And just to clarify - I am not a coach of any kind. So many times when I first started getting actively involved in MFP I would join a group or a challenge and it would turn out to be nothing but a BB Coach trying to promote their business. It was so disappointing. I am just truly looking for some friends to help for accountability and motivation. I am actually looking a plan called the Metabolic Effect Diet which seems to have a lot of good information for us women who are not in our 20's or 30's and experiencing different reactions to what we put in our bodies. I'm looking to do an overall healthy way of eating and incorporate good old cardio and weight training. If you want to do BB dvd's then great - I love a lot of their workouts. But I mainly enjoy outside walking/jogging/interval running and hitting the gym and doing a good 20 min. of heavy lifting.

Hi! I'm glad to have some responses. Here is the link to the information that I thought was interesting about menopause and the effect on our bodies.

http://www.metaboliceffect.com/menopause-weight-loss/

I too cannot cut all carbs, and frankly I don't really think its healthy or a have to - but that I do tend to crave those starchy, processed carby foods once I start eating them. So check out this link - I this part is very interesting - the 4S Model:

I developed a simple formula to help you with the changes. I call it the 4S model:
4S Nutrition
S= Shake= Start the day with a protein shake
S= Salad= Always have a huge salad with protein on top
S= Snack= Include one protein and veggie based snack a day (i.e. celery, cucumbers and salmon)
S= Starch= Include a healthy portion of starch at one meal only. Best after a workout, or at night (since it helps with sleep and many menopausal women have difficulty sleeping)
4S Exercise
S= Stress reducing. This means focusing on rest & recovery exercises. At least 3 per week, but more is better (slow walking, massage, meditation, yoga, tai chi, physical affection, etc.)
S= Strides. Slow walking. 10,000steps (about 2 hours) on all or most days. Notice this shows up twice? It is critical!!
S= Strength. Weight training over cardio to keep the body tight. 2 times per week.
S= Sprints. Intense activity that gets the body breathless and burning. Like interval training, metabolic workouts, and short intense runs. 1-2 times per week

Let me know your thoughts. I think it would be great to use this formula and our own knowledge and lifestyles to come up with a plan that works for us.

Great! I am currently dealing with an unexpected family member who passed away so it may be next week before I can get the facebook page up and going and get really in to the swing of getting a plan to put on there. But I would so love to have some people who are looking for the same answers I am and a smaller group to motivate and support each other.

As far as the protein shake information. Let me see if can do some more research on it from their website. But I would think that it would be important to use a good quality protein powder that give you the protein you need, but not all the extra additives. Such as Jay Robb Whey or Egg White - its rated very high (its what I use currently), though I am thinking of switching to Raw which is a vegetable based protein - its rated high too.

Here's a link that someone posted on one of my FB groups which I found very interesting and helpful. As far as what you put in them - well that is up to you. Some days I do nothing but just the protein powder and ice - usually that's my second one for the day if I'm still trying to hit my protein goals. Breakfast I use all different ingredients, PB, banana fiber, chia seeds, flax seeds; frozen fruit, spinach and fiber (that's my go to for mornings).

I think it would be important to still track our food - mostly macros which is the amount of protein, carbs, fat and fiber.

Thank you all. Because of my circumstances I haven't been able to spend as much time as I'd like on the links I posted. So I'm glad you all found them helpful! I also want to get the book and I'll have to go back and look at that program for 97.00.

It looks like healthy starches are these:

Starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, squash, peas and yams, offer a variety of healthy benefits. Acorn squash, butternut squash, winter squash, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, corn and green peas are all rich in potassium, a mineral that helps preserve bone health and reduce blood pressure. Butternut squash is rich in beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, antioxidants that help maintain skin, hair and eye health. Starchy vegetables are easy to incorporate into your diet. They make excellent side dishes to complement a variety of healthy meals. For example, mashed sweet potatoes or steamed corn may go with grilled chicken and salad.

Beans are one of the healthiest starch options, according to Dr. Jampolis. This starch contains lots of fiber, protein and antioxidants. Beans are extremely versatile and can be used as a side dish or main meal. Vegetarian chili is one great way to use a few different types of beans in a delicious dish. Experiment with different types of beans to find the ones you like, such as kidney beans, navy beans and pinto beans.

Whole grains, such as whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal and barley are excellent sources of insoluble fiber. This type of fiber is most important for people who suffer from constipation, because it creates bulk in your colon to help keep your bowel movements regular. It is easy to add whole grains into your diet. Simply opt for whole wheat and whole grain versions of the bread and pasta you already eat.

I guess protein powder could go bad - I would go by the smell - I think it would have rancid smell if it did. Mine never lasts long enough to go bad!

Hi all. I'm sorry I haven't been on much. I'm still dealing with my family stuff. I am going out of town this weekend. And I believe we are planning the service on March 21 so I'm hoping to be back to at least semi-normal after we get most of that planning done this weekend.

I'm so glad I've go so many interested in this! I'm excited to set up a group and to really focus on helping each other. I've actually been doing really well and lost some weight - woo hoo! I'm still doing the 21 day fix plan, but have modified it to fit my needs according to the information I've been reading on the Metabolic Effect (and I need to order that book too).

I am in no way pushing for you to purchase the 21 day fix but it has been a great tool for me. I use the 21 day fit tracker app on my phone which has been life changing even more than MFP was. So I think I will continue to use that tool.

I just wanted to let you know I'm still here and still wanting to get this group going but I just need to get my family stuff behind me.

Can we take a poll on whether you all would like a Secret Facebook page or do you want to continue on MFP groups?