Post-Menopausal Diet Study

[WeirdEyes]

Midge ~ Hello! Of course you can jump in here. :) I really think you've done well to lose 13 lbs. Do you have a lot of weight to lose? Remember it takes longer to lose when you don't have a lot to lose. That's what I keep telling myself anyway. ;) Thanks for the info on detoxing....great info!

[Sandycruise]

 

Sandy... yup I do the same.... The way I look at it is there is no sense just laying in bed when sleep just is not going to happen... I surf on my PC for a while then go back to bed. Then of course come 5:00 AM when I am finally tired, and then get up late for work! I seem to do OK though with not much sleep.

 

The up side to all this .... Last December we went on a short cruise, and you would not believe the fantastic sunrise I caught from our balcony, while my husband slept away!!

 

Good Luck, everyone!

 

LOL! I've been up since 3:30 doing research! I e-mailed some info to the friend I hope to co-author a book with and she e-mailed me right back. SHE WAS UP TOO!! I learned to push past the 5:00 lull when I am ready to go back to bed, because it messes me up for the whole day. I am learning that this sleep-cycle may just be the way I am now and I may as well make the best of it. Thank God for computers and internet. THe insomniacs of the past days must have gone nuts!

 

I loved what you said about the sunrise. I love sunrises. They somehow turn the whole day into a gift.

[Sandycruise]

Hello ladies. Mind if I jump into your conversation?

 

I have no idea if I am perimenopausal or what, I just know that I am 37 and I have been dieting like crazy since mid December and I just can't seem to lose the weight! .

 

Welcome, Midge. I saw a bit of myself five or so years ago when I read you story. Where you are is the stage I started yo-yo dieting and began a nutty cycle of high motivation followed by sense of defeat and veery bad habits.

 

I suppose I am now in the stage where I am coming to terms with being over 40 and the losses that come with it. The losses are easy weight loss and a body that bounces back quickly from stress, illness, or trauma. BUT! The gains are that I am wiser, have more resources, and am actually a much happier and adaptable person.

 

I am a little too prone to mental analysis and it slows me down sometimes, but I am working hard to simply accept that this is the way it is. I used to call it dieting...the process of saying "no" to poor food choices. Now, it simply has to be my way of life or the consquences will be extra weight.

 

I remember as a teenager, when we had the class on our periods, they handed out a booklet and there was a chapter on weight with the heading "good-bye gooey sundaes". It was maybe 30 years ago, but I still remember the picture of the girls eating a sundae, I even recall the pastel colors on the illustration from 30 years ago. It scared the heck out of me! Well, here I am!:o

 

Sorry to run on so!

 

Shelia, I was very moved when I read your story. I had no idea you had been through so much at an early age. Maybe that is part of why you have such a good attitude.

[WeirdEyes]

Sandy ~ Your wisdom amazes me! Every time I read a post by you, I learn something. Thanks so much! BTW, we all have to go through things in life that make us stronger. Also, I haven't been through much at all compared to other people. I get my positive attitude from my parents. They are both wonderful people. You'd love my mother. I consider her an angel. :D Thanks for the compliment. It means a lot.

 

Smoothdancer ~ Now that I read Sandy's post, it made me remember that I yo-yo dieted in my mid-30's. Of course, that didn't help in my quest to be a healthy weight. Only made things worse for me now. I'm sure I will always struggle with my weight.

 

DH and I were in the grocery store on Friday night getting some things to cook dinner. As we were checking out, there was a stand of chocolate candy. (Chocoholic here!) I told John that I wish I could eat the candy without any repercussions like I did when I was younger. Sigh....

[BuilderMan]

I told John that I wish I could eat the candy without any repercussions like I did when I was younger. Sigh....

 

Sigh from here too! I have never been a huge chocolate lover, but around this time of year (Valentine's Day) I seem to crave it when normally I can just keep on walking. The repercussions can be substantial now if I go overboard with it. I guess I've traded wisdom for a fast metabolism!

 

Lynn

[WeirdEyes]

Lynn ~ I plan on having ONE Dove Dark Chocolate tonight. One piece is 41 calories. :D

[Ship Addict]

Midge ~ Hello! Of course you can jump in here. :) I really think you've done well to lose 13 lbs. Do you have a lot of weight to lose? Remember it takes longer to lose when you don't have a lot to lose. That's what I keep telling myself anyway. ;) Thanks for the info on detoxing....great info!

 

I started with about 40 pounds to lose. So I still have about 26-27 to go. Went in for my weigh-in yesterday and I was down another 0.4. I guess every little pounds is going to put up a fight!!

[Ship Addict]

Welcome, Midge. I saw a bit of myself five or so years ago when I read you story. Where you are is the stage I started yo-yo dieting and began a nutty cycle of high motivation followed by sense of defeat and veery bad habits.

 

 

I have been yo-yoing for the past three years or so -- that is when I started packing on the pounds. I was only 125 when I met DH back then. But since December, I have been on LAWL and I have been following the plan to the letter except for maybe one or two occasions when I had a little bit more than I should have. And seriously, I mean just a little bit more than I should have. My biggest problem is alcohol. I LOVE margaritas, wine, vodka, rum, etc. Not that I drink to excess -- I just love it. Before I started dieting, I would have one or two drinks about 3 to 4 days a week. Now I am limited to a maximum of 3 days a week and 3 drinks tops. And the wine I get is only 3 oz!

 

I am determined to get this weight off because DH promised me that if I hit my goal weight, we could book another cruise. I already have my ship picked out but I'm going to wait til I get closer to hitting my goal before I pick the dates. :)

[BuilderMan]

Midge - I forgot to welcome you! You are well on your way already!! 15 pounds is awesome!

 

Sheila - Good willpower!

 

Lynn

[Sandycruise]

Lynn ~ I plan on having ONE Dove Dark Chocolate tonight. One piece is 41 calories. :D

 

Good Lord!!!! Are you kidding me? I guess I need to go back to calorie counting, too.

[Sandycruise]

 

I suppose I am now in the stage where I am coming to terms with being over 40 and the losses that come with it. The losses are easy weight loss and a body that bounces back quickly from stress, illness, or trauma. BUT! The gains are that I am wiser, have more resources, and am actually a much happier and adaptable person.

 

Sorry to run on so!

 

Shelia, I was very moved when I read your story. I had no idea you had been through so much at an early age. Maybe that is part of why you have such a good attitude.

 

I have to be honest so you all don't think that I'm getting dramatic over a pot belly and wide butt. Those root canals failed, have been killing me for a few days, keeping me awake, and I need to have them surgically removed tomorrow and Friday. It is hard to think straight because I've had so little sleep. I'm not depressed, but there is a sense of loss and grief that I have to get strong over. Life overall is so wonderful with so many blessings, Thank God! I just need to get this little thing over with and deal so I can clear my head and maybe sleep through a night without feeling my heart beating in my teeth! :( It's really just all about sitting in the chair and saying AHHHHH now!

[WeirdEyes]

Sandy ~ I'm so sorry that your having to have your teeth removed. I know you must be in a lot of pain. I asked how your mouth was on the Countdown thread, but then came here and read this. Take care and I'll keep you in my prayers. Just concentrate on getting well. The exercise can wait. {{HUGS}}

 

Lynn ~ I ate 2 Dove Chocolates. I deserved them! ;) If the readings on the NordicTrack were correct, I burned over 500 calories so 82 calories weren't going to hurt me.

[WeirdEyes]

Here's another article you might find interesting.

 

http://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalfatigue/dhea.asp?id=1&campaignno=adrenalfatigue&adgroup=ag3dhea&keywords=dhea

 

I'm actually DHEA deficient and will be starting supplements when they arrive at my doctor's office. My doctor said my DHEA levels were so low that she was going to see if my insurance would pay for them as they are definitely medically necessary in my case.

[BuilderMan]

Interesting. Our bodies are so complex!

 

Lynn

[Sandycruise]

I took the liberty of re-posting Shelia's post here to reinforce that I think (IMHO) it was a great idea for Shelia to start this thread targeting menopausal issues, same as I think it's great for a thread on specific diet aids, Atkins or South Beach. I think, this thread can be beneficial to those looking for specific WOE or WOEX info related to the hormonal changes. This is especially important for newbies who may have trouble sifting out the info they need from the many posts we have in countdown club.

 

Anyone is welcome to read or post here. This isn't exclusive and no one should feel they can't jump in to the discussion, even men who may have questions about the women in their lives.

 

SO it is fine to discuss menopause in COuntdown Club, please don't get the wrong idea anyone. I don't want awkardness in our loving family. I'm not saying we can't talk about it there. Anyone can discuss anything anyplace, especially since I am not running any of the show here. I just honestly feel that we will reach more people who need this information by maintaining this thread. I mean, we are really here to help people find the info they need, right? Isn't this the best way to target this specialized topic? I just don't want this important topic thread to be lost because of the misunderstanding.

 

In summary, everyone say what you want where you want and be happy! It's all good!

 

This is the quote from Shelia taken from countdown club.

 

Lynn ~ The doctor's visit went fine. I had to WAIT forever though. She has me on creams in estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA. In supplements, I'm taking calcium, DHEA (yes, I have two because mine is so low), niacin, policosanol, and a liver cleanser. Oh my! I can't stand taking all of these pills. Anyway, I've decided to take the supplements that I got from her and then get my own off of the internet. I have osteoporosis in my hips and calcifying (whatever that means) in the bones in my spine. Other than that, I'm doing fantastic!

 

***End***

 

Shelia, why aliver cleaner? That sounds heavy duty!

[BuilderMan]

Sandy - Dittos and amen!!

 

I don't think this thread was ever to exclude anyone. Face it, as we age and our bodies go through normal changes our metabolisms/body shapes/hormones all change too. What we need to learn is how to deal with it and adapt.

 

Sheila - Do you still take CLA too?

 

Lynn

[EmJakeBubbie]

stumbled into this thread and read everything - you're singing my song (and darn near the song for every woman I know) - like the advice about hot water and lemon. wish I had known that gem on our cruise last week:rolleyes: re: night sleep. I used to need 8 to 10. I have learned to function with 5 (or 6 on a "good night"). Aging is about changing and learning to adapt to those changes. Man, the energy I had when I weighed 103 lbs at h.s. graduation (could sleep up to 10 hrs at that age, too). I calculate a 1.5 lb weight gain each year since then....sneaky little devils aren't they! ...and I love a beautiful sunrise:)

[Sandycruise]

stumbled into this thread and read everything - you're singing my song (and darn near the song for every woman I know) - like the advice about hot water and lemon. wish I had known that gem on our cruise last week:rolleyes: re: night sleep. I used to need 8 to 10. I have learned to function with 5 (or 6 on a "good night"). Aging is about changing and learning to adapt to those changes. Man' date=' the energy I had when I weighed 103 lbs at h.s. graduation (could sleep up to 10 hrs at that age, too). I calculate a 1.5 lb weight gain each year since then....sneaky little devils aren't they! ...and I love a beautiful sunrise:)[/quote']

 

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THE NOT SLEEPING!!??? This is awful. It isn't stress, anxiety, preoccupation. It is just my body's sleep cycle shuts off now after maybe four hours and thats the end of it. Usually I wake up and can get some work accomplished, but I was tired all day yesterday so I could not really focus and make it productive. I heard older women talking about this, but now here I am and it's me!!!! I hate it being me!:mad:

 

Yes, you are right that pounds are sneaky little devils.

 

You are also right that a beautiful sunrise or the way a yard looks in the moonlight are big pluses to insomnia. When the weather is nice, I sometimes go into the back yard and sit, listening to the crickets, and watching the moon shadows on the lawn. Sometimes the family of deer that live nearby walk into the yard and come right up at me, actually a little too close for comfort if you saw that scene in "The Ring". Anyway, those are great moments and I am grateful for them, even if I'd rather be snoozing!:rolleyes:

 

Thanks for pointing out the silver lining!

[WeirdEyes]

Well, y'all know I don't sleep a wink unless I take Ambien. It is really awful not to be able to sleep. Sometimes I don't even sleep with Ambien. My friend that told me about the bio-identical hormones went through the same thing. After she got regulated on her hormones, she started sleeping like a baby. I can't wait for that!

 

Sandy ~ I don't know why the doctor put me on the liver cleanser. She loves supplements...that's for sure. I'm going back in 3 weeks and I'm making a list of questions for her. By that time, I'll be finished with the liver cleanser. I don't like taking all of these pills. I'm due for a check up with my regular physician so I'm going to take it all in to him and see what he thinks. I need a 2nd opinion. My regular MD is very conservative. Since you are in the medical field, you probably know a lot more about all of this than I do. I welcome any of your suggestions.

 

Lynn ~ I'm no longer taking the CLA. I just stopped taking it when I ran out.

 

EmJake's Bubble ~ Hello! Glad you joined us!!! I've watched several sunrises while I was in the Great Smoky Mountains. I'd love to watch one while on a cruise. I guess I need to make it a mission. I like to sleep in when I can though since it takes me forever to fall asleep.

 

Sandy is sooo right! I didn't start this thread to exclude anybody. Everyone is welcome on any thread. :D

[EmJakeBubbie]

from a magazine, I quote: "I want to be an Outrageous Old Woman who never gets called an Old Lady. I want to get leaner & meaner, sharp edged & earth colored, till I fade away from pure joy."

(the other stuff I found I'm afraid will cause me to be expelled from CC if I post it:rolleyes:)

[Sandycruise]

from a magazine' date=' I quote: "I want to be an Outrageous Old Woman who never gets called an Old Lady. I want to get leaner & meaner, sharp edged & earth colored, till I fade away from pure joy."

(the other stuff I found I'm afraid will cause me to be expelled from CC if I post it:rolleyes:)

 

LOL! I used to have a bumper sticker on my car that said "Wild women don't get the blues". I also was given a t-shirt as a gift that said "If you aren't living on the edge, then you're taking up too much space" Am I on probation now?

[WeirdEyes]

from a magazine' date=' I quote: "I want to be an Outrageous Old Woman who never gets called an Old Lady. I want to get leaner & meaner, sharp edged & earth colored, till I fade away from pure joy."

(the other stuff I found I'm afraid will cause me to be expelled from CC if I post it:rolleyes:)

Great one!! BTW, what is your name?

 

Sandy ~ yours are good also. Yes, you're on probation. ;)

 

I had a revelation this morning while dressing. I decided I look pretty good in clothes now. However, I'm still flabby with cellulite. Do you think I can get away with never taking my clothes off? I would feel so much better about myself. LOL

[Sandycruise]

I wanted to bump this up so our menopausal laides could find it. BTW, I am definitely just peri!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I won't miss when TOM stops!

[WeirdEyes]

Thanks Sandy!

 

Well, I've been taking my new hormones for about 3 weeks now and I must say that I can tell a difference. It hasn't helped me lose any weight, but I feel so much better! I have more energy and I'm finally sleeping better (with the Ambien CR). So far, I recommend bio-identical hormones. :D

 

Now, if I could just find something that would stop me from eating sweets! :o

[BuilderMan]

Sheila - Try taking chromium picolanate (I don't know how to spell it). I take 1 a day and have noticed a big difference in my sweet cravings.

 

Lynn