Perimenopausal and struggling to lose weight - what worked for you?

[Debtdolly]

Feeling a bit desperate and miserable so looking for advice please!

Am 41 and in early perimenopause - hormone levels still “normal” per doctors tests, but I definitely don’t feel right in myself and periods although regular are starting to become less predictable (eg cycle length starting to vary by 13 days).

im approx 2 stone overweight now. Its crept on slowly, over the last 2 years, even though I’ve been going to the gym.

in January I started to be a bit more focused and really try to lose the weight. I started with 1700 calories per day (used a TDEE calculator to work this out) and was aiming for the gym 6 days per week - 4x weight training, 2x cardio. It started off well and I lost 3.5lbs in January. However; things stalled in February and found myself losing and gaining the dame 1lb.

I tried resetting my routine at the start of March. I lowered calorie intake to between 1500-1600 calories per day. I also changed my gym routine as found 6 days difficult to fit in around 3 kids and their Hobbies, so am now doing 3x weights and 2x cardio. I’ve lost 1lb this month!! I don’t think I’m losing any inches either. Most of the weight is on my belly and every time I get dressed my clothes feel tight and it’s making me miserable.

I can’t afford weight loss jabs or a PT at the moment so am wondering if anyone on here has been through the same and found something that worked? I really want to lose this weight I feel horrible and depressed all the time, but there are so many conflicting opinions online that I just don’t know who to listen to.

Sorry for long post but didn’t want to leave out anything that might be useful. Hoping a lovely stranger out there can help with something tried and tested x

How are you tracking your calories?
I’m 5 ft 9 and lost 4 stone by rigidly sticking to 1,500 (sometimes 1,390) calories or less by weighing and logging everything on my fitness pal. The weighing part was crucial, as it’s so easy to overestimate portion sizes. My maintenance calories are only 1,790 though, so maybe your calculations have overestimated your exercise calorie burn or something?

Definitely don’t log exercise on these apps or go by your fitness watch or whatever, they wildly overestimate calories burned and give you calories back to eat, which stalls weight loss. It’s the only time I didn’t lose!

At one point I couldn’t even exercise at all for a really long period, and still lost weight by controlling my calories, so maybe there is something that’s more calories than you think?
What about alcohol, are you tracking calories in any alcohol (if you drink)?
Do you have ‘cheat’ days?

That said, weight loss is rarely linear! Stick at it, you will get there, and you are going to be super fit too!

Yes I am using my fitness pal to log everything and I do weigh everything before I prepare it (even measuring the milk in my morning coffee to be sure). I don’t log the exercises because, as you say, you can never be sure the calorie burn is right.

I don’t really drink often, only if I go “out” which is probably every couple of months.

Im 5ft 3 so maybe I need to reduce calories even more. But some advice I read said under eating can stall weight loss so I wasn’t sure. Maybe I should just take the plunge and go lower to 1400 or something.

thank you for taking the time to reply and well done on your 4st loss! That’s excellent.

Good luck - its a tough one, this is what worked for me

Intermittent fasting - eating mainly in 6-8 hour window, with 1 or 2 days of 500 calories in just 30-60 minutes. Gin Stephens Delay Don't Deny was my mantra.

Lots of protein and vegetables and berries - fills me up and deeply enjoyable.

Increasingly eating for health - amazing how my tastes change and a daily 1-2 squares of 90pc choc + a few almonds or couple of brazil nuts truly did become a treat.

And yes I counted calories - typically around 1200.

I'm 5' 4 perimenopausal and I need to stick to 1000 or to lose any amount of weight. And that's a slow loss for me as I have PCOS. Know other shorties the same age who are on the same amount. The amount of exercise I do doesn't affect the amount I need to intake by much.
The whole you aren't eating enough doesn't kick in for a good while. A lot of the people I know on GLP1 are losing weight because they aren't eating. They have to force themselves to. Fast 800 is pretty good but I need to up it to 1000 otherwise I would lose the will to live

Try any way you can to get WLI and then intermittent fast, absolute miracle.

Total meal replacement via Shake that weight or New You Plan.

Lost 5 stone on these last hear, gained at least 2 back from wreckless eating, so on it again from tomorrow!