Weight Loss in Menopause

trinityskyyy
trinityskyyy Posts: 6 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have always been fit and healthy and could eat anything, anytime, anywhere without gaining weight. My weight stayed the same through my twenties (120 lbs.), thirties (125 lbs.) and forties (130 lbs.). I have always had a great fitness routine during those times also. I am now 51 years old and enduring menopause (or pre menopause), I am now 143 lbs. and gaining weekly. I realize I need to watch my calorie intake and continue my exercise program, but I am still gaining weight. I just don't know what to do. I am down to 1200 - 1400 calories per day and step on the scale and it is still going up. I exercise three times per week for 1 hour. I am not that tall and feel like very soon it will be out of control. Help!!

Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    It is not all fat, if you are gaining that fast. It's water weight and the hormonal fluctuations. It will settle down at some point.

    I suggest using some other measure of success other than the scale, as the hormones are out of your control. For instance, continue to track your food intake, and your exercise routine. Maybe sign up for some sort of exercise goal (mine is to climb a mountain) or team sport.

    All I can say is your hard work will pay off....eventually.
  • size102b
    size102b Posts: 1,370 Member
    See your doctor the can help hrt is good
    Lucky us women hey
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Logging issues ...check the stickies you need to weigh and be accurate
    Time frame...you are allowing fluctuations to get on top of you, be patient
    Lift heavy ...progressive resistance helps stabilise hormones amongst other amazing benefits
  • eileen0515
    eileen0515 Posts: 408 Member
    I've lost 70 Lbs. in menopause. Losing weight is no different for us. How are
    you calculating your caloric intake? My weight came off through honest and
    accurate weighing of my food. I did not eat all my exercise calories, some days I ate none of them. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the food scale and self honesty.
  • minniestar55
    minniestar55 Posts: 350 Member
    edited February 2016
    eileen0515 wrote: »
    I've lost 70 Lbs. in menopause. Losing weight is no different for us. How are
    you calculating your caloric intake? My weight came off through honest and
    accurate weighing of my food. I did not eat all my exercise calories, some days I ate none of them. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the food scale and self honesty.

    I lost a lot less, but agree wholeheartedly. Be honest about the food, weigh & track everything, & keep moving.

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Logging issues ...check the stickies you need to weigh and be accurate
    Time frame...you are allowing fluctuations to get on top of you, be patient
    Lift heavy ...progressive resistance helps stabilise hormones amongst other amazing benefits

    Yep, this all day!
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I'm into peri-menopause now and the water fluctuations are making it crazy to try to tell my real weight. My period is doing very fast and unpredictable things (dammit). Then I get extra innings of PMS cravings, so that doesn't help matters, but it hasn't added up to many days of overeating in total yet. My vote is for water weight and hormones, yeah. But of course watch your tracking :)

    I was fluctuating 2-3 lbs max from morning to morning (usually 1 or 2), and now it can be over 5, definitely. The thing is I never know whether my period (or all the other symptoms of it) is starting in a week or so, because it legitimately might be on any random date. It's kinda crazy.
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    If you feel sure you shouldn't be gaining on your current calorie intake then see your doctor. For almost a year I blamed my unexplained weight gain (and many other symptoms) on menopause. Turns out it was my thyroid. Once I was on medication and it had several weeks to kick in I started losing very nicely on the same calorie intake that had been causing me to gain.
  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
    I'm into peri-menopause now and the water fluctuations are making it crazy to try to tell my real weight. My period is doing very fast and unpredictable things (dammit). Then I get extra innings of PMS cravings, so that doesn't help matters, but it hasn't added up to many days of overeating in total yet. My vote is for water weight and hormones, yeah. But of course watch your tracking :)

    I was fluctuating 2-3 lbs max from morning to morning (usually 1 or 2), and now it can be over 5, definitely. The thing is I never know whether my period (or all the other symptoms of it) is starting in a week or so, because it legitimately might be on any random date. It's kinda crazy.

    Or it might start, then stop, then kind of start again, then stop again...right there with you.
  • cyndit1
    cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
    I haven't had a period now in close to 100 days and the scale is barely moving. I went as long as 111 days this time last year and then it just showed up normally for a few months. Its very frustrating and nerve wracking. My plan is just to stay the course, be honest about my food, keep working out and hopefully the hormones will balance out eventually and the scale will show it. Its like constant PMS though to be honest.
  • trinityskyyy
    trinityskyyy Posts: 6 Member
    Wow, thanks for all this great information and support. I am also hypothyroid but have been since my 20's so I don't think that is factoring into anything. My thyroid levels are right on. I will track my food better. I could be off in that area. I didn't know about "water weight". That may explain the fluctuations also. Terrific advice, thanks again!! Since I am not getting my period nearly as much I am feeling better having less migraines and PMS. I feel overall I am less anxious so that's a good thing.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
    Many women develop some degree of insulin resistance in menopause, which can make weight loss and weight control more challenging. Consider lowering your carbs a bit, especially low fiber carbs, a bit and see if that helps. Also, join us in the menopause group. There are MANY women there struggling to lose weight where they've been successful before. Cheers.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group
  • trinityskyyy
    trinityskyyy Posts: 6 Member
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    Many women develop some degree of insulin resistance in menopause, which can make weight loss and weight control more challenging. Consider lowering your carbs a bit, especially low fiber carbs, a bit and see if that helps. Also, join us in the menopause group. There are MANY women there struggling to lose weight where they've been successful before. Cheers.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group

    Thanks so much!
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