37 replies to this topic

[Mindful Lady]

I'm over fifty, perimenopausal and got estrogen dominance. I have had BED for nearly forty years and trying to lose some weight (who doesn't) with intermittent fasting, but my body doesn't like it at all, even between a light breakfast and lunch, or during the night, if my blood sugar levels go low I start getting hot flushes and that panicky, anxious feeling of unease which women of a certain age not on HRT probably know too well  . Equally, when I eat too much my system struggles to cope, suppose it's all about those crazy middle age hormones.

Has any of you experienced similar issues and how have you dealt with them? 

[Gizzygirl14]

Me too. Got the muffin top,despite controlling my eating

[Mindful Lady]

Me too. Got the muffin top,despite controlling my eating

I've got fat thighs, hips, arms and bottom too. I win, hahaha   

God, I'd love to be light and slender x 

[wonderexic]

Even at a low weight I have muffin top from extra skin, yuck I hate it

[ChunkyGurl]

Same as above comment. I'm a normal ranged weight for my height, but still have wobbly bits and a stomach that likes to pretend that it's pregnant. Hormones and water retention are my worst enemy.

[Mindful Lady]

Me too. Got the muffin top,despite controlling my eating

 

Even at a low weight I have muffin top from extra skin, yuck I hate it

 

Same as above comment. I'm a normal ranged weight for my height, but still have wobbly bits and a stomach that likes to pretend that it's pregnant. Hormones and water retention are my worst enemy.

 

I'm not technically obese or overweight for now but I constantly feel like a manatee. Finding very difficult to get used to my new body... the higher fat percentage, the heaviness, the folds. Basically an extra inch or more of cellulitic flab all over, even in places where I did not accumulate fat in the past, or at least not a lot, e.g. arms (including forearms), back, hips, front and inner thighs. 

I can actually feel the wobble when I walk, or I feel the folds of extra fat when I cross my legs. It's very tricky and I'm struggling, the fact that losing weight is so difficult does not help in the least. Does anyone else have a similar experience?

 

Feeling very guilty about it as well, it's my own, unique body and my internal dialogue and criticism shouldn't be so negative, really 

[streatham]

I have turned 53 (sweet Jesus) and this is shocking.  Its like I lost all muscle tone, my ass & thighs were never this bad - its bad now.  Same with the upper arms.  Absolutely nothing seems to work to lose weight, I have tried it all.  I do try and IF every day.  I actually lost some weight on Optavia, but too expensive to keep up

[ButtonsAligned]

I'm not technically obese or overweight for now but I constantly feel like a manatee. Finding very difficult to get used to my new body... the higher fat percentage, the heaviness, the folds. Basically an extra inch or more of cellulitic flab all over, even in places where I did not accumulate fat in the past, or at least not a lot, e.g. arms (including forearms), back, hips, front and inner thighs. 
I can actually feel the wobble when I walk, or I feel the folds of extra fat when I cross my legs. It's very tricky and I'm struggling, the fact that losing weight is so difficult does not help in the least. Does anyone else have a similar experience?
 
Feeling very guilty about it as well, it's my own, unique body and my internal dialogue and criticism shouldn't be so negative, really 

Mindful Lady - the way you described your struggle resonates strongly with me, especially the discomfort and guilt.
My mental image does not match what I see or measure and the mismatch is discouraging.
May we both find a state of happiness, or at least- better health.

[Mindful Lady]

Mindful Lady - the way you described your struggle resonates strongly with me, especially the discomfort and guilt.
My mental image does not match what I see or measure and the mismatch is discouraging.
May we both find a state of happiness, or at least- better health.

 

Yes, in my head I'm somewhere between 26 and 30, the mirror and the ever shrinking clothes tell a totally different story. Started to grow out of my coats recently, how depressing, feels like a point of no-return. But then again so many women of my age have far more serious health issues to deal with.

Thank you for the lovely wish 

[Mindful Lady]

I have turned 53 (sweet Jesus) and this is shocking.  Its like I lost all muscle tone, my ass & thighs were never this bad - its bad now.  Same with the upper arms.  Absolutely nothing seems to work to lose weight, I have tried it all.  I do try and IF every day.  I actually lost some weight on Optavia, but too expensive to keep up

 

Apart from the Optavia line this post could have been written by me - even the age is the same. Putting on weight is incredibly easy - I swear I can put on an extra half-inch on my inside knee on a 'good' binge day - but of course it's all stubborn fat now, nearly impossible to lose 

[viofem]

ten years ago i weighed a hundred pounds and was a size zero. i have gained weight, but a year ago i was 97 pounds and a size four and my breasts got even bigger than before. only my thighs got smaller. stomach was huge...

[cmcd1070]

I just turned 50. I'm 182lb at 5'1. I'm trying to lose at least 50-80lbs through IF and EF. I fasted 400 out of 480 hours Dec 12-31, and 110 hours so far in Jan. I've only lost 8lbs. I keep my eating window short and eat only whole foods, low carb. in small portions. When I was younger, I could do this and lose 20lbs in that time. It's VERY frustrating.

[Mindful Lady]

I just turned 50. I'm 182lb at 5'1. I'm trying to lose at least 50-80lbs through IF and EF. I fasted 400 out of 480 hours Dec 12-31, and 110 hours so far in Jan. I've only lost 8lbs. I keep my eating window short and eat only whole foods, low carb. in small portions. When I was younger, I could do this and lose 20lbs in that time. It's VERY frustrating.

 

It's crazy isn't it?! Absolutely diabolical . It's bad also because one gets into all sort of negative ways of thinking, from 'my body is against me', to 'fuck it', to 'it's not fair', etc. It takes absolute ages to lose a few pounds and literally a day or two to gain everything back 

What about exercise? I have found that weight lifting, which increases muscle mass, seems to have a positive effect on metabolism and mood and general feelings towards my body. No gym for me, I have a set of dumbells and a mat at home.

Walking is no good... I enjoy walking to work and back, around 45 minutes each way, but it makes me so hungry! I invariably end up bingening in the evening.

As I have BED I just try to eat normally, 1,700-2,200 calories a day, restriction triggers my binges. Been experimenting with intermittent fasting, but I need to be careful with it for the same reasons, also if I'm in hot flashes phase drops in blood sugar levels send them crazy, even at nightime 

 

By the way, I see from your stats that you have gone from 240 to 182, congratulations, it's a great result, well done 

[*~pixie angelheart~*]

I'm over fifty, perimenopausal and got estrogen dominance. I have had BED for nearly forty years and trying to lose some weight (who doesn't) with intermittent fasting, but my body doesn't like it at all, even between a light breakfast and lunch, or during the night, if my blood sugar levels go low I start getting hot flushes and that panicky, anxious feeling of unease which women of a certain age not on HRT probably know too well  . Equally, when I eat too much by system struggles to cope, suppose it's all about those crazy middle age hormones.

Has any of you experienced similar issues and how have you dealt with them? 

 

I've never tolerated any kind of fasting well. A few months ago, I did the equivalent of 7 days of fasting over a 2-week period, I think, and while I lost quite a bit of weight, but I felt AWFUL.    I was miserable, and I knew it was something that I'd never be able to do, even on a semi-regular basis. I've always done best by eating small meals (under 200 calories) throughout the day. It's extremely unusual for me to eat what would be considered a full meal at one time. In fact, I can't actually remember the last time I did.   

 

I have turned 53 (sweet Jesus) and this is shocking.  Its like I lost all muscle tone, my ass & thighs were never this bad - its bad now.  Same with the upper arms.  Absolutely nothing seems to work to lose weight, I have tried it all.  I do try and IF every day.  I actually lost some weight on Optavia, but too expensive to keep up

 

I'm 55, and this is my biggest issue, but I blame most of my higher level of body fat and lower muscle mass on the fact that I developed Fibromyalgia almost 2 years ago now, and it affects how much I can exercise. At the age of 50, my body fat was below 10%. Right now, I'm too embarrassed to say what it is!    It's entirely possible that my hormones have also affected things (I'm post-menopausal), but with my extenuating circumstances, I can't say for sure.

[Mindful Lady]

I've never tolerated any kind of fasting well. A few months ago, I did the equivalent of 7 days of fasting over a 2-week period, I think, and while I lost quite a bit of weight, but I felt AWFUL.    I was miserable, and I knew it was something that I'd never be able to do, even on a semi-regular basis. I've always done best by eating small meals (under 200 calories) throughout the day. It's extremely unusual for me to eat what would be considered a full meal at one time. In fact, I can't actually remember the last time I did.   

 

 

I'm 55, and this is my biggest issue, but I blame most of my higher level of body fat and lower muscle mass on the fact that I developed Fibromyalgia almost 2 years ago now, and it affects how much I can exercise. At the age of 50, my body fat was below 10%. Right now, I'm too embarrassed to say what it is!    It's entirely possible that my hormones have also affected things (I'm post-menopausal), but with my extenuating circumstances, I can't say for sure.

 

Sorry to hear about your health issues, apart from the discomfort and being unwell, if you enjoyed doing exercise it must be so frustrating not being able to do as much as you like.

I'm sure you look lovely, but, yes, it's not easy getting used to the new 'body of a certain age'

Hope you get better and feel better 

[*~pixie angelheart~*]

Sorry to hear about your health issues, apart from the discomfort and being unwell, if you enjoyed doing exercise it must be so frustrating not being able to do as much as you like.

I'm sure you look lovely, but, yes, it's not easy getting used to the new 'body of a certain age'

Hope you get better and feel better 

 

Thank you so much, hon.    Yes, it has been unbelievably frustrating, and I had given into believing that I just couldn't do it anymore, but I'm now working on exercising, despite the pain. It's not fun, but I'm hoping it'll get better eventually.   

[Mindful Lady]

Thank you so much, hon.    Yes, it has been unbelievably frustrating, and I had given into believing that I just couldn't do it anymore, but I'm now working on exercising, despite the pain. It's not fun, but I'm hoping it'll get better eventually.   

 

Sending you a virtual hug and loads of get well wishes   

[*~pixie angelheart~*]

Sending you a virtual hug and loads of get well wishes   

 

   

[FattyBeans]

Try Black Cohosh supp. It helps with hormonal changes. Having an ED when older is harder to maintain. I hate being fat.. and struggling with hormone I think.. getting better after a month of supp.
Oddly ppl think when u get older your ED just disappears. I think it gets stronger.. bc it gets harder to maintain. It's on my mind more now than when 40.

[Mindful Lady]

Try Black Cohosh supp. It helps with hormonal changes. Having an ED when older is harder to maintain. I hate being fat.. and struggling with hormone I think.. getting better after a month of supp.
Oddly ppl think when u get older your ED just disappears. I think it gets stronger.. bc it gets harder to maintain. It's on my mind more now than when 40.

 

Thanks. Apparently there are some women who find the perfect balance once they are older! Unfortunately I'm not one of those women, or at least not yet, shall we say. And similarly to you I'm more obsessed than ever about food and dieting and body shape and losing fat now than when I was younger.

I was actually doing fine until 45-47 then it all went pear and apple shaped, so to speak 

Will look into Black Cohosh as supplement to help with hormonal changes, thank you