Fasting whilst taking HRT - scales not budging

[RudsyFarmer]

Thankfully even though the scales aren’t budging my clothes are hanging better and my waist measurement has gone down.

I’m interested though what the HRT is doing though? I started taking it around 10 months ago. It put a stone on me within 5 months and even though I’ve been fasting now over a week the scales is saying the same. Is a lot of it water weight you think?

If you are eating the same amount calories, just in a shorter eating window, then you won’t lose weight. You still need to be in a calorie deficit.

Definitely in a calorie deficit.

I have often found that my waist measurement has decreased, and my clothes have fit better, before any decrease in weight registers on the scales.

It sounds positive so far, hope you see a decrease in weight soon.

By fasting what do you mean?

It took me weeks to see the numbers come down but I lost inches. Was eating far better food and eventually it began to marry up.

I'm not on hrt but I'm peri menopause and shifting any weight is a monumental effort.

A week just isn't long enough. Maintain a sensible (!!) Calorie deficit for at least a month, consistently and then change something.
But, if clothes are fitting better, then something has changed....

It’s been 10 days and the scale is showing a slight gain yet my stomach is beautifully sucked in. It’s quite funny. It’s not going to stop me as fasting always works (why wouldn’t it!!).

I’m currently eating in a four hour window every day and definitely eating in a calorie deficit. Really I need to ignore the scales but I find it intriguing. Just what caused the weight gain last year and what mechanism is making it resolutely stay showing on the scales 🤔

My instinct is my boobs went up a thousand percent so some of it is sitting on my boobs for sure.

Unless you're counting calories and I mean carefully, weighing and measuring food and drinks, you cant be sure you're in a deficit.

I think HRT makes us hungrier at first and that's how lots of people gain weight, thinking they're eating the same.

I've lost 8lb since starting HRT just by maintaining a strict deficit.

Your calorie requirements reduce during Menopause - 200 calories a day less typically

And you may eat more not less if you are coping with sleep problems

And you may exercise less and lose muscle if you have lots of nasty symptoms ( lose another 200 calories from your base rate)

It seems to be menopause itself not hrt that leads to weight problems

Something made my breast jump up about three sizes and I honestly think that was the HRT. You’ve only got to go on the groups to see that 90% of people on them agree they put on weight and their breasts were sore and swollen. It’s really not just me making this up. There’s also a thread on Mumsnet discussing it where most posters agreed the weight went on immediately after starting HRT.

As it happens I’m rarely hungry and struggle to eat much in my eating window. I also don’t drink alcohol and am constantly on the move. I’ve yet to start weight training though that’s on the cards.

Menopause will cause brest size to shrink ( often masked with weight gain)
Hrt can redistribute where you hold weight to breasts
But it doesn't make you gain weight as such

It’s certainly an intrigue that’s for sure.

I started HRT in January, and Noom a month ago and I am losing weight (2kg in 5 weeks, 3 more to go). The calorie deficit thing was quite a surprise - lots of things I thought were "healthy" and low calorie were anything but.

Fasting feels like way too much of a lifestyle choice. I like to be able to have dinner with friends, and snack etc. It's just that now I know what's IN the snack and have to choose something else. 😵

That’s good to hear! I want to hear positive stories. Okay. I will give it time and not get fixated on the scale.

Im on Evorel50 patch twice a week and progesterone tablets half the month. Ideally want to get back to my fighting weight of 10.5 stone.

I find fasting really easy as I work afternoons. So if I don’t eat in the morning I can’t eat until 4pm and then I have a four hour window until 8pm. When I do eat I get full really quickly and tend to avoid sugar and am low carb. So I’m going to patiently wait for the scale to do something and hope when it does move it jumps down dramatically 🤣

So yesterday I went very low carb and today the scales moved. I’ve always known I have an issue with blood sugar and Keto worked beautifully for me in the past. I think I’m going to have to accept I can’t sneak some sugar in even if I’m fasting 😕

I started HRT a couple of months ago. I am currently trying to lose weight using fasting but also a decent calorie deficit and cutting down carbs. I was already pretty low carb as I don’t eat things like bread or pasta. It’s surprising how many carbs are in things you wouldn’t expect though.

I use my fitness pal to track everything which is really helpful as it keeps me within h my carb and calorie limit. I’m also using protein powder to try and keep my lean muscle whilst losing the fat. it’s definitely made a difference and I’m losing successfully

Absolutely agree with the boobs I'm on hrt and my breasts have in recent years gone from a c cup to an e. Horrific,massive and matronly bosom I hate it you have my sympathies x

I have been on hrt 18 months. It made no impact on my weight whatever. What has made the difference is cutting out most processed foods. I started this in February and the weight has fallen off. I now have zero cravings, a flat stomach and feel 100% better. I am not counting calories but have cut out evening snacking.

Scales have gone down this morning. I think I’ve lost a couple of pound now. Not what I would expect 2 weeks in but I think I’m pushing against age, hormones and insulin resistance.

I will not give up.

I hear you and I think you are 100% correct. I start Zoe in a month so I’m going to be very interested how that goes and what results come back.

That's good, don't give up. My weight tends to stay largely flat for a couple of weeks then I get a massive drop. You may find this zoe podcast on the menopause interesting if you have not aleady heard it.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/75HxWaS4Z7eYctnR7yQ90j?si=4bFk4ukZQ2azZNew2BPirQ

Thank you. I’ll go listen to that 💐

I'm going to listen to that too. I am on HRT since 25.1.23 and I'm not exaggerating, I've lost 4 lbs in 12 weeks that shocks me typing it. Wow. But I'm walking, avoiding all the bad stuff, eating really healthily but sticking to about 1400 calories. I also eat in a 'window' of 16:8 most days as I have breakfast late and dinner early. I walk everywhere. I hardly drink. I do not know what else to throw at this weight loss attempt but yet................ my BMI is still 27.8 so it's not a case of my being already slim so no more weight is coming off, ykwim. I have quite the gut.

Oh, I've watched that on youtube. It was interesting.

I'm doing all the right things so I will just keep going. For now.

This Zoe podcast about menop?

Louise Newton saying repeatedly that to be a woman is all doom and gloom.
Hormonal changes are terrible (LN says).
No specific foods or diet regimes are reliably helpful to health at (peri) menopausal stage of life (LN says).

The presenters don't actually say anything useful unless you agree with LN that HRT is wonderful. Certainly not about diet.