Menopause belly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HRT

Yeah, no if you have had breast cancer

"Yeah" and most women know this. And no one is saying HRT is for everyone - that said the percentage of women have had BC is about 13% or around that. So surely the other 80%-85% might find HRT safe and very beneficial for so many reasons. Do your research.

I'm another one who has been advised against hrt. My mother died from ovarian cancer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It is hormones. All women get thicker in the waist with menopause- even if you don’t gain a simple ounce. Fat/muscle distribution and proportions change with age

nope! I have never experienced this. Stop with the bleak, negative, doomsday talk that woman on here continue to spread which basically makes us all throw in the towel and eventually end up on Ozempic! I started on HRT the day I was 1 year without my period. I also continued with my already healthy lifestyle of daily workouts and low carb eating. I'm wearing the same exact size today as I did pre-meno and in some cases - smaller. My waist and hip circumference has decreased - I give credit to weight lifting. Women need to lift weights - heavy weights.

Yes!!! To all of this. I’m sick of the “just wait…it’ll happen to you too” my mother does this as well. Lifting/strength is so good for us as well. I appreciate this positive post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It is hormones. All women get thicker in the waist with menopause- even if you don’t gain a simple ounce. Fat/muscle distribution and proportions change with age

nope! I have never experienced this. Stop with the bleak, negative, doomsday talk that woman on here continue to spread which basically makes us all throw in the towel and eventually end up on Ozempic! I started on HRT the day I was 1 year without my period. I also continued with my already healthy lifestyle of daily workouts and low carb eating. I'm wearing the same exact size today as I did pre-meno and in some cases - smaller. My waist and hip circumference has decreased - I give credit to weight lifting. Women need to lift weights - heavy weights.

Yes!!! To all of this. I’m sick of the “just wait…it’ll happen to you too” my mother does this as well. Lifting/strength is so good for us as well. I appreciate this positive post.

No one is being negative or saying you are going to get fat. Calm down. But yes your shape does change as you age. Trying to say you can maintain the exact figure of your 20something self if you work hard enough is a lie.

My mother has always had a beautiful figure, tall and slim, exercise regularly. Pretty much the body of Jane Fonda. She is in late 60s now and still in great shape; lifts and teaches fitness classes. But her figure is different. She likely weighs the same or close. But she is thinner in some areas and thicker in other areas - than she was in her younger years. This doesn’t mean you are going to get a beer gut, but yes you will be at best, slightly thicker/softer in the middle after menopause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think PPs are right that low carb combined with everything else (exercise etc.) is probably the answer.
I’m 50 and genetically very thin—was a size 2 or 4 until my mid 40s. But late 40s have put 20 pounds on my waist even with walking 3 miles a day plus a fairly healthy diet and fewer carbs than I ate in my 30s. But I think I’ve decided I’d rather be a size 8 or 10 and eat carbs than a size 4 without carbs. I’m trying not to eat bad carbs — the crappy lunch sandwich at work— but I’m not giving up pasta, pizza, home made cake, brioche. I’m trying to mostly limit my carbs to dinner and sub out low carb at lunch.
Maybe I should be on HRT.

You don't have to give them up, but you should only have these in small amounts and rarely. The cold hard fact is that we require fewer calories as we age. And 3 miles a day doesn't count for much if you are sedentary the rest of the day and over eating. You don't need hormones to reduce your waist.

But why should I only have them rarely? For appearance? Or for health? My grandmother ate cookies and potatos every day and lived well over 100 and healthy. My mom eats carbs at every meal and is well into her 90s living independently. I’m not knocking anyone that wants to limit carbs. I’m just questioning why the mandate. Why is t my choice to gain a few pounds and be on the heavy side of a healthy weight range valid? Do I have to age like Jane Fonda if I’d rather be able to eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner with a slice of cake for dessert?

[Anonymous]

Look up the Galveston Diet. I think that doctor is onto something that works

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think PPs are right that low carb combined with everything else (exercise etc.) is probably the answer.
I’m 50 and genetically very thin—was a size 2 or 4 until my mid 40s. But late 40s have put 20 pounds on my waist even with walking 3 miles a day plus a fairly healthy diet and fewer carbs than I ate in my 30s. But I think I’ve decided I’d rather be a size 8 or 10 and eat carbs than a size 4 without carbs. I’m trying not to eat bad carbs — the crappy lunch sandwich at work— but I’m not giving up pasta, pizza, home made cake, brioche. I’m trying to mostly limit my carbs to dinner and sub out low carb at lunch.
Maybe I should be on HRT.

You don't have to give them up, but you should only have these in small amounts and rarely. The cold hard fact is that we require fewer calories as we age. And 3 miles a day doesn't count for much if you are sedentary the rest of the day and over eating. You don't need hormones to reduce your waist.

But why should I only have them rarely? For appearance? Or for health? My grandmother ate cookies and potatos every day and lived well over 100 and healthy. My mom eats carbs at every meal and is well into her 90s living independently. I’m not knocking anyone that wants to limit carbs. I’m just questioning why the mandate. Why is t my choice to gain a few pounds and be on the heavy side of a healthy weight range valid? Do I have to age like Jane Fonda if I’d rather be able to eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner with a slice of cake for dessert?

Exactly! What none of the prior posters has admitted is that they’re slaves to our culture’s inane expectation’s about women’s bodies. A pouch is NORMAL if you’ve given birth. Gaining weight in your abdomen in Peri and Meno is NORMAL. Ya’ll can keep striving but for what? There’s zero data showing that I’ll die sooner enjoying my cookies and carbs everyday at a healthy weight. But, hey: you do you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It is hormones. All women get thicker in the waist with menopause- even if you don’t gain a simple ounce. Fat/muscle distribution and proportions change with age

not just mid section, all my menopause weight is at my bubbies. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It is hormones. All women get thicker in the waist with menopause- even if you don’t gain a simple ounce. Fat/muscle distribution and proportions change with age

not just mid section, all my menopause weight is at my bubbies. Sigh.

Hmm. Maybe something to look forward to. I currently have barely an A cup

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It is hormones. All women get thicker in the waist with menopause- even if you don’t gain a simple ounce. Fat/muscle distribution and proportions change with age

not just mid section, all my menopause weight is at my bubbies. Sigh.

Hmm. Maybe something to look forward to. I currently have barely an A cup

oh, it gets bigger just from fat but then there's the sag, though I will say, it's not as bad as some women I've seen. My nipples are hanging their heads in shame (I stole this line from another thread).

-A cup

[Anonymous]

I find myself wanting a lot of protein and hating fruits and veggies - but making myself eat them. Anyone else?
Also, I teach a high level fitness class so that has helped, as has cutting out alcohol.

[Anonymous]

Stop eating so much and woke out 2 times a a week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It is hormones. All women get thicker in the waist with menopause- even if you don’t gain a simple ounce. Fat/muscle distribution and proportions change with age

not just mid section, all my menopause weight is at my bubbies. Sigh.

Hmm. Maybe something to look forward to. I currently have barely an A cup

oh, it gets bigger just from fat but then there's the sag, though I will say, it's not as bad as some women I've seen. My nipples are hanging their heads in shame (I stole this line from another thread).

-A cup

Yup. The extra fullness is not the perky youthful variety. More like filling out downward and sideways into my armpits. Matronly bosoms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think PPs are right that low carb combined with everything else (exercise etc.) is probably the answer.
I’m 50 and genetically very thin—was a size 2 or 4 until my mid 40s. But late 40s have put 20 pounds on my waist even with walking 3 miles a day plus a fairly healthy diet and fewer carbs than I ate in my 30s. But I think I’ve decided I’d rather be a size 8 or 10 and eat carbs than a size 4 without carbs. I’m trying not to eat bad carbs — the crappy lunch sandwich at work— but I’m not giving up pasta, pizza, home made cake, brioche. I’m trying to mostly limit my carbs to dinner and sub out low carb at lunch.
Maybe I should be on HRT.

You don't have to give them up, but you should only have these in small amounts and rarely. The cold hard fact is that we require fewer calories as we age. And 3 miles a day doesn't count for much if you are sedentary the rest of the day and over eating. You don't need hormones to reduce your waist.

But why should I only have them rarely? For appearance? Or for health? My grandmother ate cookies and potatos every day and lived well over 100 and healthy. My mom eats carbs at every meal and is well into her 90s living independently. I’m not knocking anyone that wants to limit carbs. I’m just questioning why the mandate. Why is t my choice to gain a few pounds and be on the heavy side of a healthy weight range valid? Do I have to age like Jane Fonda if I’d rather be able to eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner with a slice of cake for dessert?

Exactly! What none of the prior posters has admitted is that they’re slaves to our culture’s inane expectation’s about women’s bodies. A pouch is NORMAL if you’ve given birth. Gaining weight in your abdomen in Peri and Meno is NORMAL. Ya’ll can keep striving but for what? There’s zero data showing that I’ll die sooner enjoying my cookies and carbs everyday at a healthy weight. But, hey: you do you.

NP, also my face is skeletal and wrinkly at size 6, and much more attractive at size 10. I spent decades of my life trying to hide my belly and I’m kind of over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look up the Galveston Diet. I think that doctor is onto something that works

Atkins Diet by another name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This study! Which is technical but comes with a great graphic.

Summary: 16:8 intermittent fasting (TRE = time-restricted eating)
low carb diet + TRE gets rid of visceral abdominal fat (regardless of exercise)
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(22)00332-9

TRE alone is better than low-carb alone

Could not agree more. Please try IF and low carb if you are struggling - it totally transformed my body after years of trying low calorie, or high protein, etc. and lift heavy!

+1

I've said this time and time again on here only to get blasted. It works for me, clearly it works for you too.

IF and very low carb also worked for me - lost 18 pounds in 6 months with very little effort. I am 56 and post- menopausal. The weight has been pretty easy to keep off.