weight loss and menopause

freking
freking Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Help! I am 46 and was just told that I am in full blown menopause! What? Is it possible to have successful weight loss in the midst of this hormonal mess?! I've been doing all the right things, with no results! Suggestions?!

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited July 2016
    If you are doing all the right things right, you will have success, just be patient. What ARE you doing? For how long have you been doing that? And by no results, do you mean 0 results, or not the results you were expecting? If the latter, what results were you expecting?
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    wrharvill wrote: »
    Hi! I'm 48 and have been in surgically induced menopause since I was 46. Before I started logging my food on MFP earlier this year, I was convinced that because I was in menopause I wouldn't be able to lose weight and in fact would be doomed to pack on the pounds until I exploded or something. I can tell you from personal experince that if you log your food accuratly using a scale and select the correct entries for your food, you can lose weight pretty easily in my opinion. I've dropped 25 pounds since April and I'm so close to my goal it feels like I'm already there.

    That's amazing! Congratulations!!
  • freking
    freking Posts: 5 Member
    Thank you all! It's so good to hear that weight loss can still happen!! I'm on it!!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Get your metabolism checked; they have machines that measure it via exhalations. Mine was done at the nutritionist's office. This way you can find out what your BMR *really* is and plan your calories out from there. It also wouldn't hurt to get your thyroid checked if you haven't already. and yes, lift weights to get muscle mass back up so that you look better and burn more calories everyday.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Thousands of women on here have lost weight despite menopause - yes it might take a bit longer but its doable.
    I'm older but haven't yet hit that time but if you are tracking your calories carefully and being more active then you will lose, even if at a slower rate.

    All the best!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,609 Member
    When I started here, my gynaecologist confirmed that I was right in the midst of perimenopause at the age of 48. And I started here to prove to anyone who cared that I had reached an age and time of life where I could not lose weight.

    I entered my information into MFP, selected sedentary as my activity level, and MFP gave me 1250 cal to work with. I stuck to that like glue with the plan I would stick with it for about 5 weeks, and when I hadn't lost a single gram, I'd return to my normal diet.

    For 10 days I was right. Didn't lose a thing. And then it started dropping. 5 weeks in, I had lost 5 kg.

    In total I've lost 25 kg/55 lbs and am down to my 2004 and prior weight. I was this weight right at the end of high school. :)

    Turns out it is possible to lose weight at an older age and in perimenopause! :grin:
  • caroannv
    caroannv Posts: 40 Member
    Same as some of the above ladies ... Just commenting to say don't let your age or menopause stop you. I'm 50 in a couple of months and have found that the only thing stopping me losing weight was not trying to.......as soon as I just got determined and kept doing my best with it each day, it does actually work. Portion control and logging. And then to make you feel just great, add in exercise!
  • FabianMommy
    FabianMommy Posts: 78 Member
    I'm not finding it much harder than before to be honest, 14 pounds down in 2 months and I'm in my fifties with not a ton of weight to lose! Just do it.
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
    I lost 68 pounds over 2 1/2 years post menopause. For me, it was about changing life long habits of over eating. I still struggle to keep the weight off, but again it's more about me slipping back to old habits.
  • frankiesgirl21
    frankiesgirl21 Posts: 235 Member
    Thanks for this thread ladies. Been in menopause for a couple of years and this weight thing is a long on/off struggle.... But keep fighting on.... I still haven't given up hope of seeing goal weight.... Nice to hear from others in the battle.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    FabianMommy wrote: »
    I'm not finding it much harder than before to be honest, 14 pounds down in 2 months and I'm in my fifties with not a ton of weight to lose! Just do it.

    Same here. I'm 52 and have lost 25lbs since January. A nice, steady 1lb per week. I run 10k three times a week, do a bit of resistance work (not as much as I should probably, but I just love my cardio too much), and most importantly of all, I count my calories. And none of this 1,200 nonsense either. I'm 5' 2", and have been losing by eating anywhere between 1,500 and 1,800 daily. It's starting to slow down now, but I've only got about 5lbs to go and it's no big deal if it takes me another six months to get there.
  • b3achy
    b3achy Posts: 2,152 Member
    edited July 2016
    I'm 51yo and a few months into menopause...also a few months into using MFP (only been here since May). I'm down about 10 pounds and have a goal to lose about 20 more by the end of the year.

    I do find that the hormone swings with menopause give me some challenging cravings with a somewhat lackadaisical attitude...(the "I want chocolate now and I don't care what it does to my eating plan" craving/attitude or the "I really want to have some wine and screw it if I have a few too many" craving/attitude)...but I try to manage it by working those cravings into my daily calorie count, logging everything (the good, bad and ugly), and trying to stick below my calorie goals.

    After finding this system for logging calories, I refuse to limit what I eat anymore and instead work it all into my calorie goals, and I do try to balance out my macros (proteins/carbs/fat) when I can (some ugly days are still a bit off kilter). I don't stress if I don't get everything perfect every day...I just draw a line each morning and start over fresh. I find logging everything is important.

    Times when you can't measure your calories (at a restaurant or a party), try to overestimate them a bit (because everyone tends to underestimate, so it will probably balance out); and when logging your calorie burn from exercise try to underestimate it (or don't log every little activity you do daily), so you will have a bigger deficit than what you are logging. This will also provide some slack for when you are a bit off on those calorie estimates. Most people tend to do the opposite, and this is sometimes why they don't see results.

    I've also joined a few challenge threads to log my exercise (mostly cardio), to keep me motivated to workout and try to mostly do things that I enjoy (paddleboarding) or that challenge me (planking). I need to work in more resistance, but that's my next step.

    Don't believe the hype that it is too hard to lose or you can't lose during menopause...figure out what will work for you (and it may take some trial and error to figure it out...that is okay too!). You can do it!
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    edited July 2016
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    FabianMommy wrote: »
    I'm not finding it much harder than before to be honest, 14 pounds down in 2 months and I'm in my fifties with not a ton of weight to lose! Just do it.

    Same here. I'm 52 and have lost 25lbs since January. A nice, steady 1lb per week. I run 10k three times a week, do a bit of resistance work (not as much as I should probably, but I just love my cardio too much), and most importantly of all, I count my calories. And none of this 1,200 nonsense either. I'm 5' 2", and have been losing by eating anywhere between 1,500 and 1,800 daily. It's starting to slow down now, but I've only got about 5lbs to go and it's no big deal if it takes me another six months to get there.

    Well, that might be because you run 10k three times a week. For those of us who are not up to that level of physical activity, that "1,200 nonsense" might be the way to go.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    FabianMommy wrote: »
    I'm not finding it much harder than before to be honest, 14 pounds down in 2 months and I'm in my fifties with not a ton of weight to lose! Just do it.

    Same here. I'm 52 and have lost 25lbs since January. A nice, steady 1lb per week. I run 10k three times a week, do a bit of resistance work (not as much as I should probably, but I just love my cardio too much), and most importantly of all, I count my calories. And none of this 1,200 nonsense either. I'm 5' 2", and have been losing by eating anywhere between 1,500 and 1,800 daily. It's starting to slow down now, but I've only got about 5lbs to go and it's no big deal if it takes me another six months to get there.

    Well, that might be because you run 10k three times a week. For those of us who are not up to that level of physical activity, that "1,200 nonsense" might be the way to go.

    Maybe, but I still feel 1,200 is way too low even for people whose physical activity is fairly sedentary. In my pre-running days, I tried to stick to a 1,200 limit and all it did was make me bad-tempered, and liable to go waaaay off course and eat everything in the house. YMMV of course, and I apologise if I sounded judgmental.
  • FabianMommy
    FabianMommy Posts: 78 Member
    edited July 2016
    I've tried to stick to 1200 but found it impossible unfortunately, I'm 5.7 and lightly active. The best thing I did was buy a Fitbit because it gives me a guide to how many calories I burn. I find for me ideally, if I eat 1700 to 2000 calories and burn 2500 which I can do with just trying to keep active without an actual workout, I've had a good rate of loss.

    Or if I am having one of those days, I try to aim for eating 2000 and a deficit of 250, it still works out around half a pound a week give or take. I have about 10 more pounds to lose and although I was worried about menopause making it really difficult, it didn't make much difference. Also, just getting up and moving around more throughout the day all adds up I find, any activity is good activity even if it isn't a structured workout.

    I remember back in the eighties I used to survive on 900 to 1000 calories daily for years, I have no idea how I did it....
  • kazzykazz75
    kazzykazz75 Posts: 16 Member
    freking wrote: »
    Help! I am 46 and was just told that I am in full blown menopause! What? Is it possible to have successful weight loss in the midst of this hormonal mess?! I've been doing all the right things, with no results! Suggestions?!

    I am going though the same its a night mare I hate it .I am t akeing herbal stuff to try and help I run everyday and do stepper I think it helps low moods still have menopause meltdowns anxiety bring s on my hot sweats .nightsweats have stopped thank goodness.
  • OneWayOnlyCycles
    OneWayOnlyCycles Posts: 67 Member
    Yes, it is possible but it takes a lot of work. I'm right in the middle of it. The best thing is a lot of exercise. Takes your mind of the sweats. Herbal stuff helps too. The mood swings are awful but the herbs help.
  • LauraCoth
    LauraCoth Posts: 303 Member
    Bio-identical hormone replacement can be an incredible boon for us. Gets rid of the nasty symptoms and allows you to sleep, leaving you rested for whatever you have to do (including exercise and diet).
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    FabianMommy wrote: »
    I'm not finding it much harder than before to be honest, 14 pounds down in 2 months and I'm in my fifties with not a ton of weight to lose! Just do it.

    Same here. I'm 52 and have lost 25lbs since January. A nice, steady 1lb per week. I run 10k three times a week, do a bit of resistance work (not as much as I should probably, but I just love my cardio too much), and most importantly of all, I count my calories. And none of this 1,200 nonsense either. I'm 5' 2", and have been losing by eating anywhere between 1,500 and 1,800 daily. It's starting to slow down now, but I've only got about 5lbs to go and it's no big deal if it takes me another six months to get there.

    As she says, It's DOABLE. I think it IS slower, but yeah, it's doable. I lost 30Lbs in 3 months in my younger days. Now It's much slower. I'd say stay active, do weight bearing exercise, cut back on refined carbs, eat healthy fats and protein, and have patience. If you find you have insulin resistance, as MANY menopausal women do, then tweak.
    Good luck.
    LauraCoth wrote: »
    Bio-identical hormone replacement can be an incredible boon for us. Gets rid of the nasty symptoms and allows you to sleep, leaving you rested for whatever you have to do (including exercise and diet).
    I totally agree regarding BIOIDENTICAL hormone replacement.
  • minniestar55
    minniestar55 Posts: 350 Member
    I lost weight, without any HRC, using WW & then MFP. I didn't gain weight because of menopause...just got very lazy & greedy, to be honest, quit working out when I retired from USAF. WW helped a lot, but then decided MFP would work, & it's free. Had no problems losing whenI worked the program correctly, am back to working out 6days week, & at BMI 21.

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