Hi everyone. 51 F, 5’7” 145 lbs. spent most of my life genetically thin, not thinking about calories or what I was eating. I started eating cleaner about 10 years ago. I also don’t eat any dairy or eggs.
Menopause hit hard and my metabolism came to a grinding halt. It’s all belly and butt… I guess it’s jokingly referred to as the “menopot” but it’s horrifying to me. The past two years I have put on 16 lbs, and weigh more than I ever have. I am up two sizes. Nothing fits.
I had done IF in the past and saw great results - but my lifestyle and hormones were different.
Now I am on week 3 of 16:8 and I have lost 3 lbs. in the first two weeks and nothing in the last week. The hunger some days is like nothing I have experienced before. Then I have days where I hit 17 or 18 hours before I eat, just to see if I can.
I would be grateful for any tips or thoughts to help. This is definitely hormone related and it’s like an alien had taken over my body.
Let me start by saying that I could have easily wrote your post. Same thing - naturally skinny, etc. i went through early menopause at 40 and started seeing body changes then. I got super motivated: I did 5:2, combined with lots of cardio and watching my calories on non-fast days using a calorie counter. It was exhausting but I dropped from 135 to 118. I think it took about 6 months. I became busy with life, stopped doing any form of IF or calorie counting, and weighed in at 140 by age 50. All belly. Menopot is the worst. I’m trying for a more gentle (to me) 16:8, not watching calories (but generally eating clean, avoiding sugar, high fiber, etc), switching between cardio and weight training. It’s been slower but I’ve lost about 8 lbs in about 3 months. I’m happy to report that a lot of that was from my belly. My clothes are definitely fitting better. I think it just takes longer but this time I’m also trying to have IF be a permanent part of my life, so I’m not trying to rush weight loss as much as nudge it in the right direction. I’m sure you’ve heard to focus on doing some type of strength training a few times a week to help with your metabolism and don’t forget (like I often do) to include protein at every meal. Good luck! I’m cheering for you!
Hi there. I am right there with you—was always very active (running, yoga) as well as naturally slim. Menopause really threw me for a loop in my late 40s. I gained 30 lbs in five or six years. I’m just shy of 5’4” and got to 168 lbs.
Now, work and family stress, too much wine as a coping strategy, poor sleep, and a pandemic certainly didn’t help things, but I tried all manner of CICO for years and nothing worked—I was always a pretty healthy eater so there was no low-hanging fruit to cut off, just eat less, and calorie (or point) counting simply wasn’t working. I really think fasting’s effect on hormones is what made the difference. I lost 12 lbs in 10 weeks, then plateaued for a few weeks (in part bec I was on vacation, then had surgery, etc) and now I’m back on track and down another pound.
So: My advice is …
Take it slow. Menopausal women will lose weight more slowly than many of the success stories you’ll see here. Not to mention we all have our own lives and our own stuff to deal with. Take your time and figure out what works for you. The success stories you’ll see here are really inspiring, but not everyone’s strategy will work for you. I lead a highly disciplined life in general … but I found that excessive discipline around my eating always backfired. Maybe a strict eating window or adding keto or whatever will work for you, maybe it won’t. I only started losing weight when I tried IF and actually stopped counting calories/WW/Noom/Whole30/keto/etc etc. And my IF is anywhere from 16:8 to 20:4 and I don’t start or stop eating at any set time. Take your time to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Measure yourself. I personally weigh myself every day because I like the data and find it reassuring that weight can vary day to day, it’s the overall trend that matters. But it’s the fact that I lost four inches off my waist that I’m most proud of. If you don’t want to measure yourself regularly, maybe find a pair of pants that you try on and note how they fit in the waist/hips/thighs.
As others have said, try to work in some more strength training, and, as a corollary, eat more protein. It’s really important at our age, and not just for weight loss/maintenance. We’re actively losing muscle as we age, and better to stop or reverse that now than at 60 or 70. I don’t adhere to any specific diet, but the more protein I eat, the easier it is to fast, for two reasons. Protein is so filling it just pushes off the desire for carbs and keeps me full. Also, I have learned that the more carbs I eat one day, the harder it is to fast the next.
Enjoy the small wins! There are non-scale victories like sleeping better, clearer skin, more focus, etc. Notice how your clothes fit. Maybe you move differently. Observe and enjoy!
I hope this doesn’t sound corny or patronizing, but … Be kind to yourself. Think about being healthy rather than thin. I’m a few inches shorter than you and 140-145 is essentially my goal. I was a muscular 125-130 lbs in my 20s and 30s, and while I would love to get there again, I’m honestly not sure I can. Just a gentle observation that a lot of us want to turn back the clock and that often means “getting back to where we were” in terms of weight or whatever else. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to lose those 16 pounds, but as you noted, your lifestyle and hormones were different. Our bodies change as we age. Make changes that make you feel GOOD and go at a pace that works for you, without punishment. Having one of those days where it’s hunger like you’ve never had before? Note what you ate and drank the day before, then eat something and maybe close your window a little earlier. Or not. Weight loss after menopause takes time. Think of it as a long-term plan, and it will work for you!
Hey there- F42, and doing something similar to you (16:8 most days). One of the things that has helped me lately is having caffeine (black coffee) a couple hours into my morning (a little before I would be my most hungry). This apparently produces a small amount of ketones that helps your body have some energy. Dave Aspry (who I take with many, many grains of salt) has some interesting discussions on how fasting is different for women because of our hormones that might be interesting for you to listen to.
This is just general advice but I wonder if incorporating some weights would help you. Even if you got some dumbbells or a bar so you could do deadlifts at home. Also there is a really good Pilates video on Amazon it’s Denise Austin and it’s two 20 minute workouts that you can alternate. That workout will carve out your abs. Good luck OP you got this!
I can relate. Early meno at 43, have the menopot to prove it. IF worked but only for a bit, keto worked to lose some pounds but no belly changes.
I started doing cardio daily and this helped a lot! I was running 3 days a week and elliptical the other 4. I had a party coming up so I put in a lot of effort LOl. But it helped me a lot!!
Sadly, after said party I “took a week off” and gained.
I guess what I’m trying to say is: IF and keto helped, but cardio had the best impact.
Good luck!
I successfully lost weight doing IF during peri/menopause (early 50s). But IF in of itself wasn’t a weight-loss regime, I also had to count calories and adjust my diet accordingly. Also it was a lot slower than losing weight had been in the past (before meno). It took time and patience. There were times where I plateaued and would throw in a 24-hour fast here and there.
Also while exercise keeps us healthier, it’s not necessary to lose weight. I lost without doing one bit of exercise, however I now do regular daily workouts for bone/muscle protection, as well as daily balance exercises for core and fall prevention. r/menopause
Also check out Pahla B, a menopausal fitness instructor who puts out fantastic video workouts, with a focus weight loss strategies.