Short sharp fast weight loss ideas for peri menopause/menopause?

[regularbutpanickingabit]

I know this isn’t a great idea and I know that slow and steady weight loss is best but I’m desperate for a quick solution. Also embarrassed.

I have 8 weeks until I am a matron of honour at my sister’s wedding abroad. It’s somewhere very very hot. The dress has been bought. There’s a week of festivities, all requiring skimpy, elegant or pretty dresses. And swimwear.

I have steadily put on weight over the last 3 years and am now at my heaviest and the vast majority of it is on my stomach. I look like I am 6-7 months pregnant and I hate it. My neck is fat. My face looks bloated. I look a lot older than I am because of it. I am approaching a dangerously high BMI.

I am going through peri menopause. My usual lowish carb, drink more water, move more approach is just not working. I can’t do high impact gym glasses or go running because I’ve damaged my hip and had an ankle op a few months ago. Walking isn’t that easy for the same reason.

My head is not in the right place. My sleep is disordered. I am not eating huge amounts of crap but I’m not eating well. Alcohol only at weekends but I can’t not have a few drinks then.

I am thinking a quick fix diet to lose some weight fast will help everything. It will get me out of a rut, get me feeling positive again by seeing myself starting to look better and just kick start a healthier relationship with food and drink again.

I am dreading this wedding and I don’t want to feel like that. I don’t want my obesity to be forever immortalised in those pictures. I want to have a goood time celebrating my beautiful sister and not be worried about this. I won’t be slim but there’s a big difference between beaches whale and slim and I want to fall somewhere else than where I am. I know that’s vain.

i also know i won’t lose all the weight in that time but I am desperate to do something significant and fast.

Can anyone recommend a solution that has worked for them?

Thank you.

PS I am doing intermittent fasting (16/8) and cutting out carbs alongside the Saxenda, it does make it easier to stick to this as I just have no desire to fill my face with carby snacks.

Another vote for intermittent fasting. Look up Cynthia Thurlow, she has a podcast and YouTube channel and us a huge advocate of IF for women - particularly peri/menopausal women. She’s not about weight loss, more the rebalancing of hormones but the side effect of that will be weight loss.

She launched a book earlier this year which is a 45 day plan to kick start things, so may be worth looking at that. You can get it on Amazon.

Here: www.amazon.co.uk/Intermittent-Fasting-Transformation-Stubborn-Hormonal/dp/0593419316/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=cynthia+thurlow&qid=1654949533&sr=8-1

I might add Saxenda to my attempts at lower carbs and IF. How are you finding it in terms of cost and side effects? Do you need to up the dose as recommended or are you happy at the minimum amount long term?

I'm on the lowest dose. I would be scared to up it as I fear I would then eat nothing at all! Today I have eaten a hot cross bun. Dinner is meatballs and a salad, but I don't fancy it at all. Maybe an apple for dessert. I'm about to go and sunbathe in the garden. Usually I would take a cocktail. All I fancy now is a glass of fizzy water. No side effects at all apart from not being hungry and feeling tired if I forget to eat entirely

That sounds doable, then. How long have you been using it, and how much have you lost, if you don't mind me peppering the thread with nosey questions.

Found one of the Cynthia Thurlow videos that’s worth looking at:

There is a Saxenda support thread in Weight loss chat, and a FB support group with more info.

Michael Mosely blood sugar diet. Low carb, 800 cals a day. Fast 16 hours a day. Do it for 8 weeks. I lost 34 pounds. It's tough but it works.