Weight loss after menopause
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As we get older, we have to move more, not less--and eat less, not more. Unfortunately. 61 here.
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vivmom2014 wrote: »Weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you. And what works for each of us changes over time. Learn to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Logging is simple, but it ain't easy. Logging works.
I agree with this. I'm 52, 5'8" and eating 1800 calories a day (plus exercise calories, definitely) and I'm finally losing. It seemed to take forever to kick in. I do not have much to lose, about 8 pounds. I'm down 6 lbs. It's taken several months - so speed is not on my side, but I also don't want to cut my calories down too low. Slow & steady is okay with me. (And chocolate. Chocolate is very okay with me.)
I'm trying to do more with small weights and resistance bands, as well as Leslie Sansone cardio DVDs. Everything aches. I figure it's just the price of getting old. (sob). [/quote]
I just finished doing a Leslie Sansone walking tape as well, I LOVE her!!0 -
Great advice, I'll start doing only weekly weigh-ins (and btw, I did see a 1.1 pound loss this morning)! Wheww!!0
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I love her too! (Leslie Sansone.) Some find her a little too chirpy, but I like it. It's somehow comforting. Plus - great workouts!0
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »mikesmom1983 wrote: »I'm 58 and was convinced I couldn't lose weight. I am 5' 3-3/4', needed to lose at least 43 lbs. and came upon a "formula" that worked for me. I got a fitbit to motivate myself to move more, increased protein, decreased sugar (to stop cravings), replaced non and low fat foods with full fat (felt fuller longer), and increased water.
I have managed to lose 34 lbs. since September. My loss has been slow, but steady. I have noticed that I am sensitive to sodium so I make sure I don't have a high sodium meal the night before I weigh in.
I went from wearing size 14 jeans to size 8-10. This is the smallest I've been since I was in my 30's!
Be patient and good luck!
Well done! I too have switched out low fat for full fat for satiety. This lowered my carbs. Maybe this helps with the hormonal issues?
This is what I've done the last while as well. It *does* seem to even out the hormones a bit for me. And if the scale creeps up on holiday or what not, lowering carbs a bit and eating a bit more fat makes it much easier to get it to tick back down.
And of course, staying at my goal weight helps with my hormones.
I will have to look in to full fat! Thanks for the tip.
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Well here's a three month update, I'm down 16 pounds, wow!!! It's coming off faster than it did four years ago when I was premenopausal so so much for that myth. I contribute a great deal of success to MFP and my new Fit bit which I started using two months ago, it really helps you keep control over your total calories in vs out!! I've lost over 10 pounds since I started using it 8 weeks ago (4.4 pound weight loss this past week - woo hoo!!)1
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Hello! I need some help. I just started tracking and working out regularly at age 57 after a year's hiatus and not having weighed in for 8 months. I had quite a shock that I had put on 11 pounds. So I started to work out almost every day alternating cardio and resistance exercises and staying under my calorie quota and was much surprised that after 5 days I haven't even lost .1 pounds. I knew it would be slower after menopause, I just didn't think it would be impossible, any thoughts? Suggestions?
Five days is just not enough time to judge. Your weight can fluctuate a few to several pounds in a week just due to water retention or irregularity. I think it's good to weigh in every week so you keep an eye on it but give it a month before you get concerned. Next week you may be down 4 or 5 pounds.0 -
I started @ age 60 in March 2012. Lost over 160# and have been maintaining for almost 2 years now.
There are a lot of factors that enter into what works and what does not. You have to experiment to find what works for you. I have been doing this the whole time with my doc's supervision and guidance.
To lose, you have to eat less calories than you burn. To maintain, I have to watch my weight and adjust calorie intake accordingly. More calories if I begin to lose again(which does not happen very often), and less if I begin to gain. I give myself a 5# cushion. I did not exercise at all until I had lost almost 100#, when I just started walking more. I joined a gym in January 2015. I have to admit, that working out I have found that I am a lot hungrier than I was when I didn't work out. I am eating between 1600-1800 calories/day to maintain. When I was losing, it I consistently ate over 1200/day I began to gain.
It is totally doable for most people with no health issues, but it is really an individual process. We really are all different, and have to find out what works for each of us.
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Perhaps the effect of menopause is another thing that differs person to person. Here's another data point suggesting that menopause is not a deal-breaker for weight loss.
I've been fat most of my adult life, for the last couple decades usually just somewhere on the wrong side of the obese BMI line. I'm now 59. A dozen years ago (already firmly post-menopausal), I got much more active, which did nothing for me in terms of weight loss, but may've left me with a little more than average muscle for my age.
This past April (i.e., 2015), I started calorie restriction, basically maintaining my activity level. I lost at a pretty steady 2 pounds per week until July, when I plateaued, so joined MFP. Since then (i.e., since tightening up calorie counting), I've been losing at close to the 2 pounds a week level, and am now trying to slow it down because I'm getting closer to goal. I sure do not seem to be having trouble losing post-menopausally!
I'm 59, 5'5", SW 183, CW 144, GW 130 (ish, decide when I get closer). In a typical day I get 300-400 calories of exercise. Currently eating 1400 net (inching it up to slow the loss, wanting more like 0.5 pounds/week).
I started menopause at 45 when I went into chemotherapy for breast cancer. The chemo slammed on the brakes suddenly - I'd had regular periods immediately before - and I also went on estrogen agonist drugs that mop up the spare estrogen your adrenals & fat cells manufacture. A hard stop, totally skipped peri-anything AFAIK! Oh, and I'm hypothyroid, besides.
So, if menopause is making it harder for some (which I'm willing to believe; we're all different), it's seemingly not a universal.0 -
Well here's a three month update, I'm down 16 pounds, wow!!! It's coming off faster than it did four years ago when I was premenopausal so so much for that myth. I contribute a great deal of success to MFP and my new Fit bit which I started using two months ago, it really helps you keep control over your total calories in vs out!! I've lost over 10 pounds since I started using it 8 weeks ago (4.4 pound weight loss this past week - woo hoo!!)
Yay, you! This is fabulous. I'm glad you found some good results - the new-fashioned way, I guess you'd say, by applying the technology in the best ways. Nice work!
I'm glad you came back to this thread to report your success.0 -
Is this thread still active? I'm wondering how other women are doing on mfp with their post menopausal weight gain? Are there women who have been experiencing success with their weight loss? I am starting again but wonder if it's worth the work? Will I be successful using mfp?
Thanks for your feedback.0 -
5 days is not an as curate time frame to judge on. You need 2-4 weeks. I'm 61 and have lost 140 lbs in past 2 years. It requires dedication, well managed eating, & consistency.1
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Losing weight in menopause is no different than at other life stages. I some ways easier, especially if kids have flown the coop.
I lost 70 pounds, through honest and accurate weighing of foods. I did minimize simple carbs, mainly they left me hungry fast! Protein and fiber are very satiating for me. I really minimized the shark infested waters of eating out, though I did not eliminate it. You may have to play with your daily calorie target to find the sweet spot of satiety and steady weight loss.
Something that was helpful to me was never having a weight loss goal over 5 pounds, I just reached it many times for the final count of 70 total. Reaching goal can really be a mental boost. In addition I never left home without food that fit my goals. Don't let yourself get super hungry, it can lead to bad choices. Drive through food for example.
Good luck, not to sound harsh but menopause is not a legitimate excuse.1 -
dsmith1358 wrote: »Is this thread still active? I'm wondering how other women are doing on mfp with their post menopausal weight gain? Are there women who have been experiencing success with their weight loss? I am starting again but wonder if it's worth the work? Will I be successful using mfp?
Thanks for your feedback.
I'm 57 and have lost nearly 70 pounds since September 2015. I gained about 50 pounds of my weight while going through menopause in the early part of 2009. I started MFP in October and started Fitbit in November so I'd know my activity level. I lost at a 2 lb/week rate and have now slowed to 1 lb/week. I still have about 30 pounds to a healthy BMI but have made it from morbid obesity to overweight just through CICO (calories in/calories out) with the help of MFP. I'm now working on toning up my muscles so I'll have less saggy skin through swimming, canoeing, and lifting heavy things. I don't have a gym membership because I live out in the country so I find ways to naturally stay active. I'm hoping to find a gym to work out at 2-3 days a week in the near future.
In the past I never weighed food or counted calories. I also got sick whenever I started eating less. I make sure to take a 50+ women's multivitamin so I'll get the extra nutrients and vitamin C that my diet sometimes lacks. Whether you're successful will depend on how well you measure your food and drink, log everything accurately, and know how many calories you're burning. Read the MFP posts on how to weigh, measure, and log food. I know one thing, it was TOTALLY worth it!
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I'm several years post-menopausal at age 59, and have lost 67 lbs. in six months. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. I need fewer calories than I did 30 years ago, but the point is to find out how many I need and eat fewer than that, whatever "that" is. It's like having a car that gets good gas mileage: you don't pour extra gas in the tank just because the car you drove 10 years ago needed more gas.3
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WendyLaubach wrote: »I'm several years post-menopausal at age 59, and have lost 67 lbs. in six months. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. I need fewer calories than I did 30 years ago, but the point is to find out how many I need and eat fewer than that, whatever "that" is. It's like having a car that gets good gas mileage: you don't pour extra gas in the tank just because the car you drove 10 years ago needed more gas.
Post menopausal for 20 years, in good health - and I miss the "extra gas" lol - sometimes it feels quite cruel to have such a low maintenance number - if I walk outdoors 4-5 miles a day and lift 2-3 times a week, I MIGHT be able to get away with eating 1750 and maintain, at 5'6" & age 65, according to a year's worth of CI-CO data. I weigh food using grams and track calories-out using fitbit One.
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Post menopausal for 20 years, in good health - and I miss the "extra gas" lol - sometimes it feels quite cruel to have such a low maintenance number - if I walk outdoors 4-5 miles a day and lift 2-3 times a week, I MIGHT be able to get away with eating 1750 and maintain, at 5'6" & age 65, according to a year's worth of CI-CO data. I weigh food using grams and track calories-out using fitbit One.
Yeah I get it-- the low maintenance number is really hard to maintain. I'm 5'2" and 56. Currently 130 lbs and I need to get down to 110 or 115. Even with exercising I tend to bloat up if I go over maybe 1500 calories per day. (and 110 lbs is not unrealistic because I spent most of my 20's and 30's around 100 to 105 lbs and I ate pretty much anything I wanted, within reason.)
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WendyLaubach wrote: »I'm several years post-menopausal at age 59, and have lost 67 lbs. in six months. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. I need fewer calories than I did 30 years ago, but the point is to find out how many I need and eat fewer than that, whatever "that" is. It's like having a car that gets good gas mileage: you don't pour extra gas in the tank just because the car you drove 10 years ago needed more gas.
Great post!0 -
I'm 59, 5'5", SW 183, CW 144, GW 130 (ish, decide when I get closer). In a typical day I get 300-400 calories of exercise. Currently eating 1400 net (inching it up to slow the loss, wanting more like 0.5 pounds/week).
Quoting myself (bad form, I know) to give an update: That was September 2015. Now it's May, 2016, and I'm now 60 years old. Now, as then, I'm menopausal, and long-term hypothyroid (controlled with meds) as well.
I gradually increased my calorie goal from the 1400 (net) cited above as I got closer to goal . . . and adjusted my goal downward a couple of times, as I learned how I felt at the lowering weights.
For the last 3 months or so, I've been working on maintaining at 120 pounds, plus or minus 3. My net calorie goal is set at 1800, but I think my actual maintenance calories may be more like 2100-2200 net. I keep my daily eating down a bit, but allow for some higher days, and try to keep my weekly average calories per day in the range where I think maintenance is. Still getting 200-some to 500 or more calories of exercise many days of the week, and eating back the exercise calories, too.
I know I'm on the (very, very) lucky side as far as my calorie level, but am admitting it in public so that folks realize the "low calories in menopause" thing is not a universal. With accurate logging, you can work out the arithmetic, and figure out where you need to set your goal to gain, lose or maintain. The calculators are just an estimate, and could be off in either direction.1 -
Hello! I need some help. I just started tracking and working out regularly at age 57 after a year's hiatus and not having weighed in for 8 months. I had quite a shock that I had put on 11 pounds. So I started to work out almost every day alternating cardio and resistance exercises and staying under my calorie quota and was much surprised that after 5 days I haven't even lost .1 pounds. I knew it would be slower after menopause, I just didn't think it would be impossible, any thoughts? Suggestions?
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I can relate. I'M 63 and losing is very slow. I finally let go of the thought that I could do this like I did when I was 30. My new feeling is, I don't care how long it takes. As long as I am not seeing a gain I can be patient. One good thing is that there is much less fluctuations due to hormonal changes, water weight...etc. Drinking lemon squeezed into water acts as a diuretic, so that helps. I figure if it takes years to lose 25 pounds, oh well. It took years to pack it on.0
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Thank you for your advice and no, you don't sound harsh. I need real people with real life advice. Thank you for your honesty.eileen0515 wrote: »Losing weight in menopause is no different than at other life stages. I some ways easier, especially if kids have flown the coop.
I lost 70 pounds, through honest and accurate weighing of foods. I did minimize simple carbs, mainly they left me hungry fast! Protein and fiber are very satiating for me. I really minimized the shark infested waters of eating out, though I did not eliminate it. You may have to play with your daily calorie target to find the sweet spot of satiety and steady weight loss.
Something that was helpful to me was never having a weight loss goal over 5 pounds, I just reached it many times for the final count of 70 total. Reaching goal can really be a mental boost. In addition I never left home without food that fit my goals. Don't let yourself get super hungry, it can lead to bad choices. Drive through food for example.
Good luck, not to sound harsh but menopause is not a legitimate excuse.
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Thank you, Wendy for your help and advice. I often feel overwhelmed by eating less than I did when I was younger and watching my weight - that's how I ended up being overweight. I think I'm ready to try to eat a bit less if I can lose weight. Seeing women post menopause who've had success is inspirational. Thank you.WendyLaubach wrote: »I'm several years post-menopausal at age 59, and have lost 67 lbs. in six months. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. I need fewer calories than I did 30 years ago, but the point is to find out how many I need and eat fewer than that, whatever "that" is. It's like having a car that gets good gas mileage: you don't pour extra gas in the tank just because the car you drove 10 years ago needed more gas.0
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What is a maintenance number? Is it the number of calories permitted a day?must_def late wrote: »Post menopausal for 20 years, in good health - and I miss the "extra gas" lol - sometimes it feels quite cruel to have such a low maintenance number - if I walk outdoors 4-5 miles a day and lift 2-3 times a week, I MIGHT be able to get away with eating 1750 and maintain, at 5'6" & age 65, according to a year's worth of CI-CO data. I weigh food using grams and track calories-out using fitbit One.
Yeah I get it-- the low maintenance number is really hard to maintain. I'm 5'2" and 56. Currently 130 lbs and I need to get down to 110 or 115. Even with exercising I tend to bloat up if I go over maybe 1500 calories per day. (and 110 lbs is not unrealistic because I spent most of my 20's and 30's around 100 to 105 lbs and I ate pretty much anything I wanted, within reason.)0 -
dsmith1358 wrote: »What is a maintenance number?
To get your maintenance number you need to find out how many calories you use in a day. There are averages based on age, sex and weight but fitness monitors like a Fitbit with a heart rate monitor usually give better results.
I am 57 and I typically burn 1400 calories each day without exercise. If I eat more than that amount I gain weight. If I eat that amount I maintain my weight (aka maintenance). If I eat less I lose weight.0 -
I am 50 and went through menopause 3 years ago. Early, I know. I lost 70 pounds doing Nutrisystem right at the beginning of my menopause - only had one period during that year. Some of the weight crept back on, and I have now lost 30 pounds (down more than I was with my initial loss) since January doing CICO. I started walking 3 miles every night in February, moved to a 5.5 mile loop at a hilly golf course at the end of March and can now almost jog the whole thing. Menopause has had no effect on me whatsoever. I have this theory that menopause effects a woman as much as her period did, because I never had monthly symptoms. My periods were always regular and I had no PMS. Count me as a lucky one!0
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I have been in menopause mode for over three years, joined gym three years ago and with hard work and dedication I was able to lose 45 pounds and maintaining going on two years. I worked hard by attending 1 hour spin classes 6 days a week, ate 1,245 calories a day, weighed and logged all my food intake, cut out processed and eating out foods, I eat what I want that's prepared at home. I surprised myself because I always said I did not eat much, once I started logging foods, oh yes I did eat about 1,000 extra calories a day. Calories that consisted of 300 for a slice of cake, 200 or more on a soda, 200 or more on chips, 200 or 300 on a candy bar. Until we weigh, measure, and log everything that we eat that's when we will see what we are actually eating. I always said I didn't each much and hear it all the time, the true test is logging it in. I was amazed and totally surprised the weight came off within a year. It is possible and I was not going to let menopause stop me. I still eat clean, measure food with weekly meal preparations, and work out 1 hour of cardio 5 times a week to maintain. I wish you all well, you can do it0
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At what age did everyone hit menopause? I'm 45 and wondering. I've had a few symptoms and my doctor said no your'e too young.0
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kimdawnhayden wrote: »At what age did everyone hit menopause? I'm 45 and wondering. I've had a few symptoms and my doctor said no your'e too young.
I have the mirena IUD, and haven't gotten a period in awhile (I can tell because when I get one, I get a migraine. So even if no bleeding, I can mark the cycle). I asked the GYN if I was past the menopause and she laughed at me! I'm 48, she thinks five more years or so, I think mid 50s is average, but ladies can have symptoms quite a few years earlier, and if you are Latina 45 isn't unusual. It's only called "premature" if you are younger than 40. Exercise reduces the symptoms, if you are having hot flashes and stuff.
My mom did hrt so I don't have a real estimate, she got periods into her 60s but that was the drugs. She did gain weight after menopause, mostly in her hips and boobs though! I am not expecting that. She remains slim to average, started out slender like me and like her mom before her, and her mom got skinnier when old, that's so much worse than gaining weight. She broke bones all the time, was light like a bird and frail frail, maybe 5'5" after height loss (started 5'9") but under 100lb. My mom went from 5'4" and 110 to 5'3" and around 135-140 now at 77 years, but carries it well and is healthy, walks miles and miles each day, eats healthy mostly. Does have osteoporosis, but has not broken anything.
So basically, no, you are not too young to be having symptoms of menopause, but if you have symptoms now you may have them for awhile.1
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