Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: bugsbunny on August 05, 2016, 06:21:01 AM
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Hi ladies,
I've not been on here for a long time as I'm one of the lucky ones and have only really had an issue (albeit pretty major at times) with hot flushes/flashes. I think they might be over now - well they're a lot less frequent anyway - whether it's permanent or not, time will tell I guess. I started peri in my late 40's and I was 56 in June so the timing is about right.
My issue today is weight gain. In the past although more and more difficult as I've got older, I've always been able to lose a few lbs but now I seem to be gaining every week!! I don't want to go on a strict diet as I believe depriving yourself isn't good for your soul and you'll ultimately end up falling off the wagon and stuffing your face anyway! Soooo I was wondering if any of you have any helpful hints so I can perhaps eat a little better and smarter?
Thanks in advance and have a great weekend everyone! ;)
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I am 49 and peri menopause and I have been doing weight training since October 2015 and don't diet and have lost 3 stone in weight. It builds muscle and strengthens the bones and joints. I have been a yo yo dieter all my life and this is the only thing that works. I have also found that it has tightened my pelvic floor.....bonus!.
I eat high protein, low carbs and full fat, no low fat at all as its full of sugar. It's hard, it's sweaty and it's not pretty but it works.
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For me it's been about portion control and accountability. I thought I knew everything about losing weight, after all I've yo-yoed for years, but I just couldn't lose weight no matter what I did, so of course I blamed menopause, HRT, metabolism, age - anything so I didn't have to blame myself.
However, just before Christmas I joined weight watchers and I've lost about 20 pounds. For me having another person weighing me every week meant I had to be accountable, and I couldn't get away with excuses and shoving that piece of cake in my gob and then promptly forgetting about it.
I also walk a lot, anywhere from 45-90 minutes everyday, but I've always done that because I've always enjoyed walking. If I do 90 minutes that's usually done as two separate walks. However activity isn't the most important thing when losing weight. It's more about what you eat - 80/20 diet and exercise. I've gone a week at a time without any exercise and I've still lost weight.
Losing weight doesn't have to be hard work, or about deprivation, weird diets, cutting out whole food groups or sweating it out in gyms. You just need to know the correct portions and do a little bit of activity that you enjoy everyday. Everyone can go for a 30-45 minute walk.
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Have you thought about Yoga, there are some brilliant DVD's by Barbara Currie, really helped tone my body over a period of about 6 months also really relaxing to do.
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Try & be mindful of everything you eat. Pay attention to all the drinks & biscuits & try & cut out inbetween snacks & puddings & sip water as that can make you feel full up.
These lattes in cafes have a huge amount of sugar in them as do most fizzy drinks. If you cut out sugary snacks & up the walking or exercising you should start to gradually lose weight.
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The only thing that has worked for me has been to lower the carbs. I was very strict about sugar, cut my sugary treats down to one cake or chocolate bar (small one, like a flake) a week and still gained weight. Now, I have replaced bread, rice, pasta and potatoes with either more veg or with extra protein & gradually I am starting to slim down again.
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Make a note of EVERYTHING you eat for 5 days/nights. It's surprising how much snacking goes on that we can forget ::). My M in L weighed her daily allowance the night B4, put it on saucers, i.e. butter amount and once it was gone that day, it was gone. She was successful!
Don't forget to exercise and don't deny yourself 'cos you will crave ::).
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Thanks everybody. I've been a Weight Watcher on an off for years (very successful in the past too) but I don't like the new programme so can't do it anymore. I use skimmed milk, have sweeteners in my tea/coffee and have drank diet drinks for as long as I can remember so can't make savings by starting to do any of these things. I could cut down on portion size though and also on carbs although I do find when I've had less carbs in the past, by the end of the week I'm craving stodge. I have read and 'digested' all your comments and advice though and will try to adopt some of the useful tips you've given me.
Cheers me dears!! :)
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Let us know any hints that work?
Diet drinks may well be loaded with 'un-healthy' sweeteners ::) - if you are craving then something is missing generally. Hormones can cause cravings too >:(.
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What is it about the new WW program that you don't like Bugs? I find it extremely easy to follow. You have a set number of points everyday and every food has a point value. So you basically design you own eating plan to suit your own lifestyle and preferences. It's also really flexible so that if you have a bit too much of something, like say bread, you just take that into account with what else you eat in the day.
I certainly haven't cut out the carbs because I don't believe you need to do that. However you do need to have the right kind of carbs. Sugar and saturated fats are bad, but healthy fats and carbs are essential to a healthy diet. Most days I would probably have about four serves of carbs (bread, cereal, rice, pasta etc). There's nothing wrong with that at all.
I've still got probably another 10-20 pounds to go, but I feel so motivated about now having the right tools to do it that I will probably stop paying for the program and just go it alone now, but I couldn't have done it without getting that kick start from WW.
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Hi Dana,
It's the new SmartPoints system that I can't get on with. I used to love the original Points system and even ProPoints but SmartPoints is too restrictive for me. I get that foods higher in fat and sugar get a higher SP value but I like a small chocolate bar or bag of some sort of snack on a daily basis and could include these in my daily allowance easily before but not anymore. I'm weighing just over 11st at the moment (started at 11st 13lbs and got down to around 10st 8lbs with WW about 7 years ago and managed to keep it off give or take 2 or 3 lbs until now). This means that my daily SP allowance isn't enough to continue doing what I like doing. I suppose I could change the way I eat but I find that a small chocolate bar or something similar helps me stay on the straight and narrow - not so narrow at the moment though haha!! ;D
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At least you've kept your sense of humour, you fit right in here ;D
If the 'old' system worked, then go to that for 3 months and see what happens? Denial causes cravings - when I owned a :scottie: we would share a bar of Cadburys - the one with 5/7 pieces to break off? I would open the packet when I thought she was away across the fields and eat the first piece to find her haring back to sit 'nicely' in front of me. So she would have a piece, I would have one then it went into my pocket until later on the walk. That was almost every day for 10 years ;).
We buy dark chocolate as a treat after our evening meal as it can be sickly. Occasionally I treat myself to a Flake/similar.
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I could cut down on portion size though and also on carbs although I do find when I've had less carbs in the past, by the end of the week I'm craving stodge.
I haven't cut them out completely - I have muesli for breakfast, and also tend to cook something like a pasta bake or rice meal at the weekends! It's finding what works for you. I've tried a few different ideas (I don't want to end up 'dieting' all my life, so I'm looking for ways I can change eating habits but still live a normal life) and this is the first thing that has worked for me. Everything else, I either put on weight or was permanently starving!!!
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I have to agree with Dorothy on this one. I have a low carb diet - cut out most sugars. So no cakes or biscuits and I allow myself only 2 small choc bars a week. I have replaced all bread with rice cakes and have oven chips once a week. I do eat lots of rice pasta (not wheat pasta) rice and potatoes. Also eat lots of veg and some fruits, chicken and fish. Where poss I cook from scratch, I do think processed foods are full of hidden sugars and fats.
I never eat or buy low fat foods (totally a waste of money). Its not the most exciting food plan, but I have been a size 8 since I can remember and I'm hoping to stay that way. My mum said that once I hit my 40's all would change, but so far so good, so it defo works!!
If I go out for food then I do just eat whatever I like, I look at it as a well deserved treat ;) xx
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I'm at a BBQ tomorrow, so I'll really be breaking the eating plan, but it's a reunion with someone I haven't seen in 11 years, so I reckon once every 11 years is ok!
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I'm at a BBQ tomorrow, so I'll really be breaking the eating plan, but it's a reunion with someone I haven't seen in 11 years, so I reckon once every 11 years is ok!
If I go out for lunch I always treat myself......I often have people say how do you eat so much and stay slim! They don't see the effort the rest of the time.
You go for it girl and enjoy xx
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Just as long as I can still fit behind the steering wheel to drive back after ;)
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Hi Dana,
It's the new SmartPoints system that I can't get on with. I used to love the original Points system and even ProPoints but SmartPoints is too restrictive for me. I get that foods higher in fat and sugar get a higher SP value but I like a small chocolate bar or bag of some sort of snack on a daily basis and could include these in my daily allowance easily before but not anymore. I'm weighing just over 11st at the moment (started at 11st 13lbs and got down to around 10st 8lbs with WW about 7 years ago and managed to keep it off give or take 2 or 3 lbs until now). This means that my daily SP allowance isn't enough to continue doing what I like doing. I suppose I could change the way I eat but I find that a small chocolate bar or something similar helps me stay on the straight and narrow - not so narrow at the moment though haha!! ;D
It was the Pro system when I started and then I switched over to the Smart system in January. To be honest I didn't really notice that much difference. I only had to make a few minor changes to what I was eating. Some things have gone up, but some things have gone down in points, and you also get more points in the day to spend. Most women now have 30 points per day, unless you are very overweight, which you aren't.
You can still have those little indulgences, but maybe you just need to alter the amount you have. I was a big chocolate fiend, but I find now that I can take it or leave it. That's the addiction to the sugar that you have to get over. I will still have some chocolate, but I will always get the smallest amount I can buy and I'll have it and I'll enjoy it and I won't bother about counting the points, but I won't do that everyday. Maybe once a week. I also go out for meals at least once a week, so I just try to pick something reasonably healthy, but I never obsess about it. If something comes with chips and I "accidentally" forget to say no chips, I'll eat them and enjoy them and it really doesn't make that much difference. It's all about portion control.
There are lots of things you can have if you really need a sweet hit. Roasted pumpkin is so sweet. I will have some when it's hot and then I'll store some in the fridge to have as a snack in the afternoon if I feel like something sweet. That has zero points. Also dates (must be fresh not packaged) are very sweet. I can only eat a few before they start to get sickly. Once again, zero points.
However, if you really don't want to do the smart points system, why not just do the pro points system again? Of course that's if you've still got the books to give you the point amounts.
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Dana, I'm really sorry that I'm not on WW anymore because I've done it on and off for decades and it's always worked for me before so maybe on the back of what you've said, I may take another look.
Thanks for your advice - and everyone else who contributed to this post too!
Bugs ;)
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Let us know how you get on. I tried skipping and bought a hoola hoop - no longer have the nack though ;D
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Let us know how you get on. I tried skipping and bought a hoola hoop - no longer have the nack though ;D
My grandson has one and he got me to try it,he said " Granny you are amazing " problem was it was my arm I was twirling it , not my waist :) :)
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;D - did you see Chris Hoy in Rio, answering questions in 1 minute whilst hoooolering?
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Hi bugsbunny
There are lots of other threads too on losing weight! Sounds like it would be best to go with what you know has worked for you and that you can follow ie Weightwatchers.
I have lost weight in the same way as Dorothy. I am 63 and 5'1 and have reduced over the past year - now aim to keep between 8.10 and 8.12 if I can.
You don't need to crave stodge if you reduce carbohydrates though. My aim in weight loss is not to be hungry - so I have never counted or weighed anything in any of my weight loss regimes! You just need to cook everything from fresh ingredients, and to know roughly what each type of food contains. Banish sugar and processed foods from your diet except occasionally as treats. Eliminate or reduce carbs - by this I mean sweets, cereal, bread, pasta, flour, cakes, biscuits, rice, potatoes, sugary drinks including juice etc, and replace this with low fat protein and lots of fruit and vegetables - including beans, nuts and pulses. Limit alcohol. Obviously also eliminate most fried foods and added fats - but cook in a small amount of olive oil. I eat low fat mince, very little cheese, low fat unsweetened yogurt (sweetened with banana or other fresh or stewed fruit if needed), bacon with fat cut off, chicken, loads of fish etc. Fat is OK if it's in foods eg nuts and avocados etc!
Even though I was not very overweight - and I know my thyroid function is less efficient than it was when younger ( meaning I have more tendency to weight gain) - I have managed to lose 8-10 pounds since last September and keep it off.
The carbohydrate craving is due to eating too many carbs! It means your body is producing too much insulin which removed sugar from the blood and stores it. Once you have got your body used to fewer carbs and in particular, very little sugar, you will not crave carbs and in fact won't get hungry so much because protein makes you feel fuller for longer.
Finally as you age your metabolism slows so even if you ate the same you would still have a tendency to put on weight - so you need to eat less and take more exercise. As said earlier - some sort of exercise that burns calories (even walking or cardio/aerobic fitness class), and some sort of resistance training that develops your muscles will help you along the way. Muscles burn more calories at rest than fat so therefore if you have more muscle your basal metabolism is increased!
Good luck anyway with whatever you do - but the exercise is a key part of it and the dietary changes have to be permanent :)
Hurdity x
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I liked 5;2 - fat melted away , plus it goes for the fat on your internal organs,thats the truly dangerous fat - then you can maintain with one day a week . So easy and once the weights off you only need to calorie count 1 day a week. Another option is to half everything you eat. Radio 4 had a piece on this morning about why we are all so fat now - they reckon its because we all snack so much and forget what we ve snacked on.
Would also suggest you dump the diet drinks - one of their issues is that the sweetener tricks your tastebuds but not your brain which then sends you foraging for more food. ( its a bit more complicated than that but you can look it up for better description)
Anyway the best thing is realising there is an issue and you want to do something about it. If its all too daunting just go for 1 pound a week or even half that - it mounts up over a year, tell us how you get on :P
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I find the problem with those diets where you starve on some days & eat normally on others is that I obsess constantly about food on the 'starve' days and eat non-stop on the normal days...so I end up eating far more calories than usual and get even fatter ::)
Funny how different things work for different people!
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Interestingly Dorothy, after the first few weeks, I went the opposite way to you , and was very aware of not over eating on my non fast days. I also joined slimming world and lost over two stone. I've been at target now for about two years. I seem to see saw a bit, always by a couple of pounds, but I've stopped obsessing and if I'm out with friends or whatever I eat what I want and enjoy every mouthful. Have never done WW though the idea of points does appeal and I've heard you soon get used to what points = What food. I'm happy at my current weight. 9 stone, ( give or take a lb) and I'm 5' 5" Good luck Bugsbunny, once you start seeing results for your efforts it gets much easier. Also good to have a goal, something to aim for. My daughter's wedding was my motivation and it could be something else like Christmas or an upcoming holiday,or better still, just for you ! :). Start as Winterrose said, by even loosing a pound a week, by Christmas you will be over a stone lighter . During my weight loss time, I joined a " ladies only" gym, I really enjoyed it, as it was small and there was a friendly atmosphere. Unfortunately it closed, and the bigger gyms don't appeal. I get exercise by walking but I miss the gym for toning .
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I find the problem with those diets where you starve on some days & eat normally on others is that I obsess constantly about food on the 'starve' days and eat non-stop on the normal days...so I end up eating far more calories than usual and get even fatter ::)
Funny how different things work for different people!
Yes I can't cope with this one either! I can't do any diet where you have to be hungry! I did consider the 5:2 but there were only 3 days in the week that I could do the starvation (due to the job I do and the exercise classes I attend) and these were Fri, Sat, Sun so too close together and didn't want every weekend to be ruined by hunger!
My daughter also tried it and found the same as you Dorothy - she ended up eating too much on the normal days so did not end up in calorie deficit so she prefers WW.
The other downside is that it doesn't encourage dieters necessarily to modify their diet to become more healthy long term, and nor does it help to regulate blood sugar (which needs to be achieved through reduction in carbs/sugar intake, rather than just starvation on 2 days per week) - unless research has shown otherwise. However I can see that is clearly suits some people so whatever works in terms of your comfort and lifestyle is the main thing, I agree!! :)
Evelyn63 - are there no Fitness classes near you? Mine are not run by the gym but by women who have just set up eg in a village hall, or other town venue and just run them privately (and cheaply!) without having to join a gym.
Hurdity x
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I find that having a 'good' breakfast really does help. For years I was a 2 rounds of toast with butter Girl but by 9.30 was hungry :-\ : a couple of years ago I bought a very thick muesli-type breakfast cereal and find that holds my hunger at bay for longer. As long as my anxiety is OK I can manage breakfast but not a Full British :D.
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After searching online, I've found an ap called ultimatevaluediary which is £2.29 and uses the old WW ProPoints so I'm happy. It has a lot of handy tools too so I can use that and get back to the WWing and I know and get on with ;)
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The science is the key here. Oestrogen is involved in carbohydrate metabolism, and as it decreases or even flares in the years before meno you will have to face the possibility of weight gain. A small amount is good, it protects bones, but more than a few pounds is not. Sadly less carbs especially white bread, cakes etc is important, but all carbs are converted to glucose- even wholemeal versions, so I try to limit these now and increase protein, healthy fats and veg. I miss cakes though!
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Have never done WW though the idea of points does appeal and I've heard you soon get used to what points = What food.
This is very true. Most people eat more or less the same foods most of the time, so I just basically typed up a list of all the foods I normally eat and what their point value is. It makes for a very quick and easy reference.
I also think the point system is a much easier visual guide than counting calories etc. If you know you've only got 30 points per day to spend and a glass of wine or 20g of chocolate is worth about 5 points each, or you could have 200g of chicken or 2 slices of bread for about the same number of points, it puts things into perspective very quickly and makes making the right choices a lot easier.
I made the decision yesterday to cancel my WW subscription, because I've been doing it long enough now to know what I'm doing and what the values are, but I'm still determined to lose at least another 10 pounds, hopefully before Christmas.
I tried the 5:2 diet, but I also couldn't cope with the "starve" days. I like my food too much and when I'm deprived of it that's when I'm going to be obsessing about it the most.
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After searching online, I've found an ap called ultimatevaluediary which is £2.29 and uses the old WW ProPoints so I'm happy. It has a lot of handy tools too so I can use that and get back to the WWing and I know and get on with ;)
That's great. Let us know how you go.
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I will have a look at that, did SW for three years but it was portion control I struggled with. The example Dana gave about the wine v chicken is exactly what I like about WW. I can easily identify with those calculations and decide what it's worth using points for. !