Menopause & the scale
 

Hi Ladies:

I have recently embarked on a new adventure in life entitled menopause.

The symptoms of menopause for me are varied but the one I am struggling with is the scale ups & ups. I am turning into a water hog, and can hold on to pounds of water at a time for no apparent reason. Retaining water is alway an issue for me but I used to know why it happened. That 5 pound splash is difficult to swallow. My other issue is the 5 pounds that don't disappear no matter how hard I try. So my daily visit with the scale is now a dreaded event. My calories are at 1200, and I am working out for about 40 mins a day cardio and do weight training 2 times a week. I know the answer is to increase all my exercise & intensity as my food is low already. But it is pissing me off, to gain weight without even any "bad decisions", and my plan that has always worked now has huge cracks in it. This has impacted my decision making process as well, because I alway have the issue of all or nothing thinking, so since its not working why not have a reason for the weight gain. I realize the insanity of this thinking but it is in my head and cant lose this battle.

Thanks for letting me vent...

Just curious--where did you get the number 1200 from? You don't state what you weigh now, so it's hard to make suggestions.

Good luck! :)

Jay

Hi Gina! :censored: menopause!

It's upsetting when we have a routine that works for us, then suddenly it doesn't work. So your frustation is totally understandable. Vent away! :hug:

Stupid hormones! I'm lucky in a way because I went through menopause as I was losing the weight (the huge fat loss dumped a ton of estrogen in my system and bam, I was done). So I've always had to adapt to being menopausal in maintenance. Along with being hypothyroid, I'm sure it's why my calories need to be fairly low to keep the weight off.

I've read that when our ovaries start shutting down estrogen production, then our bodies turn to abdominal fat as a secondary source of estrogen. Hence the lovely menopot or menopausal donut. :p

I think you're on the right track with increasing exercise intensity and/or duration. Your calories are about as low as you should go, so the only place to turn is exercise. Exercise makes a huge difference at our age, both in how we look and in our ability to keep the weight off. Once we're over 45 - 50ish, it becomes painfully obvious who works out and who doesn't.

If you don't do some high intensity intervals when you do cardio, try throwing some in.

And I strongly suggest increasing your weight training. Part of the reason that our metabolisms slow down as we age is the loss of muscle mass, so we need to counteract it by sustaining the muscle we have. At our age, we have to work hard just to stay in one place. Adding muscle is terrific, but our first goal needs to be just keeping what we have. And that comes from lifting weights and really stressing our muscles.

I know it's really hard to get away from all or nothing thinking. You're right, this maintenance stuff is all head stuff. :dizzy: But the only certainty in life is change and we have to adapt. It's hard to let go of what's always worked but try tweaking your program a bit and see what happens.

Keep us up to date!

Gina, oh yes, I hear you! I'm definitely in the wacky-hormone phase of life. Hot flashes. Night sweats. Period irregularities (of all sorts). Water weight wild swings. Sometimes I think my brain stops working too.

I was up SEVERAL pounds a few months ago, and I'm convinced that hormones played a role (not the entire problem, but a contributing factor). I got really strict on diet (not below 1200 though) and really kicked up the exercise and was able to take the pounds back off. I'm like you, I can't take my calories any lower so increasing exercise duration/intensity is all I can do. I find that eliminating refined carbs, drinking plenty of water, and watching salt intake helps to lessen the water weight swings. If I have a very salty meal, I can be up 3-4 pounds on the scale the next day. I'm also always up several pounds after a long-run day, due to muscle water retention, so I just know to expect that.

But, I totally agree with Meg. We really have to work to stay in shape as we get older. I feel that I either have to constantly be working to improve or I'll start slipping backwards.

It's always something!

Gina, you have gotten advice from the best of the best on all of 3FC for lifestyle/diet changes that work and maintain. I was struck by the rest of what you said:


"This has impacted my decision making process as well, because I always have the issue of all or nothing thinking, so since its not working why not have a reason for the weight gain. I realize the insanity of this thinking but it is in my head and cant lose this battle."

While I have not been through mental (as my son calls it) pause yet, I have lived all but the last 7 -8 years of my life with that "all or nothing mentality"..I blew it today, so I "start" tomorrow..living by the #s on a scale....all the traps of dieting. I would encourage you to think long and hard about the statement of how the weight fluctuation is affecting your weight loss effort. For me, the solution has been to think about how I think about food...We have a thread on 3FC called the Beck Diet Solution. It is under general plans..there, we focus on behavioral changes more than the specific diet..it may or may not be helpful, but I think getting your head into Judith Beck's book might. The Beck Diet Solution is her first book; I didn't even buy the second one, but many on our thread use that one as well. Don't give up..the end result is so worth it!

Thanks for the support, I truly need it. I just didn't expect this turn in the road and having to recaluclate my route. I appreciate all the advise and plan on upping the intenstiy of my cardio and adding a bit more on the weight training. I will read up on the Beck diet as well. Knowledge is power.
I am going to make it work.

Oh, Gina, you have all my sympahties. At almost 65 I've been through menopause, and am just on the edge of the other side, and have had all the symptoms you describe. I really think that more weight lifting will help, and it certainly will help with preventing bone/muscle loss. I am determined not to be a bent over little old lady like my mother and MIL were. I increased my WL over the last 6 months, and found it made a difference in my body shape if not as much in my weight.

Gina-
Thank you!!! The timing couldn't be better on this thread. I've done the night sweats thing for about 10 years but the last 4 or 5 months everything is going out of whack. That includes about 6-7 extra lbs that I just can't move. I was all ready to start some weight training last summer than had back issues and a "heads up" MRI. I need to get over my fear and give it a try.

I have nothing new to add, being in the same place but really appreciate all the suggestions. 3FC comes through again :)

Meg, that's quite interesting about losing weight, and the estrogen getting dumped into one's system.

I'm also one who really can't take the calories any lower. And I have to do my exercise every day, not just for the weight/metabolism, but for strength, flexibility and my overall sense of feeling poised.

Thanks very much for this thread!