I'm turning 51 in a month. My period is erratic and seems to be governed by how much stress I'm in at the time. My life was insanely stressful over the last four years, but things have been turning around for me and I'm feeling much better emotionally.

I lost almost 30 lbs rather quickly about five years ago, after I found out I was type 2 diabetic. then hit a huge wall. I plateaued in the same 10-lb. range for three years. It didn't seem to matter what I did, I couldn't drop below a certain level on the scale. I got desperate and went on a liquid fast. That's when I discovered I was very sensitive to soy. It was the biggest favor life ever did for me! I had to stop eating nearly all processed food (soy is in practically everything). I cleaned up my diet even more and now eat almost entirely Paleolithic Diet and I feel pretty awesome.

But I still struggle with losing weight! I am hovering just below 300 lbs. and can't seem to break past 295. I will lose a pound and then bump up and down for weeks before dropping another one. Losing the last 30 lbs have been like that all along for just over two years. I'm very frustrated with that.

I could do more, but I already do a lot and I have a life and people in my life that I still have to care for. I'm about to step up my game again. I have been playing around with intermittent fasting (I don't eat till late afternoon and stop eating by 9 pm, all in hope that I can't possibly eat as much as I usually do in an entire day - just a way to control calories) and that's how I lost the last 15 lbs. But over the last few months, I've been too distracted with other issues to stick to that schedule. But I'm ready to get back on it because it worked for me and I felt good.

Other things that helped me feel good were the right exercise for me. Pilates is the perfect exercise for me. I feel amazing after class and have a great day. If I skip class, I don't have a great day. I also love weight training and I'm starting a new 12-week challenge in two weeks. Looking forward to the soreness! And the other thing I do is ergonomic rowing, every day, for 20 minutes after I eat.

When I do it all, plus cut calories and eat really clean, the weight comes off. But still at a very slow rate, like maybe a pound a week. I am seriously considering putting the scale away and focusing entirely on sticking to the plan for the 12 weeks of the fitness challenge. I need to focus and I don't want to be distracted by disappoinment!

Still, my kids, work and running my life in general are a major distraction from my health. Wish it wasn't like that for me. Wish I could get through this menopause thing with flying colors and not have it affect me at all. But I am such a girl right now, crying at the stupid Folgers commercial, getting weepy with joy when the boys are destroying the house with Silly String (that was last night - and I started it!) And the hot flashes. And the anger flashes.

I'm so glad to have a support team in place. I come here, plus three other online support groups for various things. I have two therapists (one is actually my ADD coach) and about to go get a third one for another specific issue. And my posse in Pilates. And some very good friends who are all in the same boat as me. I am getting on top of caring for myself, finally putting me first.

Maybe that's why I needed to go through this menopause thing...

Great thread. I'm 53, and have been in menopause for a few years now. I did lose 30 lbs a couple of years ago doing WW, but I gained almost 20 back, so now I'm losing it again.
Here are my take-aways about this whole thing:
1- It is definitely harder to lose the lbs - not only because they come off slower, but they also come on quicker
2- Harder is not impossible, which is why my head is finally getting a grip around the "lifestyle vs diet" thing.
3-We must think about what we can do forever, even if it means a slower loss. Find something that is permanent - that doesn't mean there won't be times when we fall away from our plan, but our general lifestyles always need to be leading us in the right direction. This permanent aspect, was probably the most difficult for me to get my head around, but it is the most important.
4- Next year will come, whether we've lost weight or not, so if we're dropping 3 pounds per month, that's 36 pounds for the year - pretty substantial, and if it's done in a sustainable form, we will keep losing. Of course, my goal is to lose quicker, but my job is to stay on my plan, the weight thing will take care of itself.
5- I try to maintain a healthy sense humor about the whole thing.
6- The people who love us, love us anyway.
7- It's easier said than done!

We have all accomplished great things in our lives, we can do this too!

I'm also 53 and into full menopause now (started peri @ 46 y/y). I have a lot of hot flashes druing the night, so have insomnia too; I wake up from being too hot. Often, I have to turn the furnace down 2-3 degrees so I can sleep. After reading this thread, I understand why my WL has been so slow; but I am still losing inches & sizes; and some lbs too, just very slowly at present.

I had one blip several years ago after being sick (about 3 years before I joined here). I had lost 30+ lbs and gained back 12, but not by eating too much, just more than I could eat when I was sick; but I just kept going and lost that 12 again, and them some -- which has been very encouraging for me.

I am hoping that losing slowly this time bodes well for me in that I won't regain it back; so far so good. I'm looking at this as a lifetime transformation, and I think that is key.

So, I hope that encourages all of you as well ...

This is just the thread I needed. I still have my monthly but I never know what Im going to have. Its either one extreme or the other.I am waking up with hot flashes almost nightly now. I am gaining faster and losing so slow now. Thanks for helping me understand whats going on...

I've been menopausal for 10 year. I am finding it IMPOSSIBLE to lose weight now. Weighed in this morning and the scale hasn't moved. I'm so disappointed, because I KNOW I stuck strictly to the program. (South Beach Diet) It's times like these that I feel like giving up. Doesn't help that I have fibromyalgia and the depression hits pretty hard sometimes.
I am so glad I found this group so I have a place where I can talk about my weight loss problems. I have no one in real life who goes through the challenges I go through.

Same thing here! Twelve years ago when I lost the weight I lost 2-4 pounds a week and lost all of it in 3 1/2 months (35 pounds). Now I'm lucky to keep losing 1 pound a week, but it is coming off, just alot slower. After menopause weight goes on faster, and comes off slower. However I'll take the slower weight loss over the misery that accompanied my reproductive years!!!!!