I'm 55, 5'2" and weigh 115 now. I lost a bit over 20 lbs 2 years ago by being meticulous with my calorie counting, cardio and strength training. Your metabolism slows such a small amount with age it really isn't a factor. The fact that as we age most of us become less active is. Muscle takes up less space than fat and needs more calories to function. The key to weight loss as we age is maintaining good lean muscle mass to maintain your metabolism and calorie counting, as it is at any age.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    bump
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    I was having a hard time losing weight and was slowing gaining some before I started MFP. Here is my journey


    2/27/12 started with myfitnesspal at 146 pounds eating 1000 calories a day

    5/25/12 weighing in at 128.8 increased my calories to 1100 a day

    6/8/12 weighing in at 126.4 increased my calories to 1200 a day

    7/6/12 weighing in at 124.8 increased my calories to 1300 a day

    7/20/12 weighing in at 124.6 increased my calories to 1400 a day

    8/3/12 weighing in at 124.4 increased my calories to 1500 a day

    10/10/12 weighing in at 124.3 increased my calories to 1700 a day

    I have been maintaining for about a year now. One thing to watch is how much sodium you eat. Once I started watching that more it helped me a great deal. So you can lose while going through menopause. I haven't had a period in over a year and I'm doing great. Hope you figure out what works for you. The only exercises I did was walking about 20 minutes a day. I am now doing Jillian Michaels no more trouble zones and some other strength training as I am trying to tone up not lose any more :}

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