Fellow Menopausal Fatties

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Anyone care to join me in trying to lose some weight.

I really need to sort myself out but I seem to have zero willpower. I would love some company.

I will weigh myself tomorrow. There will be tears.

Did my monthly weigh in this morning. Exactly the same weight as last month. This is despite averaging 1400 calories a day, walking at least 10k steps and adding some strength training into my routine. I hardly drink alcohol any more either. It's so frustrating.

My aim of losing 2 stone from January in time for a holiday at the end of June is not looking likely.

So many similarities with PPs above. I was running a lot last year and yet my weight never shifted. Like 3 times a week and 5-10K distances. End of year medical at work indicated yet again that my BMI was in the “overweight” range and I hated photos of myself. All the weight has pooled around my middle. I am now working out with a local trainer and on 1400cals a day, using MFP. What’s become apparent is that I need to drastically cut down on carbs (including sugary treats obvs) and what I could get away with 10-20 years ago is definitely no longer the case. Exercise just doesn’t “hoover up” the carbs like it used to. I guess my metabolism- always high and I never had to try to lose weight or even really worry about it - has slowed down massively. However, the good news is that this new way of eating is working and is hopefully quite sustainable as I am not hungry. I am eating more protein and fat and far less carbs. Incidentally when I had gest diabetes (twice) I ate a similar diet and was the slimmest I’d ever been (apart from the baby bump!) so I know it does work for me. I just haven’t had the motivation to do it for myself until now. We can do this!

FannythePinkFlamingo are you logging absolutely everything into MFP?
If you are, can you look
at your macros to see if you’re eating more carbs than fat and protein? It’s so frustrating when you are trying but not seeing results. However try and hang on in there as it may just be your body adjusting. Also make sure you are drinking lots of water. I found some good tips on the low carb boot camp threads on here.

One other thing, I invested in a souped up weighing scales that does body composition and all that stuff. It helps as sometimes the weight isn’t necessarily moving but other factors like %body fat are.

@23usrnm thanks for replying. I log everything into Nutracheck. I drink at least 2l, if not more of water every day.

For example, for breakfast I might have yogurt, stewed plums and a sprinkling of flaked almonds. A typical lunch would be Biona rye bread, avocado and an egg with some cherry tomatoes. Dinner is generally meat/fish and veg. I rarely eat potatoes as I'm not really a fan. I think I may need to up my protein, but other than that, I'm not sure what else to try.

@FannythePinkFlamingo honestly I completely feel your pain, I exercise daily and drink virtually zero alcohol but in order to shift even just a lb I have to eat 1200c and even then I’ll get luckily. I’m short and I’ve lost muscle tone. I know i need to eat in a 8hr window up the protein, drop the sugar and lift weights but to do it consistently day in day out is soso hard 😞 when one minor blow out day sees me gain it back again what might have taken me 2 wks to lose. Honestly I just despair. I’ve lost 3st post my 2nd child 10yrs ago and it took me 9mths but once I got into the swing of it I found it ok, and kept it off till I was 45 then it’s just all piled back on over the last 5yrs!!

Being more positive I have just run 6k fasted and jumped in the sea afterwards to ice the legs. Will go have a high protein breakfast and try again today.

Can I join please? I’m 47, and heaviest ever apart from pregnancy. I need to lose around 10lbs.
I did IF for a month, lost 1 lb! 1!
is there a good book or website for eating less carbs and more protein? I always get stuck with what to replace toast with!

Welcome!
For Breakfast I’m having one of these and don’t miss toast and am certainly not hungry afterwards as they are all high protein:
2 Poached eggs and steamed spinach (I find some mustard on the side helps perk it up, or sunblush tomatoes)
<200cals
or
100g Greek yoghurt and strawberries (80g) and a teaspoon of maple syrup
136cals
or
Overnight oats, chia seeds, frozen berries, Greek yoghurt
240cals

I also have coffee with milk which might add another 50cals

If your mornings are busy/rushed the overnight oats are a lifesaver as they are in the fridge ready to go

I listened to a podcast months ago of a lady Dr doing research on older women who said that eating 40g protein for breakfast was a great way to break a 14hr Fast and kick start your metabolism the right way. I did try it for about 10d and honestly I didn’t get the 11am munchies it certainly worked but I just found it hard to maintain. I was having 2 eggs, plus yogurt & nuts plus protein powder in milk to hit it.

Plus it was 500c break-fast I struggle to workout how to get 100g + protein without going over the calories as I just got bored eating chicken everyday & yogurt & eggs in attempt to hit that protein…

Well I got off to a good start today - re downloaded My Fitness Pal and have started tracking calories. Had low fat yogurt and berries for breakfast and I have some salmon that I am going to have with roasted veg for dinner.

Has anyone got any good lunch ideas? I'm off this week but usually would need things I can take into work (fridge, kettle and microwave available but that's it). I think bread is something I really need to cut down so want to avoid sandwiches.....

100g of protein! That seems like a lot. No way am I consuming that amount. My trainer is pushing me to take protein powder but I’m not going to do that. The idea makes me feel icky for some reason. I think it’s the processed aspect of it. However by swapping out carbs for fat/protein I am making good progress. I don’t think I need crazy amounts of protein - the fat is important too and I know from the gest diabetes that I lost loads of weight when I focused on low carb rather than high protein (and more importantly avoided sugar spikes as I was glucose monitoring 8 times a day).

I avoid low fat food for the reason above - they don’t fill me up.

I’ve been bringing salads (chicken or nicoise) into work. Also soup made with lots of lentils and coconut milk.

Thanks for the welcome, and advice.
are corn thins low carb? Think I could manage an egg on a corn thin…

@23usrnm I agree with you, tesco quark is so high in protein. I get two days out of a luxury yogurt by mixing half with quark. It's lower in sugar and higher in protein than a normal yogurt.

I'd like to lose half a stone. 5'3, 9st 3. Did a 9km brisk walk, then came home and ate half a 100g bar of 85% Green and Blacks chocolate. Exercise makes me hungry so I eat more. My tummy sticks out too and my thighs are flabby, not looking forward to putting shorts on this summer.

I've done 4 days in a row at the gym and a bike ride on Friday. Only I literally rolled out of bed yesterday morning, cleaned my teeth, sprayed deodorant, and chucked my gym kit on thinking early morning on a bank holiday no one will be there. Turned up, saw my PT which was bad enough. then halfway through saw the really fit gym instructor who I really fancy. He smiled at me and said morning! I could have died, he's never said morning to me before! I hadn't even brushed my hair, I looked like Worzel Gummidge.

But it's given me motivation to get my arse in gear again. Just need to sort my eating out. Hoping that will come once I've got the exercise going again.

No weight lost yet sadly.

Went to the docs yesterday for my b12 jab. Nurse did full bloods to check they're not missing anything. Had my urine dipped as I told her I'm addicted to sugar. We've got type 2 diabetes in the family and I had gestational diabetes. Was a bit worried but all was fine. Nurse agreed lack of sleep will make me crave sugar and carbs.
Then she weighed me. Went silent before checking my notes and turned and said- you've put quite a bit on since last time. Mortified. My usual Nurse just smiles at me. Maybe I needed to hear it.
She also said I am very active for my age and shouldn't be down on myself.

Decided I need a drastic look at my food and a magic pill to make me sleep!

How did everyone survive Easter?
I succumbed to a few treats as I was with family but I tried to be careful and not turn one or two treats into a total binge fest. Which is how it’s always been before for me. There was only one day when I didn’t religiously log in MFP. Back to normal this week and when I weighed yesterday I have lost 3.5kg since starting this about a month ago. I have the same amount to lose to get to my target weight, and I’m still hoovering at an unhealthy BMI so I am definitely not there yet. And the next round of weight loss is going to be harder to achieve. But at least this WOE is working for me. Did a weights/circuits class yesterday- first one in a couple of weeks due to illness and travel and boy do I feel sore today! In a good way though. I hope everyone has a good week.

@23usrnm well done on the weight loss!

Aw thanks.
Have been fighting serious sugar cravings tonight! Probably hormonal :0
Managed to get by with half a choc cookie - took all my willpower.

@Rowgtfc72 that’s great news you don’t have diabetes. @23usrnm Well done on your weight loss, that’s a good amount in just a month. I haven’t been posting because I have gone off the rails, eating a lot of carbs and big portions generally. I am trying to get inspired again. Really don’t want to be this size in the summer, too uncomfortable.