Weight loss menapause

I've lost the most weight I've ever lost after menopause. It's all in the calorie deficit. And I didn't keep a large deficit, because losing slowly was fine with me. Exercise earns more calories - yippee.

Age is no excuse, really. I bought into that discouraging mindset for a while - but not anymore.

I hit menopause hard, and early: It came as a side-effect of chemotherapy when I was 44, and they put me on an estrogen agonist (anti-estrogen, essentially) besides. I didn't gain a bunch of weight (even after chemo was over ;-) ). And I've lost 56 pounds since April, now at CW 127, within a few pounds of goal . . . so I guess it didn't hinder weight loss either. And I'm hypothyroid, besides.

Get the food scale, log carefully, stick to a reasonable/sustainable calorie deficit, adjusting the deficit if necessary to achieve weight loss. It works. You can do it if you choose to. (And the food scale is only around $20.)

I put on 25-30 lb just before menopause when I bought a car and stopped walking and biking everywhere.
I lost the weight by counting calories during menopause.
I also started, for the first time in my life, doing formal exercise during this time too to make up for the drop in activity through buying the car.

A plus that I found was that cardio, I did aqua fit as the water keeps the body cooler, really helped calm and decrease hot flashes.

We do naturally slow down as we age (general statement). This gradually lowers our BMI. The rate of loss is the same from 20-30 as it is from 50-60, and ranges from about 50-100 cals a decade depending upon a persons size.

Upping activity or exercise, weight training for bones and muscles, cardio for heart and lungs, and a yoga type routine for balance, flexibility, posture, and mobility, are good health benefits and will contribute towards weight loss.

We have had hormone fluctuations every month, or for 9 months at a time during pregnancy, and these can be challenging. Find time for extra sleep; night time hot flashes can really wear you out physically and mentally.

Be aware when those food cravings are your hormones demanding to be fed and try to rationalise it.

It is quite common for fat to redistribute as we age and more gather viscerally around our organs, which do drop a little as we age too, hence the oft bemoaned larger stomach. A good exercise routine helps with that.

It has no need to be an incredibly difficult job losing during menopause. Go by what MFP's recommendation calorie goal is, get a scale to weigh your food, and eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories. MFP has already accounted for your loss per week; you need those exercise calories to feed your activity burn.

Sorry that was soooo long.

Cheers, h.