I don’t understand why I’ve put a stone on!

[Oldcrockpot]

Over the last 2-3 months I’ve gained a few pounds a week for no apparent reason and am a stone heavier! I can’t be pregnant as my periods have been heavy, very irregular and all over the place (this is not new, but they haven’t been as heavy as this since I had the coil about 18 months ago). No notable changes in routine or diet.

Any ideas? Has this happened to anyone and what was it? All my clothes are tight and I feel like a bloater!

(I am 39 and a healthy weight- but now getting to the top end of that! Have the coil and no new medication etc)

Is this even a serious question: because I lacked the motivation, the mental ability to stop doing that. How can anyone be in this thread and not know that,

I don’t get it really when people say this. I am the same age I’m 5’6 and BMI of about 23 and I can eat around 1800 a day and not gain weight but I am not sedentary. I don’t know if it’s people over estimate their activity levels or think going for a slow 1 mile run a couple times a week is enough activity or doing housework running round after kids counts or they are very short in height

Or maybe it's because everyone is different - with different metabolisms, hormone levels and lifestyles?

yes if you have the metabolism and calorie needs of a young child I would seek medical help and advice. 1200 is not sufficient for an adult female unless you are under 5ft tall and barely move we shouldn’t normalise this

For a rapid gain with no lifestyle changes, I'd be getting checked out incase there is a medical issue involved.

Good for you but this is how my body works

As we age we need fewer calories. Its pretty easy to gain over a few months, doesn’t take much to pile it on

Unless you know everyone's medical details, you should probably refrain from telling them what their bodies do or don't need.

Exactly - you only need to eat a few extra biscuits a day on top of your normal diet (no other changes) to gain weight. It's quite scary really.

Metabolism doesn’t actually change until age 60+ and even then it only declines by a small amount. What does happen is that our lifestyles change over time. It’s about our behaviour.

Our metabolism is just how we convert food to energy. A small calorie surplus over time may not result in noticeable fat gain until the cumulative effects kick in. If we are currently in energy balance, just eating one digestive biscuit a day everyday for year will result in 6-10lbs of fat gain.

This really hits the nail on the head.

Whatever your symptoms are, oh it must be peri.

I remember one Christmas putting on 10lbs in a week! I ate a lot of yummy food but still 😳. It really can go on quickly. I do think tracking what you eat will help you see what you're eating.

My friend eats extras at work all the time and has gained a couple of stone. She said she doesn't understand why. She often has biscuits with her drinks, cakes on peoples birthdays and social drinks. It soon adds up.

I'm trying to be good as have gained from being relaxed over summer. I had a great summer with the kids but let it carry on after they went back to school.

This.. hormonal changes can lead to increased appetite. If you watch what you eat you won't gain weight.

Ask your GP to check your thyroid function. Don't leave it because if that's the issue it might be very hard to lose the weight again later and you'll keep putting weight on until it's treated properly.

Sounds like peri menopause to me. However any unusual drop or gain in weight should be reported to your GP.

mirena? hits me with a stone i cant shake off

I agree.

That's the thing though, most people don't watch or change their eating habits and carry on as before until they realise (like OP) that they've put on a stone.

@coffeesaveslives Well yeah..

Please see your GP who can carry out blood tests to rule anything out. Could be peri menopause, thyroid issues..

Me too, it made me put on weight really rapidly, the GP denied that it could be the cause, however once I had it taken out, the weight fell off without changing my diet 🤷

So if it’s purely down to eating too much and not exercising enough why do you need a drug?

The drug is an appetite suppressant; it makes it easier to eat less where willpower alone fails.

I've heard that some women gain weight using a coil...

It's defo the cause(according to my head) however the stone is preferable to having periods (they stopped) and being a premenstrual psycho(for three weeks out of every four) !

Happened to me too and whilst mine was age related it was caused by drinking too much wine and eating too many biscuits. My age meant I found myself with too many caring responsibilities for needy family members and being stuck in a stressful job I hated and would struggle to move sideways in. Wine and food was a welcome escape at the end of the day.

I very much doubt my falling oestrogen made me fat.

I also highly doubt my metabolism has increased post menopause but not eating those biscuits or drinking wine and walking 1400+ steps a day (together with willpower support from Mounjaro) has caused it all to drop off and I’m the same weight as I was in my 20s, 30s and early 40s.

It really was as simple as mirroring my calorie intake, food choices and exercise levels with those in my younger years.

Of course, no longer having that awful job or a (much loved and missed) relative with Alzheimer’s has also helped reduce the stress that made me fat in the first place.