How have you managed to keep the weight off during and after menopause?

[irritablehead1]

I'm post menopausal. I exercise a lot. I try to be careful and eat really low carb (although i do slip, some days) but I can't seem to shift any weight!

Any thoughts?

There is no science to support the carb-insulin model which is at the core of the low carb.

When put to the test - as in lock people for four weeks in a clinic and have them eat low carb or low fat - people on low carb did actually lose less body fat and lost more body water and lean mass. This is important because after menopause, it is important to maintain muscle and the tests show you lose more muscle on low carb than low fat.

What truly made a difference is level of processing in food.

The dude that locks people for a living and tests them on diet at the NIH in the US presented a summary of his research at a diabetic conference and the video is quite factual . It is quite telling and puts the science before the hype.

How you do low carb, what you actually eat, can drive inflammation up if you have a lot of meat, processed meat, dairy instead of avocado, nuts, and inflammation makes losing weight more difficult. Do you know roughly how many calories you are eating per day?

Try to increase the amount of fresh food, mainly vegetables, add seeds such as linseed for example. If low carbing doesn't work for you, try the DASH diet for a few weeks.

I have to do low carb and calorie counting. None of this well if your choices are healthy you won't need to count calories fiction. No.

The second I take my eye off the ball I put on weight. Sometimes I go through phases of eating the same every day to save the hassle of logging obsessively. It's a pain. I just put on some weight because I relaxed the last month. I was craving carbs. Argh, 51 so I suppose it is going to be the way it is now.

Is the weight you want to lose a recent gain?

I don't understand a word of that last post
However at 63 and 10 years post menopause I can say that it had no impact on my weight either way. I never changed what I ate and my weight has been same for 40 years. I just eat normal meals, no low fat or low carb and no snacks and very little processed food.

@MossyBottom

Is the weight you want to lose a recent gain?

I don't understand a word of that last post
However at 63 and 10 years post menopause I can say that it had no impact on my weight either way. I never changed what I ate and my weight has been same for 40 years. I just eat normal meals, no low fat or low carb and no snacks and very little processed food.

Same here. I’ve never been overweight and didn’t put any weight on when I went through the menopause years ago.

Thanks all. Although, if not quite sure what is the point of posting that you never put on any weight during menopause/post menopause? How does that help me?

Is it to be expected that people put on weight during menopause?

Started running and stopped drinking alcohol, halved my portion size and stopped snacking, try to leave minim of12 hours between last meal at night and breakfast I’ve lost 3 stone

Oestrogen have an anti-obesity effect so yes, in menopause, when oestrogen levels plummet , the majority of women will gain weight. If you add tofu, edamame or soy-milk , rich in phytoestrogen in your diet, they might help you .

IMPORTANT : this is only true for whole food, phytoestrogen pills have the opposite effect. This difference between whole food and extract is true for many compounds. A carrot is protective against cancer, a betacarotene pill promotes cancer.

I have lost weight post menopause. All I did was try to follow the no ultraprocessed food approach recommended in Why we Eat Too much book. I don't follow it religiously but what I do is:

• don't eat anything that ultraprocessed ( I do occasionally)
• bake my own bread and ensure lots of oats
• mega increase of omega 3 so lots of fish and I take supplement
• reduced omega 6
• take a menopause vitamin
• cook from scratch more

I swim regularly but always have done.

I am probably less active since pandemic as I easily did 10k steps a day when going to office.

When I do buy processed foods I just try to ensure they don't have too many non foods in the ingredients. I think it's often very personal and for me I ate too many crisps before.

I am also never hungry. I know I could do better e.g. cook from scratch even more.

I got a dog
I have an active job, but no different to the last 15+ years. Realised I was getting a little heavier and also had wanted a dog for many years, dropped to part time,and now walk miles most days.

Other than that I just keep an eye on my intake (too much wine for sure). I don't deny myself anything but I'm not really very interested in what I eat, so tend to eat the same foods.. slice of toast and a bolied egg for breakfast, soup or salad for lunch, jacket spud with cheese/spinache/coleslaw for tea, or pasta,. A wine or two...

I did have to cut out the late night supper of cheese and crackers when I put on a stone, but did that and my weight is now exactly the same as it was the day I got married in 1990 :D (9 stone, 5 ft 7)
I used to think I was just lucky I didn't gain weight..til the menopause when it became clear I can and do put on weight quite quickly, so now I move more and eat less cheese!

@irritablehead1

Thanks all. Although, if not quite sure what is the point of posting that you never put on any weight during menopause/post menopause? How does that help me?

I think it's meant to suggest that menopause is not to blame for weight gain. It's one of those things that gets blamed for everything from weight gain to health conditions and then people are less likely to look for the real cause.

Eat less

Exercise every day

There's no secret

Well spayed bitches have a tendency to weight gain if you feed them the same amount of food as previously, so I’m working on that premise for myself!
We have a pretty good diet for our meals, it’s the evening snacks which kill me so I’m limiting them to around 100cals

16:8, lots of exercise and low to no sugar. Very little alcohol.

Intermittent fasting suits me 12 12. 4 slices of bread daily and no more. Unfortunately I get SAD which means Feb March April I crave carbohydrates but by end May usually resolved and any weight gain lost again. I drink plenty of water too. V little or no sugar no alcohol no chocolate. I would prefer a more keto diet but have to take 12 dried prunes daily as two meds I take give constipation.

I can also recommend taking digestive enzymes daily plus acidophilus. Good for the microbiome.

I dunno how much is hormonal, or due to disability ... but age is strongly linked to how much exercise people do. Which makes me think that most people do less physical activity as they get older as a lifestyle choice - yet being sedentary isn't good for preventing weight gain.

Low carb & no alcohol for me.

My impression is that, in general, we need fewer calories as we age and this is exacerbated by the hormonal changes of the menopause.

Here is a good TDEE calculator to give you an idea of how many calories you need each day.

I find that the more refined carbs I eat the more I crave them, so the easiest way to control my calorie intake is just to eat proper food (mostly protein, vegetables and fruit), which satisfies me, and skip refined carbs. This way I feel as if I eat what and when I want, but don't put on weight, so I'm obviously only eating what I need. I think there's a vicious circle - if I eat more, I want more and can tolerate more; if I regularly eat less, I feel uncomfortable ("stuffed") if I eat more than usual, so I stop.

I managed to keep the weight off through HRT and I eat healthily anyway, but had a stroke a few months ago so had to come off HRT as Oestrogen a risk factor, and my weight has shot up. Gained nearly a stone and my midriff has expanded horribly. Can't seem to shift it no matter how healthily I eat. I tend not to eat carbs in the evening, and eat a shed load of fruit & veg. I haven't been able to work out either post stroke but still walk a lot. Feel your pain OP.

I have read on here some women using testosterone for menopause (not NHS) and the positive physical impacts it has - creating more muscle, energy etc... I think you can get it prescribed privately for menopause.

I couldn't have HRT for long as I got diagnosed with hormone fed cancer 😔, so I have been intermittent fasting and MASSIVELY increased my fitness. 11kg loss (excluding the boob they whipped off! ) and counting... Fasting is fine, I only feel hungry about once a month now (about 9 months in) and I have finally found an exercise I enjoy. It's only taken 48 years...

@Icantfindanewname

I couldn't have HRT for long as I got diagnosed with hormone fed cancer 😔, so I have been intermittent fasting and MASSIVELY increased my fitness. 11kg loss (excluding the boob they whipped off! ) and counting... Fasting is fine, I only feel hungry about once a month now (about 9 months in) and I have finally found an exercise I enjoy. It's only taken 48 years...

I'm sorry to hear about your cancer. I hope you've recovered well.

When you say you've massively increased fitness, what does that look like (and what is it? I'm just curious!)

@amicissimma

My impression is that, in general, we need fewer calories as we age and this is exacerbated by the hormonal changes of the menopause.

Here is a good TDEE calculator to give you an idea of how many calories you need each day.

I find that the more refined carbs I eat the more I crave them, so the easiest way to control my calorie intake is just to eat proper food (mostly protein, vegetables and fruit), which satisfies me, and skip refined carbs. This way I feel as if I eat what and when I want, but don't put on weight, so I'm obviously only eating what I need. I think there's a vicious circle - if I eat more, I want more and can tolerate more; if I regularly eat less, I feel uncomfortable ("stuffed") if I eat more than usual, so I stop.

Thanks, that's really interesting

HRT has helped me stay pretty well the same weight over the last four or five years, give or take two or three pounds. I take a lot more rigorous exercise though and no longer drink during the week. I eat a very small evening meal: tonight it will be a portion of salmon, vegetables and some fruit. So, HRT, more exercise and smaller portions.

What does "a lot" of exercise mean? How much exercise does the average person on here get?