It is the fat that is more important than weight per se - since if you increase exercise and start a lot of resistance training - then the extra weight could be muscle. Only you know what it is though! As Dancinggirl says - less food and more exercise as you reach menopause - just to stay the same weight - approx. I am on a permanent diet in that there are certain foodstuffs I eat very little of permanently - to keep my weight down into my 60's - and if i indulge at all - it goes back on (as it has done recently). I eat almost no sugar ( except fruit sugar), no regular juice/smoothies, rarely biscuits, cake etc, hardly any cheese, hardly ever do I eat carb rich food with my evening meal ( ie potatoes, rice, pasta, pastry), very little fried food, low fat protein, low fat yog etc etc, only muesli (no added sugar of course) 3 or 4 times a week for breakfast - otherwise fruit yogurt and protein, and veg. Do have some alcohol ( puts a lot of weight on!) mainly at weekends - but only a couple of glasses. I do two exercise classes per week, go for walks, do the garden etc - and still find it hard to keep weight down!!!
There was a thread recently somewhere on fat redistribution and the role of hormones.
It is easy to stick to healthy snacks as well as cutting calories by substituting low cal stuff for your favourite things - even chips - you can bake in the oven with Frylight if you can't resist them
. G & T (slimline) is the lowest calorie alcoholoic drink - but I hate S/L tonic but have the Fever Tree naturally light....
Cutting out sugar and refined carbs and increasing low fat protein and lots of fruit and veg is the best way to stabilise blood sugar levels and reverse insulin resistance ( as much as is possible during peri when hormones are surging).
Also - have you had your thyroid checked? Some women have a tendency to become hypothyroid near menopause - if so you should ask for actual results because some women get symptoms even within normal range.
Hurdity x
