Women: losing weight while suffering from hormonal imbalances

Hi I have a question I am asking for my partner who is currently not on MFP. She’s post menopausal with hormonal imbalances who has really been struggling with losing weight. Looking for advice, references and help. Thank a lot Josh 😊

Replies

  • Joshoohah
    Joshoohah Posts: 2 Member
    She could and may but I’m just putting it out there to see if there are people with experiences with this particular problem then I’ll suggest she gets an account.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 3,098 Member
    This is not really going to be helpful, but I am 59 and have found losing weight in my 50's (my menopause was around 49/50) easier than any other time in my life. So I cannot relate to the reports
    of menopause causing weight gains.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 3,098 Member
    Also, not sure if she’s aware, but women’s fat storage patterns shift after menopause to store more fat around the middle. So she can still lose weight, but her shape may be changed from when she was younger.

    @mom23mangos I don't want to hijack this thread, but the thicker waist, regardless of weight, just kills me. Are there actions one can take to help with this aspect?
  • tmbg1
    tmbg1 Posts: 1,433 Member
    I got a lot of great tips from The Happy Menopause podcast.
  • TwistedSassette
    TwistedSassette Posts: 8,825 Member
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    The hard truth is: Hormonal imbalances don't make you stop losing weight. Someone might hold more onto water during certain hormonal phases (ask any woman with a cyclus!), or make you more hungry at certain times, more tired. But the principles of physics still hold true: eat less than your body needs and you lose weight, eat more and you gain.

    ^^^

    Ditto to that! CICO is what matters regardless of hormonal imbalances. Yes hormones affect water weight and possibly hunger levels/cravings. For hunger, eat foods that make you feel full longer (for some that’s high fiber foods).

    Just to add to this: CICO is absolutely what matters - the harder part for those of us with hormonal imbalances is figuring out the "CO" part of this equation.

    Often the calculators overestimate this since we don't always metabolise like the average person, sometimes due to underlying issues like thyroid function (whether diagnosed or not). But they do give you a place to start, and you then need to experiment to find your "true" level of CO. This involves meticulously monitoring your caloric intake and your weight loss trend to see how your actual results differ from the estimations made, and making any necessary adjustments from there. That's where I'd suggest your partner starts.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    SModa61 wrote: »
    Also, not sure if she’s aware, but women’s fat storage patterns shift after menopause to store more fat around the middle. So she can still lose weight, but her shape may be changed from when she was younger.

    @mom23mangos I don't want to hijack this thread, but the thicker waist, regardless of weight, just kills me. Are there actions one can take to help with this aspect?

    I haven’t done enough research to know. Not sure if hormone replacement will reverse that or not.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 3,098 Member
    SModa61 wrote: »
    Also, not sure if she’s aware, but women’s fat storage patterns shift after menopause to store more fat around the middle. So she can still lose weight, but her shape may be changed from when she was younger.

    @mom23mangos I don't want to hijack this thread, but the thicker waist, regardless of weight, just kills me. Are there actions one can take to help with this aspect?

    I haven’t done enough research to know. Not sure if hormone replacement will reverse that or not.

    @mom23mangos Thanks. I won't be messing with hormones. I did not know if specific exercise or such had some impact on the fat storage that thickens the waist. Thanks again