Need to lose weight, I'm 45 menopausal how hard is it? yikes!!!!!

[Bluedolphin1971]

Hi,

For a very long time, I've been really depressed about my weight. Over the past 7 years I've been on "diets", lost a bit of weight, then put it back on and then some!
Now I've decided I really really need to do something about it.

I'm 45, was put in HRT a few months ago, I weigh 13.7stone, I'm 5'5 and I'm seriously sick of being this heavy. It's got to the stage where I dont even want to go out anywhere nice because I feel shit about myself, I have nothing to wear and I won't buy myself clothes that fit me. Anytime I do go shopping, I buy myself something that's a size 12 and think I will lose weight and it wil fit me!!!! I have been doing this for years. 99% of the clothes in my wardrobe don't fit me.

So have made up my mind that if I don't fit into these clothes by the end of the year they are going and I will need to buy myself clothes that fit me.

Anytime I have lost weight, I get to 11st 13lbs, and then I seem to go off the rails, start eating badly again, and then the weight piles back on.
So I really need a kick up the backside.

I lost weight when I was in my early 30's I was a size 10, weight 9st 2 and felt brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I know it will be hard for me to get to that weight again, and I don't mind that but I do want to fit into a size 12.

Has anyone else round about my age, weight and height who was on HRT lost weight? If so how hard was it?

Sorry that turned out to be a bit of a novel, but I would love to hear from anyone else who has been successful.

Hi Bluedolphin, good luck! What approach will you take for weight loss? It is hard indeed, I think, at perimenopause to lose weight. Let's see what others suggest.

Not on HRT yet but I'm 47 and also 5'5" and have been using My Fitness Pal along with a Fitbit and have gone from 12.2 to 10.8 in 12 weeks.

Slow and steady weightloss I would advise, I haven't actually found it hard at all because I've been in the right place in my head to do it and my Fitbit motivates me loads.
I lost 5lb (water weight) in the first week and the rest has been a steady 1-2lb a week.
Also look at some calculators to tell you how much you should be eating once you meet your goal to maintain your weight, that's what I've always struggled with. Get to where I want to be then start eating whatever I like and put weight back on.
I think in my case it needs to be a lifestyle change where you keep track of what you're eating to some extent even once you reach goal.

Just to add, clothes have been a huge motivator for me. There's nothing like the feeling of getting into something that was previously too small, it's like having a whole new wardrobe
I have a Karen Millen dress that I bought for a wedding that went nowhere near me and I tried it on each week to see how close I was getting, so keep hold of those clothes that you want to wear and as you lose weight it'll make you feel so good when they start to fit you easily.

Thank you so much for replying.

I'm going to be following the eating plan I did in my 30's to help me lose the weight. It worked for me before so hopefully it will work again and I'm going to go to classes, I've spinfit, body combat etc. I actually used to love going to the gym but I'm so tired recently I've got no energy to go (that's probably because I'm eating a lot of rubbish).

Peasareevilcreatures, well done on your weight loss, that's fantastic. I'm definetly holding onto my clothes until the end of the year at least. Move got some really lovely clothes that I would love to fit into.

I think I've got it into my mind that because I'm on HRT I won't be able to lose the weight, I just need to get that out of my mind or that will definetly hold me back.

You can do it blue dolphin, if you have the right determination and mind set to succeed you will get there. It's harder working with a menauposal body as opposed to your body in your twenties and thirties where you could pile it on and shrug it off without much effort.But it can be done, it just takes time and dedication, but you will never look back.Your incentive is there, in that you have a brand new wardrobe just waiting to be worn.You will feel and look a million dollars when you get in them clothes.
Regarding your exercise routine, you need to opt for something high impact, so that you burn the fat off. Combat's perfect for this.Plan how you can fit exercise into your day, 10 minute DVDs are great and anyone can spare this time.Use any excuse to move, take the stairs, leave the car at home etc. For something to become a habit, apparently we need to do it twenty times.
Stop eating junk, if you eat shit, you feel like shit.
You can do this and you'll find it helps with the menopause, it about changing your lifestyle habits and the weight loss is just the added bonus. Good luck and don't forget to let us know how you are getting on.

Hey Bluedolphin - I'm 44 (45 in 4 months time), shorter (5ft 3) and heavier (14st 2 ) than you and have a bigger mountain to climb... I self sabotage any time I have made any real progress...

Not on HRT yet but waiting to get an appointment with Drs for blood test to see what is happening!!!

I have tried every diet under the sun, but went back to Slimming World yesterday as I like "real" food !

Shocked with weigh-in last night, seeing a 14 at the start was and that I've let it get that far

I reckon we could help each other

I'm determined this time. I don't want to be sitting when it's summer and I can't fit into anything. I have some summer clothes from last year that are a size 14, so hopefully I will fit into them in the summer. I've had no chocolate today and that's my downfall, I can't just stop at one biscuit I have to have the full packet.

I have a birthday party to go to on Saturday but I'm not going cos I feel rubbish about my weight and i don't have anything to wear. I don't want to look back in my life anymore and wish I had done something about my weight. Chocolate is no friend to me and the only one that change change this is ME.

Know how you feel BlueDolphin. I have Muller light chocolate yoghurts for my fix, at SW lots of the ladies have Curly Wurlys

I stopped buying biscuits so have none in the house as have no self control... My biggest problem is finishing off the kids leftovers, or when making the kids packed lunch, eating the filling before it makes it into the sandwich! I am such a picker.....

Get yourself off to the party BlueDolphin and at the back of your mind think the next time I see these people I will be looking and feeling good.Dont sit in when there is an opportunity to be out with friends, our souls need to have fun !!,.If you really don't have anything that fits you, get a cheap dress from somewhere like Select or Peacocks and vow that it will never fit you again, as it will be too big. My friend is overweight and it causes her a great deal of unhappiness but she always looks very glamorous on a night out. My weaknesses are biscuits and cakes, I adore them but don't buy them because I eat the packet.

Hello there,
I too would like to join this thread. 45 later this year, 5 ft 2" and 11 st 7 - also lots of lovely clothes that just don't fit and I really need to make a lifestyle change to shift the excess weight. Toyed with lots of different weight loss options but never seem to be able to stick to anything. Best intentions at the start of the day and all gone to pot by mid afternoon. Am thinking Fitbit and MyFitnessPal may be the way to go, together with a real focus on less sugar.

Hi thepoultrylady that's when my good intentions starts to go downhill too.

Well yesterday I didn't have any chocolate although I still had too much to eat grrrrrrr. I found I was substituting chocolate for oatcakes and cheese BUT I have to turn a negative into a positive and I have to remember I didn't have chocolate and that is my weakness.

I doubt I will get to thsee gym this week or next as the kids are off school, so if I just start with my eating for now then I will get back to the gym.

Today will be a tester, I'm taking the kids to the cinema (yikes).