47 menopausal new to this need guidance

alua5973
alua5973 Posts: 1 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all

Wow been steadily gaining for past two years and it has got to the point I cannot stand even looking in the mirror. I weigh the same as I did heavily pregannt with my son! Menopause seems to make it harder...or perhaps thats another excuse of mine.

So MFP says at 168 cm tall or 5.5 ft and weighing 80kg i should consume1200 cals a day to lose roughly a kg a week. Seems to be a bit of debate on here re1200. Is it ok for the first few months to see how it goes?

I plan on walking an hour in the morning and adding in a 25 minute fitness dvd. Do you generally eat these calories back?

Any other words of wisdom welcome.

Thanks

Replies

  • WeatherJane
    WeatherJane Posts: 1,492 Member
    edited April 2021
    I think you should consider changing your weight loss goal. 1200 is the minimum mfp will give, and you might not lose 1kg a week on 1200 calories.

    At 5'5 and roughly 176 lbs, I'd set your weight loss goal at 1 lb a week, or even a .5 lb a week.
    I'm 5'7 176 and to lose 2 lbs a week I'd have to eat around 800 calories a day. (That's never going to happen.)
    My fitness pal is designed for you to eat back your exercise calories.
  • Tblackdogs
    Tblackdogs Posts: 326 Member
    Welcome! I personally don't think that menopause makes it physically harder to lose weight. It might make you grumpier, more uncomfortable and you might have lost muscle mass because of less activity as you've gotten older though. I came back to MFP just about three months ago, determined to lose the 10 pounds I always gain and lose but also the 10 pounds that had crept up since turning 50. So 20 pounds to lose! I have my calorie goal set to 1500 because that doesn't seem painful and allows for a lot of yummy stuff. I exercise a few times a week but don't generally eat those calories back unless I'm actually hungry. But I never, ever eat below 1200 calories. That's not enough food for a regular day for me. Oh...and without even noticing I've been losing almost exactly one pound a week steadily so I'm down 11 pounds and looking forward to losing the next 9!
  • SulaWho
    SulaWho Posts: 2 Member
    I'm in a similar situation, same age but I'm two inches shorter. I have my calories set at 1200 but I use that as a minimum. The best thing I have done this time around (after many failed attempts at weight loss) is to track my macros. Making sure I get enough protein and fat has made a huge difference in my overall hunger levels.

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