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Minimize Your Menopot
Alright, raise your hand if you're a woman trying to navigate the treacherous waters of the perimenopausal (40-52) or menopause years (cessation of all menses, usually by age 52-54)? Yep, just as I thought. There are about 78 million baby boomers and over half of them are women, so you're in good company. Can you relate to this post I received on my weight management board?
OK, for dmlevins and all the rest of you who feel her pain, here are some tips and tools. I spent many years in my laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, as well as clinical years working with women over 40, studying what the heck was going on with their ever expanding tummies. Lo and behold, I published Fight Fat after Forty which described why we start having such girth control problems, and I named the extra fat collecting around the middle the "Menopot". All women get this fat accumulation. On average it can be in the range of 3-6 pounds. It should not be double digits. And, you can't completely get rid of it. Your goal is to minimize it.
Where does the Menopot come from? As a woman enters her perimenopause, she is slowly withdrawing from powerful sex hormones. Pre-40's, estrogen usually directed any fat storage to the hip, thigh and buttocks. Post-40, estrogen begins to wax and wane, and any extra fat heads for the abdomen, resulting in the mission impossible of zipping up those jeans. In Body for Life for Women, I wrote that what's important during this critical time in a woman's life is that she pay attention to her body composition, not just her weight – the amount of muscle, fat and bone. Every woman should march into her gym or buy a body fat scale and know what her numbers are. Body fat should be in the 20's, preferably around 25%. Fewer fat cells mean a reduced risk of breast cancer. Her girth should measure less than 35" to decrease her risk for diabetes and heart disease.
I would advise women who want to drop their over 40 weight to:
Please take a patience pill. For crying out loud, you're over 40 and you need to give your body a chance to adapt and adjust as you shed excess weight. Practice a little self love and don't starve yourself or live in a physical boot camp for weeks on end. Gradually and patiently, you can minimize your Menopot.
"I am 57 years old and am postmenopausel. I work out at least one hour 5 days per week. I eat less than 1000 calories every day, and I CAN'T LOSE ANY WEIGHT! My current weight is 165 pounds. I have had my thyroid checked, and blood drawn, everything is normal. help!" from dmlevins
OK, for dmlevins and all the rest of you who feel her pain, here are some tips and tools. I spent many years in my laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, as well as clinical years working with women over 40, studying what the heck was going on with their ever expanding tummies. Lo and behold, I published Fight Fat after Forty which described why we start having such girth control problems, and I named the extra fat collecting around the middle the "Menopot". All women get this fat accumulation. On average it can be in the range of 3-6 pounds. It should not be double digits. And, you can't completely get rid of it. Your goal is to minimize it.
Where does the Menopot come from? As a woman enters her perimenopause, she is slowly withdrawing from powerful sex hormones. Pre-40's, estrogen usually directed any fat storage to the hip, thigh and buttocks. Post-40, estrogen begins to wax and wane, and any extra fat heads for the abdomen, resulting in the mission impossible of zipping up those jeans. In Body for Life for Women, I wrote that what's important during this critical time in a woman's life is that she pay attention to her body composition, not just her weight – the amount of muscle, fat and bone. Every woman should march into her gym or buy a body fat scale and know what her numbers are. Body fat should be in the 20's, preferably around 25%. Fewer fat cells mean a reduced risk of breast cancer. Her girth should measure less than 35" to decrease her risk for diabetes and heart disease.
I would advise women who want to drop their over 40 weight to:
- Get your body composition and waist measurement done.
- Know your thyroid and cholesterol profiles, as well as your fasting blood sugar and blood pressure.
- Keep a journal of your eating for one week to observe your patterns--- it may be quite an eye opener.
- Never eat less than 1200 cals per day or you'll effectively shut down your metabolic drive, and thus your calorie burning potential. Aim for 1400-1600 calories per day based on activity level.
- Eat smaller, balanced feedings every 3-4 hours starting with breakfast and ending with dinner.
- Eat lean protein at every meal and the mid afternoon snack. Protein is your appetite, carb crave killing friend.
- Avoid alcohol except once or twice on weekends. Too much packs on the belly weight.
- Cross train your cardio (don't do the same thing all of the time--- mix it up). Burn 400 calories of cardio 5 days per week. Increase your activities of daily living. Get up and move more.
- Add intensity intervals. Too many women look like night of the living dead on their treadmill or elliptical. Ramp it up and shake up those post-40 fat cells. Sweat!
- Lift weights 2 x week, paying attention to your upper body especially, since your legs are getting their cardio workout. Don't forget your core and stretches at the end of each session.
Please take a patience pill. For crying out loud, you're over 40 and you need to give your body a chance to adapt and adjust as you shed excess weight. Practice a little self love and don't starve yourself or live in a physical boot camp for weeks on end. Gradually and patiently, you can minimize your Menopot.
70 Comments:
Great information Dr. Peeke! I teach weight loss management, and the information in your post is what we attempt to convey to our patients.
Thank you for the great advice! I have been struggling with this for a couple years now and recently saw my PCP to discuss - he ran all the labs so I have the baselines. I am a nurse myself and make sure I eat right and exercise at least 3-4 times per week, but will incorporate these additional tips!
Such great advice...I am just starting to enter the "peri" stage, and I am in denial... but see the problems starting. Time for me to really get going before it gets too hard. Thank you!
So would this be true for a 54 yr old who has had a full historectomy? I started gaining belly fat and am trying to follow your plan, but it gets discouraging. Thanks for the info.
I am discouraged. I had a hysterectomy (kept my ovaries) last July. 2-3 months after surgery my whole body changed. The doctor said this was due to "general aging." I am 41. I had my hormone levels checked and they came back normal. I do not buy this normal aging crap. I am exercising my butt off and watching what I eat and it's not helping. I am probably in the best shape of my life but I hate my body. Prior to surgery he said I would feel exactly the same but I don't. I feel fine except for my body/fat distribution. I can still wear the same clothes, but the fit totally different. Oh and I now have facial hair. Any suggestions?
It's ironic when one is struggling with something regarding their health like the topic at hand... I am in the exact boat at 46 yrs old, working out like crazy, trying my best to change my diet without eating and drinking just rice cakes and water(lol)... here's my answer to the burning question, AND I'm not the only one discouraged! Thank you for sharing your expertise! rja in phx!
I am 53 years old. I had a hysterectomy when I was 32 and my body stayed basically the same until I turned 50. I was shocked, one day I woke up and everything was sagging. Even my face, and I thought that I must be terribly sick for this change to have happened so suddenly. I agree with the doctor about the diet and energy levels and such, but I can't work up the enthusiasm to "exercise". I try to walk as often as possible. I take the stairs instead of elevators, I work full time and when I come home I have no desire to "workout". So I am very careful to listen to my body and eat what I crave. Generally speaking, I have done that all my life and I am still at 110 lbs, but it's a different body. It's like I have extra portions of me where I didn't used to. I wish I had the spirit and energy to exercise, but I don't. I really haven't noticed to many other changes, but it's not as easy to do the things that I want to when my clothes don't fit the same. There is so much loose skin/fat whatever that I don't feel good about my body at times and I just want it to go away. I think that what needs to be said is that attitude is a lot of the problem. When I change my outlook and "in look" I will be able to change me, and soon I will be able to get the energy level back and become more animated in my daily life. This not a judgement, but a thought of how I feel.
Hi,
I am 54 and here is my delima no thyriod. ever sends 2000 now 2009 weight, weight. Can you give me food and ex that will really see re because I walk for 7weeks on a 1200 col only lost 2 pounds. Help there is something I can do. OH I have very low income.
I am almost 59 and until 2 years ago NEVER had any upper belly fat...now I do and it's only getting bigger. At 5'7" I am comfortable weighing anywhere between 135-145 -- but 155 lbs. and heading north is NOT OK! Until now, I have always felt younger than my years, but this "menopot" is beginning to make me FEEL OLD and that too is NOT OK!! So thanks, Dr. Peeke, I am printing out your tips and will try them all.
Thank you for the information. I wondered why my weight gain suddenly shifted. Shame that the whole hip/thigh weight didn't shift as well because tummy weight is so much easier to lose--not that it's easy to lose.
Excellent advice Dr. Peeke. I was given this same advice about 8 months ago.18 months ago I weighed 301 lbs and I began the excruciatingly slow process of repairing my health, so I've lost now 97 lbs to date. Here is my dillemna; How long do I (and many others, I'm sure :)) "wait" on this "patience pill" to kick in? I have steadily increased my cardio, first 3 then 5 days per week, really kicking it up, sweating, upper body weight-training (not extensive, just toning) I have to make a concious effort to keep my calorie count at about 1400-1600/day and still..... it has been 4 months now I can't budge my weight !! I've tried everything, I see a doctor regularly. I'm at my wits end, I can't get this last 30 lbs to budge@ What do I do?
It is nice to have someone from the medical profession actually acknowledge these changes are in fact, not all in our heads or diets.
I have searched the Internet and most other health professionals seem to state there is no real association between menopause or hysterectomy and weight gain.
I gained 50 lbs in two years after my hysterectomy that tossed me into early menopause. My doctor blamed me. My boyfriend has stayed on but has no interest in me sexually now as a "big beautiful woman" and constantly reminds me to "work out more."
Like another poster I am now down to 1,000 calories per day and still gaining weight.
If this is hormonally driven, what supplements or medications may help us get our edge back? I am tired of being blamed for weight gain and tired of gaining weight. A few pounds is one thing, but this much? (And I do have type 2 diabetes, PCOS, and Hashimoto's as well - which before meno I was STILL able to manage my weight).
I AM 49 YRS. OLD . MY WEIGHT RIGHT NOW IS 141 POUNDS; I NEVER WEIGHT THIS MUCH BEFORE IN MY WHOLE LIFE, I STARTED GAIN WEIGHT AFTER I TURNED 43, I HAVE FM SYNDROME, OSTEOPOROSIS TOO, FOR FEW YEARS NOW, IT CAN BE THE MEDICINES? BECAUSE I DON'T EAT THAT MUCH ANYMORE, OR STILL ME? THANKS ATTE. SOFYY
I have a question about the 1400 - 1600 calorie range -- does that apply to someone who's 5'2", or should it be lower if one is shorter with a smaller frame?
The best antidote I know to body image ickiness is to learn Oriental Dance, also known as Belly Dance (and, no, it's not the same as stripping). When your body can do beautiful, amazing things, it doesn't matter how old you are, and there are lots of different styles of costuming, many of which are flattering to body types that don't meet the American definition of beauty. I'm 40, and my teacher is 59, and I just hope my body can move like hers when I am her age! Also, the moves are so varied, that some look more impressive on one body type, but others look more impressive on a totally different body type-it brings out the beauty of every body.
The thyroid and osteoporosis comments sound like complications from Celiac Disease -- i.e. gluten intolerance. There are 256 complications of Celiac Disease. I bought the book by Elizabeth Hasselbeck entitled "The G-Free Diet." Very helpful!
I've had issues with belly fat my whole life. I'm 5'6", and even at 120 lbs, age 20, there was a bit that just wouldn't budge.
At age 62, now 160, I've lost 40 lbs. in two years--a must, since I have osteoarthritis in several joints, including knee/hip.
What annoys me the most is not so much the belly fat, but the nasty back fat. I hate it. It's the last to come off. Also irritating are the "chipmunk cheeks", worse than wrinkles for making me look old.
I've limited sweets and barely eat ice cream, cakes, former favorites. Portions are smaller, which is the big reason I've lost. I've also done it very gradually. No more alcohol at all: with the pain meds I must take, it would be dangerous.
I encourage anyone our age with weight loss problems to be patient and persistent. I have 20 more to go and will be pleased with 140 lbs.If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you WILL lose.
I'M 65 & 5'10" TALL I'VE ALWAYS WEIGHED BETWEEN 150 & 160 WHICH WAS FINE. I RETIRED MAY 1 AND QUIT SMOKING MAY 16, I CURRENTLY WEIGH 175 AND THIS IS JUST PLAIN UNACCEPTABLE!! I'VE JOINED A GYM AND WORK OUT 3 DAYS/WK. AT LEAST I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER POSTMENO WOMEN WHO HAVE THIS POT THAT IS RESISTANT TO LOSS.
I am 62 years old and had a thyroidectomy (cancer) five years ago. I also had a diseased parathyroid removed at the same time. I kept my weight down to my pre-surgery level until approx. one and a half years ago. I have since gained 24-28 lbs. I am also on meds for fibro, arthritis (cervical) and subsequent peripheral neuropathy (upper back and arms). I am not currently doing much more than a little walking and I eat very healthy. Do you think it is the meds and medipot or ???
For those in the denial stage, you will be go glad when you no longer have monthly periods. I was 50 when they stopped, so happy they are gone.
Thank you thank you thank you, I thought I was going crazy I am 45 and walk/ run 5 miles 3 times a week do strength training at least twice do more crunches than I care too and the weight is not coming off. I finally threw the scale out and said ok if my clothes feel loose I'm doing something right, the kicker in the mirror I focus and see nothing but my belly staring back at me, next time I wont get mad at myself, I'll know I'm not alone in this battle
Thank you. I've been trying to lose weight, but since I am disabled (back injury & tendonitis!) it's VERY difficult to exercise. Even walking, with a cane, is difficult though I do a lot of it every day at work.
So I tried cutting calories. Apparently too much. I now know I must INCREASE my proteins and INCREASE calorie count to kick-start my metabolism again. Maybe NOW my parents will believe me! They told me to eat less.
I so appreciate your comments! I'm 56 and a personal trainer...you can only imagine how I feel with a menopot!! I do follow your advice and have for some time...it IS working but the key word here is patience...patience like never before! It's slow, but I see progress. I tell my clients how important it is to be kind to themselves during the process of getting fit and now I preach to myself! Slow, slow, slow but I am more fit than ever...how can this be? Embrace where you are and dress appropriatly and look your best, where ever you are in the process...it will really help.
Remember, we are more than our weight or dress size...much, much more!
I am 47, I have an inactive thyroid. I weighed around 122 a year ago. Last June I had an hysterectomy, still have my ovaries. My weight slowly has been climbing. I now weigh 145, I did not weigh that much when I was pregnant. My Dr did a complete workup, but all hormones are normal, just needed more vitamin D.
I do have a Hypothroid condition and my mind feels like I need to work so much harder. I know I need to work on patience, food intake and keep the works outs consistant and the the results will come...Mixing it up is key to not getting frustrated and bored.
I just had my 65th birthday today -have been pretty healthy all my life. I've averaged about 125-130lbs (5'5" tall) for a long time except the last couple of years - and here comes the belly fat! I appreciate your info and hope that now I can get back to normal - at least somewhat - except for signs of osteoporis, low back problems, etc.
If I were to write all of my story it would take several pages. Sufficient to say I'll soon be 47 years old. Two years ago I had a hysterectomy leaving in my ovaries. I was told that i would not experience anything different and that I would start feeling better. Previous to that I had started having low libido from about 42, to my boy friend's dismay and also mine. He had a rough time dealing with it. I went to the doctor and told them how it was affecting me. You see I had endometriosis so the low libido was attribituted to it. After surgery and say four months, The heat came on, I started having the hot flashes, and the libido went further south. It got so bad that now two years later my boyfriend has left me. I became paranoid, jealous and every other emotional puberty stricken teenager that I would become. I also started to put on weight. After the operation I lost weight. I went down to about 15 lbs which was correct for my height, and bone structure and age however I went up to 175 lbs. I thought I was going mad. I took matters into my own hands, ditched the general practitioners and went to a menopause doctor, who went through a proper screening. Just by the questions on her questionnaire I realised that I was not alone and she might be able to help me. I have not completed all the blood work but was started on some harmone therapy. Now just two months on but even after one week I started feeling better, things like allergies, motion sickness, sensitive skin and other things that I just thought was a matter of growing old, are not such a problem. I was also put on a very high dose of Vitamin D which has helped me tremendously with my osteoarthritis. I used to sense the rain with my pain. this no longer happens. I am now thinking clearly, not overly emotional, can see my way clear, am getting happier with myself and have lost 15 lbs. I hope this story helps someone.
It's nice to know I'm not alone. I have been following all the suggestions in the article for years. My weight and health were very good and I worked out every day. I was diagnosed with hypothyriodism at 39 years of age, but didn't really gain weight. At 40 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Chemo forced me into menopause, but I didn't gain weight until I started taking tamoxifen. I have been through menopause and back three times and I gain 10 pounds each time! Its all in my abdomen and I look more pregnant than fat. I can accept my body, but have concerns about heart disease and reoccurrance.
This is not helpful at all.
Does not tell you anything different from what we have all read and heard before.
LADIES: Experience from a 50 y/o who has had much success:
1) Walk at least a few x per week; along with another cardio activity (I dance in my livingroom), plus some stretching and weight training a couple x per week. Try to stay ACTIVE almost every day doing something.
2) Watch your calorie intake of course, but eat WHOLE FOODS and organic if at all possible. Don't go more than a few hours w/out eating something and make it HEALTHY.
3) Take Hi-quality supplements such as Vit C,E,D + Omega Fish Oil
4) BE PATIENT
I started this plan in January of this year, and didn't start seeing results until May! Then the weight started pouring off. Now it seems I'm maintaining it easily because I'm in the habit of all these good healthy habits. I'm 5'6" and weighed almost 165. Now I'm below 145. I'm happy with my weight now.
*****PATIENCE**********
Good Luck to all of you! ~ Barbara
I am 43 and have experienced this sudden weight gain but my cholesterol and blood pressure have increased as well. My medication levels have spiked on a drug I have taken for over ten years...I have no idea if this is just due to the permenopause or not. I am seeing a dietician and all of my regular doctors are monitoring same. I have lost 6 pounds so far although two weeks prior to my period, which is dwindling down to almost nothing lately, it flucuates. How long before I am officially menopausal and when can I expect that the weight will become manageable and level off?
Thankyou for this advice, although I would like to know, since I had a Stroke, from a Bloodclot many years ago, I was paralyzed but now have learned to walk again, I do exercise as much as possable, watch My diet closely since I know I can't move around as easily as I use to. So I try to walk alot, and do some abs each evening, but now that I have reached the 50 mark, & had to have a historectomy, it just seems like an impossable task to loose any weight. I did loose some about 2 yrs. ago, but then quit smoking, gained it right back again, but figured I would rather have the weight gain than to smoke again since yrs. ago I never smoked, only started because of a situation I was in. Figured not worth the problems associated with this habit rather than use it as a tool for a few pounds of weight loss, which really wasn't enough to make much of a difference anyway.
(One of) the reasons people can keep weight off better when they smoke is because smoking interferes with smell/taste and makes food less appetizing. I recently read that there is a drug in trials that does the same thing. :-)
I am almost 55 and have finally got the menopause thing under control. My advice: see a natural HRT doctor who doesn't concentrate on "normal" ranges. What's normal for you might not be normal for everybody. And the labs report hormone ranges, scaled for your age. Your hormones might be "normal" for a 50-year-old, but if you want to feel like a 35-year-old, you'll need to get your hormones normal for that age range. Before seeing a doctor who knew what they were doing, my thyroid was considered "normal" with a TSH level of 4. That's not really normal. That's sub-clinical hypo thyroid. I also take glucophage even though I'm not diabetic. It helps with regulation of insulin and sugar. Finally, after many years of feeling "not right", I feel better than I have in a decade. BTW, my hormone doc is Jennifer Berman in Los Angeles.
Dr. Peeke
I am currently 44 years old. I was able to keep my weight around 150 when I was training for a marathon (running 25-40 miles a week). The moment I stopped running and switched to less intense cardio and weight training I gained 27 pounds - in less than 1 year. Talk about frustrating! For the last 2 months I have monitored my eating - taking in between 1400-1800 calories a day; work out with trainer 3 times a week; run 3-4 times a week (not like I did when I was training for marathon). I have lost a whopping 3 pounds. I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, but only need 25ug of synthroid to keep in correct range. HELP - what else do I need to do to lose the weight I have gained???
Frustrated in indianapolis
I read one comment that said this was not helfull, "nothing new". I think this may not be correct, but the buy line should be, "Be patient" when trying to loose those lbs when you are in your 40's to 50's. I am 5' and needed to loose 15 lbs. At my size, 1200 cal's was what it would take. It was hard, but after 5 months, I hit my target and have learned how to keep it off. I hit it really after 3.5, but had to learn how to keep it off-gained a few, and then lost what I gained and now have kept it off-for three months, even with a weeks vacation thrown in. The key for me was developing a routine to stick to during the morning and lunch, because evenings posed the most challenge. Then I planned what I was going to eat for dinner, trying not to go over 500 cals for dinner. If I felt I would, I would adjust earlier in the day. Over the course of one to two weeks, if I follow this routine, a day here or there off track has not completely derailed my overall success. I also realized it takes a long time for the scale to register the wt loss. But adding up the small amount over time adds up to bigger numbers. Now I have learned how to eat in a way that I can manage. Third and finially, I was alwasy health conscious, but I really did not realize how calories crept in to my day until I kept a food diary for three months. I was not a believer, but put the effort in because every thing else in the past failed. That got me thinking, I just could not believe just how many calories crept inin a day. So, if they crept in, I could pull them out, and over time that would decrease my caloric intake with out me noticing. I hope this methos helps. PS I wore a bathing suit with impunity this past week and it felt good!
Weight gain comes with eating the wrong kind of carbs. The diet like the Atkins diet can lead one to great weight loss if they follow the levels it recommends by reading the entire book and not just a chapter here and there. It works!
To STRANGER: If you have your ovaries, your Dr is right, nothing SHOULD be changing, however the symptoms you describe sound very similar to my PCOS symptoms. I gain weight like a man (upper body) and have excess testosterone that makes me grow excess facial hair as well as some male patterned baldness. If you don't get results, try to get a referral to an endocrinologist that specializes in PCOS. You may not have it but they'd know the tests to run, etc. Good luck.
After reading all these comments, I'm not too optimistic about ever getting this extra 35 pounds off... I'm 55 and still having regular periods too. I thought my weight gain was from lifestyle change (less exercise) 5 years ago, but maybe not. All my life I've been thin til now. I've always eaten small meals 3-4 hr, never cared for chocolate, etc. Always been busy person, love the outdoors, gardening, etc. for exercise. It doesn't seem to matter. I'm ready to give up.
Hi Ladies - I scanned through this and nobody mentioned the ultra important Adrenal Gland! I went thru menopause at 42. All my life I ate a high protein low carb diet and splurged when I wanted. I cooked all my meals or ate a salad w/scoop of tuna at lunch rest. At 52, disabled and depressed, I started to eat cereal and soymilk. The bellyfat started. I got further into packaged foods and sweets and got up to 187 lbs, under the supervision of my endocrynologist for hypothyroid (surgical). My pain mgmt dr. found adrenal fatigue. I don't have the energy to go to the doc, but went back to "naked" foods. Fruits, yougurt are my staples. Also, got to a good dentist and had to have TWO root canals. All the bone was inflamed and my neck looked fat. I am healing slowly, and my pot belly is slowly shrinking. Last time the scale said 169. NAKED FOODS, girls...
Hi
I'm 43 and have a difficult time because I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It's extremely difficult, impossible actually for me to keep up with day to day activities of looking after a family. Cleaning and exercise suffer. I have to not worry about something to keep some other things going, like meals,laundry and getting groceries...something has to be cut out so I can nap and keep going.
I try hard to watch what I eat since exercise is next to nil because of the fatigue, headaches, stomach aches, neck pain and brain fog.
I just have to say you should look into biodentical hormone replacement, it really works for all the complaints in all these comments. When you get your body's hormones at the right level, you will notice a difference in everything , from your weight , to your mood, to your vitality. I don't know why it is so hidden and never addressed much,your body receives these natural replacements like their own, and ten year studies in Europe have proven their safety. They have helped me so much, get some books on them and research them for yourself.
I'm 45 and just lost 16 pounds. I followed just about everything on here - ramped up my exercise, varied it, ate at least 1400 calories and alot healthier, lifted weights and it worked!! I have back problems so I don't do crunches, but I've still had my stomach shrink. I'm aiming at maintaining now.
Thank you for the great reminder about watching your wine intake (or whatever you like to drink). I like to cook and I enjoy wine with dinner, but it really does pack on the inches. I found that applying the concept of portion control worked well for me. I still enjoy wine with dinner, but in a very, very small glass, sipped S-L-O-W-L-Y over the course of the meal. Alcohol and sugar are the biggest culprits for me, but if I stick to small portions, I'm finding I can keep the belly at bay!
I will be 60 in December and have not gone one year without a period yet. I was late starting the menopause process, but am experiencing many of the symptoms described here. The worst being the pot belly! It's not too bad right now, but compared to what it was a few years ago, it feels like an alien landed on my abdomen. My biggest problem is not the exercising, but the pain that I have when I do. I have chronic tendonitis in my elbows which makes lifting even 5 lb. dumbells excruciating, carpal tunnel in my left wrist, knees that ache, sciatica that flares up and now my right foot under the ball is starting to hurt. So, what do I do? I walk 4-5 miles but the joint pain in the elbows really prohibit me from lifting. I've tried cortisone shots and ultra sound therapy but still no use. I'm only about 5 lbs. over my Weight Watcher goal and have maintained my 40 lb. weight loss for many years, but I feel some of the control slipping away. I don't know what to do anymore.
Ok--one more thing to check... I recently had my yearly checkup with my gynocologist and he ran a test to see if I was Insulin Resistant. It's NOT the same as diebetic. The test showed that I am, so he put me on Metformin and told me to follow the South Beach Diet. I am finally losing-- and I couldn't before. I exercise 5-6 days a week and eat a good balanced diet and always have. BUT ---I was eating wrong for me. It has been a relief to finally find out what I was doing wrong and what was wrong with me. Precessed foods are what gets us into this mess. Eat mostly meats and veggies, some fruit and limit or eliminate breads, sweets, ect. I am 48 and was very frustrated with the belly fat and the stubborn pounds. It's better now, and I will keep working on it, but finally I have results.
Good luck, SRB
I do think it is most important to be kind to yourself. Our bodies undergo such huge changes compared to men -- pregnancy, breast feeding, and the whole arch of menses.
Just be yourself, be happy and buy nice clothes and jewelry and don't look at ridiculous photo-shopped glam magazines that have no real women in them.
As for health matters, if you are restricting yourself to 1,000 calories you have put your metabolism in starvation mode and will not lose weight!
As the doc says, lots of small meals (with protein as part of each) is the way to go.
As you age, you need to keep your energy up and eat every 2 or 3 hours. You can't eat as much as before and you need the little metabolism bump eating provides.
Don't tell yourself you are too tired to exercise. Few of us WANT to exercise...until we put one foot in front off the other and get started. You don't enjoy it until you've gotten into it for a few minutes...but you will feel proud of yourself for the accomplishement and exercise ultimately GIVES you energy, it does not deplete it.
Hello Everyone,
I'm newly 60 and lost 40 pounds over 30 years ago.....Was a flight attendant and it was mandatory at the time....To keep the weight off, I started working out and running back in 1978 and still run/walk 5 miles a day. I start every morning with range of motion exercises (including leg lifts and crunches) and eat as healthfully as possible. (No red meat or junk food) I've managed to keep my weight down, even though I went into menopause 4 years ago.
I thought it was worth mentioning, as I read through the comments to Dr. Peeke's article, that I DID gain about 10 to 15 pounds (I'm 5'4" and weigh 110 now) during the 3 years before menopause....I think hormonal fluctuations before menopause DEFINITELY make weight loss difficult. I tried EVERYTHING to lose weight during those years, and it wasn't until I had been menopausal for several years that I noticed a gradual weight loss.
For those with joint problems and tendonitis, I've had carpal tunnel and trigger finger surgery in both hands, as well as tendonitis in my elbows and knees and arthritis in my hips....The only thing that's helped me is Hyaluronic acid. I take 50 mg every day and it has helped my pain and inflammation tremendously. It's available at Walmart and most "Vitamin" suppliers.
Try substituting the wheat bread and products with rice (brown preferably). I tried it for 2 weeks and lost 10 pounds. Also starting eating a small bowl of oatmeal in the morning with egg whites and steamed veges seasoned with Ms. Dash--lost 10 pounds --I was amazed. I also needed to dispense with coffee and replace with green tea. Try it and watch the weight disappear.
Great information! It is frustrating to see those fat cells pile up. Thanks for all those great tips.
How in the world can you increase your activity when you have COPD and on/off prednisone most of your life? It hurts to move anything! Now I have Type 2 diabetes, had a heart attack when I was only 46. I am 5'2" and weigh a whopping 275lbs. I'm sick of looking like I'm pregnant with triplets, and it is very uncomfortable. I am 50 years old and I hate looking at myself anymore.
Thank you for the advice, i'm 44 years old soon to be 45. I've also tried changing my diet and exercise.
I am a receptionist so i'm sitting down for 8 hours aday.
so how can i loose the weight.
The info is great...I do most of this...but still see the weight creep on! I am in my late 40's. What do you do about the alcohol, when your doctor prescribes a glass of wine a day instead of taking other meds?
I am 45 and I watched my body start to sag over the last 4 years. I wanted to lose about 8-10 pounds so I bought a treadmill and heavy punching bag. Once I started the treadmill I saw drastic changes in my body especially my butt and abs - just from walking on an incline and running some. My but is tight now and not sagging anymore. The punching bag is doing wonders for my shoulders and arms as well as my back. I am also eating 1500 calories a day in small meals. This is the best I've felt in a long time!
Is it just me that this still doesn't work. I'm 47 and had to have a complete hysterectomy at 45. I was 108-114 lbs and now two years later 148 lbs. I go to the gym 3 times a week, do cardio, do weight training, eat healthy, take vitamins, had blood tested, had thryoid tested, everything checks out at dr. but haven't lost a single pound. The advice doesn't sound new or anything different other than a cute term for being fat and overweight.
Even after I had arranged my calendar to be exercising five days a week, I was still gaining weight. I also ate healthily. It wasn't until I bought Prevention's Flat Belly Diet Book, and really watched how many calories I ate per day, that the weight started coming off (1600). However, I think I've reached my limit of loss, and it just basically sucks that we have to work so much harder to keep the weight off, never mind losing it! I guess I'm lucky in a way (??) - my extra weight has always gone to my belly, so it's not as big of a shock for me that it's there (just that there is more of it). :-)
I truely thought I was alone in this situation. Cervical cancer and surgeries later I have been period free for two years. I did a hormone check and only have entered into menopause. I am a very active 54 yr old. Ex-military and a professional trainer. Believe me I burn the calories. I woke up and nearly fell over when I saw my stomach and back bulge. I take zero meds and only occasional Black Co-hash for flashes. I am going to ramp up the exercise and alter the eating habits. Hopefully this will help with my sex drive as well. It has become an issue between my husband and I.
I just turned 40 and have pcos. I am 5'4" and weigh 159 and can't get the weight off! and I am also loosing my hair, I was on metphormin but have gone off to give my body a break from it, the hot flashes and night sweats have started. I started excersizing every day and plane to go to the doctor to see what I can do to counteract the premenapausal systems, all these stories just make me sad and think I would like to me eve one day and smack her!! haha
I have to agree with the other women. I have had every test that my doctor can think of. My thyroids are fine, my blood pressure is fine. I am on a vivelle patch for hormones and prometrium a very low dosage. I am 51yrs old and I crave sweets, I try to drink more water atleast 64oz a day.I still suffer with some day sweats, I ha ve no energy and according to my doctor my hormone levels are still out of control. I walk everyday but still not enough. But my middle is getting bigger. I need a magic pill. I eat more fruit and chicken, instead of getting smaller, I am still gaining. HELP!!!
Thank you Dr. Peeke for the sound diet and exercise advice. However I think a big part of the equation has been left out. The lack of those essential hormones which is what has caused the fat to accumulate in the first place!
Without balancing hormones losing weight is almost impossible, and the hot flashes become intolerable.
To all: Please get your hormones checked. If you are not comfortable with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) then consider herbal remedies to help quiet the flashes and balance the hormonal deficiencies (Soy & Black Cohosh are two good choices)
By all means read "Fight Fat After Forty" by Dr. Pam Peeke! I read it several years ago and it is a great read! I am 55,had a hysterectomy a few years ago, have the menopot thing going on,too. I have a regimen of walking and yoga every day and try to eat often and organic. It is a journey, but I am happy to see that we all are willing to share and find ways to make our lives better for the duration! Remember to "be happy now!"
I am a 52 yr.old who has never had weight issues until the last 4 yrs. I have gained around 25 lbs. 4 years ago I had a malignet brain tumor removed and did 2 yrs. of montly chemo. I also started going through menopause at that time. I gained about 5 lbs while on chemo. Since then I have gained 20 more, I weigh over 15 pounds more than I did with any of my pregnancies. I have cronic headaches mainly migraines which I take Imitrex, Xanaflex, and Indocin almost daily. I just had my thyroid check, but it was normal, am now having my hormones checked and waiting for results. I have never carried weight in my stomach before. I have gone up about 2 clothes sizes. I have cut back my sweets and snacks and started exercising more but keep gaining. I hate my new body, but don't know how to change it.
I am 47 and walk at least 5 to 6 miles a day for work I have lost everything in hips and thighs but still have a tummy I should eat more but dont have the time I have had a heay feeling in my left breast and sometimes suffer from heartburn my friend said it was girth what in the world is that? I just had my mamogram and it came back fine so im confused is this hormonal?
I am 41 and finished up chemo/radiation in May for breast cancer. I started taking Tamoxifen in May and I've put on about 20 pounds. I am miserable! I re-joined my gym and I dance (ballroom)1-2 times a week. Every time I get on the scale, it's 1-2 pounds more!!! Is it safe to take a diet supplement with Tamoxifen? I HAVE to get some of this weight off!
Great information. I am 43 and have 2 children - a 19yr old and an 8yr old. i have always been a slender 5'8, 130lbs, but have sinced literally "busted loose" to 200+lbs. i have taken every diet pill, every fat burning shot and been to every weight management clinic i could find, yet i can't seem to tame the root cause of my excess weight which is a wild beast called my appetite. I will try the techniques mentioned and pray to harness the problem once and for all.
I'm 65 now and weighed 180 lbs till recently. I went into full menopause at 43, nobody knows why (till then I weighed about 130 lbs) and started gaining weight. I live in India and HRT was not available. My husband died when I was 57 and I gained some more; I think by then I was up to 150 lbs, and very depressed. It kept creeping up because I was drinking and eating mostly cheese sandwiches and packet soups. At 62I was up to 165 lbs when I slipped a disc, and I could hardly walk. At 180 lbs I had back surgery (two years ago) and have made a slow btu steady recovery - but I did manage to stabilize the weight gain! Mostly because by then I had a partner who encourages me to exercise and cut down on the alcohol. My partner keeps telling me you're gorgeous, now let's go for a walk. So I'm now starting to lose a little weight, and I feel better about myself, down to 175 lbs. A little secret: I use 500ml soda bottles filled with water as weights, and you can use them as travel weights! My physio thinks it's a great idea. I also use Therabands which are good for travel. I do a yoga-cum-exercise routine 3 days a week (my partner does it too) and 3 days a week we walk at least 5 kms. Without him I would probably be past the 200lb mark! And since he's a big man it does him good too. I think you really do need to have someone to work out with and keep you motivated, it's very hard to do it alone.
I am a 49 year old women, who has tried it all!! I still have no sex drive, separated from my husband like a week ago for second time this year. Hate everyone, on the edge of being terminated from my job. Life really sucks!!! I have tried hormone replacement, herbal remedies, exercise, diet, eating right. None have changed the fact I NO sex drive, want to commit homoside or sucide almost everyday. What the Heck is wrong with me? I feel like I should be locked up or something
Great information Dr. Peeke! May I add one more thing. Exercise in the pool, I watch my stomach get smaller,doing exercise in the pool during the summer.
I am 50 yrs old and 5'2. I have been overweight my whole life and always on a diet. My highest nonpregnant weight was 186 until about 2 years ago. Now I weigh 200. I haven't changed the way I eat. I guess it must be this menopot thing because I gained it all in my stomach. I hear a lot of people just like me in this posting. Does anyone have a way to loose weight that works? Tried what Dr Peeke says and it hasn't worked.
Here's what works for me:
1. Find an exercise you love and want to do (for me it is Oriental Dance, known as Belly Dance). Then, exercise for at least four of the seven days.
2. Next, (following the Prevention Magazine's Flat Belly Diet recommendations) watch calories and keep to no more than 1600 a day, spread through four or five meals/snacks, and add a monounsaturated fat food to each one, like olives, nuts, seeds, avocado (which helps your body not feel deprived). I was doing just the exercise part for a while and still gaining weight, so the eating part is also important. People who keep a food diary are more likely to lose weight. You don't have to do it forever, because you eventually learn how many calories things have and have established healthy eating habits. For example, olives have the least calories per serving of the monounsaturated fatty acid foods I mentioned above, so they are easy to add to a regular meal/snack.
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