to ask how you lost your menopause related weight gain?

@GreyCarpet thanks and noted. 😊

I'm not commenting on that particular product. I'm another always eat full fat so I haven't looked tbh because low carbing requires a higher fat intake.

But you asked why people reject and advise against fat free and so I answered that.

Like I said, if it works for you, great. But those are the reasons other people avoid it generally.

Fage 'total' doesn't have any nasties in.

I'm not talking about full fat yoghurt where they replace it with gums and sweeteners for thickness and taste. Just strained green yoghurt with the fat strained off.

I'd argue that for the calories, I can eat 300g of 0% total yoghurt for breakfast which is 30g of protein for about 180calories (Haven't checked the packet so I might be slightly out there) but if I had the 5% fat version, for the same g of protein I'd need a extra 100 calories.

Those extra 100 cals is nearly two squares of 100% cocoa dark chocolate to have with my morning coffee!

Not all of us can have HRT
Not everyone puts on weight during menopause

@CurlyhairedAssassin

toy asked about breakfast and lunches.

breakfast ….porridge (sometimes pinhead oatmeal as keeps me going longer, I’ll cook a batch and reheat some in the morning) frozen berries, seeds, nuts,full fat yoghurt.
or scrambled eggs on sourdough toast, sometimes with salmon.
sourdough with 1/2 avocado and poached eggs, roasted tomatoes (done night before) some herbs if I’ve got anything in
veg omelette
scrambled egg.

lunch is usually leftovers or home made bean or lentil soup. Apple or banana for a snack.

i used to mainline crisps….and snack on cheese and biscuits after dinner.

my weakness time is straight after work when I get home, grazing on stuff before making tea. I worked it out after being on this thread and it could easily be 300 extra calories in a bit of cheese, some nuts or olives…. That I then don’t take off my dinner…

Completely agree. I didn't quite do keto but due to very high cholesterol I had a rethink and gave up refined carbs (white pasta, bread, rice, flour, etc), saturated fat, sugar (including alcohol) and cut down red meat massively. Increasing beans, veg, fruit, fish, chicken. I now might have wheat once a fortnight and a glass of wine if we go out.

Not only did I lose 2.5stone in about 8 months but within a couple of weeks every patch of eczema, aches and pains, etc, disappeared.

I'm 65 and from about 40 have had to eat significantly less. Not helped by the fact that in my teens, 20s and early 30s I could eat tons and not gain weight - the rampant thyroid, diagnosed late, at 30 may have contributed.

I read somewhere that it's 70% food and 30% exercise. Lots of the latter doesn't mean you can compensate with food sadly.

What's wrong with fat free Fage Greek Yoghurt? I've never understood this issue people have with fat free.

It's because fat free isn't a natural product and the fat is replaced by 'nasties' to give it the same texture/mouth feel.

Plus fat keeps you satiated and you're less inclined to snack.

Fat isn't actually bad for you. The crap they replace it with is.

If you find it works for you, that's great, but that is the reason people say to avoid fat free.

Very low carb or keto is the only thing that works for me. Any smelly breath (and I don’t always have it) is easily dealt with by sugar free mints or mouthwash.

What's wrong with fat free Fage Greek Yoghurt? I've never understood this issue people have with fat free.

I lose weight beautifully eating this. And I eat tons of fruit.

As long as you track calories (and I also have to track fibre as I have prolapse and need soft bowels), then you will lose weight.

I've had to go nuclear as I've gained 8kg in 2 years on HRT and I'm almost 50 so I meal replace breakfast and lunch with a Puriton plant based shake.

If I need to I snack on home roasted chickpeas and some fruit and have a main protein based meal in the evening but even then a smaller portion. I drink black coffee and have cut out my sugar.

I train 3 times as well but otherwise I'm a desk job so pretty sedentary.

Within a week of changing to this I've lost 2kg (I'd guess water weight) but it feels like a good way to reduce calories and lucky I enjoy sipping on my shakes during the day and saves me having to think about making lunch.

I'm hopeful that this reduction in calories will get me used to a lower intake and then I'll switch back to having eggs for breakfast.

I put on a lot of weight when I started HRT. Like 3 stone in a couple of months. And nothing shifted it. I also exercise a lot and don’t eat unhealthily. I have been doing Mounjaro and thank goodness it’s worked. Wish I could have tackled it naturally but it seemed impossible.

Yes you buy powder and I have a shaker which came free with it (just add to milk or plant milk) or if I want to add banana and oats etc I pop in a blender or nutribullet

Ok. Takes literally 30 secs in a blender!
Fair enough if you don't like it but you can get 25g protein that way which is more than bacon and 2 eggs

I agree, low carb can be wonderful, but how do you avoid constipation and do you suffer with bad breath because of keto?

Very low carb diet. Walking a fair bit. Weight training.

HRT works for me.
Used to just run a lot but have added in weight training, circuits and swimming (plus dog walking).
I try to cook from scratch - lots of veg - and have increased protein. Gave up alcohol for dry January and have not gone back to it. Don't eat puddings but I do eat (dark) chocolate and chocolate covered fruit. Limit bread and carbs.
Same weight as I was at 40 - now 50 plus

• but eat way less.

HRT.

Good quality diet (70% wholefoods etc / 30% treats etc). Lots of protein. We don't need the massive portions we think we do. My TDEE is 1600 cals max.

Lots of exercise. Lots of weights. Plus cardio / HIT / abs / swim. Or a 2.5 hour walk. Most Days. I struggle to gain weight.

I low carb.

I've never had a sweet tooth anyway so giving up sugar was easy. Lots of salad and veg with salmon, chicken, pork belly... mmm... coffee with double cream (I used to drink tea endlessly and I've gone right off it). I've also lost taste for alcohol. One glass of wine and I don't want anymore. No beer which is a shame because it's my drink of choice. But I also seem to have gone off that too so...

A few berries and double cream is enough sweetness now. And I have a well stocked cheese shelf. Wasn't ever really bothered about chocolates and biscuits and I can't remember the last time I fancied a slice.of cake. Not having a sweet tooth definitely helps!

My biggest problem is eating enough now because I don't have much of an appetite anymore.

That's interesting to me, because I so agree that eating the same amount as before definitely causes me to gain weight. However, so far I haven't been hungry eating less. I wonder why that is?

Sorry, I meant as I became peri menopausal and then menopausal I found eating the same amount as before caused me to gain weight.

I have tried eating less, but I'm always so hungry, it's miserable. I've tried low carbon, but became horribly constipated and felt my breath smelt.

I’ve been doing 16:8 so I eat between 10 and 6, and I’ve lost a stone, but I think I’m going to need to give up sugar as well, because the weight loss has slowed down

I don't do any "fat free" stuff. Minimal processed shit. I just have less of the proper stuff. Be careful with the berries. Can be lots of sugar in those.

Because eating more calories than your body requires isn't healthy. Your knees won't thankyou if you have excess weight to carry around. Neither will your heart. You're at risk of developing diabetes if your diet is all over the place.

Macros and weight training. Having plonked on a stone around my middle which would not shift, I followed both and shifted the stone in 4 months.

If you've gained weight despite eating the same amount, have you tried just simply eating less?