Need to Lose Weight - Perimenpausal

[Daphnesmate04]

I am definitely in the throws of perimenopause.

I need to lose weight - at least a stone if not more. Over the past week I have cut down sugary foods (cakes choc)/cheese full fat items but my weight hasn't shifted. Also try to have a walk everyday of approx a mile. Approaching period so that might have something to do with it too.

BUT is there a truism about finding it difficult to lose weight during the perimenopause/menopause? Is there something else at play in connections with hormones etc? Anyone?

They say it is more difficult but I haven't found it makes any significant difference for me. I'm in peri.

What I would say is that expecting any kind of result after only a week is asking for disappointment. Especially when fluctuating hormone levels can play havoc with water retention and thus with the number on the scale.

Pick a strategy, give it at least 4 weeks, preferably 6, and then tweak if you have not had any results by that stage.

I agree, a week is too short a time. I'd take your waist and hip measurements and then take them again in 4 weeks and see if there's been a change.

Now you're doing your walking, could you add in another exercise? Maybe some beginners yoga or a Joe Wicks workout for the over 50s, they're very short

Walked for longer over the past couple of days and I think the scales are at last (very fractionally beginning to tip). Eating well/less is a habit to get into. I've kicked to touch 2 out of 3 of my worst sins. Thank you for your responses.

Hi ladies, I'm in the same boat. Need to lose a stone. I am 5.5 and have been 9 stone most of my life, now I'm 11!! I've added in a 30 min walk every off work day 10hrs on my feet is enough. And I do exercise in the floor. But the snacking is killing me! I've got to get my head around the fact that I just cant eat like this and be slim like I used to be. Sigh. Report back in 6 weeks hey!

Hello something. If it's any consolation I can't remember when I was last 9 stone (sigh) - I was once...3 dcs later and an awful lot of comfort eating I am now over 11 stone. I have been building in an hours walk this week plus cutting right down on sugary snacks etc and less carbs. I have lost 1.5 pounds which considering I didn't think I could lose anything, I am really pleased with. I've just come back from my walk and my legs and dare I say buttocks are aching. My main driver is that I want to feel healthier heading into the menopause. I have young children (2 of the 3 are under 10) and I want to stay active and fit. I've set myself an achievable and sensible weight loss target for the beginning of May. I have gone out and spent money on protein bars instead of chocolate bars for snacks...expensive but to me worth it, I think it is helping. With comfort eating I have got used to just eating something - one sin remaining (a drop of red wine) which I'm loathe to part with just yet.

Sounds great. Walking is really nice isnt it, hearing the birds. Good luck xx

How's everyone getting on?

After moaning for ages, I can now see a change. I've been....

Walking more, longer, regularly and working at it.
Doing 120's at home most days. 60 of this, 60 of that, in 3 sets of 20. This week it was 60 squats and 60 arm exercises. Last week it was 60 donkey kicks and 60 tummy crunches. I can REALLY see the difference. And feel it.
The food, only slightly better. Still too many chocolate peanuts!!! Maybe that ought to be this week's challenge!!

How about you?

Hi Something...that sounds great! I am the opposite...better on the food side of things but worse on the exercise.

Unfortunately, I am knee deep in the perimenopause (I think it is affecting my joints). My cycle seems pushed out and I am struggling to lose any weight despite all the extra effort. Feeling a bit fed up with it all but not given up.

Hello - this was me last year, an awful sedentary lifestyle and job stress and I went from a stone overweight to three and I feared that due to my age I might never lose it.

I have now lost 2.5 stone on the low carb bootcamp since October on here and feel amazing !

Even my monthly cycle has improved ( less mood changes , no pain)

I try to walk daily but exercise was secondary to changing my diet.

Worth a look maybe ?

Midlife...thanks for that. I am on a relatively low carb diet (I think). Potato is about the only one I have (I think). My body just seems to want to grip on to the weight. It is very demoralising. I know there are one or two more things in my diet that should go but I was trying to cut down gradually. I hate the feeling of being hungry - I've made snacking more healthy. Does stress play a part in it do you think?

Hi @Daphnesmate04 interesting you are already low carb. I was worried my post sounded a bit too evangelical but honestly I can’t believe how easy it’s been once I got started !
I used to stop and start and never get far before.
I know there is some evidence that cortisol impacts weight but to be honest I am a bit of a comfort eater and used to snack when driving to keep myself awake !

I sometimes think you have to make quite dramatic changes to see a significant loss but equally that’s not for everyone.

The key thing for me is that on my bootcamp way of eating I pretty much never need to snack and don’t get extreme hunger like I used to before so I tend to be able to make planned healthy choices without over eating so it’s doesn’t feel hard or like I am having to use much willpower .

Sounds like you are doing a good job though .
I am just relieved it has been possible to lose weight at this age
Just need to make sure I never let it get so bad again .

Just realised I am eating brown rice which has got carbs. What sort of things did your diet include midlife?

If you can resist the snacking that will help.
There is some link between diabetes and snacking because every time we eat carbs or sugar, (and that includes sweet fruits) the body chucks out insulin and this can in time lead to insulin resistance.
I hate having an empty tummy BUT I have found that if I can move past the first pangs, they do go away.

I do low carb and try to have them at one meal a day only. Usually oats, or one slice wholegrain bread, or brown rice, (I'm not counting starchy eg like carrots and parsnips or lentils).

Does this help?

Since the peri stage, it takes 6 weeks on a good diet before I see the reward. Of course, by then, I feel defeated and start to eat again and by the time the weight start to drop, I'm back to my bad habits!

I it need to lose 1/2 a stone though, am not overweight, just don't line myself with that extra weight.

I hate having an empty tummy BUT I have found that if I can move past the first pangs, they do go away
This was my experience when I slept well. Since my sleep has gone to pants I feel like I'm starving all the time and fighting the urge us do much more difficult.

I thought the correlation was in my mind only until I read something about leptin and the impact of sleep on it. Indeed, on occasions I sleep better, I don't feel that I controllable urge to eat.

I have had restless aching legs now for a couple of years mainly at night when resting ... 3 weeks ago I started HRT Everol Conti due to night sweats insomnia and palpitations ... since starting the patches my legs are even worse than before every single night

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