Fashion and Fun after Fifty

The Freshman 15 is nothing compared to the Menopause 20!  In college I could skip a meal and lose 5 pounds, now if I look at a piece of bread I gain 5 pounds. 

The Personal Summers were handled with portable fans and cotton clothing;
The absence of menses was happily welcomed and handled;
The dryness was handled with personal lubricants like KY, Poise and a patient hubby;
The mood swings were handled with red wine and an understanding family
The weight gain is NOT BEING HANDLED WELL

A woman’s body is constantly going through changes, some of them good, others not so much. I’m in the 4th year of menopause and was handling it well until the extra pounds began to increase my body mass index (BMI). Initially I blamed it on the stress of caring for my grandmother before her death in 2009; then I blamed it on kicking a 30-year smoking habit; then on the snow storm of 2010, and the chips I ate while watching the flakes fall.  Next it was the long commute, 3 hours a day back and forth to work. I would walk in the afternoons and on the elliptical in the evenings but it wasn’t enough to burn the necessary calories or speed up my metabolism. Zumba is fun but I haven’t lost a single pound, I did however, twist my knee and realize that I’ve lost all of my rhythm!

I used Sensa, lost 10 lbs, put it back on,  joined NutriSystem, lost 20 lbs, put it back on, cleansed with lemonade laced with cayenne pepper, went carb and sugar free – I hate the bathroom scale!  I’ve gone to the doctor, had my thyroid checked, drink shots of ACV with water after each meal but the pounds refuse to leave.  I’ve tried eDiets, me diets, ABC diets with no success. To say it’s frustrating would be an understatement and I’m getting desperate to lose the “Menopause 20”, and refuse to give up the challenge!

Medical reports state that weight gain during menopause is not uncommon or even my fault, that it’s hormonal and I need to increase the intensity of exercise, (where is Richard Simmons when you need him), and decrease the intake of certain foods and beverages.  So no more Sriracha flavored chips and beer, Triscuits and Cabot cheese or Mexican and Chinese takeout, a sacrifice that I am willing to make.  Tomorrow I fill the grocery cart with lots of fresh fruits, veggies and fish in an attempt to rid myself of the Menopause 20 – wish me luck.

Is weight loss a challenge for you, if so, what is your strategy?