menopause and weight loss

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msvickiw
msvickiw Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been trying so hard to eat right; I haven't had any breads or pastas or processed foods since May...I have been doing the stairs at work on my breaks and walking outdoors after work and the scale will not budge!! Anyone else finding it difficult to lose even a pound during this time in life??

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  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    There are lots of women here who are in menopause who've lost weight. "Eating right" doesn't always mean weight loss but eating at a deficit does. You haven't given any details about yourself like how much you're looking to lose, your height, weight, etc so my generic advice to you is if you aren't using a food scale to weigh/measure all food and drinks then you may be eating too much and that's why you're not losing weight.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    msvickiw wrote: »
    I have been trying so hard to eat right; I haven't had any breads or pastas or processed foods since May...I have been doing the stairs at work on my breaks and walking outdoors after work and the scale will not budge!! Anyone else finding it difficult to lose even a pound during this time in life??

    You could forget all that and put all your energies into just calorie counting

    Making sure you weigh and accurately log all your food including bread, pasta and processed food if you like it and it fits your defecit across the week

    Stairs and walking is brilliant ...add in progressive resistance work because that's really going to help you get taut and tight, and balance out your hormones and preserve your bones ...weights rock
  • Mikeysluck
    Mikeysluck Posts: 3 Member
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    I truly believe that at "our age" you must have exercise as well as a balanced diet. Walking is awesome but I have also incorporated weights and Core Workouts and I have definitely noticed a difference. Don't weigh yourself daily. It can be an excuse to give up!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    I'm menopausal, and lost 27 pounds a couple of years ago and hit my goal weight. I've been up and down since then, which proves I can lose weight when I log and weigh my food and eat at a calorie deficit. Also, I have bread every day.
  • LaceyBirds
    LaceyBirds Posts: 451 Member
    edited January 2016
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    I'm 60, post-menopausal, and have lost 65 pounds over the last year and a half solely by counting calories. I have logged every thing I've had to eat or drink since discovering MFP in April 2015. I weigh almost everything, and measure liquids. My weight loss has been slow, would be faster if I exercised, but regardless, I have still lost a great deal of weight.

    You might want to go read this thread, it inspires me every day: community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10047153/55-65-year-old-womens-success/p1
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
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    I'm 53 and hypothyroid and have lost 25 pounds since August.
  • TuffChixRule
    TuffChixRule Posts: 190 Member
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    I agree, maybe add some light hand weights (1-3 pounds) when you walk and swing your arms a little more. The resistance from the weights will help. You CAN lose the weight after menopause, but sometimes it seems like it's at a glacial pace. I've lost 25.5 pounds in the past year and went for several months losing and gaining the same three pounds, then all of a sudden I lost 5 pounds all at once. If you don't have a food scale, get one. In the beginning I literally weighed and measured every bit of food I ate. You can do this :)
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
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    The metabolism is different for pre/post menopausal women. You can approach your eating and exercise to work with what's happening in your body and lose weight very efficiently!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    Menopause can cause some wild hormonal swings and incredible water retention. How much varies greatly from person to person. It is often hard to judge how much fat you are losing. But if you are in a calorie deficit you are losing fat.
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Measure everything: the food you eat (on a scale in grams), your weight, bodyfat percent, and tape measurements, daily exercise, and if you can, your sleep quality. This is how you know if you are making the progress you want.

    I used a handheld impedence bodyfat calculator. While it won't give the clinically accurate percent of other methods, I found that it was consistent. I lost .1%bodyfat each week. This is what I wanted, not just for the scale number to go down.
    Also I had blood tests at the doctor's office to see how my metabolism is doing: Thyroid, adrenal function, blood sugar. I wanted these to improve as well.

    I approached weight loss with respect to what are my body's needs/strengths/weaknesses. Simply eating less of what I normally eat didn't work! I fought cravings, mood issues, digestive complaints and was too miserable. These symptoms are connected to hormone imbalances.
    So for me I needed to eat to support blood sugar, track fiber, eat higher in protein and fat. For a time I eliminated fruit and sugar and simple carbs.
  • msvickiw
    msvickiw Posts: 2 Member
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    this was the first time I have reached out and I found the responses so incredible and inspiring! thanks to all who replied with their personal stories. I will try to get out of my gloominess and take your words to heart
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Whoops, I meant to say that I lost .7%bodyfat each week! That's .1% per day and it was consistent!

    I really like this community!
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    It's much harder as we age.

    P.S. You should be doing weights too, not just cardio. Stairs are cardio. You need to [pick up dumbbells and build muscle mass.

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