to ask how you lost your menopause related weight gain?

I just eat less. I haven’t had noticeable weight gain - currently in middle of induced menopause- and my weight has fluctuated by +/- 1kg from one week to the next.

I am 56 and same weight from say5 years ago, around 10st 5'9.

I hardly ever eat crisps, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, ice-cream, or processed food generally.
I try to eat high protein meals with plenty veg, pulses.
I don't eat much bread and fewer potatoes.

Mostly I eat well for health rather than weight as I have an autoimmune condition and want to feel as well as possible.

I walk a lot and do some weights and a bit of cardio.

Mounjaro

Your metabolism is slowing as you age. You need to eat less, you can't eat portions like when you were 25. So say you used to have 5 roast potatoes with your Sunday dinner, now have 3 and be consistent. Cup of tea and a biscuit ? You used to eat 3, now have 1.

One thing I do is look at what it is I’m offered and decide the cost benefit analysis. A cheap custard cream? A slice of Tesco sliced bread? No thanks but those extra calories if I take them will be an M&S shortbread and a slice of sourdough at my lovely local cafe. You cannot deny everything you like in life but go for quality not quantity.

Find out your TDEE. Mine made me weep. It's 1400 so to lose weight I have to eat 1000 calories a day. I've just lost 3 and half stone doing that. I actually had to stop exercising as much as I used to as 1000 really feels very little.

I tried to lose weight for 7 years before that, exercising my arse off, but I was doing 1500 calories, so actually gaining weight!

I didn't gain any weight but I now weigh about half a stone less than pre-menopause. I've always been fit and normal weight (what you would now call slim). I did turn vegetarian a few years ago which I think triggered the weight loss. I also can't tolerate alcohol now so that may have been a factor.

Weight gain is not inevitable. I never "diet" and I eat plenty of cake but I don't do takeaways, fizzy drinks or rubbish food.

I tried ever which way to lose the weight I gained, about 3/4 of a stone but nothing would shift my stubborn tummy. Eventually, I gave up and over a period of time, (a couple of years), it just fell off naturally. I'm now back to size 10. I think it's hormones.

I hate to say it, but my experience is the appetite doesn't reduce, you just get used to being more disciplined in what you eat and the amount 😟

I’m so fed up with losing & gaining the same stone for the last 5 yrs. I weighed roughly the same for 15 yrs sfyer my DC were born eating more or less what i wanted! If I felt I needed/ wanted to lose a few pounds for a holiday/special occasion it was always easy enough. Then all of a sudden I gained over 2st while eating the same as before.
I exercise much more than I used to, dog walking & recently joining a gym . Have dropped a couple of pounds & clothes fitting a bit better but I have had to significantly reduce the number of calories I eat. It’s soul destroying as I feel hungry most of the time. I cook from scratch & have cut out takeaways this year as they were a weekly bad habit we got into as a family. Currently trying to
eat more protein & snack on fruit & veg rather than crisps which are my downfall. Trying to reduce carbs as bread & pasta are faves so this is hard.Wonder when appetite will reduces as most older people I know eat much less?

I don't have any specific experience to add, but it's clear that calorie requirements decrease while appetite and/or habits don't decrease, at least not to the same extent. With that in mind, my approach, which granted I've only just started, is to try and stack the odds in my favour. I've taken some inspiration from the Glucose Goddess and Interval Weight loss. For example, preventing glucose swings by eating a protein based breakfast, not eating carbs between meals, eating different food groups in a particular order. Also reducing cravings by having lots of choices of healthy food in the house and in sight, and less of the other stuff, getting a decent night's sleep etc. Doing weights to improve or at least maintain muscle mass as this will improve/maintain metabolism. And not losing too much weight too quickly as this could lead to rebound/yo-yo dieting.

I have to say since starting this I haven't had any urge to eat between meals. Whether it produces results time will tell, but it is definitely playing the long game rather than a quick fix.

This is the conclusion I've come to too. I maintain on around 1,000 calories a day. I need to cut down to 800 or less for at least 3 weeks to lose even 2lb.

I live rurally so walk a lot in the woods

Good luck

This just popped up on my Insta lol!

www.instagram.com/reel/C_PoYLeNjXq/?igsh=MXFvbDhqZ3JmOTZ0Zg==

Well done, id be happy with 4lb too. I'm going to try power walking maybe with a backpack and also signing up to the 10K swim in March Cancer Research Challenge.

I've been on HRT for 15 months.
I've only been power walking and cutting out snacks since New Year. I've lost 4lb so quite happy with that

Low carb

Has it worked for you so far? How long have you been on HRT?

I couldn’t shift anything no matter what I did, until my periods finally stopped for good. The yo-yo hormones just seemed to work against me. Now it’s all shut up shop completely, I lost 3 stone in a year doing 16:8 fasting.

Calorie counting. As you age you need less calories. I lose and gain the same half stone a lot, I can lose half a stone in 5-6wks. It’s not easy and I am hungry at first but adapt after a few days / first week. I know i’ll regain, as i’m short and can’t eat much without gaining, but I have a cut off weight where the diet has to start.

HRT might work for some women, but it's not the answer for everyone.

Me too, I recon hot yoga or salsa classes might be the answer, but honestly the menopausal weight gain is the least of my worries.

I have no idea if this is actually a correct analogy but when my dog was neutered the vet said to cut his calories by a third straight away. He still put on weight and had to have even less. His weight is now good and stable but on much less food than he used and to have.

I assume that the loss of hormones in menopause is crudely a bit like the dog being neutered and therefore having a lower metabolism and requiring less food

Basically whatever it takes to eat less. In my case calorie counting to prevent mindless snacking (if I eat it I'll have to log it) and intermittent fasting. I still enjoy nice food but much less of it than I used to be able to have. I do weight train as well.

There’s loads of recipes on instagram that are low calorie, high protein but really tasty. Living on miserable bland food is not sustainable. eg. fraser_reynolds (I also have his recipe book. His recipes have a barcode that scan into mfp or nutracheck).

Oh, and tracking everything on an app (I prefer nutracheck to track protein) is a must.

@TheNeighboursComplainAboutTheNoisesAbove thanks. And there's not great secret - mainly I'm just eating my main meal with extra extra veg....and a small amount of carb.

Mounjaro.

Food noise zapped.