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[bugsbunny]

Hi ladies,

I've not been on here for a long time as I'm one of the lucky ones and have only really had an issue (albeit pretty major at times) with hot flushes/flashes. I think they might be over now - well they're a lot less frequent anyway - whether it's permanent or not, time will tell I guess. I started peri in my late 40's and I was 56 in June so the timing is about right.

My issue today is weight gain. In the past although more and more difficult as I've got older, I've always been able to lose a few lbs but now I seem to be gaining every week!! I don't want to go on a strict diet as I believe depriving yourself isn't good for your soul and you'll ultimately end up falling off the wagon and stuffing your face anyway! Soooo I was wondering if any of you have any helpful hints so I can perhaps eat a little better and smarter?

Thanks in advance and have a great weekend everyone! 

[Amacor]

I am 49 and peri menopause and I have been doing weight training since October 2015 and don't diet and have lost 3 stone in weight. It builds muscle and strengthens the bones and joints. I have been a yo yo dieter all my life and this is the only thing that works. I have also found that it has tightened my pelvic floor.....bonus!.
I eat high protein, low carbs and full fat, no low fat at all as its full of sugar. It's hard, it's sweaty and it's not pretty but it works.

[Dana]

For me it's been about portion control and accountability. I thought I knew everything about losing weight, after all I've yo-yoed for years, but I just couldn't lose weight no matter what I did, so of course I blamed menopause, HRT, metabolism, age - anything so I didn't have to blame myself.

However, just before Christmas I joined weight watchers and I've lost about 20 pounds. For me having another person weighing me every week meant I had to be accountable, and I couldn't get away with excuses and shoving that piece of cake in my gob and then promptly forgetting about it.

I also walk a lot, anywhere from 45-90 minutes everyday, but I've always done that because I've always enjoyed walking. If I do 90 minutes that's usually done as two separate walks. However activity isn't the most important thing when losing weight. It's more about what you eat - 80/20 diet and exercise. I've gone a week at a time without any exercise and I've still lost weight.

Losing weight doesn't have to be hard work, or  about deprivation, weird diets, cutting out whole food groups or sweating it out in gyms. You just need to know the correct portions and do a little bit of activity that you enjoy everyday. Everyone can go for a 30-45 minute walk.

[zelda]

Have you thought about Yoga, there are some brilliant DVD's by Barbara Currie, really helped tone my body over a period of about 6 months also really relaxing to do.

[Mardy]

Try & be mindful of everything you eat. Pay attention to all the drinks & biscuits & try & cut out inbetween snacks & puddings & sip water as that can make you feel full up.

These lattes in cafes have a huge amount of sugar in them as do most fizzy drinks. If you cut out sugary snacks & up the walking or exercising you should start to gradually lose weight.

[Dorothy]

The only thing that has worked for me has been to lower the carbs.  I was very strict about sugar, cut my sugary treats down to one cake or chocolate bar (small one, like a flake) a week and still gained weight.  Now, I have replaced bread, rice, pasta and potatoes with either more veg or with extra protein & gradually I am starting to slim down again.

[CLKD]

Make a note of EVERYTHING you eat for 5 days/nights. It's surprising how much snacking goes on that we can forget  .  My M in L weighed her daily allowance the night B4, put it on saucers, i.e. butter amount and once it was gone that day, it was gone.  She was successful!

Don't forget to exercise and don't deny yourself 'cos you will crave  .

[bugsbunny]

Thanks everybody. I've been a Weight Watcher on an off for years (very successful in the past too) but I don't like the new programme so can't do it anymore. I use skimmed milk, have sweeteners in my tea/coffee and have drank diet drinks for as long as I can remember so can't make savings by starting to do any of these things. I could cut down on portion size though and also on carbs although I do find when I've had less carbs in the past, by the end of the week I'm craving stodge. I have read and 'digested' all your comments and advice though and will try to adopt some of the useful tips you've given me.

Cheers me dears!! 

[CLKD]

Let us know any hints that work?

Diet drinks may well be loaded with 'un-healthy' sweeteners  - if you are craving then something is missing generally.  Hormones can cause cravings too  .

[Dana]

What is it about the new WW program that you don't like Bugs? I find it extremely easy to follow. You have a set number of points everyday and every food has a point value. So you basically design you own eating plan to suit your own lifestyle and preferences. It's also really flexible so that if you have a bit too much of something, like say bread, you just take that into account with what else you eat in the day.

I certainly haven't cut out the carbs because I don't believe you need to do that. However you do need to have the right kind of carbs. Sugar and saturated fats are bad, but healthy fats and carbs are essential to a healthy diet. Most days I would probably have about four serves of carbs (bread, cereal, rice, pasta etc). There's nothing wrong with that at all.

I've still got probably another 10-20 pounds to go, but I feel so motivated about now having the right tools to do it that I will probably stop paying for the program and just go it alone now, but I couldn't have done it without getting that kick start from WW.

[bugsbunny]

Hi Dana,

It's the new SmartPoints system that I can't get on with. I used to love the original Points system and even ProPoints but SmartPoints is too restrictive for me. I get that foods higher in fat and sugar get a higher SP value but I like a small chocolate bar or bag of some sort of snack on a daily basis and could include these in my daily allowance easily before but not anymore. I'm weighing just over 11st at the moment (started at 11st 13lbs and got down to around 10st 8lbs with WW about 7 years ago and managed to keep it off give or take 2 or 3 lbs until now). This means that my daily SP allowance isn't enough to continue doing what I like doing. I suppose I could change the way I eat but I find that a small chocolate bar or something similar helps me stay on the straight and narrow - not so narrow at the moment though haha!! 

[CLKD]

At least you've kept your sense of humour, you fit right in here 

If the 'old' system worked, then go to that for 3 months and see what happens?  Denial causes cravings  -  when I owned a  we would share a bar of Cadburys - the one with 5/7 pieces to break off? I would open the packet when I thought she was away across the fields and eat the first piece to find her haring back to sit 'nicely' in front of me.  So she would have a piece, I would have one then it went into my pocket until later on the walk.  That was almost every day for 10 years  .

We buy dark chocolate as a treat after our evening meal as it can be sickly.  Occasionally I treat myself to a Flake/similar.

[Dorothy]

I could cut down on portion size though and also on carbs although I do find when I've had less carbs in the past, by the end of the week I'm craving stodge.

I haven't cut them out completely - I have muesli for breakfast, and also tend to cook something like a pasta bake or rice meal at the weekends!  It's finding what works for you.  I've tried a few different ideas (I don't want to end up 'dieting' all my life, so I'm looking for ways I can change eating habits but still live a normal life) and this is the first thing that has worked for me.  Everything else, I either put on weight or was permanently starving!!!

[saffy123]

I have to agree with Dorothy on this one. I have a low carb diet - cut out most sugars. So no cakes or biscuits and I allow myself only 2 small choc bars a week. I have replaced all bread with rice cakes and have oven chips once a week. I do eat lots of rice pasta (not wheat pasta) rice and potatoes. Also eat lots of veg and some fruits, chicken and fish. Where poss I cook from scratch, I do think processed foods are full of hidden sugars and fats.

I never eat or buy low fat foods (totally a waste of money). Its not the most exciting food plan, but I have been a size 8 since I can remember and I'm hoping to stay that way. My mum said that once I hit my 40's all would change, but so far so good, so it defo works!!

If I go out for food then I do just eat whatever I like, I look at it as a well deserved treat  xx

[Dorothy]

I'm at a BBQ tomorrow, so I'll really be breaking the eating plan, but it's a reunion with someone I haven't seen in 11 years, so I reckon once every 11 years is ok!