Anybody else gaining weight, menopausal and approaching 50?

Yes me too!!

Of course they are....even if no one's admitting to it.

Have put on about a stone over the last 3 years and so far I just don`t seem to be able to shift it unless I more or less starve myself! Why is it so easy to gain weight but impossible to lose it??

My "new" weight has settled around the tummy area - quite normal apparently, but is very hard to shift. I tried Davina McCall's DVDs last year - very good - must dig those out again and get motivated! Good luck everyone.

Not necessarily gaining weight, but losing definition, softening up and getting saggy. To be fair, this has coincided with my lifestyle becoming markedly more sedentary and boozy than it was in "in my youth." Sigh....

I gained weight through the menopause but still ended it lighter than I had been at 39. I was very fat in my late thirties and dropped a couple of stones which escalated in my mid forties to obese. I took control and lost four stones and have put a couple of them back on as I approach my sixties and am doing something about it.

Basically, it is not rocket science. It is self control and discipline and I am very bad at both. I am incredibly greedy, adore food and wine and am a very good cook. When I make the effort I can do it, I just cannot maintain the effort for longer than about six months.

I hope this board will help me with my motivation and stop me slipping back into bad habits.

I'm approaching 50 too, but have lost a stone in the past six months. No diets, but stopping myself from eating between meals. I've dropped a dress size, but regressed over Christmas (no surprise there).

I can empathise with the last poster regarding food + wine etc.!

having gone past 50 iam finding it impossible to loose the stone i have put on in last 3 years since menopause started. Is there light at the end of the tunnel!!!

Also about to hit 50 this year - so determined to lost weight - put on half a stone last year. Hitting 40 was bad enough - I went from 9 to almost 12 stone from 39-45. Now down to 11, but worried about gaining even more as menopause sets in

Yep, me too although I think it's a lot to with too little exercise and too much wine as much as anything as others have said. I lost 3 stone about 7 years ago by traing for Race for Life and avoiding food beginning with'ch' (apart from chicken!) ad dropped two dress sizes very quickly. I carried on running intermittently and kept it off but have lapsed over the last two years. So I'll try again and see if it works for menopausal 50 year olds!!

Agree it's as much about the middle-aged mindset when you get into the menopause, although hill-waking in hot weather with lots of hot flushes is not an experience I relished! But we need good fitness habits to allow us to keep going as we get older, because it'll be much harder as we age: use it or lose it!

I'm all in favour of too little exercise and too much wine! Making a huge effort for a short time is OK but the thought of doing it ad infinitum is just too depressing. I seem to have got off relatively lightly with the menopause malarky thankfully. Must stop procrastinating and be a bit more positive!

Not me - try squash!

Me too. Just hit 50. Peri menopausal. Have always been sporty and quite fit but have managed to gain a stone over each of past three decades. Mostly due to less activity, which I am remedying.

I lost 1.5 stone 10 years ago with Scottish Slimmers and my goal now is to get as close to 60kg as I can (that's about 5 to lose) slowly in a way that is sustainable. Has got harder as I have go older.

I now have to think much more about what I put in my mouth, how much of it and why. And force myself to get off my but and go walk (lucky to live in beautiful place and work at home) or swim or play more tennis.

I love good food and although not a big drinker have found it gets easier and easier to drink more than I ever did. So that has been knocked on the head. I can happily report that using mind over matter, one small (125 ml) glass of wine 2 weeknights and two (or one plus a martini) at weekends (leaving two alco free nights) can be thoroughly enjoyable sipped slowly relishing each sip. Same goes for rich 'naughty' foods like cheese, cream (not a chocolate fiend), red meat etc. Whatever I am choosing to have, I pour/cut and then remove from sight/temptation. Neither cheese nor red wine from the fridge is to my taste.

I have a theory that we are none of us helped by clothing manufacturers who have lulled us into false sense of security by changing sizes over the years.

Despite three stone (each one a dress size) increase, I still buy and wear comfortably size 10/12 from the high street. It is not hard to be convinced that one has NOT gained so much weight after all. Bad people.

I hope this site will help many people to make adjustments for healthier lives whatever their ages.

Carol

Hello all, I started putting weight on when I gave up my horses. Surprising how the weight stays off when you're riding every day and doing all that mucking out I didn't need to exercise. Anyway that was about twelve years ago and I have gradually crept up from 10st to 11st 7lbs.
When I retired two years ago I decided to take up another sport which I have always wanted to do since I was a child and that's scuba diving. Trouble is it doesn't give you the same sort of work-out as the riding did, so I'm really struggling now. Hope this will keep me on track and motivated. Best of luck all.
Regards,
Pat.

ps. Does anyone live in the Buxton area of Derbyshire?

i find it quite depressing that just when we should be " enjoying" life, - kids growing/grown up etc, we have to be really careful about diet, exercise etc.

The sandwich age, you look at your kids and see that's where you've come from, then look at your parents and see that's where you're heading. Not pretty. Still we are a lot younger than our parents were (in outlook terms) and oportunities are so much greater - this website should help us on our way. It's easy to feel down about age/weight/fitness but when you reas so many of the same comments you realise you're not on your own. So let's make it great in '08.

3 months till the dreaded 50. Am on medication for chronic headaches and finding it even harder to lose weight because of side effects. i can be good during the day but whatecer I do I want to eat more in the evenings.

Interesting about clothes sizes. I was a size 12 in my teens at 8 1/2 stone. I'm a size 12 now at 50 and 11 stone! Mad!

I agree really hard. Am trying low carb, lots of water, walking and pilates all of which help to make you feel in control and trying to keep off the alcohol. but only week one so any help welcome

Pippa Cotton

Just thought I'd give some positives about Fifty. It came and went 6 weeks ago quite painlessly really.

Yes, thre are some niggling health issues/medication creeping in
Yes, I will NEVER have the face or figure of 20 again
But neither will I have the zits or heartache (different ones - but first love - Ouch!) or doubts about my future etc
Yes, I need to pay more careful attention to life style choices. But then I can make sure that I enjoy every mouthful I eat/drink.
Yes, I wear my life on my face, but I am asured people may pay good money to read this book.

I am proud of who I am, what I have achieved (no awards, no prizes) and am looking forward to whatever the next 30+ years brings, hopefully in reasonably good shape, of sound mind and body.

Its a fabulous journey. Take heart and take heed. We pass this way but once. might as well enjoy wherever we are now, and if not where we want to be, grasp the steering wheel and change direction.

Carol, my big 50 came two weeks ago and I echo your comments wholeheartedly.If I hadn't reached 50 I wouldn't have received my lwonderful laptop as a present and wouldn't be able to post on this wonderful forum!

How nice it is to get to the stage in life when you actually don't care what people think of you any more.

If all the old rockers can reform and go on tour again, then 50 is definitely the new 30.

Bring it on!

I don't think I would like to be 20 again.

Really encouraged to read all your (mostly) positive comments - I have 2 years until 50 but am already through the menopause and have had 5 years of awful hot flushes, sleeping really badly and putting on weight and find it more difficult than ever to stick to sensible eating.

I'm starting the new year determined to try and control things as I don't want to enter my 50s at my present weight but my will-power is not great and it doesn't take much for me to slip.

This week have cut out alcohol and wheat and eating rubbish and will try and keep that going at least. And more exercise - I'm sure that is the key for me.

I lost weight quite well eating vegetable curry. Now soy beans are in fashion with me. It works. Perhaps will for you?

Good luck!

Yes I am 50 this year and going south rapidly lol but go the gym and have treadmill and cross trainer in the house,that I do use took the bull by the horns Today and am joining Arobic classes Tomorrow Peter Lloyd.

Just joined. 54 yrs, new area for me so need new friends to encourage me. Ideas for good health club in this area? South Gloucestershire.
xx May

Hit 50 just before Christmas, overate over Christmas and am about 12 stone or 75 + kilos. HOWEVER...
I'm still the same size and can wear clothes I had 10 - 15 years ago (I had a big clearout recently and was pleasantly surprised!) and I'm lucky, I hardly drink at all and my appetite has shrunk a little. However I want to stop smoking and would like to be 11 rather than 12 stone, and being a working mum (teacher and ten-year-old) I find it really hard to do any exercise. Occasionally play tennis or cycle with my son, both of which I enjoy, but I've never been keen on running or going to the gym.
Any suggestions?

How about a Rosemary Conley exercise dvd? I know she is a bit old fashioned compared to the latest round of exercise dvds, but the exercises are more do-able and so I'd be more likely to stick to it. Her diet books are pretty sensible too.