Perimenopausal and can't lose weight. Anyone managed to???

[Literallynoonecares]

I am 50 and perimenopausal and over the last couple of years, despite not changing the way I eat or exercise, I have steadily gained 2 stone and an unsightly apron belly. After Christmas I decided to do something about it and try and lose the weight I have gained but it literally WILL NOT SHIFT!!

I am counting calories, walking daily, doing several workouts a week and nothing is happening. I make healthy choices and eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, salad and fibre and cut down my portion sizes and nothing has worked.

Am I destined to just be 2 stone heavier now for the rest of my life?? I don't feel comfortable at this weight and feel self conscious of my belly fat and it has started to affect my sexual relationship with my DH because I feel fat and ugly.

Has anyone actually managed to shift weight at this stage of their life? If so how did you do it??

I did a jazzercise class 3 times a week and cut out wine 😞 and went low carb.
Its hard. Now in my 60s and it's even harder. No snacks, only occasionally treats. I only have to look at a cake for my weight to go up.

It doesn't seem fair does it? Having to cut out practically everything we love to eat and drink that gives us pleasure to enable us to feel good in our skin and to lose weight. Haven't women been through enough 😂

I would try intermittent fasting, OMAD or similar is good for that. Or have a short eating window, say 4pm to 8pm. Outside of that black coffee, herbal tea, water or black tea

Yes intermittent fasting with lowish carb and calorie counting is what did it for me in my late fifties - lost 2.5 stone... Good luck and experiement... it will be unusual if you can.t do it.

The exercise is great for building muscle (which means u can eat more long term) but not for weight loss itself.

Thanks. I haven't yet tried intermittent fasting but to be honest anything is worth a try. Its like my body has forgotten how to lose weight and it just won't shift. I think maybe I do need to try something different to the things that have always worked for me in the past.

I used Michael `Mosley Fast 800 for 12 weeks alongside intermittent fasting... worked for both me and an older mate in mid 60s

I was 2.5 stone overweight this time last year, I'm now only a stone overweight.
I'm 56 and very menopausal.

What helped me was more protein and far more veg. I still eat carbs, but tends to be wholewheat/brown carbs.

That has stopped me snacking as much as I used to. I also cut out alcohol in the week unless there's a good reason.

I also started doing weights but that's more about toning than losing weight.

I walk 40 minutes to an hour every day at a minimum.

That last stone is proving more elusive. But I know where I can cut down without life becoming miserable. I just need to do it! I can cut out snacks when I get home from work - a little handful of nuts, or olives is fine to get me over to tea time - but it turns into a big handful ...

Oh fab! Thanks for the recommendation. I'm gonna look this up. It's quite clear my usual methods are not working. I need a kickstart!!

I’ve lost 4 stone since i started HRT around 18months ago. I do a low carb diet/high fat diet. I don’t do much exercise as I have an injury at the moment.

You have put on weight as your calorie requirements drop around menopause

Weight training is a really good idea here as it protects your body and burns more calories

However once you get yourself where you want you should be able to eat and enjoy treats

Hi OP, the Mosely 800 does work but it's a bit extreme and I would think you might rebel against it after you finish (in personal experience!).

Check out Gin Stephens podcast about intermittent fasting. It is way less stressful and radical than a super low calorie thing, because you can eat what you want (within reason of course) during fasting windows, way easier.

Also I would say build up your fasting window a bit more slowly - you won't go to a four hour eating window in one day - start stretching it out each day and you will get there.

And look into what to eat when you start eating. Don't go for full carbs on an empty stomach, as this raises blood sugar so much - go for initial hit of protein or similar, to avoid the blood sugar issues.

Thanks, this is really helpful and proof that it can be done and I am not after a quick fix or for it to drop off fast like it used to do. I just need to start seeing my weight come back down again and in turn feel better about myself.

Eating more protein is definitely do-able for me and I don't drink in the week as it is, only on a weekend. I don't want to cut out every one of my little pleasures when it comes to food and drink so I guess I need to work out my own balance.

I was exactly the same as you, turned 50 and put on 2 stone. Very unhappy with that. Have always struggled with weight and tried every plan going, the only thing that works for me is my fitness pal logging calories. Lost 2 stone over 12
months, put on half a stone over Xmas and really struggling to lose more now. I am constantly hungry, it’s really horrible. Feels like the only choice is hunger misery or not being happy with my weight. At the moment I’m going for the former and keeping trying but it’s very very hard. Hope you find a way that suits you.

Yes I did. A long time ago now. I presume I was perimenopausal at the time. I started to eat well, more healthily and sensibly, and took a lot more exercise. Lost two stone and stayed like that.

One of the joys of a low carb diet is that you will find your appetite is naturally suppressed. So you don't suffer from that awful, gnawing hunger mid-morning/afternoon.

Also worth having a read of Why We Eat (Too Much) by Dr Andrew Jenkinson, who explains why calorie counting - in the longer term - really doesn't work.

Hormonal weight is difficult to shift.

A supplement spevially designed for menopausal women might help.

I've seen supplements advertised on Instagram specifically for this kind of weightloss but who knows if they work or not.

It does feel like my choices are to be hungry and miserable or try and find a way to be happier being 2 stone heavier!! But I am not giving up yet. I will keep trying different things until I stumble on the thing that works for me. Thanks.

I keep being shown this kind of advert on my Facebook etc and they claim that its perfect for hormonal weight and reduces your weight and bloating etc. I am just so sceptical about spending money on something like this as it always seems a bit of a scam! Maybe need to do some more digging and see whats what. Thanks

I gain weight when i exercise, I assume it’s water retention but it’s bloody annoying! Obviously exercise brings many benefits, but if the priority for you atm is seeing the numbers on the scale go down I would personally abandon the workouts for a bit and concentrate on your diet. Calorie counting and trying to tip the balance away from carbs etc.

@Literallynoonecares you really won't be hungry or miserable if you switch to low carbing!

Hi OP - I am peri menopausal and lost 2.5 stones a few years ago having vowed not to be middle aged and fat. Then put it back on (but no more) at a very stressful time and am now in the right place mentally to deal with it. Since the middle of January I have lost 9lbs on a gym programme designed to lose fat and build muscle. I do not feel hungry - lots of lean protein, moderate carbs and fats. Three meals a day.

First off you will lose weight if you are consuming fewer calories than you expend unless you have a serious health condition that means this is not the case. How have you come to the calorie limit you have given yourself? How are you measuring and counting what you consume? What exercise are you doing? What is your sleep like?

The weight gain won't all be hormonal. You've likely become less active generally and been eating, and possibly drinking, a bit more over a period due to not feeling great/yourself, etc. You can satisfy your hunger and lose weight. No need to suppress it.

The thing about low carb is, it can mess up the metabolism longer term. The weight will come off, but only for so long. You will plateau.

That is why doing a bit of carb confusion can be helpful when trying to lose weight. Add in some carbs from time to time can be good for the metabolism.

With intermittent fasting you won't be hungry either OP, it is like magic and it is way less restrictive overall. And changing up your eating windows every so often is fine and encouraged - because it again aids the metabolism by confusing it!

I know this is controversial for some BUT for what it’s worth Mounjaro has been the ONLY thing (and I tried it all) that has shifted my hormonal weight gain. It seems to have kick started my metabolism back to where it was in my pre-babies/pre peri-menopausal days.

And I fully understand that the eating plan I am following is not just to lose weight. Once I've completed the programme I will carry on sticking to the principles.

I follow Danielle the Dietician on Instagram. Although she's in the US and younger, what she states in terms of foods and exercise is true. She has a mantra that "all foods fit" and you can include things you enjoy, in moderation, and not feel deprived and therefore be more likely to give up. Train with Joan is a fabulous older woman who got into strength training in her 70s, lost weight and reversed a number of health conditions.

I do wonder if the jabs will ever be available to people like me who haven’t got so much to lose. Throughout my life I have either been hungry, or putting on weight, there’s no happy medium. It’s really not pleasant!

I’ve done low carb and lost the water weight at the beginning but no more than that. And I was still hungry

And I’ve done fasting but thought that would work without restricting calories - but no - I ate more in the restricted hours through my normal hunger and put on weight

Maybe the jabs will be an option one day to lose my lifelong hunger!