is it possible to lose weight post menopause? frustrated!
olar1
Posts: 8 Member
I'm 54 yrs old, 5'7" and weigh 137. I walk to and from work (a mile each way), and teach, so I'm not sitting all day. I work out 4-5 times a week pretty religiously, usually using the strength training setting on an elliptical, burning about 360 calories in 30 minutes, or sometimes 45-60 minutes.
I've been eating 1400-1600 calories a day (literally weighing and measuring everything including green vegetables and the milk that goes in my coffee), eat almost no carbs, and try to eat a lot of protein. I used to weigh 130 and I just gained weight without doing anything different after I hit menopause. I can't lose weight. Is post menopausal weight loss impossible? Its driving me crazy.
I've been eating 1400-1600 calories a day (literally weighing and measuring everything including green vegetables and the milk that goes in my coffee), eat almost no carbs, and try to eat a lot of protein. I used to weigh 130 and I just gained weight without doing anything different after I hit menopause. I can't lose weight. Is post menopausal weight loss impossible? Its driving me crazy.
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And I'm hungry much of the day and feel slightly weak a lot of the time.
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Yes, it's possible - we lose weight by eating less/moving more, regardless of age.
What you should figure out, is whether your weight goal is realistic. You are already at a low weight for your height. A lower weight will take fewer calories to maintain - you would have to eat slightly less (and/or move slightly more) than you can now (to maintain your current weight).
You could also think about how much effort 7 pounds is enough to warrant. How much difference will 7 pounds make to your appearance, self-esteem, mobility, overall health? How much is carrying a few pounds "extra" daily, worth, weighed against saying no that "extra" bit of food daily?
You also ned to know that when you're at the low end of the BMI scale, any weight loss will be terribly slow, and food logging has to be on the mark. You need to weigh everything (no measuring), finding correct entries, or making them yourself, never leaving out anything, no forgetting, no cheating. Daily weight fluctuations will be much greater than weekly fat loss, so you need several weeks of regular, reliable weigh-ins to see the pattern through the noise.
To make things easier, and not be so hungry, you could aim for balance and variety and good tasting food, instead of almost no carbs and a lot of protein. Aim to eat roughly the same amount of calories every day (stick to 1600) and add exercise calories (but no more than 75% of them, as they are notoriously inflated). You could also see if you're exercising more than you need - exercise for fun and good health, not to lose weight.
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I am post-menopause after having a full hysterectomy last year. I started MFP two months and a couple of weeks ago and have lost 20 pounds and it is coming off easily. I have 50 to lose, though, so it is easier than it is for you with so little to lose.
I really admire all of your working out!2 -
1. How long have you been at it?
2. Are you eating back your exercise calories?
3. Can you open your diary? We may see some inaccurate entries. Regular inaccuracies can add up.
4. 1,400-1,600 might be too much for you. I plugged your numbers into http://www.calorieking.com/interactive-tools/how-many-calories-should-you-eat/ which uses about the same ranges as MFP, but is easier to toggle. It puts your maintenance at 1450 to 1650 cals a day.
5. No Carb might be causing your no-energy. Carbohydrates are fuel. You may need them to feel full. A calorie from a carbohydrate is no different from a calorie from fat in terms of weight loss.4 -
You have only 7 lbs to lose. That's basically a normal fluctuation range, so it's going to be a slow process. You have room to create a deficit of only a couple hundred calories per day, and that's all that's really safe and healthy. Put your stats into MFP and see what it gives you for .5 loss per week. It might even be slower than that in reality. You need to weigh and log really carefully. But, YES, it's totally possible to lose weight after menopause. That's doesn't mean you can or should weight what you did when you were 20 or 30. It's often suggested that "older " folks (like us) carry a "few" more pounds. I am 5-7 and weighed 130 when I was 30 but I don't think that would be a good weight for me now at 62.5
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You must have a very tiny frame to want to weigh 130 at your height.
Your weight is fine for your height, honestly. Have you thought about strength training?
I'm 55 with a bad thyroid and have had no trouble losing weight. I try to be more active throughout the day to help burn calories in addition to my purposeful exercise. The calories I get from moving every hour thanks to my Fitbit reminders and from being inefficient in my daily movement really add up.
There's a thread in the success stories section with older women (55-65) who have lost weight successfully, and not all of use have had to cut carbs or anything like that to achieve success.
I'm a carboholic!5 -
I'm 66, and over the last 18 months or so I've lost over 40 lbs. Yes it's possible! At 5'3" and sedentary I lost less than .5 lbs / week on 1200 calories, more when I walked and biked. My loss was steady, and I was fine energy-wise on a higher-carb diet while creating a smaller deficit.
I agree that if you are low energy on low carbs you should try upping them to see if that helps. You may have subconsciously decreased incidental background movement in response to feeling sluggish which could contribute to not losing weight. If you continue to maintain, drop your daily calories by 100 and see if that makes a difference.3 -
Ellipticals are among the most difficult machines to get accurate calorie burns for. You are probably overestimating the number of calories you gain from exercise. You might try varying your activity, perhaps including weights, biking, walking etc. Muscle burns more calories and doing different activities will add more muscle. Any exercise you do all the time you get very efficient at - which means you burn less.
And yes, you can lose weight post-menopause. I went from 177 to 120. I exercise a lot (running and walking) which makes a big difference for me.3 -
At 5'7" and 137, yes it will be difficult to lose. You are already in the mid-lower end of your healthy BMI, so weight loss will necessarily be very slow.
I agree with those who are recommending recomp. I'm 63, I lost my weight after menopause, (I'm now 5'7" 140) but that last 15-20 pounds took me nine months. It's just slow going when you have to eat so little. Exercise helped, I could eat a bit more. I also lost that last 15 at 1500 calories, Net.3 -
Eat less calories than you burn and you'l shed weight.1
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If you lack energy, eat good carbs. If you're hungry, eat some fat. Always eat protein. You're already at a good weight. Have you tried counting macros? Might help you feel better.0
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Thanks all, this is helpful. I do weigh food, actually, more than measure. Only liquids get measured (milk, wine if I drink it). Nuts and vegetables, fruit, uncooked protein etc. get weighed. I didn't know that about machines being that inaccurate in calorie count. I do try to use the machines fully--like not leaning on the dash of the machine or making it easy on myself while using it. But I take the point that they likely vary. I have serious chronic neck problems which limits the types of weight bearing exercises I can do, as well as making yoga impossible. But I'll give more thought to types of exercise I can do to prevent habituation. thanks again everyone.2
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I am, also, have gone thru menopause, and am finding it VERY difficult to lose weight...I lost forty pounds a couple of years ago, so I know it CAN be done, but it is hard, hard, hard...Friend me, if you'd like...It sounds like you and I are having pretty much the same weight loss issue...4
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Thanks all, this is helpful. I do weigh food, actually, more than measure. Only liquids get measured (milk, wine if I drink it). Nuts and vegetables, fruit, uncooked protein etc. get weighed. I didn't know that about machines being that inaccurate in calorie count. I do try to use the machines fully--like not leaning on the dash of the machine or making it easy on myself while using it. But I take the point that they likely vary. I have serious chronic neck problems which limits the types of weight bearing exercises I can do, as well as making yoga impossible. But I'll give more thought to types of exercise I can do to prevent habituation. thanks again everyone.
Re: Machines.
I think this is an extreme case, but I'll share it: In this morning's 45-minute spin class, the bike said 603 calories. My heart rate monitor said 244.
If the machine knows your weight and actual heart rate boundaries (resting and tested max) it may be closer. Weight and age are better than nothing, but probably a step less accurate. If there's no user personalization at all (like my spin bike), then I'd be very skeptical. Cross check the machine estimate's against other sources if possible - even the MFP database. The latter is usually a little higher for spin than my HRM - maybe 300ish for this one - but lots closer than the machine.
(Is my HRM right? No way to be sure, but it's on the low side, and consistent, so that's what I use.)2 -
I find this intriguing. Losing weight should only be slightly difficult (we all like to eat). What is it you do, what are you struggling with, could it be that you are doing unnecessary things?I am, also, have gone thru menopause, and am finding it VERY difficult to lose weight...I lost forty pounds a couple of years ago, so I know it CAN be done, but it is hard, hard, hard...Friend me, if you'd like...It sounds like you and I are having pretty much the same weight loss issue...1 -
To clarify, on the machine thing. When I use it as a basic elliptical, I usually burn about 300 calories for 30 minutes of effort (which is what I usually see with any elliptical I use at a medium high level of effort). When I use strength training--which alternates 45 seconds of moderate effort with 15 seconds of high effort, then I get a burn of 360 calories for 30 minutes. And i'm definitely more tired afterwards. So while the machines are likely off somewhat, I don't think they are off by a tremendous amount as compared to other machines I've used over the years--and I've used many....
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To clarify, on the machine thing. When I use it as a basic elliptical, I usually burn about 300 calories for 30 minutes of effort (which is what I usually see with any elliptical I use at a medium high level of effort). When I use strength training--which alternates 45 seconds of moderate effort with 15 seconds of high effort, then I get a burn of 360 calories for 30 minutes. And i'm definitely more tired afterwards. So while the machines are likely off somewhat, I don't think they are off by a tremendous amount as compared to other machines I've used over the years--and I've used many....
360 calories for 30 minutes of strength training?!? I get like 150 for 45 minutes. I'd certainly question that number.1 -
What do you do for the rest of the day when you are not working out?
After menopause your risk of developing thyroid problems increases so if you continue to gain you might want to have that checked. But 7 lbs isn't much of a fluctuation and you are at a healthy weight.1 -
Interesting. Are you referring to strength training on an elliptical? The numbers I gave are pretty commensurate with numbers I've gotten on every elliptical type machine i've used. I tend to average around 125-135 strides/minute (I forget the watts). i have no idea if that is considered fast or slow. I've never worked out with other people or discussed working out with other people, so I've no idea what is typical, believe it or not, despite having been using some kind of aerobic machine (stairmaster...exercise bike...etc.) since college (a long long long time...) How does your machine measure? Mine asks for my weight as part of its measurement metric. You may be right that its totally off. I just have no idea.0
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Interesting. Are you referring to strength training on an elliptical? The numbers I gave are pretty commensurate with numbers I've gotten on every elliptical type machine i've used. I tend to average around 125-135 strides/minute (I forget the watts). i have no idea if that is considered fast or slow. I've never worked out with other people or discussed working out with other people, so I've no idea what is typical, believe it or not, despite having been using some kind of aerobic machine (stairmaster...exercise bike...etc.) since college (a long long long time...) How does your machine measure? Mine asks for my weight as part of its measurement metric. You may be right that its totally off. I just have no idea.
Strength training on an elliptical? That's a thing? I thought you meant you were strength training - lifting weights. I've never heard of a cardio machine that offered "strength training."2 -
It does, and it has made a difference, i've definitely built muscle using it, I can see it and feel it. The machine automatically alternates 45 seconds of moderate intensity with 15 seconds of high intensity. It is a kick in the behind, I'll tell you.1
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It is possible to lose weight after menopause. I lost 30 and am doing it again (bad me fell off the wagon and quit logging). It does get harder as you get closer to your maintenance number. Sounds like you are doing everything right. Are you eating back your exercise calories? Like someone else mentioned, it looks like your calorie intake might be a little high. Your BMR is 1254 which lowers with age and therefore somewhat accounts for menopause. Even at a slightly active setting your maintenance calories are 1718 per day, so to lose 1 lb per week you'd be at 1218 a day. Even adding on half of your exercise calories puts you at 1368. You mention you are hungry all the time. I find that eating frequently and eating balanced whole foods keeps me from being hungry throughout the day. If I get a hunger pang I eat a piece of fruit. However, I do not exercise as much as you. I'm at 1200 calories for a goal of 2 lbs./week.0
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I'm 5'7" and 145 lbs. I am losing weight post-menopause but I have more to lose than you. I find that Iook best at about 142 lbs. I am eating between 1600-1700 calories per day. I am jogging a little bit 4 times per week. I am find this calorie range to be "maintenance" for me. I'm not really lose much, if anything, now. So since you are roughly 10lbs less than me, your calorie allowance is even lower. It's going to VERY slow going for you to lose at this point. But I'd say that to someone who was not in menopause also.1
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Just to clarify, I don't eat back my exercise calories. When I say I eat 1400-1600 calories per day I mean that is what I actually consume. That is not net of exercise. The exercise calories are separate.0
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add me menopause people!, exercise does help!,1
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