Any comments out there on how much slower the pace for losing weight has been since hitting midlife?? I love Calorie King and the opportunity for journaling food and exercise. I wish there were more women discussing their midlife challenges, and more important, women sharing the solutions they've come up with, as to what 'works for them'.

I've taken notice of the times that I have faithfully stuck to journaling and regular exercise, and that it seems to take a while before it shows up on the scale as a loss. Dropping 5lbs here or there is no longer something that is as easy as it used to be. Since menopause, I more often notice that I lose inches before it shows up in lost pounds on the scale. As long as I am feeling healthier and stronger, and my clothes are loosening up, I'm happy and trust that it will eventually show up as lost pounds. I've learned to not get so impatient in that first month or two of 'getting back on track'. I've had to stop using the almighty scale as evidence that my healthy eating and exercise is paying off. Now, if I can just stop the annual tradition of holiday 'entitlement eating' that gets me into so much trouble! Glad to be back. What a blessing to have technology and a website like this!

Has anyone else noticed this delay on the scale?? Would love to hear feedback from you! Lauren

Lauren, you are definitely not alone! some days I see the scale creep up in the other direction. but I know that this is temporary and I am faithfully exercising and logging and counting on my friends to pull me through the touch times. Be glad to do the same for you. I joined the challenge that is counting minutes of exercise. it is neat to be part of the group and contributing to the greater good. It has stimulated me to press on to do much more than I thought I could do.

Part of the problem that comes with menopause is stress. this causes cortisol to rise and interfers with insulin resistance. key to battling this is exercise to force the cells to use insulin better. so keep going.

Yes, menapause makes a huge difference. It is much more difficult to lose weight. I don't take hormone replacements. Maybe if I did, it would not be so difficult to lose weight. I lived in Sicily for two years and I noticed that Italian women were very thin until they reached middle age. (Generally speaking.) Once they reached middle age, the had some extra weight. It was not as bad as many people in our country, but they had extra weight. I was wondering if it was because they do alot of cooking. But, it must be partly because of menopause.

Exercise speeds up the metabolism, so it is VERY important in this battle of the bulge.

Yes, it does make a difference. I have noticed that it is very slow going even though I exercise and watch what I eat. I have found that I no longer sleep very well and spend a lot of time tossing and turning resulting in a feeling of fatigue during the day. Also, I have started craving sweet things, especially chocolate...a big problem if I go there. Talk about addiction!
Oh well, on the bright side of things I now have the time to spend on getting myself healthy. I hope that it is not a little too late. Ha ha!
Sally1

Sally,

My 82-year-old mother is joining the YMCA. So, it is never too late!

Donna

Thank you all so much for your feedback. This is my first post on Calorie King and it is great to know that I am not alone in this battle of the bulge!

I, too, notice that I lose inches faster than I do pounds. I just got back to CK today. Was on it several years ago, and menopause has forced me back. I am 56 and the middle of my body gets thicker all the time. In fact, I swear I can watch it grow!!!! My appetite is as strong as it use to be but my body just won't burn the calories. Going to the gym as often as I can (with my wonderful husband) has really helped me from hitting the "extreme obese level." The gym has been my life saver. Now I have to get the diet (life change) to balance the workouts.

What I have found is that I have to make better choices in my daily intake - vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and lots of water. I also need to exercise daily in order to take off/keep weight off. My doctor's medical assistant is very tall and slim - works out daily, does all the right things, and yet she told me that her waist is a couple inches bigger than when she was younger (and we're not talking belly fat here, just the dimensions). Kind of disheartening, but it's reality once we pass 50, I guess!

That makes sense JANNABELLE. (sorry for the delay in responding back to this thread). I've been really trying hard everyday since starting this thread to pay attention to portion size. I've gotten in the bad habit of 'volume' eating which is fine when it's vegetables and healthy foods. It was the volume eating out at restaurants that got me into trouble. I stopped going to restaurants Jan.1 and have been focusing on cooking healthy meals that are low in fat and sodium. I'm down about a pound a week for the new year and I am thrilled! At 59 it's a slow go, but hey... a pound a week is 52 lbs in a year!!! OKIELADY32: I too have started back at the gym and that really helps a lot. I'm glad to hear you are back on the program.

During my menopause, I gained 22 pounds and there seemed to be absolutely no corresondence between what I ate and when I gained or lost. I was at 234 for 10 years, and even when I hired a personal trainer and worked out and tracked my intake, ratios and the whole nine yards, I never lost a full 20 pounds. It was so discouraging I gave up and just let it be. I am more than 5 years past my last cycle now and it had been more than a year since I was even on a scale. I attended a family member's birthday party a few weeks ago and saw family for the first time in many months who remarked how much weight I had lost. I hadn't been dieting or even thinking about weight loss, except my appetite for large portions had waned. When I got home, I weighed and found I have lost 21 pounds! I figure if my body is letting it go, I'm going to help it! I joined CK 3 days ago. Menopause is a strange journey, but it's nice to know it's not all so bad. I'm more level-headed than ever, for instance, I'm no longer concentrating on dress sizes or inches, so much as I am seeking the sweet spot for health and vitality. I'm glad to find you all in this group. I think we can help each other

Welcome to our group! Way to go on the weight loss. sounds like you found the key, portion control. and then there is the group support. be sure to check in and keep sharing. we are in this together.

Oh my gosh. That's wonderful to have a surprise 21lb loss! Good for you girl! You're right, menopause is a strange journey isn't it? I know that it wreaks havoc with my trying to lose weight (as it seems to come off so slow!). I also have some horrible insomnia on some nights as well. Glad you joined in. It's nice to know there are others out there going through similar issues.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HW: 220
CW: 198
GW: 145

'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Heb11:1

Hi Lauren (and all),

I'm 54 and live in the Pacific Northwest and have just joined CK.

I've totally noticed this phenomenon. Several years ago I was working out with a trainer and went from a size 18 to a size 12 pants. In the process I only lost 15 pounds. It was very frustrating - my trainer encouraged me by saying I was gaining muscle mass (which I have always tended to do) and that the weight loss would come. But it never really did and then I had a shoulder cuff injury and everything went downhill from there. Now I'm back to 200. Joined CK last week and with the education and tools I'm receiving daily I have confidence that it will help me acheive a lifestyle change.

I've set a goal of 160 - haven't been there since before having kids back in my 30s. I'm hopeful. Being on and off again menopausal I'm curious how this will go. Seems like my hotflashes should be burning lots of calories!

Take care,
Cat

No kidding. hot flashes and house cleaning should count on the program somehow, but alas...... Good news, they dont last forever. And your trainer was right. I was on the program for almost 2 months and didnt drop more than 2 lbs. lost size but not hope, thanks to the encouragement I got here. without it I would have quit in disgust. now the scale is dropping, although still not like it used to when I was young.

SW 182, SCKW 179 CW 173.2 and GW 140

Thank you, Betty

Hi Lauren, looks like you and I have similar goals. I am way past the hot flashes (better on this side), though I also occasionally have trouble getting to slepp. My trouble becomes a trend of not getting sleepy at night and before I know it it's 3:00 in the morning! I am working on a solution. So far what seems to be working is to have something sweet at night, especially if it's milk-based. I think the excersize in the mornings is helping, too. Good luck! Do you take anything for menopause?

Hi Cat,

Several years ago I had a ski accident that put me on crutches for 8 weeks and at our age we lose muscle tone quickly. Regaining so much weight is pretty discouraging, but I am more determined than ever now that I've found CK. You go, Girl!

VerySherry

No I don't take anything for menopause but I have learned that four things can trigger my hot flashes during the day and the night sweats that wake me up and they are SODIUM/SALT, CAFFEINE, ALCHOHOL, & SUGAR. I really try to eat a lot of healthy whole foods (no processed) and find that when I watch and limit my intake of the big four that I feel much better. I found that a plain non-fat yogurt in the evening or a microwaved small potato (even the little red ones will do) help me to sleep. I guess it's the carbs at night that help. I also make sure that I get 'dinner' in early (before 6:30 p.m.) as that has made a huge difference in my ability to get a good night's sleep.

Lauren

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HW: 220
CW: 198
GW: 145

'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Heb11:1

Hey Cat!

Welcome! I agree, you would think that hot flashes would burn up some calories somewhere in the big picture. The slow weight loss is difficult mentally to adjust to, but for most of us, that' just how it will be in menopause. I've really had my moments of 'poor me' and total aggravation at times with how hard it can be to squeek out a one pound loss. This year I have decided to reframe things in my mind and realize that yes, a pound a week loss seems small, but that adds up to 52 lbs a year! So I'm planning on going for the lifetime change in habits, and have accepted that slow and steady loss is better than none at all.

I've been carrying the same extra 50-60 lbs around for years! So committing to a pound a week could make this year, the year that I finally reach my healthy goal! In the past, I've lost ten, gained ten pounds over and over. This time, I really want to stick with it. I hope to see you here with me in the months ahead.

Lauren
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HW: 220
CW: 198
GW: 145

'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Heb11:1

OK, thanks for the invitation to stay the course! We mature gals have to stick together!

I'm new here and learning the lingo - what does HW stand for?

Cat
SW 199, CW 196, GW 160

Lauren,
There's actually an association between estrogen and progesterin, both controlled by the pituitary gland. During the process of menopause, your body prduces less progesterin, creating a surplus of estrogen. Also estrogen is stored in body fat, so once the menopause process begins, your body stores extra fat to make a place for the estrogen and the estrogen builds up, creating a greater imbalance between estrogen and progesterin. The best way to restore the balance is to supplement the progesterin AND lose the fat. In a perfect world, of course

Anything and everything you can do that reduces fat or increases progesterin, decreases or blocks estrogen production and minimizes the unpleasant effects of menopause: hot flashes, sleeplessness, loss of libido, weight gain and poor attitude. Caffiene is not kind to one's hormones, so it's a great start.

Do what works for you, but you may be able to find some good reading on the subject of alternative HRP therapies. I use a progesterin creme called EndoCreme 900 which I get online, at the encouragement of a female chiropracter I knew years ago who was also on the menopausal journey. I still can't thank her enough. It's not synthesized, but a natural extract from certain yams.

I use that, stay away from any soy product that is not whole soy beans, drink decaf and watch my salt. Getting adequate, regular rest is also very important, both to health and to weight loss. Lack of sleep contributes to stress. Stress does bad things in the body and to the hormone system.

Good luck. You're on the right track, to be watching for triggers. I can tell you that life on the other side of menopause is great

Cat

HW stands for my highest weight, I guess it might be more clear if I put SW for starting weight? Thanks!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HW: 220
CW: 198
GW: 145

'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Heb11:1

VerySherry,

Thanks for the good feedback on estrogen-progesterin. I will certainly check it out as an option. I have heard about progesterin type creams before. Also, I know there are a lot of menopausal women who have had hysterectomies earlier in life. I'm not sure how this would apply to them or if the cream would help them too? Maybe you can respond for for those who are wondering. Anything that can help us through this phase of our lives is great news! Again, thanks for sharing your insights on this subject. Lauren

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SW: 220
CW: 198
GW: 145

'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
Heb11:1

Ah. To each their own! Thanks.

Agree on progesterone as a balancing agent during early menopause. later on it is often not enough and some estradiol and estriol can balance life. Many women do not store enough estrogen to get through menopause without significant symptoms. especially those who lead a high stress life. The adrenal gland cortisol creates an insulin resistant state that interfers with normal use of gonadal (sex) hormones.

Now for the good news, the exercise program, unrefined food plan that calorie king encourages helps lower insulin resistance and promote better hormone utilization.

I studied under a well versed endocrinologist when I lived in Oregon, he holds that supplementation is useful for symptoms, including hot flashes, vaginal driness, thin vaginal tissue that causes pain with intercourse, memory fog. He always encouraged his patients to use transdermal application of any hormone. oral hormones go through the liver first and can cause increase in production of the inflammatory chemicals that lead to other problems (breast disease, heart and vascular problems are some of these). I have followed his lead and prescribe transdermal, bio-identical hormones exclusively