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[CLKD]

Also batch cook?  So that you have foods in the freezer that de-frost quickly so that you don't snack ...... DH cooks lots of curries and meat/veg. mixes, freezers them in meal-sized packs ready to take out, by the time the rice/pasta or spuds are cooked, it's ready to eat.

My MinL weighed everything she wanted to eat.  Each evening she would weigh and put onto a plate into the fridge: once it was eaten the next day she knew that was it until she weighed again ready for the next day.  She began to eat normally and kept the weight off for over 40 years. 

[KiltedCupid]

Great idea CLKD, the most dangerous time of day for me is when cooking supper, I could easily eat a family bag of Doritos or similar as I'm famished. Quick, nutritious meal planning is really helpful.

[Hurdity]

I did the alternate day fasting ( more severe than the 5:2) for two weeks and it was TERRIBLE. Never again. I like the idea of the 5:2 but it is not suitable for all women - depending on your lifestyle and blood sugar control. I could barely function on 5-600 calories and definitely not when I do my exercse classes or other activities where I am active as I get very low blood sugar easily. I'd have to do nothing all day if I ate only that or be eating veg soup the whole time! If it works for you then brill.

The other alternative to the 5:2 if you can't do that, (which I would find easier in terms of blood sugar control, but lifestyle and classes etc mean it's not feasible, not every day, as often have to eat breakfast early) - is the 8 hour window - so you only eat within 8 hours per day. In fact I should try it again soon. This really limits what you can eat eg you only eat between 10 am and 6 pm.

All of these diets are easier if you live on your own and don't work or aren't very active or have amazing blood sugar control - but if you're being cooked for half the time it gets tricky and if going out etc etc!!!

Hurdity x

[KiltedCupid]

That's the idea of 5:2 - it's 2 non consecutive days per week. Not alt days. On the days you fast, you don't do heavy exercise and if you have a social event then you just move it to another day. Even one day a week will lose weight, just more slowly. It's good for the body overall in terms of reducing likelihood of cancers, diabetes and other weight related illnesses and means you don't have to restrict on non fast days, enabling a more ‘normal' life.

[Foxylady]

Hi KiltedCupid, I'm with you, first did the original 5:2 (600 calories 4 yrs ago for a few months before a holiday, lost 2 stone). Since January myself & OH have been doing the 5:2 (800 calories) our routine is a Sunday & Monday, find it easier doing consecutive days. My experience is that my blood sugars are much better, I don't get periods of getting sweaty, light headed needing something to eat even doing sternuous exercise on a fast day! I was 3lb away from losing 3 stone however GP changed my AD from Fluoxetine to Mirtazapine & wow did it give me the munchies, I've put 4lb on in 3 weeks, back on Fluoxetine again. I had felt really motivated and didn't have any real blips, now feeling disappointed but hopeful by the end of this week the munchies will be knocked on the head!! x

[KiltedCupid]

Good luck Foxylady, that's a bundle of weight you've lost. You'll get those last few pounds nailed I'm sure. 5:2 is just a good thing to do all round although I imagine there are some meds that mess with appetite and and I know diabetics have to be watchful on 5:2, whilst others fund their blood sugar control is enhanced. All very personal and you just adapt as required.

[Alicess]

Bit off topic, I know and I'm sorry, but how do you all gain weight? I'm struggling to stop my weight loss and only have some fat left ( or is it fluid?) on my belly and love handles. Did you gain weight all over or only on your belly? Is it surely fat or/ and fluid retention maybe?

Also read that testosterone helps with weight loss but I don't know if anybody experienced it in true life.

[KiltedCupid]

Alicess - you are a minority! Unlikely many ladies will have your problem during meno so you're really very lucky. Do you exercise a lot? If so, you may need to up your good fats eg nuts, avocado, oily fish as well as good carbs. Heavy exercisers need to eat, A LOT. I have a friend who runs marathons as a hobby and is stick thin, she's post meno, no hrt and eats like a horse, all the bad stuff too. It's really not that complicated unless you have an underlying illness/drugs which affect metabolism, in a normal person it's calories in versus calories out. So if you're a busy bee, eat more.

I've noticed fluid retention on the wrong hrt dose/balance, but once you get it stable, the water goes.

[Alicess]

KiltedCupid, I know it's no easy for most women to loose weight and I think it must be hard to constantly thinking of what you eat. But I've lost so much weight after HRTl that I look anorectic .And no matter what I eat or how much it just doesn't stick. I don't exercise a lot either. I think it must be low estrogen. So hoping if I manage to get my estrogen up weight will follow but not only on the belly. I need some fat everywhere.

Again, sorry ladies, I do understand weight gain is difficult. In retrospect I shouldn't have posted this question on this tread. Bit thoughtless.

[KiltedCupid]

Oh, don't worry about it Alicess, we all have our issues and that's what the forum is for. If you'd posted on a separate thread you might not have any replies! I lost a lot of weight during peri when I first started on elleste duet. I think it was the androgenic effect of the norethisterone but could also have been adding oestrogen to my fluctuations. I don't know, but I felt like I was on overdrive, boundless energy and difficult sleep. It all stopped when I moved to gel so it could have been badly absorbed E meaning I had less or lack of androgen in the prog or possibly that the move from peri to post made a significant difference. I think that's the problem with this stage of our lives, it's ever changing and you may find that adequate hormones or a shift in your own hormones will make a difference.

Have you had your thyroid checked recently?

[Hurdity]

Also read that testosterone helps with weight loss but I don't know if anybody experienced it in true life.

I was actually wondering the reverse - whether the T has caused weight gain, although I've been taking it for 4.5 years, and my recent weight gain is just this year (I am the weight now that I usually am in January straight after Xmas when I'm always at my heaviest  . I did change to Testim 18 months ago so the effects could be cumulative and perhpas my levels are a bit higher - who know? maybe just an age thing slowing down metabolism.

Alicess I would defo be getting blood tests to check out any reason for weight loss as this is unusual at menopause if not obvious explanation.

Hurdity x

[Foxylady]

In relation to myself my weight gain has been gradual over the last 3.5 years. A combination of factors, new job, studying, and going through numerous investigations, treatments to get diagnosis for all my symptoms. The caffeine and chocolate hits were my way of coping with how I was feeling, insomnia being the biggest issue. So I don't think it's HRT related for me or specifically peri just me as an individual needing a crutch!! x

[Rosebush]

My weight gain has been since starting HRT, although first 5 years I always managed to shed the pounds being strict on carbs and portion size, but over last 5 years its just been creeping up and its not moving, I will lose around 2lbs a week if I walk loads every day, but OA in my knee's and hips kicks in, so then resting for days and weight back on, in fact the vid posted could be me.. I see the letter 'W' below my tummy and when I wear jeans I have a fat roll above my waist band   must make a note to try harder    xx

[Sheanie]

Hurdity, I was wondering the same about the testosterone. I started on Androfeme two weeks ago. And I've put on about 4 lbs since. At first I assumed I'd eaten too much and not exercised enough, which could be the case. But I feel kind of bloated round my middle. Could the T possibly have had that effect so quickly?!!! I think I'm going to stop using it to see if my weight drops back down. Then maybe get back on it later if it doesn't. Sx

[Mogster71]

Weighing out portions will definitely help. We are just so used to seeing big portions on the TV, in restaurants etc.. It's so easy to overestimate what you think a portion size will be. Eg if you weigh out the recommended amount of cereal, you'd think "huh?" Surely not, that doesn't look like much? So a little extra goes in. Same with things like pasta. I always end up cooking enough rice to feed the whole street!

This is from someone like Alice, who struggles to keep the weight on!! I was brought up by a proper calorie counter, who watches in horror while I have full fat mayo, cheese, and butter. 

I also put weight on within the first month of taking HRT, and I loved it, although it didn't love me sadly. Back to normal now!