Apr 10 2009
are you in a diet rut?
Dinneen at Eat Without Guilt is having a Get Out of the Diet Rut contest . I think it’s an interesting topic. Losing weight is part eating well, part exercise, and part mental balance and desire. On my journey to a healthy lifestyle I find it interesting when I have breakthroughs in any of these areas. Interesting, good, and very educational.
I had a hysterectomy almost a year ago. I did a lot of research prior to my surgery, and felt that not only was I making a wise decision (it was cancer related), but I was as prepared as one can be for what comes after the surgery. After the initial pain and agony, I mean pain and recovery, I felt better than I had in years, maybe even decades. The future looked bright and I was really looking forward to a long, healthy, and joyful life. Somehow in my research I rarely ran across any information about weight loss and menopause, maybe because I was so focused on hormonal changes, and such. About six months ago I happened across an article that documented a study showing weight gain in menopausal women. (As soon as I find it again I will link it here.)
For the last year I have eaten better overall than I have in the last few decades. I have done a lot of walking, and sporadic exercising. Over the past few weeks I have really upped the exercise, and other than the occasional chocolate treat or birthday cake, I have done a consistent job of working towards my goals. The problem is this: I keep gaining weight. Over the last year I have gained over thirty pounds. 17 pounds in the last 6 months. I know my sedentary moments have played into this. But I also know I should be seeing results from my efforts, especially when I am consistent. One of the reasons I document my eating, exercise, and measurements is because I am trying to pinpoint what works for me and what doesn’t. In a way I am my own research experiment.
For now I will continue to document, tweak systems along the way, and do further research. I’m still looking forward to a long, healthy, and joyful life!
Have you had success tackling menopausal weight gain? Tell me about it!
