Oh yes, she did stress to me how important is was to be taking calcium to prevent osteoporosis. Actually, I've tattooed on my brain what she said, which was "Now that you're thin and healthy, you need to be concerned about bone density and osteoporosis". She went on to explain how those of us who enter early menopause are at more at risk. But for a few seconds there my brain replayed the thin and healthy bit over and over. :) Now that I think about it, it's a shame that she didn't mention lifting weights. I know from reading here and other places how weight training can slow bone loss, but I'm not sure the average person who isn't particularly interested in health and fitness would know that. And that's a weakness of mine. I piddle in it, but I've not yet gotten a good routine set up.

AnnRue, I've wondered if it is so difficult because I'm getting closer to goal or because of the menopause issue also, and I don't know the answer either. Not that it matters either way, does it, because regardless of the cause, we still have to do that same thing.

I went into menopause about 12-18 months ago after having a hysterectomy (left my ovaries in) about 6 years ago. It's kind of tricky, if you aren't having periods, to figure out exactly where you're at, but my doctor did hormone levels last year and I was having the typical night sweats, headaches and hot flashes. I gained about 10# in the last year despite staying on weight watchers and exercising (I'm on an estrogen patch too). I recently started South Beach cuz I figured my metabolism is really changing too. I am thrilled that in the last 5 weeks I have lost 12#. :carrot: I don't know if my body isn't processing carbs as well or what. I do know that on weight watchers the quality of some of my "points" was not good, so I guess cleaning up my diet and eating more veggies, less simple carbs & processed foods has really helped me get back where I want to be. My next goal is to start using resistance exercises more. I hate weight training, but I am planning on seeing a personal trainer at my gym & getting some advice with it.

What a wonderful & informative thread!! I went into instant menopause when I had a hysterectomy due to HUGE fibroids. I was 45 at the time & fairly chunky. I continued to gain weight even though I wasn't really eating that badly & was fairly active. None of my doctors mentioned to me that I was eating at the calorie level for women NOT in menopause. The calorie charts, BMR calculations etc. had me at 1800 cal/day...I was eating less than that & still not losing. Exercise didn't help either.

It wasn't until I started my last diet that I discovered the fact that I needed much lower calories. Even though most diet sites state that one should not have less than 1200 cal/day, I had to drop mine down to 1000 to lose consistently. I'm just approaching maintenance & figure that it may be in the 1100-1200 range (up to 1400 when I am super active). I'll get to experiment with that soon! :) I do know that I have to watch carbs carefully & get most of my carbs from veggies & fruit rather than breads & starches.

All of my doctors have not been helpful in the weight loss department. Their solution was to eat less & do cardio. No mention of weights, if fact my current physician gets annoyed when I mention it. Thank goodness for online support...it was there that I got my information...and finally got slimmer. :D

I went through menopause at 42 - I'm 54 now.

I never noticed too much of a difference with menopause until I hit my 50's.
Then my weight loss efforts became more of a challenge.

Exercise has been the only thing that really has been able to make a dent.

Suesully, I don't think we've "meet" before here at 3FC and I just have to congratulate you on your weight loss! :bravo: Wow, are you really only two pounds from your goal? What an amazing journey this must have been for you! Please come join us in the Maintainers forum -- you don't have to be at goal to post there and I'm sure you have so much insight and wisdom to share! :)

Well I am not in menopause and I admit I have to eat much lower calories to lose and maintain that most. I have been doing this for a while and I am not sick or malnourished so I think that it is just what I need to eat.

Maybe everyone just needs different amounts.

I have a friend who is past menopause and she eats the wrong calories 1800. I have tried to tell her to eat less, but her doctor insists she needs to be eating what the charts list, and I think that is wrong for post menopause. She isn't gaining but hasn't lost.

AnnRue -- I don't think losing weight and menopause are inevitable. I started losing weight at 39 and lost 100 pounds in just over a year. I haven't hit menopause yet (now I'm 42).

I don't know if I should look forward to menopause or dread it. I'm leaning toward dread. I hate change.

I just missed my first period last month, I'm 53 1/2. I won't be sorry to see the back of them, that's for sure.

I wasn't sorry to see the end of my periods either. It just seems like a "change" for the better. Although I do feel like I'm entering another "phase" of my life with this.

I wasn't sorry to see my periods go at all. Tammy, like you, there were times I felt as if I was going through childbirth all over again. And the bleeding was soooo heavy, I was forced to stay pretty close to home for the first few days, not to mention that I would get it every 21 -24 days or so and it would remain with me for 7 days at a time, so I was practically always with it. I lived on Advils. I haven't taken one since I lost my period. It was good riddance for me.

You know until this thread came about, I simply forgot that I am in "menapause". I mean I knew my periods had stopped, but I guess I never really equated it with being in menapause. Kinda dopey of me. I guess I'm still waiting to hit the one year mark, like my doctor told me to. But yes, I do have to consume less calories then most in order to lose and now maintain. I always thought it had to do with the fact that I was morbidly obese for so long and therefore messed up my metabolisim and also the fact that I am so short. But now it makes perfect sense that the fact that I'm "in menapause" is a factor.

OK... just count me as one of the 'weird' ones. About 5 or 6 years ago my gynaecologist told me it appeared as though I was perimenopausal. Mind you, I hadn't had a period for about 8 years while I was obese, and the ones I was finally having were due to the contraceptive pill, so didn't really count I don't think. Well, since losing weight, I got my first 'natural' (pill free) period just over two years ago and my periods have been more regular in the past 6 months than they have been since I first started at the age of 11.

So, I have a funny feeling that my 'perimenopausal' time of my life seems to have disappeared. I even had night sweats and hot flushes for quite a few months, so I was SURE that menopause wasn't far away. But I haven't even had any of that sort of thing for over 6 months. I have a feeling that I may have to go through it all again some time. *sigh*

I'm not really sure what is going on, but my doctor seems to think everything is just perfect, so I suppose I won't worry for the moment.

Zelma

Like Suesully, I went into instant menopause when I had a full hysterectomy (no ovaries) in 2005. Even though I was only 41 at the time, I made the decision to have the surgery due to several large fibroids and due to the loss of my Mom to ovarian cancer in 2004. The lastest information on fibroids indicates that women with this condition have a much higher level of estrogen in their system. I wonder if this is why I started gaining so much weight right around puberty? I've had a weight problem since I was 9, but I gained an additional 75 pounds within 2 years of my hysterectomy. Like most of you ladies, I must fight for every single pound I lose. I have noticed that, when I'm on-plan and consistently losing, I have a much harder time balancing my hormone therapy due to the release of extra estrogen from my fat. Boy, do I get grumpy. I've found that regular exercise not only helps me to lose, but also helps with the grumpiness. :D I've noticed that my oldest daughter is extremely emotional around her TOM and she has a tendency to put on weight easily. I'd love to find a doctor who can tell me if she is estrogen dominant so I can help her get balanced. But, our healthcare system just hasn't caught up enough with women's issues to help much.

I'm 39 and I was SHOCKED when the nurse asked at my last checkup, are you STILL having your period. I feel younger then I am I guess and it doesn't seem like a question for 39, sooooo... isn't it a transition, even before menopause, to admit that our child bearing days are about over, or they are over? I see some stars getting pregnant at this age, and really I don't yearn for another child... it's just I'd like to have the choice longer. My boy is 3 and I'm an older, now single mom. What's with perimenopause though? Someone said I might be in that as I have such mood swings. Herbs and clean eating seems to help.

Horsey, perimenopause is the time before menopause occurs and changes begin. It can last for up to 5 years.

Here's some info on it:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/perimenopause/DS00554

Rhonda mentioned hormone therapy and I guess I should have asked my doctor about this. Without symptoms such as hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, would I still benefit from hormone replacement therapy? I've brought a book (Ageless by Suzanne Somers) home from the library about bio-identical HRT and the author and the doctors that are interviewed seem to believe that most women would benefit from it. I haven't finished the current book but in a previous book (The Sexy Years , same author) she talks about how bio-identical HRT can even help with weight loss.

I probably need to talk to my doctor, but I'd love to hear anyone's advice or take on it.