August's perimenopause waist reclaim thread

[Katekarate]

Here we are as promised I'll try to tag in everyone from the previous thread but sorry if I missed anyone, do join in. @Skybluepinkgiraffe @MiniTheMinx @badpuma @Timeforredwine @Jackieweaverishere @ittakes2 @Seesawmummadaw @itwasgoodwhileitlasted @wtfisgoingonhere21 @EssexLioness @Shallwegoforawalk @Flamingo49 @Chisontoast @Upupandiwent @MistySkiesAfterRain @Bambooshoot @ Fordian @LlamaofDrama @Readytostartagain

Ive just had some watermelon. I had a hunger pang. Had sausage rolls in the fridge, and i said NO! Im not a snacker, but watermelon is ok, full of essential water!

Can I join? 44 and another shortie at 5'2. Think I'm about 10.7 stone. Worst fitness levels of my life

Please everyone who wants to join in do, all very welcome

It's made me fancy some watermelon MrsDThomas

Hi this all sounds like me. 44 next week, overweight, no energy, periods all over the place, my belly is awful.

I plan is to stop alcohol definitely in the week/possibly altogether I will see. Drink more water I am doing C25K this week. Will ask my GP about HRT, I highly recommend a book called menopocalypse, lots of info on diet and exercise.

Hello! Can I join in? I'm 43, 5'10 and weighing 11st 11 at the mo. Periods vanished a while back, then came back, and now are stupidly erratic and heavy. I totally related to the tiredness, the brain fog and ugh the belly! Night sweats are desperately unpleasant.

I have been 5:2'ing but am finding I over eat on the non fast days now, so I am tracking calories. Being more sensible. This week hasn't started well, wedding anniversary and off with DD, so brain will be fully back on it once I return to work on Wednesday.

This is such a great idea - I am 40 and perimenopausal and I would love to join you.

My weight is creeping up and is mainly on the belly now. I used to have broad shoulders and chunky thighs with a flat stomach area, so it wasn’t too bad. Now I just feel huge all over.

I am starting to do more exercise (walking and one exercise class per week) and I need to watch what I eat - generally more veg and water and fewer crisps and cake would be a good start.

Is anyone finding a particular eating plan best for belly weight?

Does anyone have any good ideas for very low effort packed breakfast? I get up really early and do a 1.5hr journey to work and then eat there before starting at 7.50am. My usual routine is a Pret croissant but it’s a relatively expensive and high carb breakfast. I really don’t have time to prepare the night before so it would have to be a bought bar or something.

I have a slice of toast and a coffee when i get up at 6-6:30. leave for work (15 min commute) then at 9:30 i have a small pot of natural yogurt with some granola.

Is that something you could do?

I prep a pot of granola, yogurt and fruit and take that to work with me. Eat about 8.30, I’m generally not hungry before.

Hi just joining in as I got the criteria and have no motivation right now

I'd like to join and try, again. I'm 53 and started gaining weight prepandemic but it worsened early pandemic and has been so hard to shift. Whatever I try to do I gain weight. Exercise made me more hungry. Weight watchers and mfp made me think I could eat more, etc., so I'll happily do a month of no sugar and booze.

I haven't stepped on the scales in about two months as I'd been managing to maintain 12 stone but an illness, during which I lost my appetite, left me having gained weight and feeling hopeless.

I'll have a read of the thread and look for some hope!

@RoseAddict

Does anyone have any good ideas for very low effort packed breakfast? I get up really early and do a 1.5hr journey to work and then eat there before starting at 7.50am. My usual routine is a Pret croissant but it’s a relatively expensive and high carb breakfast. I really don’t have time to prepare the night before so it would have to be a bought bar or something.

I weigh out my cereal (All Bran this week) portions for the week on a Sunday. Takes about 2 minutes. Take them with me on Monday, buy a pint of skimmed milk to put in the fridge at work, sometimes put berries in top if I'm feeling adventurous. I appreciate this might not work if youre not in the same location each day.

@MrsDThomas I’m in a similar position to you.
I’m fairly active. I’m a normal BMI but all my weight is around my waist. Clothes look awful because I need a larger size to do them up and then they hang off my body. I’m in leggings 24/7 at the moment.

Inspired by you I took a few pictures and measurements. I’d like to lose 2 inches from the biggest part. I’m going to make 2 big changes for the month of August. Cut out alcohol. I sure that’s partly responsible for where the weight sits. Secondly, I’m going to try not to eat crap once the kids are in bed. I eat well all day in front of them and then as soon as they are asleep I eat. That’s what I’m going to try and quit this month.

2 inches in 4 weeks. Realistic? Not sure. Will report on progress. Good luck all!

@MrsDThomas I leave too early to eat- just before 6am. Breakfast needs to get me through to midday as I don’t have a morning break so I need to take it with me and eat just before I start.

@torquewench I’m not sure all bran will tempt me away from Pret!!

@OverByYer doesn’t the granola go soggy? I guess I could do granola and nuts and yogurt in separate Tupperware containers and then combine them at work.

@CakeandGo i think its realistic to lose it.

Im on day 3 of a better diet and feel better. My breakfast was 2 toast with peanut butter and coffee. That was at 7 and ill have some melon now. Just done a quick 15 min HIIT class. Im on a day off today so ill clean the house to keep active and stop me thinking about food.

Ive also cut put alcohol and only eat a little bit of dark chocolate if i want it. 1 square!

Part of the difficulty is that during the second half of my cycle I have this primal constant hunger, along with all manner of muscle/ bone/ headaches and palpitations and not only do I feel certain regular big meals will make me feel better, it does actually make me feel better. I’m craving dairy n particular and I wonder if I do actually need the calcium.

Hello!

Can I please join in.

I have a double whammy here, as I am confirmed peri menopausal (by the Gynae) and I am in mid winter........

51, and thankfully everything seems quite normal (cycles... apart from after the jab, no flushes that I have noticed but then again I am a cold soul in winter), but my gosh, where did these love handles suddenly appear from....... and I keep dropping everything (wtf is that all about), and then there is the 0 -100 in a second mood swing....

Granted I have not been as active as normal so I am sure that has a huge part to play, but I am just not feeling me.

I need the oomph, so this thread is perfectly timed.

I decided on the weekend that there will be NO SNACKING while watching telly in the evening. This has been my downfall lately, so I bought a load of citrus fruit and if I feel the urge, then I've had an orange. It's a good start isnt it.......? Bearing in mind I was having sweets and chocolates.

And our gym has reopened now (I am not in the UK and just gone down a lockdown level), so I can go to pilates later. And there will be no backing out because I have to report back tomorrow that I did indeed go......

And I have a Shein order on the way, and I have ordered my normal sizes, so this is going to be very telling.

Please can I join too. I'm 5ft5in and weigh 11st 8lb!!!!! In the BMI overweight category. I have not been out of the 11st bracket since Covid started. All my weight is around my tummy and I have to practically starve to lose anything. I can't exercise due to back problems but can walk so am going to up my steps and calorie count. Oh and try and cut out the junk.

@isthismylifenow yes winter isn’t helpful is it on top of everything else. I’ve just ordered new clothes a size up as I’m fed up of having to wear stretchy leggings all the time. Hope your new clothes fit and you enjoy them!

@MrsDThomas you sound very determined, I’m inspired!
I went for a 5km walk in my lunch break. Took me the whole hour but I feel really refreshed now. More productive then I normally am!

Brown bread and boiled egg sandwich for lunch and I’m snacking on fruit between meals today. The other thing I absolutely must do is up my water intake. I quite often feel like I have a headache in the afternoon and I’m pretty sure some of it is dehydration.

Don’t be fooled @CakeandGo. Ive just been to the bakery with DS for quiche and also bought a chocolate orange cake.
Shit😂. Thats my treat for the week!

That sounds delicious MrsDThomas

I'm trying small steps in the hope of making changes I can live with as I can't stick to diets. Have eaten a bit more protein today and tried not to snack in the evening again. Going to do a few more sit ups or plank before bed.

Making changes you can live with is always going to be more sustainable than dieting OP, well done.

This evening I had a huge portion of chicken curry with a load of veg and some brown rice. Only one biscuit with a cup of tea after, which is a good improvement on my usual evening intake! Hopefully these changes are sustainable in the longer term if I don’t feel too deprived with them. Just hoping they actually make a difference to the waistline too.

Hi everyone, had a bit of a shock last night after receiving blood test results back from go. Turns out I am going through early menopause, not just peri. Wasn’t expecting that and still getting my head round it tbh but it does explain why I feel so dreadful. I am 43 so was thinking I had quite a few years yet. Anyway, was in tears most of last night and don’t feel motivated at all today but food wise I should be fine. Yesterday, food went well and I made a big effort to increase my exercise. Did 1 mile walk/ jog, an exercise video and hit my 10,000 steps (fairly rare for me). Will give myself a bit of a break exercise wise today with a view to getting back on it tomorrow

@EssexLioness do you mind sharing symptoms?
I’m early 40s, have the coil, don’t have regular periods so can’t track any changes there. I’m experiencing what I consider to be depression, although I’m trying to treat without ADs at this stage. I lack energy. Feeling down. Feeling quite angry over small things. Irritable. Struggling to concentrate. Forgetful as a result. Have no patience… I could go on.
I’m wondering whether a trip to the GP would be beneficial.

I did well last night. Opted for a hot drink rather then eating crap. Have been out for a lunchtime walk again today. Trying to maintain the motivation!

@CakeandGo, of course - no problem. Sorry this will be long!
My worst symptoms are: lack of energy to the point of utter exhaustion each day, joint pains and whole body aches all the time (bit like that flu/ post viral feeling), insomnia (drop off ok but can’t stay asleep, average of 4 1/2 hours per night, moods: very low most of the time but can burst into tears/ get angry over the tiniest of things with no notice.
Also have the following issues: worsening IBS/ sensitivities to lots of foods mostly bloating and stomach pain, struggling to lose weight especially my stomach even when working my butt off for it, melasma/ pigmentation on my face, skin sensitivities to clothing and sun (come out in a rash), worsened period pains and irregular cycle (though still having periods most months), brain fog/ forgetfulness, increased clumsiness, feeling cold all the time (layers and hot water bottle in the summer and still cold), hot flushes (only time I don’t feel cold! Still infrequent but had 3 in last 6 months), increased anxiety/ lack of confidence, skin is dryer and very itchy, occasional night sweats, restless legs, random shakes eg can see my hands trembling, I have tinnitus which is much worse now, dizzy spells when getting up too quick/ out the bath etc, loss of libido, feeling like creepy crawlies are crawling all over my skin, sore sensitive breast, nails becoming more brittle. General feeling like crap/ poorly all the time and as though I am a shadow of my former self. My life is otherwise really good but feel like I have lost my sparkle