Menopause messing with your weight loss!?

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Replies

  • sdps720
    sdps720 Posts: 80 Member
    I too would be interested in joining in on this post (or group if one was created). I am 41 but my mother went into menopause very early and I have all the symptoms of being peri-menopausal (just ask my family!)

    I have an open diary, I do not log my exercise here because I am using the TDEE method to see how that goes. If I were to add in the exercise it would mess with the numbers. I do however post in my home thread what I have done for workouts so that I can hold myself accountable.

    I am here almost always since I have the app on my phone. Any one can add me if they would like.
  • BeccyGee
    BeccyGee Posts: 13 Member
    Such a great response! I started a new group gals! (great idea Beccygee!) Join us there :)
    Menopause - taking action!

    Yay! Brilliant! See you there :smile:
  • Do3w7
    Do3w7 Posts: 17 Member
    please add me in
  • claudie08
    claudie08 Posts: 154 Member
    Hello Ladies!

    I'm 51 yrs old and have been going through menopause for the past year - suffering with hot flashes and vertigo (for which I have to take medication 2-3 times a day).

    I've struggle with my weight my entire life, tried everything. My latest attempt at weight loss was on WW about 3 years ago where I lost 46 lbs, only to put it right back on. Lately, I've started to feel a strange fluffiness around my middle that I've never had before and I DO NOT like it!! It needs to go!!!

    I've been on MFP since August 2013, but consistently since Jan 2014, and since then, I've only lost 13 lbs (very discouraging). I don't know if it's menopause-related or if there's something else going on with my body. All I know is that this is the most difficult time I've had losing weight. I too, want to be 55 and fit and fabulous and I'm determined to do this!!
  • billsgirl1
    billsgirl1 Posts: 9 Member
    Count me in. I'm 50, and menopause did not make me lazy, and eat bad food. However, it has made it harder to get back in shape. On the plus side I am sweating before I even start to workout. Hot flashes, yay!:sad:
  • rotnkat77
    rotnkat77 Posts: 28
    Such a great response! I started a new group gals! (great idea Beccygee!) Join us there :)
    Menopause - taking action!

    I would love to join in!!!

    I'm 49 and every thing is going south :sad: !!!!! I just ordered a hormonal test kit and would love to know where I stand. And any help/support along the way would be awesome :drinker:

    Anita
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    well, my thoughts might not be appreciated. Have any of you had your thyroid checked, sorry if any of you are in the UK, we have one of the worst systems for dealing with thyroid problems, synthetic t4 only unless you find a great doctor. Where as over seas they offer synthetic T4 and T3, (4's are needed to turn into 3's but sometimes a body is not up to that duty any longer). Others have the opportunity of a natural product, which would not necessarily appeal to many but are more likely to be in the right balance and possibly more effective. Mainly you will be fobbed off with all sorts of excuses rather than give your blood a thorough interrogation.

    Please visit your own national Thyroid site or "Stop the thyroid madness" site. Any of these sites will give you more information than you could possibly need, Please read what relates to yourself. The issues this key gland can be involved in are interminable. The sites will tell you how the numbers in a blood result are interpreted. In the UK you can have all the symptoms and general practice will think you are normal if you have numbers up to 10. In Australia or the US the same range of tests are acted on as above 3. I have seen some saying even with a level of 10 this person had no symptoms so thyroid which slows your systems down when it is flagging is brushed to one side.

    This was just a thought to throw into the mix. As a general rule as women we get on with it, what ever life throws at us and we know our bodies will not fail.

    All the very best please don't take being slightly more "mature" lying down. Take life by the scruff of its neck and make the most of what you have. I am not completely fit, yet but I am fitter and performing better than I did 20+ years ago because I did not take what I was told at face value. I asked questions and tried my own questions
  • Cameli
    Cameli Posts: 1
    I'm in! I am 49 years old and have never had to worry about exercise, well my doc had told me my hormones are out of whack and that is a very big possilbity why I have gained 30 pounds. I have tried everything, I watch what I eat, I actually eat very healthy and I exercise (obviously not enough) It' s nice to hear others are feeling the same. thank you ladies! Beccygee great idea about the group. I need all the support I can get
  • deetee6718
    deetee6718 Posts: 70 Member
    Bump - on my way out the door BUT I need to read this!!!! I am 54 and a daily struggle, I've got the exercise motivation but the food, not so much! My motto of fit by 55 started last night when I read MFP success stories!! Lose 20 lbs by my mid August birthday would be a huge accomplishment for me! No excuses but I have found that since hitting meno 5 yrs ago my body has changed significantly which has impacted my ability to drop weight like I use to ;)
  • akh1981
    akh1981 Posts: 67 Member
    I'm the baby of the group - I'm 32, but I've been in menopause since I was 30 (freaking genetics). I was on HRT for a year, but decided that I needed to take things into my own hands if I wanted to avoid being on hormones for 30+ years, potentially. I started working out 4-5 times a week, starting eating better, and began using some essential oils (I know...some people love them, some hate them....I'm not trying to begin a debate here - just sharing what I've done) and I've been able to get myself off of the HRT without having all of the crazy coming back! I'm very interested in reading what works for the rest of you!
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
    I am 52 and have had so many stops and starts the past nine months,but this time it has been about 4 months...so maybe I am done? LOL, my Doctor is like when it happens, it happens.

    I am losing weight consistently, I log, eat at a deficit (at this point around 1500/day), and exercise at least 5 times per week.
  • icee3940
    icee3940 Posts: 1
    Oh ladies these stories are all too familiar. I'm 47 and having hormonal problems as well . Hot flashes, waking up during the night like every 30 minutes to and hour. Needlessly to say don't get much sleep at night. But, notices a mid section that I cannot get rid of. I have started weight training with cardio and want to see how the results are going to be. It's good to know that there are other ladies out there that are going through similar circumstances that can relate. Good group to start!!!
  • teresakay79
    teresakay79 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi everyone, I am too having trouble im pre-menopause, Its crazy I have gained weight that i cant get off. My doctor tested my blood and said my hormones are messed up. She didnt offer any help with it. I gained 36 pounds, in the past month i have limited my calorie intake to 1200 or less. Ive been working out daily, I just dont know what to do to get my metabolism to kick in again. Any advice? Im 49 years old
  • jgsimon1
    jgsimon1 Posts: 61
    I'm in the same boat with you all!! This past Christmas, I tried on a pair of jeans to wear to church and looked like a stuffed sausage......and now that I look at our photos, I see the huge change in my face. (I had that "I love donuts" face). I joined a gym, logged back onto MFP (it had been over a year since I logged on) and decided it was time for a permanant change. It's been almost 140 days since I stepped on the scale and almost fell off!! My weight was worse than I thought it was!!! I'm down 24 pounds since Christmas day. MFP only shows 14 pounds because I had gained 10 pounds over and above where I was the last time I had done MFP!! :(
    My bloodwork this spring showed that I have elevated FSH......which means that I'm in early menopause. But, everything else is great!! (cholesterol, thyroid, vitamin D etc...) I'm 48 years old and can definitely feel the difference. No hormones for me!!! I log everything I eat......try to eat tons of veggies, grains and lean meats. Nothing but water for me also!! I haven't had a soda, a beer or a glass of wine since Christmas day!!
    I try to walk at least 2 miles a day.....more if I can. I did start with a very low dose of an anti-depressant in March.....the doc says it will help with the menopause symptoms as they get worse. I also take a good probiotic a few days a week.
    We can all support one another!!! Let's kick menopause's *kitten*!!!
    I friended some of you who replied to this......if I missed anyone....friend me also!!! I love reading other people's food logging....it helps give me ideas when I start to get sick of my usual menu!!
    Keep up the good work!!! :)
  • pita7317
    pita7317 Posts: 1,437 Member
    And my story... :)
    Age 55.
    At age 50 and menopause....hello ? 30 lb weight gain.
    Lost the first 10 by cutting out gluten. Mainly pasta but bread and proccessed things as well. 95% of the time anyway...
    Then the weight loss stopped.
    I thought I just had to deal with the extra 20 lbs.
    Last August, a light bulb went on and I decided to get serious with MFP.
    There has been short amounts of time that I lost motivation but have always come back to it.
    I don't exercise but do golf once a week.
    My wine drinking is included in my daily calories.
    I keep my carbs at about 100 per day. Sugar under 30.

    And here I am today... 36 lbs lighter than I was 5 years ago. And down 2-3 clothing sizes.

    I have found that setting short term goals for weight loss like every 2 weeks works better for me than than focusing on someday I want to weigh....

    Be patient. This takes time. But every pound lost makes me very happy.
    Add me as a friend if you would like.
  • teresakay79
    teresakay79 Posts: 2 Member
    yeah i know how you feel, the same thing here. I dont eat healthy and it wasnt till i started reporting it i seen how little i do eat. Right now im not eating much because of a stomach ulcer that went crazy last week. I am getting better but i havent lost anything, since i started this about a month ago.
  • screwmenopause
    screwmenopause Posts: 170 Member
    Come join us on the group board....Menopause - taking action!
  • screwmenopause
    screwmenopause Posts: 170 Member
    That's awesome pita! I like the idea of keeping carbs 100 or lower - carbs really make you retain water. I want what you've accomplished. Okay...I will be patient :)
    thanks!
  • DaisyGrammy
    DaisyGrammy Posts: 148 Member
    Totally able to relate! We have a great group of ladies just in your group!
    Come join us. Look up this group and come join!

    Fifty, Female and Fun!

    We are all supportive and a bunch of fun!

    Hope to see ya!

    DaisyGrammy
    Hi to the gals (sorry guys) that are in menopause and suddenly have found a tire around their waist, they have to eat half the amount they used to consume - just to maintain their weight, wine is now a bad (VERY bad) carb - may as well eat a tablespoon of sugar....argh! I have decide to heck with menopause! I am 54 and refuse to settle for "it's menopause, you're getting older, that's life". Not me mama! I need support - I know I can't do this myself. I am not a complainer, just looking to tap into other peoples "spark" and share some of my own. I want to be fab and 55! I want my "twilight years" to be spectacular! Are you in?
  • suemcmurry
    suemcmurry Posts: 188 Member
    bump cuz this is important!!!
  • AbsolutelyAnnie
    AbsolutelyAnnie Posts: 2,695 Member
    Tagging in for future reference!
  • suzrwin
    suzrwin Posts: 1
    I'm in!! Just now hitting menopause at age 51 (I've been operating on only one ovary since '99, so figure I'm doing pretty good). I've gained 30 pounds in the last 10 years, 15 of those in the last nine months. I struggle with reactive hypoglycemia (related to shifting hormones), so have to make sure I'm getting enough protein throughout the day. The anxiety of having severe hypoglycemia attacks has contributed to my overeating, but now I have a better handle on managing the right types of foods to keep my hypoglycemia at bay. I thought I was eating plenty of protein, but my logs showed otherwise :)

    I exercise regularly (walking, hiking, low- impact aerobics, skiing, light weights), and have done so all along although I slowed down a bit through a 2 year bout with kidney issues. That is sorted now (thank God!) and I feel fantastic except for being a frumpy grandma now.

    So....now I'm stepping up my exercise, and recommitting to controlling my eating. My downfall is salty snacks, so I don't keep them in the house. My goal is slow and steady--a pound a week. This is my first week, so nothing to report as of yet, except that I have a loving husband who is supportive--no matter what I weigh--and family--3 grown daughters, 2 sons in law, a granddaughter who will be one on Saturday and a four month old grandson.
  • giusa
    giusa Posts: 577 Member
    51 here! Would like to come back and visit when I can chat!
    We've got this ladies!!!!
  • Jeyed
    Jeyed Posts: 87 Member
    Bump, for later reading.
  • EvlynRose
    EvlynRose Posts: 1
    I am 44 yrs. young. I weighed 208 then lost by the help of a doctor and a fixed thyroid down to 110 and stayed there for four years.3 I had treated myself to a tummy tuck last jan. 201 Then peri menopause hit Jan. 2014.. I had a hysterectomy and so I didn't know when it would hit. I haven't slept a full night without being half nude since Jan. and I have literally went up 30 pounds in less than five months... Nothing new in anything else ! I am really mad and saddened. I had heard that taking HRT's creates more weight gain and I don't need that. I have no idea what has happened and it scares me... so any input would be awesome.
  • scolloby
    scolloby Posts: 22 Member
    I'm in!

    I'm 53 and have finally moved from monthlies that were like a scene from Chainsaw Massacre (very anaemic) to a little but all the time (sorry for the tmi!). Fortunately my moods have raised with the slight change but can't wait for all this to settle down. My weight is all over the place at the moment but going in the right general direction. My digestive system is also all to pot. Exercise is helping me stay sane, now I'm walking every day and have also started running. I am enjoying being able to wear nicer clothes again and buy underwear I like rather than find that the shop doesn't do them in my size. By the way, what is Maca?
  • sab1157
    sab1157 Posts: 38 Member
    All of you ladies are singing my song! I will turn 57 this year and am post menopausal. I have always been active (gym/weights/walking/hiking, etc) and watched my diet. But now......dear lord. I still walk, hike, dance, and this year got back to the gym for weight lifting. But getting off these 15 pounds that crept up on me in these last 10 years is like trying to chip off dried oatmeal out of a bowl that has been sitting for a week. Geez. I have been here on MFP for over a year, but I will be honest and say logging my food daily has become a real pain. That being said, or rather whined about, would love to join this group, add as a friend, anything to supportive.

    I want to try and shed 10 by my birthday which is 6 months from now. Is this impossible? Probably not, but it sure feels like it.
  • screwmenopause
    screwmenopause Posts: 170 Member
    Come to the group site we started gals and we will journey this together! Group- Menopause-taking action!
  • dollbud40
    dollbud40 Posts: 118 Member
    Good Morning my dear friend! Oh my goodness I am so in! I have been searching for friends like you!! Yay! I am running late for work , but please add me as a friend! We will be winners! I am not settling for this hormonal crap! Have a Fab Friday! We Got This!! Woot Woot! :smile:
  • startergal53
    startergal53 Posts: 120 Member
    Great topic- speaks to where I am. Love that so many are weighing in on it.

    For me personally I am tired of hearing myself say "menopausal" and using it as a "catch all" for this time of life. I don't like to be a complainer or use it as an excuse but that has been how I've rolled lately. I look for "sparks" every day to keep it real and on track.
    Just before this hit I had lost 30 some pounds with exercise and good eating habits. The weight came back on when I got lazy and I stopped doing what worked. Then when menopause hit I went from a pear to a barrel seemingly overnight. But truth be told I was not in a good position to stand strong and that is what I am looking to do now.
    Reading through the posts I find them to be encouraging and insightful. Thanks to all of you for sharing both struggles and triumphs. I just started reading up on "lifting" and adding it to the cardio and walking I do now. So see there are things we can do.
    Learning to be patient (while kicking it's butt) taking it one day, one action at a time will make us strong gals.

    Hi to the gals (sorry guys) that are in menopause and suddenly have found a tire around their waist, they have to eat half the amount they used to consume - just to maintain their weight, wine is now a bad (VERY bad) carb - may as well eat a tablespoon of sugar....argh! I have decide to heck with menopause! I am 54 and refuse to settle for "it's menopause, you're getting older, that's life". Not me mama! I need support - I know I can't do this myself. I am not a complainer, just looking to tap into other peoples "spark" and share some of my own. I want to be fab and 55! I want my "twilight years" to be spectacular! Are you in?