Losing Weight While Going Through Perimenopause

Perimenopause is a time in a woman's life where she may begin to gain more weight than ever before. Both age and the transition of menopause work together to affect a woman's weight at this point in her life. While it can be frustrating, there are a number of ways to begin to lose that weight. Read on to learn about the steps to lose weight during perimenopause.

The first step is to decide if you need to lose weight at all. Our culture can sometimes convince us that our bodies need changing even when they don't. It can be useful during this step to talk to a doctor or other health care provider for insight on what a healthy weight is likely to be for you. Some women may not progress beyond this step because their weight is within a healthy range, but for those that need to lose some weight, this is the time to set specific goals.

Next, you need to decide how much weight you want to lose, and in how much time you plan to achieve this weight loss. This is your biggest, overall goal, but it is a good idea to set smaller goals along the way. Plan to have a certain amount of weight lost by a certain time, for instance.

Ways To Deal With Perimenopause Weight Gain

Keep in mind that your goals should be specific, realistic, and forgiving. Setting a goal you can't reach is certain to lead to failure. Also, remember that many people experience setbacks every once in a while, so be prepared to forgive yourself for a slip and to keep moving forward rather than giving up entirely.

It is important to figure out the ways you plan on losing weight. While all the most effective weight loss plans focus on both diet and exercise, people may place different emphasis on different factors. You can try out different types of exercises to decide what you like best, or investigate new healthy recipes. You can even look into weight loss programs.

Also look for people and groups that can help to support you during your weight loss process. Studies have shown that people who spend time with friends who exercise and eat healthier are themselves more likely to exercise and eat healthy foods. Additionally, having support can help you during a setback.

The Secret To Combating Perimenopause Weight Gain

Be sure to pay attention to how well you're meeting your goals. If you're struggling with something, think about changing it to make it something you can achieve - you should always start small and work up to the biggest changes.

If you're making the progress you want, don't forget to reward yourself! Rewards that involve food are usually a bad idea, but you can splurge on a new outfit or gadget that you've been wanting for a while.

With these four steps to lose weight, you'll be able to keep off the extra pounds as your body transitions during menopause. To learn more about weight loss, read about thebestways to lose weight without dieting.

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Discover where those extra pounds come from during menopause, and discover lifestyle and diets tips ideal for losing weight, and keeping it that way.

Weight gain does not have to be an inevitable or permanent part of aging. Click here to learn how to lose weight and live healthily in postmenopause.Getting older often means gaining weight, especially when you're postmenopausal. Not only does your metabolism slow over the years, but the change ushers in hormonal shifts that can creat curves in all the wrong places.  

While these factors may make shedding excess weight seem like an insurmountable challenge, it's not impossible—and these eight women prove it. Here's how they did it. 

Menopause And Weight: How To Avoid Weight Gain And Belly Fat

Although Roxanne, 63, has always been on the slender side, her weight gradually crept up over the past 2 decades. My clothes were tight, I had a ring of fat around my middle and some bra fat, and it seemed like no matter what I did or how active I tried to be, the scale wouldn't budge, she says. After some friends told her about intermittent fasting, she decided to do some research and give it a try. (Interested in trying it? Here are 5 ways to give fasting a go.)

For Roxanne, the plan is pretty simple: I limit my eating to the 8 hours between 11 AM and 7 PM, she says. After following this schedule for 5 months and eating a balanced diet, she lost 10 pounds and is within 5 pounds of what she weighed when she got married 19 years ago. 

After her father passed away, Mary's weight climbed up to 290 pounds. She was no longer able to tend to her flower beds, walk through the sand on the beach, clean her house, or even make it from her car to the door of her workplace without getting out of breath—and she was only 50 years old. I used to lie awake at night wondering what I was going to do. Was I going to see retirement age at this rate? she says. She decided to join an Anytime Fitness gym and started meeting with a personal trainer three times a week. 

Losing Weight After Menopause: Essential Diet Tips

At first, I could not jump with both feet off the ground. I could not do the crab or bear crawl because my belly was so big. I could not do a full sit-up or push-up, she says. She stuck with it and eventually lost over 100 pounds. After seeing her progress, several of Mary's friends and family members joined the same gym, and they now enjoy working out together on Sunday mornings. They call themselves the Golden Girls, and have since started participating in races to raise money to support local community programs and charities.

At first, I could not jump with both feet off the ground. I could not do the crab or bear crawl because my belly was so big. I could not do a full sit-up or push-up, she says. She stuck with it and eventually lost over 100 pounds. After seeing her progress, several of Mary's friends and family members joined the same gym, and they now enjoy working out together on Sunday mornings. They call themselves the Golden Girls, and have since started participating in races to raise money to support local community programs and charities.

I knew I was getting heavier and wasn't sure how to change, says Cindy. So when her husband decided to try a Paleo-style diet to combat his high cholesterol, she decided to follow. She was 53 at the time and going through menopause, so she also stopped taking the low-dose birth control pill she had been on to regulate her periods. Meanwhile, she started walking every morning, doing Zumba, and occasionally taking yoga classes at the YMCA. 

Menopause And Weight Gain

Now 25 pounds lighter, Cindy believes that healthy living goes beyond diet and exercise: I practice meditation and prayer to keep me in balance, do daily journaling, and read positive prose, she says. It's not just about weight loss. It's about healthy living—and mind, body, and soul are a part of that!

When Sally's late husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, she took action to help him. She had heard that exercise might slow the progression of the disease, so they headed to the gym together. While he was working with a trainer, Sally—who was nearly 200 pounds—started exercising on her own. Her workouts, combined with making healthier diet choices, led to a 40-pound weight loss over the next few years. 

Around that same time, Sally's 3-year-old grandson died of cancer. Rather let herself slide into a depression and unhealthy habits, she decided to raise money for childhood cancer by training for the 25-mile CureSearch Ultimate Hike. Sally, 67, continues to stay fit by attending fitness classes and makes keeping a positive outlook a priority in her life. I enjoy moving to popular music and seeing smiling faces, she says. No complaints or gossip during my daily routine. I feel stronger now than I ever have been, and I have a zest for life that enlivens each day.

How To Diet During Perimenopause… And Why Crash Diets Won't Work

At 5'4 and 160 pounds, Sharol's back and knees had been bothering her for a while. But it wasn't until she saw a picture of herself at her daughter's wedding looking like a stuffed sausage that she knew it was time to make some changes. Step one: downloading the Calorie Count and MyFitnessPal apps and using them to track everything she ate.

If I had to write it down, it made me think twice about eating it, says Sharol, 62. Using the apps also helped her learn exactly how many calories she should be consuming. My calorie intake for weight loss was about 1, 500 calories a day, she says. If I dropped lower than that, the weight loss stopped, and if I ate more, it slowed.

To stay active, Sharol used her Wii Fit regularly. It wouldn't have worked without the exercise, she says. Over the course of 8 months, she lost 30 pounds.

Progress Your Health|perimenopause, Why Am I Gaining Weight?

At 313 pounds, Patricia's doctor recommended she have bariatric surgery. Instead, she decided to try The Lyn-Genet Plan, which is designed to help pinpoint