Perimenopause & weight

[Honey1975]

I'm 43 perimenopausal and am watching my waist slowly disappear. I do some exercise but am guessing I need to pay more attention to my diet as I can clearly no longer get away with eating what I like! Anyone else feel the same? Any tips welcome.

@BIWI
I completely agree with what you are saying, I haven't done it for long when I do try.
When I started with peri I lost my enthusiasm for food and found my diet becoming very limited eating LC. I would say I didn't eat enough fat.
I don't have the brain space at the moment to be creative.
Im studying again, My teenage DD is out of school with MH issues and ive become her carer. I have builders in my house . I know it may sound like excuses and I really believe that LC is a better WOE.

Ihatethecold that's interesting that you say you lost your enthusiasm for food as that is exactly how I've been feeling! It's as if I can't muster up any energy ir enthusiasm to meal plan and shop properly, resulting in me eating a lot of random crap and feeling rubbish as a result.
My kids are 10 & 6 and fussy too so I feel even more guilty that I'm not making enough effort to feed the family well as a whole.
So much guilt, not enough energy🙁

I could happily eat toast for breakfast lunch and dinner @Honey1975

so easy.

I'm currently eyeing up a curlywurly on my desk! I want it but I know its the wrong thing to do!

@ihatethecold - sounds tough! But remember, you need to look after yourself as well!

Relate to so much of this thread.

Currently 45 & definitely peri menopausal

I get awful PMT, periods ranging from 21-28 days, night sweats & getting fatter.

Signed up with a PT as on offer at local gym to kick start me as I have NO energy or motivation.

The only one slight silver lining about it is a number of friends are in the same boat so we fill in each other’s blanks in sentences when they occur ! Also means people keen to exercise more so it’s become a bit of a social thing over time.

Hate the unpredictability of it all and how you can feel fine in the morning and quite motivated then by the afternoon a complete turn around. People through the other side say your energy comes back and the anxious moments go away, I live in hope.

Let's hope so Postnot although I'm wondering how long the whole thing lasts as I've had enough of feeling rubbish already and am only at the beginning.

Does anyone have any links to low carb advice?

I have fairly toned legs, bum seems but my middle seems to be covered in a layer of fat that wasn’t there before

I’m currently looking up old lady tankinis for my holiday.
Perhaps I should low carb instead

Or buy a burkini

I share so many of these symptoms that I am sure I must be at that stage aswell. I find exercise helps my anxiety (which is new to me and as I read here, probably a symtpom) although I don´t do much. I usually low carb but didn´t over Christmas and put on about half a stone. I have been trying to shift it all year and whereas it would have just fallen off it seems to be around to stay.

I am going to try and deal with it by being more strictly low carb high fat and extending the amount of time I don´t eat (which really means having dinner earlier and breakfast later). There´s a name for this sort of fasting but I can´t remember what it is.

I should up my exercise also but I am lazy.

Tinycitrus - if you go over to low carb bootcamp there is a spreadsheet there which is incredibly helpful (THANKS BIWI!). I used it to get started a couple of years ago.

After 10 years of not being able to lose tummy spread, I lost a stone in the autumn by eating low carb, high fat. Saw the MN bootcamp thread and will never go back to higher carbs. I ache less, sleep better and have plumped up skin on my face. I do need to exercise more though. Totally relate to those who feel tired all day and crave carbs. I was like that. Am going to do a one-off blood test with this company to see if I should be taking any particular supplements. I'd never get this many tests via my GP.
thriva.co

Very interesting about the low carb, my joints get very sore. Very depressing too as I don’t have a gallbladder so have to go easy on the fats.

I’ve had quite a few years of symptoms on and off and would love to be done with it but still haven’t actually skipped a period yet, I’ve had more as they’ve got closer together and a couple of months ago it was nearly all month. It’s all not helped by having a large fibroid I’m waiting for treatment for but today’s appointment got cancelled yesterday so another 5 weeks before seeing the consultant.

A friend was recently diagnosed as having low vitamin D which was was giving her loads of symptoms she thought was menopause. She’s outside loads so a real surprise. I’ve started taking it as always use high factor sunscreen and have noticed that overall my sleep is improving which might be unrelated but a big relief whilst it lasts.

I think most people are Vit D deficient.
Maybe we could start a LC peri/menopausal thread and support each other to eat better.

I recently went 7 weeks between periods when normally its every 26 days. I hate not knowing when it's going to appear, I like to be in control!

I'm not far from 50 and I'm having to do MORE exercise than I've ever had to before in my life just to stay the same shape!
Not fair