Anyone Menopausal or Post meno wanting to lose at least a stone?

[alrightluv]

I'm mid 50s and post menopausal. I'm finding it much harder to lose weight now than when I was younger. I've joined another thread but wondered if anyone in a similar situation would like to join me?

I was 13 stone 3lbs a few weeks back and now 13 stone 0.

SW 13st 3 and GW 12st

I've upped my exercise been walking more. Today I'm going to work more on upper body and stomach. Maybe a bit of yoga?

Anyone else?

What sort of training are you doing? I train from home and use YouTube workouts. I started with Jillian Michaels many moons ago and used 3kg, which I will still use for a hiit with weights workout (if it’s particularly fast paced), but then I brought dumbbells where I can change the weights, so if I’m doing strength training and it’s say leg day, then I can go much heavier and same for arms.

I go to the gym for weight training, I don’t have weights at home. I do have some resistance bands which are good.

At the gym I work my way up - start with X weight and X reps, then add reps for a bit, then move up to Y weight and Y reps, add reps, etc, etc.

@alrightluv thank you! I’ve just ordered

I’ve just found a Yoga Nidra podcast on Amazon music so will have a listen later. I’ve been going to a relax and calm class at the gym which I find quite helpful.

I just realised that I put my starting weight at 12stone 2 and not 11 stone 2. Did the same on the app so when I put in my new weight it looked like I'd lost a stone! Have had to delete data and start again. Lost half a pound during the week but went out for dinner last night and am a pound heavier again. Will try fasting today and see if I can redeem myself before weigh-in tomorrow. It's not looking good :(

I did exercise with the mini pedal bike yesterday and will see the physio tomorrow for my knee so will have a much better idea of how much exercise I can tolerate.

Hope everyone is doing ok?
I'm on the way to a hotel for the night. Dinner is included. I haven't eaten yet except a handful of nuts with my vitamins. Hopefully I won't go too mad tonight?
I did my belly busting video this morning. I was planning a decent walk where we're going but it's raining. It's supposed to clear up at 4? We'll see.

All good here. I've managed a 900 calorie deficit every day this week. I'm going to have a steak and a load of greens and a big glass of red wine. And a slice of cheese.
I'm delighted to be back into most of my clothes at this stage, some are still tight but it's progress.
Had a bit of a wobble because I went to call my dad, and then remembered he's no longer with us 😭.

I am not doing well. I have somehow put on a kg this week despite eating well and walking over 10 k steps a day. So demotivated that I went out for dinner last night and stuffed myself with butter naans.

@Mrcrabsleg I haven't started any proper weights training yet. just desultory lifting tiny 3 kg weights in front of the TV. I think I need to do a proper workout or join a gym. I do have access to one but I hate gyms so much!

I bet you find you lose some weight now 😄 it always happens when you say sod it and fall off the wagon.

I can’t stand the gym, I just want to spend 30 mins a day, doing a workout from home that I can get over and done with. I wonder if I would have stayed quite so motivated over the years if I had to actually go to a gym? I also like using my dumbbells for circuits/hiit as it’s great cardiovascular too.

Have a look at Caroline Girvan on YouTube - I know she’s very popular here on Mumsnet, I think there’s some threads in the exercise section and she has a strength programme for beginners that will teach you all the right form and goes right through to heavier lifting. There’s also Heather Robertson, again free workouts and she does a lot of strength training too.

Me! I've got a thread in the menopause group too but this is a more sensible place to post. I'm trying to do it by eating "clean" and having no/low UPFs.

Hi
Can I join you guys please.
I'm 51 ,had a hysterectomy 10 years ago and been on hrt since and my weight has crept up in the last year.
I'm currently 12 st 7 lb and 5'6.
I want to loose at least a stone and a half.
I am going to cut carbs and snacks and up my walking and general exercise.

I'm back where I started again. Seeing the physio today so will at least be able to find out what a reasonable exercise plan with buggered knee is.

Plan: Will start arm weights this week though will have to be sitting for the time being.
Cut carbs
Do whatever exercises the physio says I can

Good luck everyone else :)

@worriedgal hi and welcome.

Went away to a hotel Sunday night and had 3 course meal, prosecco and wine. Ate pretty well yesterday. I'm down to 12st 11. Starting weight 13st 3.
I'm fasting until about 1pm today. Last ate 7pm last night. I'm making cabbage and bean soup. Home alone from this afternoon until tonight as dh is working. So I'll just eat soup and snack on nuts and fruit.

Exercise will be my belly busting YouTube vid and some stretches/yoga. I'll have a walk to the shops but it's supposed to rain heavy today so not a long walk.

How's everyone else doing?

I seem to be bouncing around the same couple of pounds again and finding it quite frustrating.

I played terrible tennis last night for an hour and planning to go to the gym tonight.

I don’t understand intermittent fasting. How does it work?

I have breakfast at 9am - I’m normally up around 6 and just cant face food too early. Lunch around 1:30pm ish, depending on how busy work is, and then dinner anytime between 6pm to 9pm - depending on when I get home from work. I don’t eat late in the evenings - I have to take medication before bed and can’t eat for 2 hours before I take it.

I have meal plan which I stick to on the whole. The odd dinner out here and there, but mainly I’m eating around 1200 calories.

I think you need 16 hours between eating for it to be fasting? I tend to eat around that time or later.

@alloalloallo 1200 calories isn't a lot. Have you had any blood tests? Just in case it's thyroid related as you should be losing.

I'm 56 and have put on 1/2 stone without trying. Unusually weight goes on over Christmas or holiday etc. I have been really careful, very healthy, for a month now. I lose and gain the same pound.

What the AF! I refuse to starve myself as I only binge then. But, I already eat salad and plant based. All whole food. Literally been weeks since I have had cake, crisps or choc.

Feeling really miserable. I have never been 9st 10lbs before unless pregnant.

@alrightluv I have my thyroid tested regularly as under active thyroid is a thing in my family. I was only tested about a month ago.

I have breakfast around 9 - any later and I’m hangry. I can’t really eat any earlier in the evening as I’m still at work - DH runs his own business and this is his busy season so I’m quite often there until 8/9pm at the moment. In the past we’ve got into the habit of ordering crap from Deliveroo to work when we’re there late and I’m desperately trying not to do that this year.

During the week I usually have something like no added sugar muesli with 0% fat Greek yoghurt and frozen berries for breakfast - I’ve found it keeps me feeling fuller longer, there are more calories than in a couple of slices of toast, but if I eat toast, I’m hunting down biscuits by 11am.

Lunch today is salad, with some wholemeal pasta left over from last night’s dinner and a chicken breast

Tonight’s dinner is a salmon fillet, veg and brown rice.

I’ve got a banana with me but I usually don’t end up eating it (the same one tends to go backwards and forwards to work all week 😂)

I’ve been doing weight training at the gym as well as cardio and my body is definitely changing - apart from my bloody tummy, my clothes are looser, I feel less flabby and more toned and I feel much stronger.

It’s like 2 steps forward and 1 step back at the moment.

@notanothernana that sounds really frustrating. I'm the same age as you. I had trouble keeping weight in when young. But I was out at clubs dancing a lot. Maybe I'll try dancing more? I hope you find a solution.

@alloalloallo that's good they check your thyroid. Is it borderline or in the healthy range?

@alloalloallo if you are doing weights maybe your weight is static because you are building muscle?
Your breakfast is the same as mine pretty much... I just have oats not muesli and I eat breakfast really late. I eat exactly 5 smoked almonds with my morning tea and that takes me through to noonish. I have to be precise and measure everything because I would cheat massively otherwise.
I have lost 700g this last week which I'm delighted with.

Well done on the weight loss @wurlycurly

I'm down to 11 stone 0.4lbs from 11 stone 2.2 since I'm sort of doing intermittent fasting - basically work has been so flat out I have barely had time for food breaks! I keep losing the same 2-3lbs pounds over and over again, so until the scales say 10 stone 12, which will be my lowest low in a while, I'm not celebrating. From previous experience, one roast sunday dinner and a few drinks is all it takes to get back where I started. It's difficult when you're planning meals with another person who loves their Sunday roast! :)

I am exactly where I was two weeks ago ie 11 stone. Losing the same pounds over and over again is right.

I think I need to accept this weight and focus on toning, but haven't done any weight training or swimming as the weather has been too nice to be inside. Just walked a lot, which is always my preferred form of exercise.

I just lose the same 2 pounds and then put them on again. Nothing I do makes much difference.

How many of you have tried medication for water retention? I'm having an hrt induced bleed (expected due to new medication) and I've dropped a lot of weight with it through water loss. I'm wondering if when things have settled down it's worth adding in something to prevent retention.

I am on HRT. I wonder if I have developed a food intolerance as I am definitely very bloated and my tummy expands in the day, I am also wondering if it's worth adding it. I already eat 30 veg and fruit a week- not cos of Zoe, I always have done- and I eat a lot of yoghurt.

I sometimes tot up how many types of plants I eat and it's always over 30. I count spices and herbs so one daal and I'm almost there! I've always eaten everything (and too much of it 🫣) and gut health isn't an issue. I've noticed it's improved by not eating bread. I'm not slavishly not eating bread but have drastically cut down. It removes a lot of butter from my diet that way too.
Weigh in today but its been a big weekend with visiting friends so I'm not expecting much of a loss