Yes it can be both lifestyle and hormones. I would consider seeing a specialist in menopause

when I first hit perimenopause, my metabolism definitely changed. It is much easier to gain weight, much harder to lose... and fat distributes strangely. It's really true what they say about women over 40 and having to choose between a face and an ass.

I had to do a major diet reset to figure out how to eat and sustain my body in my late 30s. I love food, so identifying bad habits and learning how to eat for my body and health was key. For me, that means less alcohol and two small breakfasts so I don't get hungry too early and then make bad food decisions. It also means a lot of exercise. A LOT.

Anonymous wrote:I've been struggling with perimenopause for six years. I don't drink alcohol, I don't eat sugar, no gluten or dairy. Excercise 2x per day. Cannot lose weight. Tried IF but am going to have to do it more agressively.

Be careful. At our age, too much fasting can put your body into stress, increase your cortisol, send your adrenals out of wack and have your body trying to hold on to weight.
I'm not talking 16/8 but OMAD, and longer fasts.

I'm in my 50's and in perimenopause for many years too. I am a keto eater, who was really trying to fast a lot.

Even if you're not Keto, I highly recommend the Keto Diet podcast with Leanne Vogel. She is very focused on hormones and how they affect us as older women. She talks how you should only fast on certain days of your cycle, add in healthy carbs on certain days (like beans, or sweet potatoes), and then alternate with some 24 hour days. And throw in a plant based only day or two. She has lots of good advice that helped me stop OMAD fasting as much, eating some lower fat on certain days, and I finally broke a 5 year stall, by analyzing what days in my cycle were better to fast for me.

Anonymous wrote:Read Delay Don’t Deny by Gin Stephens. You’re welcome.

Not OP but I’ve been IF for 3 years with DDD and I haven’t lost weight. I feel better but I’ve actually gained weight 3 lbs this past year. I’ve upped my work outs and I’m more closely watching calories. I’m 43. It sucks!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It can be, but 15 pounds in a year when you were most likely less active and eating more at home due to quarantine/lockdown is probably not hormonal. A lot of people gained weight for these reasons between March 2020 and now. You’re one of them.

This but also the stress. Fat shamers just can’t stop pretending that weight gain is calorically based. Stress is an enormous risk for weight gain. Welcome to cortisol.

Yes true. Btw I wasn’t fat shaming OP, but if people blame all weight gain on hormones, they won’t lose it, because they won’t change the habits that led to the weight gain. “Hormones” is something nebulous and out of your hands. Calorie deficits, movement, sleep are within our control, and if your weight gain is largely due to those things, you have to be honest to change them and reverse the gain.

+1

No ones hormones suddenly changed in March 2020.

And it really does come down to calories.

People who "can't" lose weight when the reduce calories are probably still eating more than they admit or not sticking to the deficit long enough.

Are there rare cases where there is more to it, sure. I saw a mystery diagnosis episode once where a woman gained a lot of weight quickly and doctors thought she was lying about her diet. In realty she had a tumor on her pituitary gland and her body was producing too much cortisol. Now she also gained weight in a way that showed it was from cortisol- had a humpback.

If you really think your weight is hormone based then see an endocrinologist. They can run tests and tell you more than some Instagram add.

Anonymous wrote:I’m constantly seeing ads on Instagram saying that middle aged women (I’m 46) gain weight because of hormonal imbalances and stress.

I’ve gained 15 lbs since Covid started and I really can’t get it off.

Articles I read about what to do say to eat less and exercise. Well duh. But then why do I need their program and why does it matter if it’s from stress or hormones.

My question is - has anyone ever found a program or medication that helps weight loss by fixing these hormonal issues?
Drs run minimal tests during annual physicals so I don’t even know what to test for!

I can’t imagine what these programs know that we don’t.

Can hormones impact weight? Sure. But do most people gain weight due to "hormone imbalances"? No. But it sure makes a great marketing gimmick. Make people believe their bodies ar broken so we can sell them a special program. This is the same with any diet that get you to believe you gained weight or can't lose weigh for a specific reason. Gluten makes you fat, eat paleo. Carbs make you fat- go keto.

COVID did NOT suddenly change your hormones. It doesn't happen like that. You likely gained weight for the same reasons many of us, myself included, did this past year. That is by being home, eating and snacking more along with a huge change to regular routine.

and for the record I have hashimotos and blamed my weight and reason I struggled to lose weight on my thyroid for years. Truth was I was just eating too much and when I did reduce calories I didn't stick with it long enough or consistently enough to see results and gave up too soon. Once i took responsibility for my diet I lost 20 lbs. Then COVID hit, my routine changed, I was home more and made a lot more trips to the fridge when i wanted a work break and put on 8 lbs. Previously I would bring food to work and that was all that was available to me.