Menopause – Does this slow the weightloss?

This topic contains 2 replies, has 2 voices, and was last updated by RQP 8 years, 8 months ago.

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RQP

4:46 pm
7 Mar 16
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Hello friends, I’m a newbie here. I’m 53 and am post-menopausal (2 years now), 5’5″, 180 pounds – my goal is 135 (45 pounds) – a weight I have been in my past, albeit when I was younger. I have been faithfully following the ADF (my fasting (500 cals) days are Mon-Weds-Fri) for three weeks, today is the first day of my fourth week. I am losing VERY slowly, which is frustrating to me, and am wondering if being menopausal is one of the primary reasons. I should note that I wear a fitbit, have a standing desk with a walking treadmill under it and my average daily steps are near 8000. I know this is going to take a long time, but I would really love to hear from other women who understand this and could let me know it’s worth it, to stick with it, that I will eventually lose the weight if I am faithful to this way of eating/living. I’m finding it hard to stay motivated Since I’m not seeing any substantial losses. Thank you! Rachel

HappyNow

5:59 pm
7 Mar 16
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Rachel,

The average weight loss on 5:2 is roughly 1lb per week, so this is not a crash diet quick fix.

You say you’re losing very slowly, but don’t quantify that so it’s hard to know whether you really aren’t losing weight or just have unrealistic expectations!

There are plenty of older ladies on this forum who’ve achieved very respectable losses and appear to lose weight just as easily as younger women.

If you really aren’t losing then you might want to have a look at what and how much you’re eating on non-fast days. Have you calculated your TDEE (and don’t be tempted to overestimate how active you are!) and are sticking at or below it? Also, if your diet is high in refined carbs and added sugar you might want to think about reducing them since they keep blood sugar high and stall weight loss.

It does work, honest!

Perhaps join an established thread for support and advice? Mid fifties, Ladies of a Certain Age, join Jojo, etc all have experienced fasters, many of whom are menopausal.

RQP

6:57 pm
7 Mar 16
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Hi Happy! Thanks for your feedback. I have lost four pounds – but I qualify that by saying that I weigh twice a week and for three weeks have bounced back and forth in the same 4 pounds – in other words, two days agao I weighed exactly the same as when I started three weeks ago. Sigh. I also know from previous diets that often the sort of loss I’ve had is negligible for the ‘beginning’ of a diet – when most people will dip early and then plateau for a while. I missed that early dip!

Thank you for the info on the TDEE, in fact, THAT is where I suspect I am getting too many calories! So that was hugely helpful. I read that the fasting days were to be 500 calories and then the non-fast days were, “eat as usual” – and so I haven’t been tracking my calories on non-fast days. My bad. And easy to correct, FitDay has been my companion for years – everything is in there. LoL!

I will look now at the threads you mention – sounds like a great way to connect with others as well as get and give support! Thanks again – Rachel