Any tips for losing weight in Perimenopause please?

[NigellasGuest]

I'm 47 and need to lose a couple of stone - I have been dieting and exercising to the extent which in the past would definitely have had some effect by now - but this time, nothing!

I have had a blood test for hormones, doctor said I'm "on the cusp" whatever that means - I imagine it means that I'm approaching menopause - but I've not really had any other symptoms (no hot flushes, mood swings the same as they ever were !!!, skin fine, deodorant working fine etc etc).

difficulty in shifting the weight must be due to hormones though because I've tried EVERYTHING. Does anyone have any tips for kickstarting perimenopausal weightloss please? I am feeling quite desperate!!!

I'll be following this thread with great interest as I've just been told it's likely I'm perimenopausal too & need to lose a stone

Me too - I feel like nothing I do shifts anything

Cut down on carbs and really you have to be able to keep it going as you don't get that initial 'falling off' in the first 2 weeks that you get when young. You need to do at least 6 weeks whereas I used to be able to shift lbs in a month

What type(s) of exercise have you been doing, what is typical week?

Also what is a typical day's food intake?

if this helps ...

my typical food intake is this

(I am gluten free byt eh way and hardly any dairy)

breakfast- 1-2 eggs boiled and 1 slice toast.

mid morning- oat cake/hummus or apple
OR small amount walnuts or almonds

lunch- homemade soup such as carrot/lentil /pea 7 piece fruit

dinner- protein such as chicken breast or salmon fillet and 3 veg. Piece fruit. sometimes pasta, occasionally fish pie, shepherd pie, chicken roast, stir fry. i eat fish 3-4 times a week.

Always try to get 5+ fruit and veg a day.

Your diet sounds great...what about exercise?

Exercise- I try to walk 3 miles over the hills 3-5 times a week- but haven't been out so much lately due to weather. I've put on 4-5lbs and am trying to shift- cutting out carbs mainly.

Soemtimes BTW I have salad for lunch and porridge for breakfast.

Walking is great for maintaining fitness and will burn calories but the problem with ageing is it leads to loss of muscle density (I think lowering testosterone levels contribute). It's muscle that burns most calories so as you lose it your body needs less calories to function, so it gets progressively harder to lose weight or keep it off. The answer is to maintain or preferably increase muscle through resistance training. Best is free weights but body weight exercises are a good start or alternative. To lose weight you do also need to do the cardio, but you dont have to do hours of running or on a cross trainer, the best way to burn fat quickly is interval training.

Either join a gym/get a trainer who can design a programme for you and ensure your form is good, or get hold of Jillian Michaels 30 day shred DVD, this combines resistance and interval training in a 20 minute routine meant to be done (virtually) every day. Do either of these sound feasible?

The other thing weight training is good for by the way, is preventing osteoporosis, something that's a risk for most women but particularly if you don't get much dairy and therefore calcium.....

Hi - I'm 43 and had a lot of weight to lose - I've lost 2.5 stone over the past year but am finding it very difficult to lose the last 1.5 stone... The only thing that's started to make a real difference (lost 3lb last week!) is I've started cycling to work. 5 miles each way which frankly could be 50 the way it feels, but in a sick sadistic way I'm really enjoying it

So yes, I agree with the others that exercise might be the key. I'm also gluten-free so no bread/cakes for me anyway. I have been known to eat a few too many sweets, ahem, but I was finding that even being 'good', the weight wasn't shifting. Cycling seems to have kick started my body again.

I agree about muscle mass. I have some dumb bells and do arm exercises as well s lunges and squats.

Sleep- I think I mis-read your previous posts- I think you were offering advice to the OP rather than asking for info for yourself?

Hi mrsamcam - yes, offering advice - people definitely notice how much harder it gets to lose or avoid putting on weight after about 40 but I don't think they realise it's down to hormonal changes causing the dramatic drop in muscle or that it doesn't have to be an inevitable state of affairs.

Ah- just spotted you are not the OP mrsamcam! Assumed when I saw the diet summary that you were! Nigellasguest...hopefully the stuff I've said will help anyway, let me know what you think.

Hello all - thanks for the input, regardless of who is answering who. It is all helpful info!

Re. exercise, I do the Shred and find I like this a lot, mainly because it's only 20 mins and I can do it first thing in my sitting room and then go and shower & get dressed. That saves an awful lot of time! I keep the handweights permanently under the sofa so there's minimal preparation to get going with it, unlike planning a trip to the gym (and ending up showering again = waste of time really).

I have recently started a new routine whereby 4 times a week I have to take DD2 into London after school (from Herts) which involves tube travel. DD2 insists we walk up all the escalators so I am trying to keep up with her, plus walking at quite a pace when changing lines. That must surely count for something.....

TOM has finally arrived this morning - I'm hoping this may result in some random loss of poundage due to pre-menstrual water retention or some such thing...

Prior to starting this thread, I started another one, which has been running simultaneously. As a result of that thread, i am seriously considering joining the Boot Camp (low carb eating).
Have a look
HERE

Some of you may well find it useful!
glad to know I am not alone...