Red wine drinking, diet phobic running lady of a certain age

[loosec]

53 year old menopausal female still trying to run, swim, cycle and enjoy life. Thinking it would all be a bit easier without the middle age spread that just won’t shift!

[Zest]

Hi loosec ,

Welcome to the Healthy eating forum. Great that you're still trying to run, cycle and enjoy life. I know you've mentioned wanting to lose a little weight, and I would recommend the NHS weight loss forum for a lot of support on the weight loss side of things - it's another Healthunlocked forum, and a link is here if you want to take a look:

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

There are lots of recipes and meal ideas there, and also in this forum too - so I hope you might consider being part of both forums, and making the most of the support.

Zest

[loosec in reply to Zest]

Thanks I am part of that one too 👍

[Zest in reply to loosec]

Great

[BadHare]

A major issue with being this age is naturally falling hormone levels. Not just oestrogen, but also those produced by the thyroid which provides all our cells with energy. As much as aerobic exercise is good, & great for bone health, it uses up hormones that the body then can't replace fast enough. This can result in weight gain rather than loss. However, if you feel fine after exercising, then that's nothing to be concerned about. If you're starting to feel floored & have a slower recovery time after a run, perhaps try doing more gentle, weight bearing exercise, such as walking, yoga & pilates, to see how your body reacts.

I tried several things after finding myself 20lbs heavier at 51, with a low fat, low carb calorie intake averaging less than 1,200 a day. If I ate over that, I ballooned. I sorted my hormone issues one at a time (a major one being I ate a lot of soy which is thyroid toxic), altered my protein intake to including probiotic kefir, & more nuts & seeds, & changed when I eat by trying restrictive eating times. Some people find the 5:2 form of intermittent fasting with 500 calories on two non-consecutive days suits them. I found eating later in the day & stopping earlier better for me. I now eat at least 1,800 calories a day, though I tend to count nutrients instead. A high fat, low starch diet, suits me better, as I don't do aerobic exercise.

[loosec in reply to BadHare]

Thanks, I already do Pilates and strength training and also swim and cycle. I think my problem is the red wine and the associated snacks, but the soy sauce is thought provoking and my diet generally needs an overhaul so I shall try some of your suggestions

[BadHare in reply to loosec]

You're a superwoman.! 🍷

My issue was tofu & soya milk daily. I think day sauce may be fermented, which makes it ok, though I use tamari at home.

[Hidden]

Hey just to say I love the title of your post...Red wine drinking, diet phobic running lady of a certain age...and the thought of you doing it all at the same time...🏃‍♀️🍷🍕🏃‍♀️...LOL

I reckon you'll fit in great 😊

Jerry

[loosec]

If I could I would!!!