Menopause weight gain

To lose weight, you have to reduce calorie intake to below maintenance, but for real, and for a long time. Weight comes off slowly, maybe a pound per week, at your weight. If you count calories, you have to do it right, which means using a food scale and logging the correct amounts you're eating/drinking, of the exact same food, never leaving anything out, or forgetting, or guessing, or cheating, and hit your calorie target every day, or consistently, like weekly average. Eating right is not a thing - you can eat whatever you like.

To not starve, you have to not cut calories too low. Pick a weekly weightloss goal that is below 1% of your body weight. You also have to balance your meals properly, and get variety. Exactly how you need to balance your meals, and how much variety you need, is a bit trial and error, but general guidelines start with focusing on getting enough protein, fat, fiber and water.

Then there is a question of whether hunger pangs are to be fought. It's normal to feel hungry between meals. But we can still function, as long as we're getting adequate nutrition. Maybe you just have to get used to it.