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Menopause and weight gain

Posted: Feb 13, 2011

I found out about a year ago that I'm in full-blown menopause. I have all the characteristic issues that go along with it. All of my life I've had to watch what I eat and try to exercise regularly (but that isn't going nearly as well as it should be right now). Some days I just have no motivation whatsoever. My tighter and tighter fitting clothes should be motivation enough, but apparently it isn't. I'm so tired of this weight gain and feeling tired and crying all the time. My problem is that I haven't changed my eating habits at all and I DO exercise, cardio, yoga, and Pilates, and yet my weight is continuing to go up. In one year I've gained 9 pounds. I am trying so desperately to get this weight off. My body looks awful, the sagging fat on the back, thighs rubbing together, and the upper arm fat, oh! and the belly fat!!! It's all hideous. It is like it all came on just suddenly too. This wasn't a gradual thing. It's like somebody turned off my metabolism switch literally. I'm just looking fat where I've never looked fat before. How much cardio does it take for a menopausal woman to start losing some weight? I'd be happy with just losing 5 pounds, but I swear, it just won't come off. I used to be able to lose a pound or two when I wanted to, just by revving up the exercise routine and cutting down on the "no-no" foods for a bit, but now none of my old tactics are working.

Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

;

When it comes to weight loss... - no1joe

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been through IT ALL!!! Without the menopause "bonus," I found myself in the same spot even though I was doing hours of cardio a week. Turns out, that was the problem.

You need to start doing weight training in combination with your cardio routine. You will NOT bulk up or look manly!!! Most weight training for women works with low weights/high reps and leads to muscle tone and definition... not bulking up. The more muscle mass your body has, the more calories it burns. You don't have to join a gym and use machines either. There are lots of at-home workouts that combine short bursts of cardio to increase your heart rate in combination with free weights (usually no more than 10-pound weights). I still swear by the Firm workouts... they've been around for years, and the selection is huge (and you can easily find them on Ebay at a lower price too). My routine now is 1-hour spin classes every other day and 1-hour aerobic/free weight exercises (full-body workout) every other day during the week... weekends off. I've tried Pilates and yoga, which are nice in order to maintain flexibility and balance, but otherwise I found little to no benefit as far as weight loss. Plus, with the weight training, after the initial period of soreness where I felt like I was hit by a truck, I started to notice that a lot of the aches, pains, and stiffness after sleeping or sitting for long periods in 1 position are GONE!

Also, as I posted below, have your TSH checked. If your thyroid is off, you can see the numbers on the scale climb up.

Good luck!

If you havent changed your eating habits - and are gaining weight

[ In Reply To ..]
maybe you SHOULD try changing your eating habits. It does not necessarily have to be a drastic change. I agree with no1joes suggestion about firming muscle mass and metabolism. Using that strategy will not give you the satisfaction of seeing big plunges in weight numbers since muscle mass weighs more than fat, but the up side is that the appearance of your trouble spots will improve.

It is a fact of life that metabolism slows as you age. No fair, but there it is. In terms of your eating patterns, you could try kickstarting your metabolism by eating smaller portions more frequently. If you typically eat say three 600 calorie meals, try six 300 calorie meals initially, then shave off 50-75 calories over time each time you eat. This takes some getting used to at first, but I find that even when sedentary, if I do this, at least I do not GAIN weight.

There are some other ways to trick yourself into eating less, like taking 8-12 ounces of cold water 30 minutes before you eat, and placing your food in smaller plates to make it look like you are eating more than you actually are. Keep plenty of low-calorie snacks around (my favorite is celery stuffed with low fat pimento or cream cheese) and plan your meals. It always helps to prepare them homemade and try to stay away from frozen foods and ones that have preservatives. Make eating an occasion during which you focus on nothing but enjoying your food. Eat slowly and deliberately.

You may not feel as full after a 300 calorie meal, but learn to wait 20 minutes after completing one before reaching for something else to eat, and drink another glass of cold water during that time. Keep in mind that it will not be long before you can eat again. I find that I feel like I am eating all the time when I keep this kind of schedule and it did not take long to adjust to it and not feel hungry. These habits have helped me at least stop gaining and if I am able to discipline myself enough to exercise with this regimen, I do lose weight.

Menopause and weight gain - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I can relate. It's more difficult for menopausal women to lose weight and keep it off because we lose muscle mass as we age and muscle burns more calories. I would suggest weights/strength training (if you are not already doing that) in addition to your cardio, any changes you can make in your workouts to mix things up more might help break your plateau. Good luck.

same problem - susan

[ In Reply To ..]
I can relate but I'm slowing losing some weight and inches. I talked to a trainer at the gym and she said the cardio activity must be up to 45 minutes 6 days a week and do strength training with weights 3 days a week. I've been doing this for about 4 months and just seeing results. Also, I watch my diet.. Good luck, this too can be conquered.

menopause - sick and tired

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks for the encouraging words. Cardio 45 minutes a day, six days a week -- that's a lot. What do you do for cardio? I ride my stationary bike, treadmill, do cardio workouts with DVDs. How much weight training do you do? Do you measure your weight training by minutes or certain exercises, repetitions, etc.? I do some weight training, but I'm not regular with that. When it comes right down to it, guess it's all what we decide our priorities are.

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