Is it possible to lose weight in perimenopause?

[Wanabe]

I hit early perimenopause at the end of my 30s. It took a while to figure out what was happening. I think I have HRT sorted now. I have put on about a stone a year however, and gone up from a size 8 to a 16 in about 4 years.
Everything I researched told me that slow and steady wins the race. Learned about blood sugar and fasting and gut microbiomes.
No fads. No crash diets. Just eat more vegetables and less processed food. Focus on eating well rather than trying to lose weight, and the weight loss will take care of itself.

I really have tried to stay positive. Have worked on being comfortable in my own skin. I have worked on reducing stress and upping connections with others.
But I'm struggling today. It's hot and sunny and I feel huge. My body shape is just so... middle-aged. I hate the way I am judged.

My inner feminist hates me for saying this. I've squashed this down. But fuck it. I just want to be slim again. I want to feel like me again. I want my flat tummy again. I want my breasts to not fall down to the sides. I want shapely legs, not fat ankles. I want my rings and bracelets to fit on my fingers and wrists again. I want to wear dresses and not have the pain of my thighs rubbing together. I don't want to "ummph" when I stand up or wobbly when I run.

I just want to be me again :(

Yes it is. I lost my excess stone on keto. Yaaay I was back to my 20 something year old weight and in my size 8 clothes. Except I don’t have my 20 something year old face and neck anymore. I looked scrawny and old. I realised the old adage of choosing between your face and arse as you get older is actually true. I am 49 btw. I have now realised I need a few extra pounds to stop me looking like a crack addict.

Unbelievably after being very overweight my entire adult life, a loss of appetite has come with the peri-menopause. My horrible hormones seem to have settled and I don’t feel hungry a lot of the time. Junk food I used to love makes me feel queasy. The same thing happened when I was pregnant. I just ate regularly and actually lost weight. Same thing seems to be happening now.

We’re all different. Good luck OP. It’s hard I know.

I cut carbs right down. I now eat extra veg with meals and no potatoes, pasta, rice, bread etc. I’ve lost a lot of weight and am maintaining. I still eat pasta & rice occasionally, but eating this way has become a way of life. I used to eat potatoes & rice out of habit really & I don’t miss them.

Have a look at Emma Storey Gordon (ESG Fitness) on Instagram, she is a specialist coach and has an interest in menopause. She replies to every DM and happy to give free advice.

I have really struggled. I have had a BMI of 25/26 most of my adult life so have never been a skinny Minnie, but my BMI just crept up and up and whereas I lost weight successfully with 5:2 ten years ago I feel so unwell now on 500 days that I can't do it.

I made a decision at the beginning of this month to go slow and steady. Losing 2 stone in a year means a calorie deficit of 250 calories a day which I'm currently achieving relatively easily by eating better and not snacking.

Post menopause I've also thought about building strength (or at least slowing the decline). So I braved a body composition assessment at the gym. I can't say that finding out I had too much fat and not enough muscle was much of a surprise. What I wasn't expecting to learn was where I needed to build muscle - everywhere but especially around my core. I've started a few exercises and signed on for Pilates, hoping that helps to build my core muscles and assist with losing weight.

It's early days, but I feel this is a more realistic and sustainable plan and at least it's not making me miserable.

Good luck - the right approach is out there for you.

i'm on HRT

put on stones! probably covid had a bit to do with that too

nothing i did really worked so i'm finally biting the bullet and going with a weight loss drug. its working and its falling off, bit of a miracle really!

lost half a stone now in 10 days

I'm 44 and have no idea if I'm perimenopausal (which makes me think I'm not) but it's been so much harder to keep the weight off since turning 30, then 35, then 40...

I'm actually the fittest I've been in a long time but to keep my weight in check at 5ft 8 and 10st 10 (but would like to drop a few pounds) I have to do the following:

• Intermittent Fasting (16:8)
• Calorie Count (1,500 per day)
• Keep my carb intake down
• Get to the gym 4-5 times a week

It's hard 😫 but nothing is as good as slim feels... although wine comes a close second!

I'm 5 foot 9, 150 pounds is the dream. I weighed that many moons ago and allowed my mother to convince me I was fat ...

I've lost 30 pounds over the course of the last 10 months, I know that's SLOW but life seems so complicated at the moment that's the best I could do. I need to lose as much again so it's going to take a while

Im 47 and have a belly. I run 20-30 miles a week. Eat only between 6am-6pm. Walk loads, water they the day.

And that podge is there😡

Wait. Does HRT fatten everyone up? FFS am mid-40s, the biggest I’ve ever been and am probably in peri. Was looking forward to HRT in years ahead to take the edge off but it will lead me to an even earlier grave if it piles on the pounds.

Peri can unfortunately make you feel more tired, and more hungry, which naturally makes it harder to lose weight because you don’t want to exercise, and when you under eat to lose weight, you end up starving!

It’s possible but a lot harder than it used to be.

@Clusterduck

Wait. Does HRT fatten everyone up? FFS am mid-40s, the biggest I’ve ever been and am probably in peri. Was looking forward to HRT in years ahead to take the edge off but it will lead me to an even earlier grave if it piles on the pounds.

yes!! we are all fattened up! never been this hard to keep weight off or lose it

Yes, get braces! I lost a stone in a few weeks because eating was so hard at first.

That's probably a bit drastic if you don't have any dental issues though. I think it showed me that you can lose weight through calorie restriction in perimenopause (I'm mid-40s). It would take some willpower though.

@Clusterduck

Wait. Does HRT fatten everyone up? FFS am mid-40s, the biggest I’ve ever been and am probably in peri. Was looking forward to HRT in years ahead to take the edge off but it will lead me to an even earlier grave if it piles on the pounds.

I felt fatter for the first couple of months but I think it was bloating or water because my weight has stayed the same. The bloating has gone now, probably my body just adjusting to the extra hormones. Everyone is different but I think it’s peri that puts the weight on, not HRT.

Start smoking?

@Clusterduck

Wait. Does HRT fatten everyone up? FFS am mid-40s, the biggest I’ve ever been and am probably in peri. Was looking forward to HRT in years ahead to take the edge off but it will lead me to an even earlier grave if it piles on the pounds.

HRT hasn't changed my weight, which is on the low side of normal for my height and build. But neither has peri/menopause. However, I eat pretty much the same type and quantity of food as I've always eaten - three smallish meals a day, no snacks, don't like cakes/puddings/biscuits/chocolate. If I go to a cafe, since OP asked this, I have a black coffee and nothing to eat. I do like crisps, but don't buy them. If I felt the need to lose weight, I'd cut out wine. I walk a lot and rarely sit down. I suspect that overly large portions and 'extras' (snacks) are responsible for a lot of weight gain at any age.

I am 42.. no idea about peri. No symptoms anyway.

I am getting good results with intermittent fasting (16:8) and one extended fast (at least 44 hours) a week. I am not intending low carb, but am avoiding white rice, pasta and potatoes. Also sweets and alcohol.
I also do an hour of cardio workout daily. I use an Oculus VR headset to achieve that as I am allergic to traditional exercise!

@nickEcave

I'm 47 and for me the answer has been portion control and walking - a lot of walking! I'm only 4ft 10 and was size 14, 10.5 stone in 2020. For the past 18 months I've walked at least 5 miles a day every single day and now I'm size 10, just over 9 stone. I only work 4 days a week, mostly from home, so I am able to fit the walking in and my children are secondary age. I would have struggled to make the time when they were younger.

How long does it take you to walk the 5 miles? Do you try to keep up a certain pace?

@Clusterduck

Wait. Does HRT fatten everyone up? FFS am mid-40s, the biggest I’ve ever been and am probably in peri. Was looking forward to HRT in years ahead to take the edge off but it will lead me to an even earlier grave if it piles on the pounds.

No. I have lost over 3 stone whilst being on HRT. Been a hard slog but it is doable. I still have about a stone to go which is proving to be the hardest by far but I keep persevering. Focused on making lifelong changes eg more veg and protein, cutting down the takeaways to occasional treats and upping my exercise.

On HRT. Put on a stone. It’s not lockdown weight as I lost weight in lockdown.

Thank you everyone for the positive comments and reassurance.
I would like to see a proper large scale, piece of research on menopausal weight gain.

Looking back at family photos, from a generation were they didnt eat between meals, middle age spread was certainly a thing - as was bread and potatoes.

My clothes dont fit, my teenagers are wearing my size 12s, even my 14s from just three years ago and I now need an 18 in trousers with an elastic waist. it's all around my middle, really unhealthy.

I reduced carbs and calories; got enough sleep; paid attention to my eating window and started doing yoga every day. I lost 3 stone and reached my ideal weight.

Most exercise and healthy eating programmes don't take into account hormones so I didn't find any of the faddy diet plans that people advertise, actually worked.

My DM was ill last year and all my routine was upended so I put weight back on again. But if I had stuck to the above, I'd have maintained a healthy weight.

OP, sounds like you are already doing most things possible to help. I think you need to cut out all simple carbs, processed food and sugar. Maybe add Pilates / Yoga. At 55, I was an obese 18-20 Humpty Dumpty shape, started HRT then, now a nice hourglass at top of normal BMI. I did initially go to the lower end of normal BMI but, like a PP, face looked worse. Weights, yoga, daily cardio of 30 mins. I eat lots of fat and protein (and gin!) and don’t count calories but probably around 2000 a day. Omega 3, turmeric, and a gut supplement every day.
A recent study in the Lancet demonstrates that menopausal women react a lot worse to simple carbs / sugar with insulin spiking more significantly leading to weight gains so I really think that is something we all have to seriously consider.

I’m 40, same height as you but 10st 6. I’ve been peri for 3 years. For me, weight gain is definitely portion size. I never count calories or stop eating what I want because I want to set a good example to my girls, but if I notice the weight creeping back on, it’s usually because I’ve had bigger portions. Parkrun is also great for keeping active and losing weight.

@Wanabe

I am fed up of feeling fat.

Yes! And fed up of being Fine with it. Or fucking Jolly about it

My thyroid has been checked. Only thing blood’s returned was slightly low vitamin b. I’d forgotten about that, so I’ll get back on the supplements.

You definitely don’t need to feel jolly about it.

It does get harder ime

I’m 47 and no symptoms as yet and not taking HRT, luckily not if it does add weight, but trying to stick to low carb. It has always been the best method for me.