Perimenopause

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tenstonetessa
tenstonetessa Posts: 3 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hello. I really need to get a handle on my weightloss but am really struggling. I am pretty sure i am pre menopausal and i am finding it very hard to feel motivated but the bigger i get the more of a mountain it is to climb. Any advice / pep talk from anyone is a similar situation welcome :)

Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    No stage of menopause should be a deterrent to weight loss.

    Go and have a thorough check up and determine if you are peri menopausal and if there are any medical problems that need treating.

    Once you have that all sorted and under control weight loss is the same as it is for everyone else- a calorie deficit.

    Exercise can be an excellent way of dealing with hot flushes for some.

    I did aqua fit- it kept me cool while getting a good cardio work out and a little resistance work.

    Do try and do a form of strength training, and get an adequate amount of protein (~.8g per lbs ideal body weight) this will help in bone and muscle density.

    There are quite a number of women around the forum who have successfully lost weight during and post menopause, look for the women 55-65 thread- it is very encouraging.

    Cheers, h.
  • milani1979
    milani1979 Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm also in probably the earliest perimenopausal stage! That does NOT put me in the 55-65 category as I am just under 40! But perimenopause is a real thing. It's difficult. I was on anti-depressants and got off of them and I do feel better now-- more energy. Couldn't do birth control because of intense migraines. Still get migraines, but less often than on bc... Anyway, got the biggest I've ever been and my FEET STARTED SWELLING! Daily swelling, like a pregnant person. So, I decided to try just eating healthier. I reminded myself that I LOVE healthy foods. Then I asked myself, "Why aren't you EATING them, then?" So, four days ago exactly, I started logging what I'm eating. Because I'm logging it, I am diligent. It's practically a Pavlovian response. I know it will take a long time to get to my goal weight, but I've lost 2 lbs since the doctor's office a week and a half ago. I don't look different, but since I've started logging my food and weight, I have had NO SWOLLEN FEET. It seems impossible to think I was making myself so unhealthy, but it's TRUE. Anyway, thanks for opening this thread. I think perimenopause is something we should discuss more often as it is NOT menopause, but certainly a life change!
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
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    In perimenopause, on progesterone, had ablation, lost 60, more active than I've ever been, last 10 to 15 won't budge but I know there's light at the end of tunnel! Keep logging and trying. I really find doing moderate carb high protein helps my symptoms. I'm super sensitive to sodium and swelling so I try to watch that number. Feel free to add, and hang in there!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,890 Member
    edited May 2017
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    You might check out this thread:

    Is it over yet: The Perimenopause Thread

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10482404/is-it-over-yet-the-perimenopause-thread#latest
  • JButterfly5
    JButterfly5 Posts: 9 Member
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    I talked with my gyno about how I work out 4 days a week, sometimes 2x day and was still gaining weight. I told her that I was having hot flashes and TOM too. She determined that I was in perimenopause and suggested Estrovan dietery supplements. So far, I've lost weight and maintaining it. My advice to you is talk with your doctor and go from there. :)
  • abbyweaver1975
    abbyweaver1975 Posts: 26 Member
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    I have a question? My doctor tells me my hormone levels are fine, but I have MANY of the symptoms of being in perimenopause. Could my doctor be wrong. Yes I am really over weight (about 50 lbs over). Yes I have thyroid problems (levels are fine). I am only 41 but have had a hysterectomy. Any thoughts. I feel like I am going crazy with the mood swings, hot flashes and weight gain.
  • nickiphillips1
    nickiphillips1 Posts: 114 Member
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    I am finished with menopause. I gained 50 lbs in menopause. It sucked.

    I have MS and can't take any hormones because I had a pulmonary embolism a few years ago, which put me into menopause. I also had debilitating migraines, which are starting to clear up now.

    I started swimming again in October (14 year break). I could only swim 2 days a week and I got a migraine on my 2nd day. I tried to watch my diet, yet no weight loss.

    I saw two dietitians. Finally, in February, I got some great tips from a dietitian and joined MFP. I am swimming 6 days a week. I cut out refined sugar and dairy. I eat pretty clean and I have lost 28 lbs now.

    I would start to lose weight and get healthy habits before you hit menopause because it is not easy to lose weight after menopause.

    I am 47 btw. Granted, I have a few health things going against me, but I am a fighter. Trust your bodies ladies and don't let a dr tell you that you are something that you aren't.

    If you had a hysterectomy, you are very likely to go into early menopause. If you have a disease like cancer or MS, you are very likely to go into early menopause.

    Although, I was never able to take hormonal supplements, I have heard mixed reviews on them. I know if I had weighed less, I would have been a lot more comfortable. Now I get cold, but I will take that any day over the hot flashes.

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