Peri-menopausal women - need eating plan ideas
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LKArgh
Posts: 5,179 Member
I have lost weight in the past, but even fluctuating 7-8 kilos up or down, it was variation in the normal/healthy range for my height, from being on the really slim side to a bit heavier and back.
The last couple of years, I have gained quite a bit and I am for the first time overweight, due to a combination of stress and health issues. I find that being perimenopausal complicates things, and I imagine menopause soon will make things harder.
Do you have any suggestions for eating plans? I do not mean "magic" diets, just ideas for go to meals and snacks that might have helped you stick to a calorie goal, which seems to be lower and lower as I get older.
I am good on exercise, have more or less got back to pre-injury routines with a combination of cardio and body-weight training, so I need to figure out how to focus on a long-term nutrition plan that is realistic.
The last couple of years, I have gained quite a bit and I am for the first time overweight, due to a combination of stress and health issues. I find that being perimenopausal complicates things, and I imagine menopause soon will make things harder.
Do you have any suggestions for eating plans? I do not mean "magic" diets, just ideas for go to meals and snacks that might have helped you stick to a calorie goal, which seems to be lower and lower as I get older.
I am good on exercise, have more or less got back to pre-injury routines with a combination of cardio and body-weight training, so I need to figure out how to focus on a long-term nutrition plan that is realistic.
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Replies
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Hi there,
what kind of food makes you adhere to your calorie goal is totally individual. I can tell you how I like to eat, but other people will probably gnaw their arms off with that, and the other way around.
Why not log all your food truthfully for a while and weigh everything on a scale to get a good estimate of your intake. If you start to feel hungry at always the same part of the day then consider what you could change. Replace something carb-heavy with more protein, or you had something high in fat and low volume to something with high volume but the same calories. Also, if you're consistently hungry then consider your weightloss goal. Maybe it's too aggressive. The magic your looking for is finding a calorie deficit and kind of food that you enjoy (very important) and don't feel hungry with.5 -
Hello there
It's completely up to you what kind of food helps you stick to your calorie target. I could tell you what I like to eat, but it would probably make other people want to eat their arms off, and vice versa.
Why not keep a truthful food journal for a while and weigh everything to get an accurate idea of your intake? If you always feel hungry at the same time of day, think about what you could do to change that. Add more protein to a dish that is rich in carbs, or switch a dish that was low in calories and high in fat for one that is high in calories but low in volume. Additionally, if you always feel hungry, think about your weight loss objective. It might be excessively combative. The1 -
Eatingwell.com has a lot of weekly meal plans for different calorie goals or diet preferences (vegetarian, low carb, etc.) and a pretty good search function. I have found a lot of good meal ideas there, but have never followed a weekly plan.3
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I am not looking for a strict eating plan, more ideas to incorporate in my diet. I realise that my maintenance calories are getting much lower than they used to be, so I am looking for ideas to stay full.
I think I was pretty clear that I am NOT looking for magic solutions, just ideas that might make it a bit easier and come from "real" people. I will check eatingwell, thanks for the tip.2 -
I have really been enjoying the Mediterranean lifestyle diet. Lots of plant-based meals, with an emphasis on whole foods and healthy fats. Satisfying, easy, and yummy!1
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This might not be quite the answer you were expecting, but I’d encourage you to see if you could increase your maintenance calories over time. I’m 49 and in peri (and yes have the weird bloating and weight fluctuations) and my maintenance calories are much higher than they were 10 years ago, largely because I lift weights. I need more calories now than I did when I just did cardio.I am not looking for a strict eating plan, more ideas to incorporate in my diet. I realise that my maintenance calories are getting much lower than they used to be, so I am looking for ideas to stay full.
I think I was pretty clear that I am NOT looking for magic solutions, just ideas that might make it a bit easier and come from "real" people. I will check eatingwell, thanks for the tip.
I find snacks like fruit and Greek yoghurt fill me up. Bread less so, but cheese and crackers works because of the fat. Protein snacks work for me, whether that’s a protein bar, shake (don’t like them but I have them when I really need a protein boost and they do fill me up), hard boiled eggs or tinned tuna. Stiff like carrots and hummus or homemade cheese dip also fills me up. As an emergency snack, I’ve also been known to eat tinned fruit in juice. Cheap, fairly low in cals but can be high in sugar.
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I think we make the eating thing way too difficult. Yes, I was an overthinker when I started, too!
What I’ve come to realize is, just eat the foods I enjoy, but be careful to weigh and measure and log them, and eat reasonable portion.
Substitutions. Diet soda for sugar. Water. Margarine for butter. Sugar free, low or zero cal syrups and dressings. Egg whites instead of eggs. Skim milks, yogurt, cottage cheese and cheeses.
Recipe calls for eight tbsp butter? Try it with four of margarine. Or, can I substitute applesauce for butter? A cup of sugar? Can I use half, ir better yet, use that zero cal syrup?
Fancy chai or coffee? Make my own instead of hitting Starbucks, with frothed skim milk, zero cal syrup, and using fat free half & half when I need that “richer” mouth feel.
Air fryer.
Misto olive oil sprayer.
Pot roast? Heavier on the carrots and celery, and lighter on potato. Use a 140cal/4oz top round toast instead of a 280/4oz fattier cut. Ditto smoking pork. Use a 130/4oz loin cut. Everything is tenderer anyway when crockpotted or smoked.
Prosciutto in spaghetti instead of ground beef.
I can easily cut my favorite recipes’ calories by 1/3 or 1/2 just thinking about what’s going in the pot.
It wasn’t til I opened my eyes and actually spent the time to look at what I was putting in my mouth that I started to lose weight.
Now, it’s fun to experiment to see how I can get the same flavor for waaaaaaaay less calories. Every time I do, I high five myself.5 -
Sorry. You’ve clearly got as much experience here as I do, lol. 😘 but you asked!!!1
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Actually cottage cheese is a good filler and I’d forgotten about it. I love it on a jacket potato, I get one from a local farm so it tastes rich but is still low calorie. I also prefer sweet jacket spuds and the cottage cheese goes well with that.springlering62 wrote: »I think we make the eating thing way too difficult. Yes, I was an overthinker when I started, too!
What I’ve come to realize is, just eat the foods I enjoy, but be careful to weigh and measure and log them, and eat reasonable portion.
Substitutions. Diet soda for sugar. Water. Margarine for butter. Sugar free, low or zero cal syrups and dressings. Egg whites instead of eggs. Skim milks, yogurt, cottage cheese and cheeses.
Recipe calls for eight tbsp butter? Try it with four of margarine. Or, can I substitute applesauce for butter? A cup of sugar? Can I use half, ir better yet, use that zero cal syrup?
Fancy chai or coffee? Make my own instead of hitting Starbucks, with frothed skim milk, zero cal syrup, and using fat free half & half when I need that “richer” mouth feel.
Air fryer.
Misto olive oil sprayer.
Pot roast? Heavier on the carrots and celery, and lighter on potato. Use a 140cal/4oz top round toast instead of a 280/4oz fattier cut. Ditto smoking pork. Use a 130/4oz loin cut. Everything is tenderer anyway when crockpotted or smoked.
Prosciutto in spaghetti instead of ground beef.
I can easily cut my favorite recipes’ calories by 1/3 or 1/2 just thinking about what’s going in the pot.
It wasn’t til I opened my eyes and actually spent the time to look at what I was putting in my mouth that I started to lose weight.
Now, it’s fun to experiment to see how I can get the same flavor for waaaaaaaay less calories. Every time I do, I high five myself.
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You need to figure out what macro split will keep you satisfied. I am more satisfied and eat a lot less when I eat protein. If I eat a lot of carbs, I will eat all day long because they leave me hungry and unsatisfied. It is totally individual for everyone. I also think you are overthinking it. First, figure out how many calories you are actually eating by weighing/measuring accurately, then adjust your portion sizes to fit the calories you should be eating to lose weight. And pay attention to what satisfies you more, and start making swaps with food that satisfy you.
Also would like to point out that menopause doesn't really have anything to do with losing weight. As we age, we get lazy and aren't as active. That is why we lose weight. We tend to keep eating the same amount we did when we were younger and more active. There are plenty of people on these boards that have lost weight in menopause.3 -
I had difficulty at perimenopause due to uterine fibroids, which caused very heavy bleeding, which lead to anemia and crippling fatigue. But in general, weight loss when we're older can feel harder simply due to people (men and women) being less active than when we were in our 20s and 30s. We get used to eating a certain way, and don't adjust when our activity decreases.
I like Claire's advice about trying to increase maintenance calories. Our bodies were meant to move.
I also like the PP's advice about finding what macro splits are the most satisfying.
I almost liked @springlering62's advice about substitutions, but then she tried to replace my butter with margarine, which is unforgivable
But seriously, when baking, I can generally reduce the amount of sugar, and can often replace half the fat with an equal amount of apple sauce. I replace some of higher calorie salad dressing etc with cottage cheese. Etc.4 -
Funnily enough my peri is mirroring yours with the fibroids and anaemia. And I’ve got to say that I hugely admire @springlering62 and usually agree with her but - MARGARINE?? No, just no.kshama2001 wrote: »I had difficulty at perimenopause due to uterine fibroids, which caused very heavy bleeding, which lead to anemia and crippling fatigue. But in general, weight loss when we're older can feel harder simply due to people (men and women) being less active than when we were in our 20s and 30s. We get used to eating a certain way, and don't adjust when our activity decreases.
I like Claire's advice about trying to increase maintenance calories. Our bodies were meant to move.
I also like the PP's advice about finding what macro splits are the most satisfying.
I almost liked @springlering62's advice about substitutions, but then she tried to replace my butter with margarine, which is unforgivable
But seriously, when baking, I can generally reduce the amount of sugar, and can often replace half the fat with an equal amount of apple sauce. I replace some of higher calorie salad dressing etc with cottage cheese. Etc.
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Absolutely, I agree with everything you’ve said. But the OP received some similar advice originally and said she just wanted food ideas so I thought I’d try to help by listing some of my go-to snacks and filling foods. I guess going through the menopause can be alienating enough, and i was trying to avoid my usual snippy character! 🤣musicfan68 wrote: »You need to figure out what macro split will keep you satisfied. I am more satisfied and eat a lot less when I eat protein. If I eat a lot of carbs, I will eat all day long because they leave me hungry and unsatisfied. It is totally individual for everyone. I also think you are overthinking it. First, figure out how many calories you are actually eating by weighing/measuring accurately, then adjust your portion sizes to fit the calories you should be eating to lose weight. And pay attention to what satisfies you more, and start making swaps with food that satisfy you.
Also would like to point out that menopause doesn't really have anything to do with losing weight. As we age, we get lazy and aren't as active. That is why we lose weight. We tend to keep eating the same amount we did when we were younger and more active. There are plenty of people on these boards that have lost weight in menopause.
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menopause is years behind me, but i found that having lower calorie snacks that i really like or no-calorie popsicles that i pour from my favorite sodas and water enhancers (and homemade shaved ice, too) means whenever i get a craving, i can fill it with less calories. pre-measuring or buying pre-measured portions is also very helpful. i used to eat a can of peanuts in a sitting, and while i really like peanuts, part of it was mindless continuation. now i get 1 ounce, really enjoy them, but now i don't have another 7 servings in my hand, ready to devour while i concentrate on reading or watching the great british baking show.
if you find your regular meals are too many calories, figure out if there are substitions you can make - like light butter in place of regular butter, using low fat milk instead of whole milk when you make mashed potatoes and so on. food substitutions helped me lose 60 pounds a few years ago, so i'm a great believer.3 -
One last question:
I have figured out that I am always hungry in the evening, regardless of what I have eaten for lunch, while I rarely feel the same way at lunch time. I have never tried skipping meals consciously (I mean, it has happened because I was too busy, but not planned) and I am wondering if it is worth giving it a try, having breakfast, something very light for lunch, like fruit and then dinner (of course still counting calories).
Can anyone think of a reason why this might be a bad idea? I also have the fibroids with perimenopause and I supplement with iron, so I think it might not really be a problem nutrient-wise, right? In my last check-up, there were no other deficiencies.1 -
fruit has no protein or fat, and much of it also has very little or no long chain carbs. why not have a cup of light yogurt or cottage cheese, maybe with some veggies instead? i usually go with things like a protein drink, veg and 5 to 7 grams of peanuts, but i eat 6 small meals a day, so you will probably need a few more calories - maybe a small muffin, a couple rice cakes or a half serving of crackers?
i always have about 200 calories not long before bed, and i don't get hungry for 2 hours after i wake up.0 -
LKArgh I too am always hungry in evening regardless of previous meals. I believe it’s a habit for me. I’ve started exercising as soon as I get home. Prep a healthy meal. Then shower before enjoying dinner with my husband. All that said, the sweet snack craving begins and it turns into a battle. Sugar free popsicle v. Ice cream. So I get up, find a chore, stay out of kitchen. I’m learning IF, I feel best about myself and in control with time restricted eating.1
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No, no problem at all with that plan. Give it a try and see what happens. I’m a morning eater so hate big evening meals and I would suffer if I waited until tea to eat most of my calories. My other half is the opposite.One last question:
I have figured out that I am always hungry in the evening, regardless of what I have eaten for lunch, while I rarely feel the same way at lunch time. I have never tried skipping meals consciously (I mean, it has happened because I was too busy, but not planned) and I am wondering if it is worth giving it a try, having breakfast, something very light for lunch, like fruit and then dinner (of course still counting calories).
Can anyone think of a reason why this might be a bad idea? I also have the fibroids with perimenopause and I supplement with iron, so I think it might not really be a problem nutrient-wise, right? In my last check-up, there were no other deficiencies.
When you eat your calories doesn’t matter, you could graze all day or just eat one meal. Just make a note of how it affects you; just eating fruit would spike my blood sugar and leave me ravenous on the crash, but we are all different.
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i like to shred chicken in the crock pot and divide it between tupperware for lunches throughout the week. i also add black beans and have it with half an avocado (or a 100 calorie pack of guacamole). sometimes i will add half a cup of rice.0
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zebasschick wrote: »menopause is years behind me, but i found that having lower calorie snacks that i really like or no-calorie popsicles that i pour from my favorite sodas and water enhancers (and homemade shaved ice, too) means whenever i get a craving, i can fill it with less calories. pre-measuring or buying pre-measured portions is also very helpful. i used to eat a can of peanuts in a sitting, and while i really like peanuts, part of it was mindless continuation. now i get 1 ounce, really enjoy them, but now i don't have another 7 servings in my hand, ready to devour while i concentrate on reading or watching the great british baking show.
if you find your regular meals are too many calories, figure out if there are substitions you can make - like light butter in place of regular butter, using low fat milk instead of whole milk when you make mashed potatoes and so on. food substitutions helped me lose 60 pounds a few years ago, so i'm a great believer.
A.) why all the margarine hate, folks? 😂😂😂Margarine is pretty tasty these days, and if you need to shave calories, it’s a darn good place to start!
B.) Shaved ice??!!! How? What are you using? I had an early Opal ice maker that died in less than a year. About $800 down the drain, with extras we had just bought for it but Lordy, I miss that thing and my dentists tells me I’m ruining what teeth I have left constantly eating ice. Shaved ice sounds crazy good.
C.) cooking shows are a hard pass for me, otherwise I find myself wanting to eat
D.) keep your hands busy at night. It really does help. I do needlepoint, crochet, beadwork, embroidery. No home on the planet needs or deserves as many things as these hands churn out, but it’s one of the best diet plans!!! I have more needlepoint pillows than you could ever imagine, and since we’ve downsized, there’s nowhere to put them all.0
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