Thanks for making sense of this confusing time. I found I put on weight during menopause, I think down to eating more, which spiralled from not sleeping so well, feeling tired, less energetic etc and eating more. Once I got the sleep back in order, my eating returned to being more balanced. Also I wholly agree with the part on exercise, and specifically resistant training, getting in the gym really helped me regain muscle and lose the weight.
Hi Nicola! You bring up such an important point--menopausal symptoms, poor sleep, and stress all feed into each other. Sleep is the foundation when trying to right it all.
Thanks so much! I am at this point of my life. This helps to know what to look out for. The weight gain is real as are the mood swings etc which is all too hard to manage while you raise teens and care for parents. HRT worries me and the information from care providers makes it sound so risky that you just don’t know where to turn and even when to begin. I continue to try my best on a daily basis. I love getting your new posts and hope I can lose this weight before menopause actually happens.
Hi, Amita. I reached menopause 22 years ago, just as the WHI Study ended (2002) & it seemed that EVERYONE was stopping their HRT & definitely not starting it. I'd been following the research for many years prior & fortunately had a physician trained in treating menopause, who recommended the safer transdermal estradiol & the micronized progesterone (prometrium) + vaginal estrogen. Over the years my dosages have been lowered, & mammograms & gynecological visits have been annual. All medical exam precautions were taken. It's just my experience--but having been on HRT for 22 years with no plans to stop, I thank my lucky stars for having such a forward-thinking physician. None of my peers started on HRT after the WHI--or if they had started before it, they stopped. It's a much different world now, in terms of the products prescribed & the understanding of the risks & benefits. For me, it made the transition very easy. The research on the risks, & the reinterpretation of the WHI has changed the scare story! Why not see if there is a certified menopause practitioner in your area & discuss the personal risks/benefits for you. https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx?QueryMenuSelectedKeyctl01_TemplateBody_WebPartManager1_gwpciNewQueryMenuCommon_ciNewQueryMenuCommon=5cb1c02f-e5a3-4696-b8e0-d2430f861e3d And read the NAMS guidelines & position statements.
So nice to hear from you, Amita! Thank you for your very kind words. Annie’s cookbook & her substack is the BEST! Hope your Doodle is doing fine now that he’s 3 1/2. Always grateful for your tip about Baxter & Bella during the pandemic!
Hi Amita. Yes all of those things are real and you are right, now is the time. The risks of HRT have been drastically overstated, unfortunately, and there's a whole generation of doctors who is not comfortable prescribing it. Next up I have a Q and A with Dr. Lisa Mosconi about her new book The Menopause Brain. Don't miss it!
Excellent information! I am curious about your statement “by the time a woman reaches menopause she has most likely gained 12 pounds.” My question is WHY - and why does that weight seem so much harder to lose after menopause? Thanks!
Hi Sally! It's a question that no one has known the answer to, until recently. The weight gain stems from the changing hormonal environment which takes away the protection that E and P have been providing. It makes it nearly impossible to lose the weight unless the hormonal imbalance is corrected.
Thanks for making sense of this confusing time. I found I put on weight during menopause, I think down to eating more, which spiralled from not sleeping so well, feeling tired, less energetic etc and eating more. Once I got the sleep back in order, my eating returned to being more balanced. Also I wholly agree with the part on exercise, and specifically resistant training, getting in the gym really helped me regain muscle and lose the weight.
Hi Nicola! You bring up such an important point--menopausal symptoms, poor sleep, and stress all feed into each other. Sleep is the foundation when trying to right it all.
Thanks so much! I am at this point of my life. This helps to know what to look out for. The weight gain is real as are the mood swings etc which is all too hard to manage while you raise teens and care for parents. HRT worries me and the information from care providers makes it sound so risky that you just don’t know where to turn and even when to begin. I continue to try my best on a daily basis. I love getting your new posts and hope I can lose this weight before menopause actually happens.
Hi, Amita. I reached menopause 22 years ago, just as the WHI Study ended (2002) & it seemed that EVERYONE was stopping their HRT & definitely not starting it. I'd been following the research for many years prior & fortunately had a physician trained in treating menopause, who recommended the safer transdermal estradiol & the micronized progesterone (prometrium) + vaginal estrogen. Over the years my dosages have been lowered, & mammograms & gynecological visits have been annual. All medical exam precautions were taken. It's just my experience--but having been on HRT for 22 years with no plans to stop, I thank my lucky stars for having such a forward-thinking physician. None of my peers started on HRT after the WHI--or if they had started before it, they stopped. It's a much different world now, in terms of the products prescribed & the understanding of the risks & benefits. For me, it made the transition very easy. The research on the risks, & the reinterpretation of the WHI has changed the scare story! Why not see if there is a certified menopause practitioner in your area & discuss the personal risks/benefits for you. https://portal.menopause.org/NAMS/NAMS/Directory/Menopause-Practitioner.aspx?QueryMenuSelectedKeyctl01_TemplateBody_WebPartManager1_gwpciNewQueryMenuCommon_ciNewQueryMenuCommon=5cb1c02f-e5a3-4696-b8e0-d2430f861e3d And read the NAMS guidelines & position statements.
Thank you so much for your wisdom! I always appreciate your advice! Of course you are the reason I found Annie and this group!
So nice to hear from you, Amita! Thank you for your very kind words. Annie’s cookbook & her substack is the BEST! Hope your Doodle is doing fine now that he’s 3 1/2. Always grateful for your tip about Baxter & Bella during the pandemic!
Hi Amita. Yes all of those things are real and you are right, now is the time. The risks of HRT have been drastically overstated, unfortunately, and there's a whole generation of doctors who is not comfortable prescribing it. Next up I have a Q and A with Dr. Lisa Mosconi about her new book The Menopause Brain. Don't miss it!
Excellent information! I am curious about your statement “by the time a woman reaches menopause she has most likely gained 12 pounds.” My question is WHY - and why does that weight seem so much harder to lose after menopause? Thanks!
Hi Sally! It's a question that no one has known the answer to, until recently. The weight gain stems from the changing hormonal environment which takes away the protection that E and P have been providing. It makes it nearly impossible to lose the weight unless the hormonal imbalance is corrected.