What is going on with my body?!!!

[Mumof681]

Hi - never posted.
I am 44 this yr had some peri- menopausal symptoms for the last couple of years nothing major - early menopause seems to be a thing with the women in my family. The thing that is bugging me is my weight- I am 5ft 3 - I have 6 kids - aging from 21- 8- I don't drive so I walk quite a bit- I cook from scratch- I haven't changed anything but over the last 4 months I have put on alot of weight- all of a sudden! I have always been size 8/10 now I'm a size 12!
I am fasting ATM to try and lose the weight but my whole body shape appears different?
What is going on with my body????!!! Is this part of peri- menopause? Is it age or am I just putting on weight?!

I’d see your GP if you haven’t been eating more - I do think the meno does mean you hang onto weight more, but putting on a lot so quickly might be something else

I'm 46. Have always been between 8st 9lb and 9st 7lb. Have 3 kids. Cycle twice a week. In the last 6 months I've gone up to 11st. No change in diet or exercise. Cannot lose the weight at all. I've been asked 6 times if I'm pregnant. No one is interested in helping me. I feel you, but can't advise. Sorry.

My husband keeps saying if I ate less I'd starve.

I'm the same. I did put on weight after dcs but hovered between 9 and 10 stone for 15 years. Peri menopause came along and I'm 11 stone. I gave up alcohol 3 years ago and thought that'd naturally shave off weight over time (I drank too much) but no, I've actually put on weight. I then started exercising and still nothing!

Yep that is also my experience of peri. I’d always maintained my weight (small UK size 10) but then I hit mid 40s and….12lbs deposited itself around my middle. I did NOTHING different, it just….appeared? Nothing fit, I looked like a weeble and I was pissed off! I did eventually get rid of it by following Macros (free on FB) and lifting heavy things (I follow Sydney Cummings, also free on YouTube) and I’ve since started HRT for different reasons (brain fog, insomnia, loss of libido, hair loss, rage!) and so far, I’m keeping it off and have lost a bit more (as well as losing all the other awful symptoms!)

same here… unfortunately…. not done anything different apart from age and look like a weeble… or am very apple shaped 🙁

Same. I put on 3 stone, rapid. Periods stopped for 10 months and (male) doctor told me there was nothing wrong! Persevered and went back to see a female doctor who sent me for a series of blood tests, found I had an underactive thyroid and was peri menopausal. I was 39. I’m now 46 and still going through it, glad my second doctor didn’t dismiss me!

I have subclinical hypothyroidism, and they are refusing to treat it, despite every symptom relating directly to that. It is so frustrating, because I'm at the outer limits of it being diagnosed they won't even try levothyroxine. My cholesterol is sky high and up and down all the time, which is another symptom of hypothyroidism but nope. Let's just keep ignoring the obvious and let me suffer

Well did you think all the millions of other middle aged women were lying about menopausal weight gain and in reality were all overeating and doing no exercise?

I’m sorry but this happens to swathes of women. It’s a never ending battle, and that’s what’s happening to you. I keep my weight records for years and the constant battle of being on a diet, running half marathons etc has only stopped me from gaining more, not losing any. I’m the same weight as I was 5 years ago, and I think that’s all I can hope for now.

What a super helpful and supportive comment. OP is asking what is going on, and you are having a go. Wow, so supportive. Actually, not all women struggle with weight gain as they go through menopause so she is asking a valid question.