Perimenopause & weight loss

shannam7
shannam7 Posts: 3 Member
edited July 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all! I’m looking for an open dialogue with other women who are in perimenopause or have symptoms without being medically perimenopausal about weight loss, moods, hot flashes, etc….what works for you? What doesn’t work? How are you feeling? How can we support ea other?

Replies

  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,764 Member
    This is less perimenopausal and simply an aging thing, but in the 10+ years I’ve been on MFP my TDEE has dropped from around 1800cal to less than 1600cal. That’s been hard as I love food I’m working really hard to maintain my weight and can totally see how easy it is to put on weight in your 40s and 50s.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited July 24
    Symptoms, yes. Bloodwork to back up actual numerical changes, didn’t show anything. I’m a healthy weight but my maintenance calories are around 1650. I do a lot of walking and functional strength training. I think hard work and discipline now will make a huge difference in the decades to come. Exercise helps the shifts in mood for sure. And sometimes helps me sleep.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,876 Member
    I've been here for about 10 years and am 50 now. My TDEE has not changed and I can still eat the same.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,987 Member
    I've been on MFP from age 59 to my current 68, and lost around 50 pounds in roughly the first year of that, then maintained in a healthy weight range since (a few mild ups and downs). I've been in menopause since around age 45, put there suddenly and early by chemotherapy for fairly advanced breast cancer. (I'm also severely hypothyroid, though medicated for it, if that matters - I think it doesn't.) Nonetheless, my calorie requirements are higher than MFP estimates (by several hundred calories daily), which is unusual . . . but apparently possible.

    Without delving into the background of this, it seems to be the case that body composition (muscle loss) is one factor in potential reduced calorie needs with aging, plus possibly statistically common changes in daily life (non-exercise) activity levels, and/or reduced average fitness in other respects. To the extent that that may be true, there are things under our control than can reduce those negative effects.

    HRT is an obvious intervention to remedy menopause symptoms. Personally, I can't do that because of my history of estrogen-fed tumors. (I actually took anti-estrogen medications for 7.5 years as part of my cancer treatment. In some ways, those create a sort of hyper-menopausal state.)

    Some women say they benefit from making it a point to consume certain phytoestrogen-containing foods or supplements. (Phytoestrogens = plant sourced estrogen-like compounds that don't behave exactly like endogenous estrogen. It's complicated.) These include soy foods as well as various other foods, and certain herbal or other supplements. I'm somewhat cautious about those given my history, but do consume some that have been well-studied in cases like mine.

    There are a bunch of non-HRT interventions for hot flashes that I've either used myself or learned about from others in breast cancer support groups. It appears that hot flashes can be triggered by hot conditions, so things as simple as dressing in layers can be helpful to some extent. (I almost never wear pullover sweaters anymore!) Some women carry a hand-fan everywhere. I've used re-usable soft gel packets that can be chilled or frozen (designed for use anywhere a person might use an ice bag, but they're soft). I've put them on my neck at night, on top of the pillow, with a towel between so they don't feel quite so cold. I could ramble more about hot flash remediation, but that's enough. :D

    I don't know that I had mood disruptions from going into menopause. Remember that for me the first months of menopause were also months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Those (plus the mere fact of having fairly advanced stage cancer and surgeries for it!) can have some very definite effects on mood, so that's hard to sort out. I don't know that I'm moodier than average now, but I'm not sure I would know? :D

    I empathize with women who have peri- or full menopausal symptoms that are troubling. It's worse for some women than others, of course. If there are specific things troubling you, saying more about those symptoms might draw out more specific helpful support from others.

    For myself, I'm not really looking for menopause-related support much at this point, because I've already had that 24 years of coping practice ;) : It's just my normal being, at this point.

    Best wishes for a smooth course!

  • barre_strong
    barre_strong Posts: 2 Member
    Hi! I'm going through it now even though I'm still on the BCP I am getting nightsweats, trouble sleeping, meno belly. I'm giving myself 30 days to really watch my diet and lift weights (I already do Pure Barre just about every day) and then I might try monjourno if the weight and the belly are still the same.
    I talked to my OB and she said that I shouldn't be having symptoms since I am getting steady hormones from the pill, so I would probably be much worse off otherwise, but I am still uncomfortable, tired and feel very belly heavy.
  • FibroHiker
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    I've been perimenopausal for a few years now. I have not entered menopause yet. I did try some hormone therapy in 2023 and it was a bit disastrous as I was having migraines 1-2 times a week and had to stop.

    The hot flashes which used to be occasional have now ramped up to daily. I've accepted that and go look for a fan when I need it. I was getting super irritated with my hubby and realized what that was. Now when it's happening I simply remind myself what it really is and I know it won't last long.

    As for the weight gain and meno belly: both men and women tend to put on visceral fat (between the organs) as their testosterone and estrogen levels drop with age. This can be the type of fat that becomes dangerous leading to various diseases. It's not permanent and can be reduced. When we focus on overall fat loss our visceral fat reduces too.

    Hormones aside, fat loss at this time is still possible. I lost 55 pounds at a time in my life that I didn't know I was hypothyroid. I wasn't diagnosed until afterwards. I am still losing now (albeit slowly) even with all the hormone changes that are happening. My step-sister is a professional body builder who competes nationally. She is 6 years older and fully in menopause but maintains her build because the principles of muscle gain and fat loss still apply. We may not get a great body quickly like our younger selves would have accomplished, but it is possible with persistence.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I (almost) never had hot flashes. I suspect it's related to me taking black cohosh for my uterus for so long. I don't think this helped with my fibroids, but I noticed I wasn't having hot flashes, so continued to take it. In 2022, I had a hysterectomy. (Kept my ovaries.) I stopped taking black cohosh.

    1.5 years later, I started having extremely mild hot flashes. I run very hot naturally, which is probably why they felt so mild. I resumed taking the black cohosh, and the warm flashes went away. The directions say to take 1-2 pills. I only need one.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RLT7NP8/

    We have a long peri thread here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10482404/is-it-over-yet-the-perimenopause-thread/
  • lorimiller18
    lorimiller18 Posts: 29 Member
    Hi! I'm perimenopause! 49! 50 in a couple months. I went to a Nurse Practitioner that specializes in women's health!! Game changer. I'm on estrogen gel and progesterone pills, and omg!! I do thesexat night, this week was the 1st week I slept, actually slept 7 hours straight, everynight in YEARS!!! YEARS!! My muscle/joint pain is gone, at least seriously minimum- in one week these changes happened!
  • lorimiller18
    lorimiller18 Posts: 29 Member
    Oh, and a note, FYI, bloodwork doesn't necessarily show perimenopause etc. Our hormones change daily, throughout the day etc. So getting blood tests only, is not the end all be all. There's a group on fb I joined, it's called, Hit Play Not Pause. Totally sent me in the direction I'm in right now. It's literally changed my life. My NP and I have been experimenting what works for me. I was on the patch first, and i wasn't seeing results. Night sweats, sleeplessness, not staying asleep, moody, joint pain, lethargy-tired all the time. So she switched me to gel and pills, fk. 1st night I slept 8 hours. I haven't done that in 20 years
  • lorimiller18
    lorimiller18 Posts: 29 Member
    HoneyBadger302 wrote: »
    *Raises hand, waves it wildly*
    I probably started going into peri 2-3 years ago, but it really started to hit me like a freight train in the most recent 2 years.
    Issue was, I had not idea that was a thing, and I have had Mirena for over 10 years, so no periods to notice changes in. I had heard the term, but honestly was completely clueless to how young it could hit, and how long it could last. I found about it while trying to figure out if, in my mid-40's, I needed to start on meds for my ADHD as it was getting completely out of control.
    Through looking into all of that, on a reddit post of all things, someone mentioned that perimenopause can make tinnitus worse. Well, mine had been getting downright intrusive, but I just blamed it on loud hobbies previously, but that made me raise an eyebrow. Got on the reddit menopause group, and digging into it more, and realized my list of symptoms ALL fell into the peri-list of symptoms.
    I started on a supplement, not being sure about HRT, and the supplement helped a ton with my worst symptoms (ADHD, rage, "meh" towards life in particular). With those symptoms improving, the others really started to stand out, and around that time my libido also took a really long hike off a very short plank. Completely and utterly disappeared in all the ways. Zero interest even reading things that would normally get me excited. Nope, nada, zero, zip.
    I decided to go with an online provider for HRT - I don't have other health issues, and didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars trying to chase down doctors (my insurance sucks).
    I'm on my third week of a "50/50" cream and DHEA. My sleep has RADICALLY changed the past week or so. I'm completely off my sleep aid, sleeping way better, and finally waking up before my alarms again (unless I'm short on sleep, but that makes sense)! Libido is slow to return, but at least there's interest now, even if it's not enough to participate in partner activities, there's at least interest. Hoping the improved sleep and sleep pattern will let me get back to my workouts and not be constantly battling fatigue like I have been.
    My list of symptoms include(d):
    • ADHD going off the rails nuts - like, I couldn't function in a life I've designed to work with it!
    • Rage - screaming and ragey over dumb slights that should have been nothing more than a momentary annoyance, and I'd be angry all day long - once set off, that was it. I couldn't stand myself, yet I seemed to have no control over it either!
    • Life lost all "color." I wasn't sad or depressed persay, but I also found no joy or happiness, either. It was literally like all the color had been washed away and everything (even things I normally loved) was just "meh"
    • Night sweats
    • Awful sleep schedule that did not work with real life
    • Fatigue for no reason - most of the day, and there was no way I was getting up before the last minute. Exhausted without good reason.
    • Meno belly and weight.
    • Lack of energy and willpower to focus on doing what needs to be done for weight loss....I was barely holding it together for my job and business and pets, and those couldn't suffer, so something had to give.
    • Tinnitus that was getting intrusive
    • Achy-ier joints/injuries
    • Skin looking "old" - lack of luster despite supplements that had previously seemed to help
    From the outside looking it, none of those things seemed that bad, and I was generally holding it together-ish, but all of it combined had me wondering WTF my issue was and WTH was wrong with me. Just "forcing the grind" and "doing the hard thing" was just not happening - and trust me, I am a firm believer in "just make it happen if it matters to you" but there was a complete inability to do it. I honestly gained a lot of sympathy for women in this stage of life, because it is NOT the same for all, and sometimes it really is all you can do to keep functioning through the requirements of life.
    Thankfully the HRT seems to be working wonders. Also getting my thyroid tested just in case (awaiting results) but I would say I feel 80% better than I was there for a while. Not 100% yet, but it's only been a few weeks, and things may need to be adjusted after a couple months, it's not a one-and-done kind of treatment, so happy to see things heading in the right direction!!!

    OMG!! THIS IS MY STORY!! EXACTLY!! Even the adhd!! I was just diagnosed as well. And that is a game changer being on meds for that! Your entire post could have been written by me. Oh, as women, we deserve to age with grace- like we don't need to suffer
  • iteskath
    iteskath Posts: 2 Member
    Hi! Also raising hand and jumping up and down.
    I started HRT 3 months ago and it’s been a life saver. I feel like myself again!
    But, I’ve gained 20lbs in the past 2 years. I workout 5x a week, don’t drink, and try to watch my carbs.

    Has anyone had luck loosing weight while in Perimenopause?

    And- I’m looking for an accountability partner for actually logging my food. Anyone interested?

    Thanks!
  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 864 Member
    edited September 15
    iteskath wrote: »
    Hi! Also raising hand and jumping up and down.
    I started HRT 3 months ago and it’s been a life saver. I feel like myself again!
    But, I’ve gained 20lbs in the past 2 years. I workout 5x a week, don’t drink, and try to watch my carbs.

    Has anyone had luck loosing weight while in Perimenopause?

    And- I’m looking for an accountability partner for actually logging my food. Anyone interested?

    Thanks!

    Losing weight during perimenopause is the same as any other time you lose weight, there is no special diet or metabolism change. Weight gain comes down to eating more and moving less. Change these habits and you’ll be at your preferred weight.

    What I can’t guarantee is ‘where’ you’ll gain and lose weight. That is based on hormones, and CAN change as you age. My struggle spot now is a pooch I’ve never had before; I used to gain in my thighs. Unfortunately we can’t spot reduce, but so far weight loss and lifting has been the best for changing shape.
  • HappyDonkey75
    HappyDonkey75 Posts: 269 Member
    edited September 16
    Well I think I found my people here.
    Your going to be told that weight gain in menopause is no different than any other period of time. Your going to be told eat less, move more, eat healthier, etc etc.

    I am also in perimenopuase. Had a hysterectomy in 2017 but have ovaries. In the last two years. what @HoneyBadger302 describes, yep that's me. The weight gain definitely got out of hand for me in the last 3-4 years. I tried ALOT of things. IF, Keto, WW, you name it, I tried it. I even worked with a nutritionist for 6 months. Her findings at the end of our time? I don't know why your not losing, your eating healthy and doing all the right things. So I kept researching .

    I found Dr Stacy Simms. I have read one of her books . She makes so much sense for women dealing with this.

    I always ate healthy and stayed active but when the peri hit, nothing I did helped. I mean NOTHING. Every time I looked in the mirror it felt like I gained another 5 lbs no matter what I did. Inever had a stomach, Now I had a huge belly, well huge for me. Hit my highest weight in January of 2024. I was also just coming off of a medical injury so that didn't help. I had been on the couch mostly since October. Nonetheless , I was so embarassed and ashamed. I no longer recognized myself. As soon as I was released from the doc post surgery to start increasing my activity I started using my stationary bike and figured out what a calories deficit would be for me. That was in May. Between May and July I lost about 9 lbs working my *kitten* off and staying at 1400 calories. It was hard and the weight was ever SO painfully SLOWLY coming down. I think I was probably consuming about 6-800 calories less than what I had been in previous months BUT I also cut out alchohol . I slowly reduced my sugar intake and this was my hardest challenge. It took some time and some mental games. Easy ? No. But atleast I felt like I had a measure of control now. The slow loss was a bit discouraging and I felt myself losing motivation. It just felt like I was working harder than what I would be able to sustain over time.

    Then I got to talking to a couple of girlfriends and they were like, why not try a compounded GLP? I was suspect and leery and then one of them said something to me that hit me like a train.
    "Your already doing the hard work, why not give yourself a leg up like everyone else and jump on the band wagon. Your not alone.. "
    I thought about that for a bit, but still was not convinced. Tempting? sure, but it felt like an easy way out that would have results that likely wouldn't last. Then I happened to be at my chiropractor who I have seen for years and trust. He's also pretty savvy in the medical field in general and was a major fitness guru in his younger days. I talked to him about it and shared my concerns about the side effects. He said the multiple health benefits that they are finding with these meds is far out reaching the negative side effects. Turns out his own wife had been on the meds for many months and was doing great.

    At that point,I think I decided it was probably worth it. So that's where my journey got interesting in regards to perimenopause. Since being on the meds and dropping the weight my hot flashes have gone away almost completely. I don't know if there is a correlation , maybe its just the dropped weight , maybe its the meds. I am now down about 28 lbs total from where I started with another 30-35 to go to Goal weight . I feel SO MUCH better . I am working out3-4 times a week and 3 of those days I am trying to lift heavy. I don't crave sweets. I know that I won't be on the meds for the rest of my life so getting my eating plan lined out is a big focus. Being able to see my hard work and effort pay off is motivating. FINALLY ...

    Yes I still have the rapid onset barracuda moments (rage and irritational anger moments) and I wake up like clock work between 3-4 am EVERY DAMN night, but no hot flashes . I am also trying Estroven and it seems to be helping a bit.

    When I started listeing to Dr Simms, I started to realize just how complex the hormones are within our bodies and why we feel the way we feel. The why behind it really helped me put it all together. I was still eating pretty damn well before hand. I just needed to make a few tweaks and be more consistent.

    Now the way I look at food is different. I put what my body needs to fuel me through the day. I am still trying to sort it all out and figure out what works best for me.

    I am glad I found this thread
  • HappyDonkey75
    HappyDonkey75 Posts: 269 Member
    @KareninCanada- I agree, the late 40's mind set. I know for me it was definitely a wake up call when my knees started giving me trouble . The scale kept going up and I kept feeling like a steaming pile of you know what. I hated what I saw in the mirror and I just realized I had known I needed to do something for a while but I was being lazy about it. So here I am , 30 lbs down and I'd like to lose another 30. Its been slow. Even on the GLP meds. I am not a fast loser at all.

    @HoneyBadger302- it sounds like your on your way. Good work. This past week my bloat has been horrible and my weight has been stagnant so definintely sympathize. I am looking into getting my hormones tested though. I think HRT might be needed.

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