Hi Ladies,

Please someone tell me please???? How does someone continually gain weight while eating almost nothing? I have no appetite. The past few days I forced my self to drink a slimfast for breakfast........ and I am still breaking zippers!!!! Today I had an english muffin with a slice of lowfat cheese (no slim fast )no lunch and for dinner I had 5 bites of a piece of chicken breast, 6 or 7 stringbeans and a few pieces of a carrot. This is a typical days worth of food for me. I know I need to exercise.......... But i used to pig out and not excercise and never was this fat in my life! I used to pig out and excercise and be awsome! ....... I am going to the Gym this Monday even if I dont feel like it......... i just dont understand how i could eat so little (excersise or not) and still gain weight!
Does anyone else have this problem? Better yet does anyone have the answer????????

HELP ME!

Carolyn

Yes, it started about 2 years (and 20 lbs ago)! Never ate sweets... hardly ate! And pooooofff... The weight just keep inching up. Then the "budda belly!!!" Loss of waist line... OMG. Weight in places I've never imagined!! Last year (for a zillion peri reasons discussed earlier/frequently) I really made a change as to the things I was eating, and how often. At one point, 10 lbs disappeared. But they're back. Now that I'm "eating right" I really think exercise is the key. And I'm continuing to eat healthier and choose better choices. Goal: 50 lbs gone by next December.

Are you on medication such as SSRI antidepressants? I blew up suddenly on paxil at the six month mark in spite of running 45 miles per wk. Of course peri doesn't help either. The sharp hormone fluctuations can wreak havoc on the scale.

In addition, not eating can put the body in starvation mode and cause the scale to not budge. I bet if you ate the amount of calories to maintain you current weight today, you would see a 2-3 lb drop immediately. Of course to lose the rest of the weight, you'll need to adjust your exercise and food calories accordingly.

[quote name='Gia_Johnson' date='Jan 6 2008, 09:27 AM' post='203347']
Are you on medication such as SSRI antidepressants? I blew up suddenly on paxil at the six month mark in spite of running 45 miles per wk. Of course peri doesn't help either. The sharp hormone fluctuations can wreak havoc on the scale.

In addition, not eating can put the body in starvation mode and cause the scale to not budge. I bet if you ate the amount of calories to maintain you current weight today, you would see a 2-3 lb drop immediately. Of course to lose the rest of the weight, you'll need to adjust your exercise and food calories accordingly.
[/quote


No Gia...... I refuse to take drugs. The only thing I am on right now is OTC Amberen It seems to be helping with the other symptoms. I have been on it for a month now. I just cant stand this weight and it annoys me more that I have zero appetite and I just keep getting fatter. I am going to the gym tomorrow!
thanks for the advice!

Oolala,
I had your same problem for a few years until recently. At the beginning I used to do the treadmill and a little weight lifting (nothing too extreme) and did not over eat. I could not figure for the life of me what was going on. I was one to loose weight really fast if I worked out. I then started having problems that were really similar to peri. So there my hormones were out of balance. Little did I know that not only my periods were changing, but that my Insulin was out of balance too. I have recently been diagnosed as Insulin Resistant. One of my main complains was the weight gain and constantly tiredness. If you are gaining weight specially in the tummy region, that might be a good indication of IR. Apparently women in peri menopause are very prone to this condition. Just my experience. Hope it helps.
Montana

I agree with the other poster (about sending your body into a starvation mode). You have to eat... and eat very wisely to lose weight. In the past 3 years I've gone from 135 to 113. The old fashion way, diet and exercise. If you don't keep a food journal you have no idea how many calories you're consuming. I was pretty faithful to my journal and the pounds began to come off. My husband gave me the, "bodybugg," for my birthday two weeks ago. It keeps track of all calories I burn in a 24 hour period. It's a great motivator because I can actually check my calorie burn ANY time of the day. It allows me to eat a sweet and feel good about it--if I've burned the calories. Also it encourages me to exercise a bit more than I already do. I'm 52 and consider this weight thing a challenge. Obviously I refuse to let it win!! Though I admit to giving in from time to time. But not long enough to ruin all my previous, "wins." Take a stand against it!! Good luck

I have the same problem. Never had an issue with my weight, and could always lose a few pounds quite easily. Then my periods stopped, and 20 lbs piled on. Nothing I did worked; and that included counting every single calorie I ate, working out every day, changing my workouts, etc. Finally I had my thyroid tested and discovered I have Hashimoto's disease, which is causing my thyroid gland to be underactive. I've only been on supplemental thyroid hormone for 3 weeks now, and my doctor doesn't want me trying to lose weight yet, since my metabolism is still out of whack and it will be another few weeks until I get back to normal. But once she gives me the green light, I'm going to cut back my calories again to 1200 a day and see if it makes a difference. The endocrinologist I am seeing thinks the weight gain is definitely due to my metabolism being slowed down from not enough thryoxine. I lost 5 lbs the first week I was on the new meds and have maintained it.

I would recommend getting a full thyroid panel done. At this point in our lives, I'm also convinced that we cannot lose weight through diet alone. Everything is slowing down, our hormones are fluctuating, and our bodies are grabbing onto those fat cells for dear life. Getting at least 30 mins of some sort of aerobic activity every day isn't just an option any more; it's a necessity. I was working out like a maniac on an elliptical machine for almost an hour a day and had to stop because I was physically a wreck from my failing thyroid....now I've been easing back into getting in my exercise by walking (hubby and I have become weekend hikers; we go for an easy 1-2 hour hike 2 days a week) and I'm working out on the elliptical for 20 minutes a day for now. I've also started with free weights again. Replacing fat tissue with muscle tissue is soooo important; muscle burns calories at a rate 50X higher than fat and the effect is with you all day long, not just when you're working out.

Since I just plain don't feel well these days, I do go for stretches when I'm not 'working out' at all, but I try to build in exercise by making little changes in my everyday life:

1. When I go shopping, whether it's the mall or the grocery store, I park as far away as possible from the store entrance, which forces me to walk that distance.
2. I always take the stairs for at least 3 flights...if I have to ascend 20 stories, I'll climb 3, ride 2, climb 3, etc.
3. I've been forcing myself to wash the kitchen and bathroom floors on my hands and knees. It's a much more aerobic workout than just pushing around a wet mop---and I must admit, the floors look better too!
4. Whenever I'm watching t.v., I hold a relatively light hand weight (like 3-5 lbs) and just move it up and down. If I'm laying on my bed or on the couch, I do leg lifts at every commercial.
5. Speaking of the mall, I try to take advantage of the free, indoor track it provides. I make myself walk around the entire mall twice, even if I've already finished shopping.

Finally, one little diet trick I"ve learned is to never eat after 6 pm...and if I'm feeling bloated, I'll even cut that back to 4 pm. Since insomnia is a chronic issues, I do find myself wide awake at 11:00 pm and feeling hungry. In this instance, I let myself have a snack, but I restrict it: 10 carrot sticks or 2 rice cakes, or 1 apple, for example One night I was craving crackers so badly, so I let myself have exactly 12 reduced fat wheat thins and drank a big glass of water with it.

Hope these suggestions helped some...trust me, you are not alone on this challenge!

WOW!! You Ladies are a wealth of information!!!! I am so glad that I found this site and can get some real life answers from real people that are going through the same thing as me.
I was just hoping that the Amberen would really kick in, balance my hormones and then I could lose weight easily again...... But I am realizing that there may be other issues with my body that may need to be addressed.
I appreciate each and everyone of you for responding

God Bless all of you!

Carolyn

My diet used to be..a banana in the mornings, tuna salad for tea with a cupful of rice...psssibly.. and a piece of fruit at lunchtime. Was on SSRs and had gained 40 pounds in two years. Yikes. Was exercising at least 4 times a week..supervised ie not ambling through it. Told a friend that I'd almost passed out at the local supermarket ( not, from anxiety) and saved meself only by grabbing a bottle of glucose drink from the shelf and swigging it down as I sank to the floor. She told me that we need more protein ,now and explained what she eats and how she has lost 25 pounds recently. I started it and have lost eight pounds in four weeks. by eating more. more often. no simple carbs, no sugar. Some protein at breakfast, too. Lots of salad or low GI veg, some fruit but not bananas. Unsalted almonds or walnuts for snacks. It's low GI generally. Haven't been exercising for the last three weeks, either, due to mother unwell and then me, with anxiety rampant. Am looking forward to going back to the pool soon and then having a nice steak, for tea !

Hi Rohnda,
How does the bodybugg work? It sounds like something I need!
Hugs,
Jalyn

Hi Carolyn,

You say you hardly eat. Did you know that when we barely eat much at all, the body goes into a mode of conservation, and this can add weight as the body is convinced that you are going through a patch of malnutrition, so it stores everything up that it can, and yes, you put on weight.

I had this happen in my early 40's when I ate like a bird, and then someone told me why I was gaining weight, and suggested I start eating properly. I did, and the weight came off, as my body 'knew' I was not starving.

~Viktoria

Hi Viktoria,

I have heard that if you do not eat that you will not lose weight. But, I have gained about 10 lbs. I never had "muffin top" before. It is like I have a different body suddenly. I wish I felt like eating properly. I just do not feel like eating. Did you take any supplements to help you lose weight? Or did you just start eating properly? I am not big on taking lots of pills...... but I hate myself right now and need a jumpstart. Any suggestions???? I am thinking about ordering that WU YI green tea.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW I am going to force a slimfast down and get this fat belly to the gym for the first time in a long time! Maybe I will get one of those "bodybug" things too!

Thank you for your input
Carolyn

Excess cortisone, either taken as a medication for something like asthma or pain, or caused by a problem with your own body can also cause your belly to grow even when your eating habits don't change.

An endocrinologist can test for this through a 24-urine free cortisol test.

Hi Carolyn,

No, I take no supplements and no pills apart from a rare sleeping aid, as I have bad insomnia most nights. As all my blood results and BP are extremely healthy, I don't want to mess with that during this transition, and so I make sure I eat regardless of what "I" feel like doing, and a lot of the time I don't feel like eating. One thing I did do was to take in smaller amounts of food over the day, and not attempt the 3 meal a day thing. I don't think that 3 meals a day really keeps a stable blood sugar either.

I DO drink a lot of tea, but it isn't green tea. Just normal. But I do drink a lot of water. I am a little the opposite way and have to try to keep my weight up, and not down, so if I eat too much I seem to lose weight fast, so it is just a careful balance for me. But I do know that starvation causes weight gain in 'some' people. I also think exercise helps regardless of what weight we are.

Having said all that, I wish I was a little heavier, as they say going through meno is a bit easier that way, but maybe that is all hype......it's not something I have researched.

Just keep nibbling on healthy foods.

Viktoria

the less you eat the more your metabolism slows down and will hold onto every sngle calorie and turn it to fat, especially if you are stressed out.

Then there is me - the 100 calorie pack queen! I mean they are making lots of good stuff into 100 calorie packs, of course I eat more than 1 so the 100 calories turn into more! I also have a problem losing my belly fat, the older I get the harder it is to get rid of it, even doing sit ups does nothing for me! I just don't have the drive to really want to lose the weight so I guess that makes it even tougher, but I know I need to lose weight, it's just that I love my Starbucks!

hi---i wanted to know if your gp can do this test or is an endo better?Shall I go to an endo without speaking to my gp first?How do you think I should go about this?Shall I ask my gp if she feels I need an endo?I did go to an endo a few years back,had a case of thyroiditis---not to bad.Just wondering what else I can do.Any suggestions?Thanks

hi carolyn, i was always petite when i was younger then at 25 yrs.old i started lifting weights. i started to gain weight which i wanted to do but it was muscle, not fat. i worked out 4-5 days a week for 23 yrs. and had a body i was proud of. then when peri-meno hit me, i struggled to continue working out but finally stopped at 49 yrs old. now i was laying in bed all the time because of the effect of meno and the symptoms it was causing, mostly mental like depression, anxiety, fatique, etc. i am 54 now and i hate the way i look. i, too, hardly eats anything buy can't seem to lose the weight. i am not overweight buy i am 5'2" and my mid-section is where i hold my weight. the answer to your dilemma is this: we are middle-aged now and our metabolism has slowed down so much that our bodies look like someone else's, not the way ours use to look. so to lose weight we have to speed up our metabolism and the only way to do that is to work out. and the best combination is lifting weights and some kind of aerobic exercise at least 4 days a week. i just started working out again and the key element to consistently work out is to get addicted to it and the best way to get addicted to it is to see results. so if you lift weights (remember that muscle burns fat) and do some aerobics also you will see results. REMEMBER THIS: lifting weights won't make u gain big muscle especially because u r female. that is a myth that has probably kept a lot of women from having the body they have always desired. i never took steroids and i always looked feminine. the women you see on tv competing and look like men, they are on a lot of steroids. if u have the endurance to do this u will not be disappointed. if you do start lifting weights, make sure someone experienced shows you the right form, you don't want to pull any muscles or hurt yourself. it will also give you energy and release those endorphins in your brain that make us all feel good.

breann

breann

I find this website facinating. It's like a bit of information in every bite. Amazing...

Weight...what a bunch of heartbreak. Everyone wants to be thin or at least...thinner. I alway had what my husband referred to as the "Barbie Doll Body." I'm 5'8" tall, with long legs and a generous bosom and then BAM!!! I'm still 5'8" but I've got a stomach (where did that come from?) and I've got a bum (I've had one in the past but it was always tight and stayed where it was supposed to.) My legs began to jiggle when I walked and under my arms continued to wave long after I stopped. What happened? In my 20's and 30's I could make a man swoon in my 40's and 50's it's all they can do not to chuck up!! When I get into bed with my hubby... Oh I guarantee it's lights out before that time comes, and in the morning, I refuse to shower if he's in the bathroom with me. I know some women who have remained somewhat thin during Peri and Meno but I seem to be packing it on. I understand that the two glasses of wine a night don't help and I'm working on that, but even when I'm eating good and exercising, my trousers are abusing me. The problem I have found is that I will eat right and exercise for a bit, but then I give up on it and the pounds come creeping back. Frustrating...

Boy, can I relate. I have had this cold/ flu thing recently which went onto my chest. I cannot taste or smell and have eaten modest portions, mainly cos it's not worth the effort and though I lost half a stone at first I have since packed weight on. My stomach and boobs look huge. It really does make you miserable.

Well thank you Ladies ...... I dont feel so alone!!!
If any of you find a "Magic Pill" please let me know about it!

yeah i am careful about what I eat also; no fried stuff, no sweets like doughnuts and other 'good' stuff, no sugar added to anything, no colas/sodas and i am still gaining weight; almost seems not worth it If you find out about that miracle pill let me know ok

I am a big protein eater. My MD said to cut all red meat and eggs, eat more carbs. I am not a junk food eater ether. I just can't lose it like I used to.