Have you had to dramatically cut what you eat in order to maintain weight in your late 40s/perimenopause? If so, do you worry about not getting enough nutrients?

[JMAngel1]

Just that really. I have had to reduce what I eat to probably 50% of what I ate 5 years ago just to try to keep my tummy reasonable and weight relatively stable. But I feel kije I hardly eat anything! Wierdly, I'm not hungry as I do keto but maybe my body is lacking in vital nutrients?
Here's what I ate yesterday
Apple
Banana mashed up with one teaspoon sugar free peanut butter.

Keto muffin made with one egg, spinach, almond powder and feta cheese

Approx 1/4 medium chicken with beetroot, rocket and cucumber.

What do you think? It doesn't seem like a lot written down. I used to have Paleo snack bars and dark chocolate but have had to cut them out as tummy was getting very flabby.

Yes absolutely right back and I have a gastric band too so I can only really manage 1000 calories a day as it's quite tight.
I can't exercise due to my spinal problems so I have to take prescription vitamins from my GP to make it up.
I've just started Huel, which is a liquid meal replacement with all the calories and vitamins and minerals you need and am finding it so much easier than trying to eat enough solid food.

@sleepwhenidie. I do try to ensure that everything I eat is nutritious - that is always on my mind - I have good energy now and can run 2K with kids every Sunday with little/no effort. I don't feel frail now at all but yes am concerned that could lead to this in later age.
It's not entirely vanity - when I put weight on, I feel sluggish/low energy and somewhat demotivated for day ahead - lack gusto iyswim.

The lacking gusto is in your head. You could happily and healthily be 9.5 stone at your height.

9 stone 5! My heaviest pregnancy weight was 9 stone 2. I would look like a weeble at 9 stone 5 - I truly am a very tiny frame.

I'm not sure I believe in frame types, but if you have energy thrn that's good. I think if i was restricting my eating to the point where i was worried about not getting enough nutrition I'd be looking to eat a bit more.

Some of the diets on here are bonkers!

You could happily and healthily be 9.5 stone at your height
That's not necessarily true, at least as far as health. The OP has said excess weight goes to her abdominal area, that indicates she's an apple shape and is at risk of carrying dangerous levels of visceral fat.
I'm an apple shape and well within healthy BMI but I would ideally like to lose a few more pounds to lose another inch or so from my waist.

Noone who is 5 3 and weighs 9.5 stone has dangerous levels of anything. Don't be absurd.

Your weight is fine, especially given the face comment. Sadly we can't get away with eating as we did at 25.
Is your 'fat' stomach actually just not toned and poor posture? Or bloating - you could try cutting out gluten and dairy. I guess fat does redistribute to the stomach and boobs as we age, sadly Also stress doesn't help with that, search adrenal fatigue if you're interested. And get your thyroid function checked- your GP can do a blood test, but research thyroid and diet too. Even if your thyroid is 'normal', if it's a bit low avoiding goitrogenic foods will help.
My routine is yoga, gym, eating healthily including gluten-free, low carb, little dairy, lots of fruit and veg, eggs and nuts.
But remember only teenage or barely out of their teens Instagram models have flat stomachs

I had to, at that age. I'm 59 now and really struggling since I've been back at work full time and veeeery sedentary.

I can cope as long as i can focus on my weight and fitness 24/7. I'm not at the moment.

I eat:

• tea with flat sugar - 40 cals.

• Lunchables/ sushi plus Sunbites plus Liberte yoghurt: 440 cals.

• snack when i get home of a couple Ryvita Thins and Lurpak.

• evening meal of either:

more Thins plus some cheese and another Liberte

• a couple fishfingers plus portion peas.

snack for later - a couple more bloody Thins.

Not the greatest but at least I can stick to it as i like all the food.

I reckon on around 1200 - 140 cals per day. TDEE is 1450. Miserable.

I'm 48, and have had to drastically cut down the amount of calories I eat. Anything over 1200 a day and I put weight on. I'm really active, walk around 3/4 miles a day with dogs, work full time and do all the housework when I get in. Drives me mad.

To lose weight, I have to stay under 1000 calories. I'm doing 16:8 intermittent fasting and that's the only way I've managed to lose weight at all over the last few year. Add on heavier miserable periods even with a Mirena, I'm thoroughly fed up with it all at times

Some people are just apples. I am. No-one at a healthy BMI and OP's is probably about 21, has dangerous levels of fat and I can't stand this having a go at people who are apples through no fault of their own. Are we supposed to be enaciated everywhere else?
Actually wasn't there a thread on here by a woman whose 'fat stomach' was ovarian cancer? Not to scare OP but it wouldn't hurt to go to the GP if it's really disproportionate, and to get that thyroid test.

Broken11girl I said she might be at risk of higher visceral fat levels if her weight was higher. It depends on her waist measurement.
Are we supposed to be emaciated everywhere else?
It's entirely up to you, but my priority is to keep my waist measurement within health guidelines. If I look very thin in other areas then so be it.
I can't stand this having a go at people who are apples through no fault of their own
How is repeating current (well researched) health advice 'having a go'? I'm an apple shape myself, I just don't take health advice as a personal insult.

I’m fasting a lot now and really reducing f my eating. I’m very mindful that the food I’m eating has to be sustaining me. I also neck a shit load of supplements and homemade vegetable juice packed full of spinach etc. I’m 44 and on HRT. One stone just appeared in the last 6 months with no re change in eating.

Just to add that stone has gone now and I’m back to a healthy BMI.

I’m nearly 49 and finding this thread scary and depressing.
I can’t be hungry for the next 35 years just so I can fit into the same sized clothes!
So it’s wobble all the way for me. I’m doing C25K and try to make healthy choices. That’s enough head space given to food and my figure.

The exercise you're doing is all very low impact. I'm mid-40s and started running a few months ago. I'm burning around 400 cals per 40-min run now and I'm starting to notice positive changes to my body shape. Also, unlike other kinds of exercise which seem to make me starving hungry, running doesn't.

I'm also small (5'4" and around 8 st 12lbs), and don't need a huge amount of food, but the amount you're eating is tiny! I'd probably start doing some cardio exercise and I'd eat some whole grains (oats, brown rice, etc). If I steer clear of booze, fizzy drinks, sweeteners, most sugar and refined carbs I find it fairly easy to manage my weight so far.

I turned 40 earlier this year, and although everything with my cycle still seems regular, I’ve had to fairly dramatically reduce my calorie intake in the last year. I’m carb free and I use intermittent fasting. I’m very careful until dinner then I eat what my family are having minus bread & pasta. It’s not always easy, but I’m happier when my clothes fit nicely. I also always have Saturday off which makes it less of a sacrifice and I can eat out with family or fiends.

@zafferana. good advice - I'm going to up my cardio - the pilates I do does have HIT intervals and I definitely work up a sweat but appreciate I could do more cardio.

This business about metabolism slowing with age is mostly bollocks! It only slows a minimal amount. What actually happens is that we become less and less active, and apparently our appetite control mechanism works less well. I am 54, 5 foot tall and have a desk job so I should have the slowest metabolism going! But I walk a lot, move a reasonable amount, and weight train. I eat around 1700 calories per day and weigh in at around 47-48 kilos. I also don't eat much processed food (crisps, biscuits, cakes, fizzy drinks).

It sounds like you've always restricted food? Which may mean your body has gotten very good at using what few calories you allow it as it is essentially functioning in starvation mode. No one over the internet is going to shift a long standing intersting/disordered relationship with body image and food. But health wise building muscle (weights or using your body for resistance) is important as we age. How about Pilates or HIT classes?

hettie is right - hormone changes around menopause means that muscle mass naturally decreases - classic post menopausal eternal dieter will have flat bum, slim arms and legs and less defined waist, maybe a bit of a tummy. Most muscle is in bum and legs and arms, so when this deteriorates that is why body shape changes. And, since muscle burns the most calories, why calorie requirements will change. Any exercise is good but if at 40+ you do nothing else, you should do resistance (weight bearing) training regularly, as well as muscle it also maintains bone density which will make you less prone to injury in later life. (High impact exercise also has this effect on bones.)

You sound like you have an eating disorder

If I had an eating disorder, would I be concerned about nutrients?

Or obsess about all aspects of eating and nutrition and body shape