Post menopause

[Gizmo6]

Hi all, I'm new to this particular group. I'm in my 60s my monthlies finished in my early 50s. I've struggled for years keeping my weight down more so as I took early retirement. Lately I've gained more it just won't budge. I've started a cardio program with mainly using free weights. I had high hopes this would help but it hasn't. I started this in Late March I've lost 2lb. I can't drop any more calories I'm on 1000 cals. I did try to drop it to 900 for 2 weeks but then I felt dizzy and felt nauseous. I did lose the 2lb but thats not sustainable. I know its my age postmenopausal doesn't help. I have some dietary issues I have to be careful with certain foods. I have ibs c ,acid reflux and some osteoarthritis in my hips. Any tips guys.

[Whimbrel]

Please talk to GP and get a blood test. Checking things like thyroid function. Also to see if they have specialist support available. It's worth checking out different types of exercise like a combination of things rather than one type. For example swimming and/or weights. Calorie restriction is fine as long as you are having healthy food in that not having UPFs in that limit.

[Gizmo6 in reply to Whimbrel]

Hi I had blood tests in January as I was having pains in my hips so my gp ordered several tests I'm sure one was thyroid. Its something to look into. Thank you

[Brambledoggy]

Might not work for your lifestyle but I don’t eat anything before 10.30am (I never liked breakfast being forced on me as soon as I wake up) but I’m hungrier at 10.30am so have healthy proteins, like eggs or avocado on sourdough or yogurt with berries, seeds and nuts or good old organic porridge with blueberries.

Then I find that fills me up so I don’t need lunch, maybe an apple or some cheese, then I make sure I eat my evening meal before 6.30pm (sockeye salmon, chicken or tofu stirfry etc or tasty big salad) and then I don’t eat anything till 10.30am next day. I do this Monday to Friday and then at the weekend I don’t restrict. I love healthy eating anyway so I could live on a big salad, maybe some home made chippies! I also don’t drink Monday to Friday and save my wine for the weekends.

I’m 53, my clothes are looser, my skin is glowing from all the salmon, and when I don’t have my gynae issues, I generally feel fit. I’m on HRT, I have a young dog who wants a 3 mile daily walk. It’s not easy as you get older, you have to try different approaches and find what works for you, not what anyone else is doing.

Also if you have arthritis and acid reflux you could try an anti inflammatory diet, see if this helps when they flare up. Arthritis will be painful I guess. Don’t be so hard on yourself, who cares if as we get older we gain a few pounds? We’ve earned the right to be who we want by now and bugger what anyone else thinks. We’re all beautiful inside and out. ☺️

[Gizmo6 in reply to Brambledoggy]

Thank you for a brilliant reply. That might be a good idea later breakfast fruit for lunch. I love salads I eat a fair amount of fish salmon once or twice week. I'll look into the anti inflammatory diet thank you 😊

[Brambledoggy in reply to Gizmo6]

P.S, I should add, I’m single and live happily alone with my Labrador now (after a very toxic relationship) and if I want to eat a bowl of steamed cauliflower and nothing else, I blooming well will. If you live with someone that every night expects pie, mash and peas (nothing wrong with that once in a while of course) it’s much trickier!

[Brambledoggy]

Great, am sometimes aware that replies can sound “preachy” but if you’re on this site, you’re looking for answers and a bit of support/opinion. We women fundamentally put so much pressure on ourselves, I get sick of the newspapers with thousands of images of show offs and narcissistics all trying to outdo each other, bigger lips, bigger breasts, longer hair extensions, deeper tan, more expensive holidays, poses….. it all gets pretty weird!

And then you go to the supermarket and it’s now really hard to avoid ultra processed foods and ready meals. Every aisle filled with junk food. What a juxtaposition. Isn’t healthier eating more of a priority than the “likes” on social media about our appearance or turning to Ozempic?

To look after yourself it’s important, to be healthy in your own way, yes if you’re overweight and aren’t happy, eat less, move more. But the unrealistic expectations are off the chart. I used to work in the fashion industry on a teenage magazine and saw many, many, many “beautiful” models with eating disorders who thought they weren’t good enough and it made me so sad. What a waste of time to be so unhappy. So very complex and personal, and probably not the place to open a can of worms about weight and beauty and social perceptions, but if everyone looked the same, we’d get tired of looking at each other?

[Gizmo6 in reply to Brambledoggy]

You're are so right. I'm married we do eat meat 2 -3 times a week together but I will have it with a salad or a jacket potatoe or veg. He will have chips or boiled potatoes he doesn't complain when I just want a salad. He makes his own chicken curries and freezes for when I have something different, healthy sh.. in his words ☺ yes there is lot of pressure on women to be a certain type of figure. I just want to loose weight to be healthy. I also have high cholesterol pre diabetes and hip impingement as well as ibs and acid reflux so not healthy. So any weight loss can only be good for me. Thanks for replying your comment was really helpful 👍

[Brambledoggy]

That’s great, good luck. I didn’t or don’t, follow the now sadly deceased Michael Moseley’s plans but I hear very good, sensible things about his advice and weight loss techniques from so many people, not dieting, more of a lifestyle switch that keeps the weight off for good without really trying, especially pre-diabetes which I think with his advice can be reversed? Best wishes. 😀

[GeriCurl]

I've been seeing that strength training rather than cardio is more helpful to us in this stage of our lives