Losing Weight During Perimenopause
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This thread is a real comfort to me. I am 43 and think I have been getting perimenopause symptoms since before I was 40 - my mum started menopause early so no surprise. However, it's been restricted to night sweats, joint ache and anxiety up to now.
Over the last year I have put on over a stone and a half without even trying. I haven't exercised as much I must admit but the weight has piled on, mostly around my middle. I have never put on weight like this. It's a nightmare and started to knock my confidence.
Am being really good at sticking within my 1400 cals and exercising 5 times a week (zumba, walking, dancing etc.) but am still not shifting it. I am going to keep this up for another 2 months, stick to the exercising and see what happens. If my weight doesn't shift, I think I will visit the doctor as wonder if this might be thyroid/metabolism related. I do feel much better for exercising and eating more healthily though and think (thought I am not shifting lbs) that I am changing shape a bit!
It's tough but it's good to know that I am not alone.0 -
Yes youre NOT alone, the good news is we are making the effort - the weight HAS to shift. It would eb nice if we posted what made it shift.. Im now losing grams which is frustrating, but inches which is nice. Its really hard, but there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel0
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No one believes me when I say you literally gain 10 lbs over night at 40! I am 43 now and it is still a struggle, damn hormones! It is extra worse when you also have a thyroid disorder like me that also wants to keep the metabolism down low! Good luck to you!0
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Well definitely in the perimenopausal state now... first missed period... over 2 weeks late... left feeling down and mourning the children I was never able to have and realizing the finality of it all... lots of emotional eating going on lately... Got to get my *kitten* together and accept this and move on...0
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Thank you for posting this subject! I happen to have an appointment with my gyno in another hour to discuss some of the very issues I'm reading here.
I am 46 and I have to say the frustration with weight gain has been overwhelming. Ten years ago I would've lost weight eating the calories I eat now without even exercising. I feel like the only way I'll lose is to do nothing but exercise every day, all day long. (Think Biggest Loser Ranch) Unfortunately, I can't quit my job to do that.
I hope we can keep this thread going. I love reading the posts and I think most of us could use some extra support. Anyone can feel free to send me a friend request.0 -
No one believes me when I say you literally gain 10 lbs over night at 40! I am 43 now and it is still a struggle, damn hormones! It is extra worse when you also have a thyroid disorder like me that also wants to keep the metabolism down low! Good luck to you!
I feel like this is exactly what happened to me. Hormones and metabolism be damned!0 -
Hello! I can relate to so many of you! Thanks now I feel normal! I m 46 and trying to live a healthy lifestyle and get fit,toned and healthy! I have been going through this perimenopause for the last year or so! Yuck! I feel like my hot flashes come in go in monthly cycles, my sleep is awful and now trying to lose weight is a big challenge!! Hee Hee!! Please feel free to send me afriend request! We can share support and motivation!! Thanks! Have a Great Healthy Da!!0
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I am so right there with you girls. I turn 45 next week. Night sweats, weight gain and now my cycle lengths are getting wacky. One month it's 26 days, the next month it's 22 days, then 26 again (which is normal for me), then 24 days. I know I'm perimeno and I do not like it one bit. I struggle so much with the same darn 3-4 lbs up and down. And I need to lose 20 lbs to begin with! I've easily gained probably 12-14 lbs. within this last year. Scary.
What are some of your symptoms? Are they similar?0 -
I will be 43 in May. My doctor says I am "too young" to be perimenopausal but I know my body. The night sweats are the worst and they are more frequent these days. I did have a different doctor who did rule out some possible medical conditions and nothing showed up on the tests.
It is definately harder for me to take weight off and so much easier to put it back on.
My hubby doesn't get it. First of all he is a man and second of all he is 11 years younger. I do have some support with the women I work with. Some of which have been in my boat at one time.0 -
What a relief to find this thread and realize so many of you are experiencing the same thing that I am! I am 42 and constantly losing and gaining the same 5 lbs. every few weeks and it is so frustrating! I've started tracking my workouts and food logs in detail to ultimately take to my doctor to show them proof that I am doing what I need to, and still not losing weight.
Has anyone found or tried anything that HELPS with this problem? I ordered two books last week and hope to start researching on my own since doctors are not very helpful...they just shrug and smile. I swear if this were a problem that MEN had, it would have already been resolved by now! Ha!0 -
Hi It has been a challenge for me because of my premenopausal state however with determination and the help of this wonderful program I have hope!. I only joined a week ago but I am enthusiatic. I have changed my eating habits, drinking alot more water and I am walking as an exercise option at this point. I am also taking a herbal supplemen that is helping with my hot flashes. I have more energy and a better attitude. I am on the road to a new me ! My goal is to loose between 20-30lbs and keep it off! So yes initially is may seem like a merry-go-round with the weight gain but I do believe with the proper diet and some form of exercise we will be successful, also it does not hurt to have a positive attitude! i know my daughters appreciate that! :laugh:0
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And I read a card the other day..."Hot flashes are just your inner child playing with matches." HA HA HA!!!
Love it!0 -
Suziblues
Did you say your calorie count a day is 1200? that's what mine is and I weigh 140 did I read this right
I'm supposed to stay under 1,400/day, but this site has me at about 1,250/day. Does that seem low for someone trying to be more active?
That 1200-1250 calorie recommendation is bull. Due to my high level of frustration with my lack of consistent progress, I've done a lot of research on metabolism, nutrition, exercise, etc. I have ended up calculated my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which is the minimum calories that your body needs to survive. Mine is about 1450 calories per day, yet MFP recommended that I eat 1200/day. I did this for a few months until I realized I was making no progress and started my own research. I was starving myself at MFPs suggestion. There are online calculators which are good for getting a general idea of your BMR, but the most accurate number will come from an equation that includes your amount of Lean Muscle Mass which you can obtain from a body fat measurement. (I had it done through my gym.)0 -
It is sooooooo nice to find other girls like me. I'm 56, and have been perimenipausal (?) for @ 18mos. It AIN"T fun. Altho my
"Sweats" are not as bad as others, I still feel the heat coming from the inside out. I have found it hard to lose this weight. What use to be fairly easy is now like pulling teeth. It seems that any time I look sideways at something, it lands on my hips or a**... I have been keeping my scale under a night table so I don't have to look at it.
I aim for 1600 cal a day. Most days it's not a problem, but other days I might go over a bit. As far as my exercise, I walk 3 Days a week for approx 45 mins. I know that I should do some weight training, but haven't quite got that far yet. I keep telling myself that "I am a work in progress" I know that we want to lose as quickly as possible, but, that's not going to happen. At least for me anyway. I will take any weight losses that I get. If it takes me 18 mos to lose 30 lbs., so be it... Please excuse my rant.... 0 -
I am perimenopausal at a young age of 38 due to the IUD and having it removed. Its been such a strange ride with weight gain and calorie counting. Ive seen a nutritionist and my PCP and after setting my calorie goal at 1500 and seeing a steady gain..we up'd it to 2000 cals n at least I stopped gaining. I workout alot.. I LOVE WALK AWAY THE POUNDS. You csn pop it in n go no excuses and its fun. Theres lots of different walks..try the walk 30 burn 30 and the walk to the HIITS.its high interval training n so much fun!! Dont worry it INC weight training. So yea all of this n im still not losing. Hohum0
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I'm on day 24 of MFP and haven't lost a pound. It's so frustrating - I'm guessing it must be perimenopause? I know I'm in it - my periods are crazy and I'm 49, so it makes sense timewise. I'm watching my calories like a hawk - 1200 is my MFP recommended allotment and walking 30 mins 3 times a week (when possible). Grrrrrrr. I am taking a Women's multi most days (not all, if I hit all my nutrition through food), and drinking 6 -ish cups of water. Any suggestions to kick this stubborn weight off? Also - working single mom, so....yeah...no time whatsoever to go to the gym (I wish I could, I truly do).0
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I'm 51 and perimenopausal. I don't have bad hot flashes, they're manageable ,but I have irregular periods, lack of energy and I apparently lack motivation. Losing weight has been a struggle for the past 10 years or so but almost impossible it seems the last couple of years. Last Nov I restarted and I lost 10 pounds up through the New Year and then nothing... then slowly started putting it all back on and now I gain and lose the same 5 or so pounds. I admit I'm lacking the motivation at the moment, but I hope the regain it SOON. I HATE tracking calories! Too time consuming.0
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There is light at the end of the tunnel and its not a train!!
Within a 2 year period I went to several doctors, nutritionists, and personal trainers. No matter how hard I worked, how much I dieted and exercised with 0 weight loss and no one could give me an answer. Everyone kept saying I was too young to be perimenopausal at 35-37yo
Finally I happened on a local weight loss doctor on a whim and wouldn't you know he had all the answers, specialized in menopause, and they have been working!!! In the past just a 3 mile walk and healthy diet kept me at a size 6 then I ballooned to a size 12 in two years. He did tons of detailed lab work and had the physical proof it was hormonal!!!
He put me on a low dose birth control which helped shut down mass estrogen production.
OTC Progesterone cream twice daily
Cellucore Fat burners non stimulant*
Caloric intake of 1400-1500 daily
One cheat meal a week
Reduced alcohol intake to twice a week (no red wine, it inflames the hot flashes)
2-3 mile run walk on the treadmill 3-5 days a week
3 mile dog walk after dark (bc I am HOT all the time) plus tv sucks
Benadryl at night helps me fall asleep and stay asleep with out feeling groggy
Cut out coffee and dairy (occasionally i cheat and have a small cup of coffee during mid day slump)
Pamprin multi symptom several days a week
Watch out for sodium
Get off Facebook its sucking the life out of you!
Fitbit bracelet
Tons of water
Also, I went to the gyno and found out I had fibroids the size of 3 small pears!!! (fibroids store estrogen, estrogen stores fat. I plan on having the fibroids removed in several months) The fibroids are causing me so much pain, water retention, and horrendous periods.
I was at this for 2 months and there were NO results, I was so frustrated I would find myself crying on the treadmill, how pathetic is that?! Then I stopped weighing myself due to frustration and waited two weeks....I had lost 6 lbs!! Now the weight is just coming off, I have energy, my skin looks better, I look more youthful, I want to have sex again, i don't feel like a hormonal psycho when I wake up in the morning, the brain fog has subsided, no more searching for words and feeling like a moron.
Through research I have found that more exercise is the key to the weight loss now. Its hard getting off the couch and moving but once you get it going it works. Body in motion stays in motion.
Good luck ladies!!!
*I chose to put myself on fat burners to help reduce the cellulite0 -
I feel your pain. I am 47 and started being premenopausal when I was in my early 40s. Lucky for me I don't have the sweats, (knock on wood) but I am finding it harder to loose weight and when I do it is slower. Here's to being healthier though and glad to know that it is not just me 0
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i am also perimenopausal but it has not stopped me 0
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