Restarting

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djmom1984
djmom1984 Posts: 55 Member
Started getting serious about fitness and weight loss a year ago. Bought a fitbit. Increasing my steps, stairs, activity every month.
Had my last period in August 2017.
Lost 35 lbs by Christmas 2017. Wanted to lose 20 more.
Slowly putting it back on. Unacceptable!
Need to lose 30 now.

Restarting the process. Having difficulty getting enough protein. How much chicken do I have to eat?! I'm not hungry but MFP says I'm not eating enough.
Fitbit says I'm in fat burn zone 5 hours a day minimum but scale says I'm regaining fat.

Any assistance is welcome.

Replies

  • tmbg1
    tmbg1 Posts: 1,288 Member
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    I started over too. Menopause makes the scales very stubborn to move! I've lost only 3 pounds but I am feeling better. For protein I am trying to eat more beans and even some tofu and salmon. Feel free to add me to your friends list if you want. I am on every day since restarting.
  • KimberlyAndrews1
    KimberlyAndrews1 Posts: 87 Member
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    I am 53 years old but not exactly in menopause yet, but definitely anytime. I guess it's perimenopause. I lost about 29 lbs last year, but gained most of it back. I just restarted about 3 weeks ago. I started out with the scale going down steadily then all the sudden it went back up 2 lbs and has been fluctuating up and down a pound or two at the same weight for about a week now. It has to be hormonal. I'm 53 years old. I'm eating low calorie low carb and walking 30 minutes 4-5 days a week. Just so frustrating and discouraging.
  • djmom1984
    djmom1984 Posts: 55 Member
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    This is it exactly! I'm concentrating on 50% protein this week and a glass of water every hour. Will let you know. Do you have a fitbit? Mine helps.
  • MountainLaurel787
    MountainLaurel787 Posts: 45 Member
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    I'm with y'all! I stopped logging May of 2017. All of my weight went back on after a 30 lb weight loss. This hormonal roller coaster is difficult to deal with...but I'm back to get it off and be accountable.
  • slimstrauss
    slimstrauss Posts: 209 Member
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    I feel your pain, in the same boat!!
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    I feel like the hormone roller coaster is a huge mess for a lot of reasons. Not just wonky metabolism, but wonky water weight shifts, and wonky appetite for no reason...

    is there really any reason for me to wake up 9 lbs heavier than yesterday...I don't need that much extra water...no one could need that much extra water...and why now

    at least when I know that I'm expecting lucifer's waterfall, then I know why I have a sudden must-eat-all-the-food-all-the-time urge and it's kind of easier to fight because it's a fight I'm ready for...when it's not time for that and it just strikes totally out of the blue, then I find myself snacking or eating extra plates of food before my brain even kicks in to put on the brakes because I'm just sooooo hungry all of a sudden

    it appears like this month is the first where I'm skipping all the mess and all the other symptoms too, but it just makes me worried about when the crazy hunger and crazy water will strike without warning
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I feel like the hormone roller coaster is a huge mess for a lot of reasons. Not just wonky metabolism, but wonky water weight shifts, and wonky appetite for no reason...

    is there really any reason for me to wake up 9 lbs heavier than yesterday...I don't need that much extra water...no one could need that much extra water...and why now

    at least when I know that I'm expecting lucifer's waterfall, then I know why I have a sudden must-eat-all-the-food-all-the-time urge and it's kind of easier to fight because it's a fight I'm ready for...when it's not time for that and it just strikes totally out of the blue, then I find myself snacking or eating extra plates of food before my brain even kicks in to put on the brakes because I'm just sooooo hungry all of a sudden

    it appears like this month is the first where I'm skipping all the mess and all the other symptoms too, but it just makes me worried about when the crazy hunger and crazy water will strike without warning

    I felt like PMS and had carb cravings for about 18 months. It sucked.
  • FunUsername
    FunUsername Posts: 51 Member
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    Ladies. Would ye be okay if I requested ye as a friend. This is exactly how I have been lately. Restarting again too but so hard. ... really want to do this. Have changed a few things in my life to make me feel more like myself. Weight loss is definitely one of my goals.
    If you see a friend request, feel free to ignore of course.
    Thanks
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    fine with me!
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    sure!
  • diannegsims
    diannegsims Posts: 6 Member
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    Hey all. I've been doing a hormone therapy that uses an injectable pellet 3x a month. It has helped tremendously with my up/down emotional roller-coaster, sleep habits, even my incontinence!
    Biote - it's a hormonal and imflamation type thing.
    Not cheap but it works for me!.
  • diannegsims
    diannegsims Posts: 6 Member
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    Excuse me, that's every 3 months. Lol
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
    edited August 2018
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    Also starting over because of out of control arthritis for the past couple years. I had been using Collagen type 2 and then that quit working. Switched to Sam-E, seems to be working but I hope it lasts this time. Man this gets on my nerves, all that work them BLAM. Edited to add, I'll be 50 in a month.
  • desire2bSexy
    desire2bSexy Posts: 5 Member
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    Gothchiq, I hope this is helpful if you're still looking to try something. I just started Renew Collagen (in a blue canister), I believe it's 5 or 6 type collagens. If you have no allergies it may be worth a try. I'm noticing a bit less pains but it seems geared more at connective tissues, cartlige as well beauty (nails+hair), idk about bones. I'm only a week into it thus far.
    There's 7g protein per serving. I like it's better than knox and it's much more beneficial, as it also seems to supress my cravings. I have menopause due to my hysterectomy. Getting near 49 now and I see your 50th is near, happy birthday! 🎉☺🎉
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    I have been on the weight loss and then weight maintenance game for over 4 years now, and my hormones decided 2018 is the year to get blubbery around the mid-section, despite the fact that I continue to exercise and eat right. I can no longer eat in maintenance but rather I leave at least 150-300 calories on the table each day in addition to all my exercise just so that I can continue to wear the same clothes.

    Seemingly overnight, I gained my love handles back as well as extra pudge in the lower belly. If it was truly just a CICO, then I would be sitting pretty right now, but now, in perimenopause, that CICO doesn't quite apply as it should. The slightly good news is that I added HIIT to my cardio twice a week and once a week for my weight training (I do cardio 5x a week total and weight training 3x a week total) and I am noticing a slight difference in how my pants fit. The next step is re-examining my diet and trying to cut down some of those carbs while adding more protein which is always a problem for me.

    Because I have auto-immune issues (ulcerative colitis (UC) and proctitis in remission), I also retain inflammation more easily which means taking hormone therapy, BC pills, etc. are not a good option for me. I risk the chance of a flare and no way on earth do I want to revisit that personal hell ... so I grin and bear it. All the night sweats, hot flashes, bloating, 3-week long periods followed by nothing for 3 months ... these are something I don't like but can deal with. No one truly knows the pain of UC until you come close to losing your colon so I am not chancing that by taking anything unnecessary.

    I totally understand what everyone is going through with the weight gain, etc.
  • KeriA
    KeriA Posts: 3,273 Member
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    I am starting over and over again.
    1. lost 20 lbs then hit a wall, tried eating less, exercising more, eating less and exercising more, changing up diet and exercise
    2. finally realized I was eating below my BMR even though I had set my goal for losing only a pound a week so I took a break then lost 20 lbs eating more than before
    3. then the economic downturn ended and I went back to work and gained it all back with 2 on-call jobs, commutes, concentrating on new jobs and less exercise and not adjusting my calories.
    4. got a regular job I love stopped the gain and thought I was losing, then my scale went on the fritz
    5. my new scale said I hadn't lost anything. Every time I got on it went up a pound
    6. I finally stopped the new scale gain and have my weight down to where my old scale had it
    7. so starting over yet again to lose now.

    I go to aquafit 3 times a week and try to walk. I know this wouldn't be so hard if I was younger. I know I wouldn't have gained it back so easily either. However I wasn't that young when I lost the 40 lbs so I should be able to do it again.
  • lyhenry
    lyhenry Posts: 6 Member
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    I am 53, and I am starting over again as well. I lost 20lbs last year, fairly effortlessly, and then... I don't really know what happened, but a year later, I'm back at the weight I was before. Sigh. I'm going to try a few things differently this time:

    - don't try to lose it so fast; i'm trying for 1/2lb a week, and am going to stop after 10lbs and try to recenter; if that works, i can go for more
    - I tend to do a lot of cardio, but not enough strength training; i'm going to focus on making that a habit this time

    Thanks everyone, for sharing, its good to know its not uncommon, and good luck to us!

  • jrhnewfirstday
    jrhnewfirstday Posts: 8 Member
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    Lots of reasons, but in the last year I've put back about half of what I lost 3+ years ago. I know much of it is food, as in I'm definitely eating over my allotted calories, but it also seems to be compounded by what I think is me entering perimenopause. I haven't skipped any cycles completely yet, but they're definitely all over the place, where previously you could set a watch and a calendar by it.

    I want to fit back into my smaller clothes, mostly because I just don't want to buy any bigger ones! I need to get back in the groove and could sure use some help!
  • Irishladdy1212
    Irishladdy1212 Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm starting again too. The last year has been up and down. I've had 2 cycles in the last year and both have been awful. Never had planning before. Hot flashes are few a week nothing bad but I get night sweats so bad hubbie doesn't want to sleep next to me anymore. Weight gain is a constant struggle. Need to control the one area that I can. This darn weight.
  • hollyb9871
    hollyb9871 Posts: 401 Member
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    I started over yesterday. I lost 25 lbs. a few years ago and although I am aware that I am making not so good food choices sometimes most of the time it's good and yet I'm back up 15 lbs. I totally have the night sweats, especially bad the week prior to my period as well as the consuming everything in sight hunger. I have been exercising consistently for many years. I am now mixing cardio back in to the routine as I was predominately lifting free weights. OH and the crazy mood swings just before the period is a lot of fun too! Especially since you don't really know when it is going to show up but you turn into a raving lunatic over a seemingly not so serious issue. Luckily it only happens that badly once every other month at this point but geez it makes you feel crazy!