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[peri]

I put my patch on my abdomen, I always had a flat stomach until I started on HRT but not anymore so there may be something in that x

[Murphydurf]

It's a tricky one and not everyone agrees that this is the case (chunkier on gel site), but it did seem to happen to me. I think it's more water than fat and I'm also exercising less as I'm knackered but chunkier would defo describe it. Worth a google? Prof Studd and various other experts in the field advocate arm and shoulder use but I've also seen an increase there! I'm now using patches so we'll see if it changes. Also, some are firmly against upper body use. Personal choice I think.

Mx

[Noheroicsplease]

Yes, I've been reading again all the various discussions about gel placement.

I think I might try inside lower arm, between elbow and wrist.

I only use one pump a day in the morning so no breast at night concerns

So much to consider!

[Katejo]

I do a HITT class twice a week (hour long) if I can, plus I walk the dog and do school run. I just got a fitbit so we'll see how that pans out.

I know not to starve/diet.

And to noursh and relax body as well as work it out.

Hate the chunky thighs!

I am thinking of getting a fitbit. Do you need to have a tablet or laptop to use with it?
I am keeping up my resolution to do more walking.  Am about to book a walking weekend in Whitby for my birthday weekend in March.

[Dana]

Interestingly I was watching something on TV the other night about this very thing (well belly fat in general, not specifically menopausal) and they did a test of their own. They divided people into three groups. One group did calorie intake control, one group did exercise and stomach crunches, and to be honest I've forgotten what the third group did. Maybe one group just did stomach crunches and the other group did general exercise. Anyway, that's the general gist of it.

Now mind you this was not a proper study, but the best results were from the calorie intake control group. It proved that this method was the best way to actually lose the fat. The other two groups had no change at all. Of course exercise is always going to need to be part of a healthy lifestyle, but that in itself is not always the best way to lose actual fat. You always need to monitor what you are actually consuming. It's that old 80/20 rule.

What we all have to remember too is that genetics and gender is always going to have an effect. As women we are designed to carry our fat below the waist. Sometimes it is what it is, but as long as you remain at a healthy weight that's the most important thing.

The thing that is really working for me now is the 5:2 lifestyle. I don't call it a diet because it's not. It's just basically limiting your calorie intake to 500 calories two days a week. The other 5 days you eat normally, but healthily. It's very easy to do and over the last 2 weeks I've lost 2kg. I also walk about 50 minutes a day. In the last 2 weeks my waist is down by 2cm and my belly is down by 3cm, so I'm definitely losing belly fat.

All this is considering that I managed to lose 10kg last year through Weight Watchers, but for some reason my weight totally stalled in October and I've lost nothing since even though I was still following the WW routine and I was still doing my regular exercise. This is something that I feel I can maintain for the rest of life, because it's not a "diet", by just doing one day of the 500 calories a week.

[Murphydurf]

Noheroicsplease- I found wrist to elbow was the best site for me.

Good luck and I suspect in my case, its calorie intake as Dana post outlines. Just been so tired and not exercising as much and trying to kid myself that I am!

Mx

[Noheroicsplease]

Yes, I def agree with Dana's post. Every trainer I've worked with says that tummy fat is about food/calories.

Marilyn Glenville's book, Fat around the middle,' or something like that is good - quite dated now, but the principles are really sound.

It's really hard though, especially if you're tired.

I've had problems sleeping - a lot of problems - and interestingly came across this which has been helpful, Murphy - a hot chocolate at night but comprising unsweetened almond milk and 100% cocoa, so no sugar at all. If you need it, you can add literally a drop of stevia. But I found that my sleep has been quite a bit better.

x

[wombat62]

There is a school of thought that as we age then we should practice calorie restriction to keep weight down but also to increase life expectancy.

From my own experience with the acclaimed gallstone diet, calorie restriction works! I struggled to get to a 1,000 some days because of fat restriction and therefore sugar cut down as well. Weight dropped off at a good steady rate but no more than 1kilo a week. I didn't up exercise, just did my usual workouts. The good news is I also lost belly weight, bad news is I now have a flabby bit under the belly button but I'm bad at remembering to do tummy exercises!

A downside was a couple of times I went below a certain weight some extra meno symptoms came back, I guess because I'd lost that buffer of fat around the tum.

I've managed to keep it off partly because I'm not so afraid of the scales now so happy to keep an eye on it! However, I still can't bring myself to eat huge portions or eat a lot of certain foods...which is good but having been on it for so long it's just changed my way of eating. Although there is no way I could have done that without having the condition. The only other time I managed to lose a lot of weight was trying to cure IBS but I'm hoping this time I will stick at it!

I certainly wouldn't recommend the way I lost it  but if you can do calorie restriction then it seems to work. Theres been a lot in the press about it for type 2 diabetics and that it's managed to reverse it. It's probably why the 5:2 or variations work?

[Murphydurf]

There's certainly no doubt that calories in/out is really how we lose weight successfully. With the exception of diabetics and thyroid problems and possibly some other metabolism reducing conditions, the rest of us just have to accept that we have to eat less and move around more! I like 5:2 also, but found it too tricky when E levels were very low. It's really important to have a balanced diet and almost all nutritionists worth their salt poo-poo any kind of fad 'diets'. Diets DONT work, we just need to be honest with ourselves and adjust our consumption accordingly. My downfall starts with W and rhymes with shine!

Mx

[CLKD]

   Murphydurf?

[Murphydurf]

Yes CLKD, precisely!

Mxx

[CLKD]

   do B careful 

[Murphydurf]

Well I'm not a raving alcoholic but I do enjoy a glass or 2 of good red and not had to be stretchered home thus far

Mxx

[Noheroicsplease]

Yeah, it's not the booze for me. It's wanting to snack in the evenings. Not really unhealthy stuff, but just unnecessary. Can't break the habit. So downloaded a hypnosis track specifically to help break 'nighttime snacking habit.' Yep, one exists.