Menopause and running

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Jen HB 31 May 4:55pm, 31 May 2024 2,552 posts	0 Jen HB Gymfreak - I was strongly advised to go on hrt (early menopause) due to osteoporosis risk factors but the main symptom was irregular periods and hormone levels confirmed by a blood test. Although afterwards other symptoms like tiredness/achy joints I had put down to my rheumatoid arthritis but it may have been due to menopause.
Fragile Do Not Bend 31 May 5:06pm, 31 May 2024 12,069 posts	0 Fragile Do Not Bend Hormone levels have affected my weight all my life. I went from a normal sized pre-teen to a plump teen with boobs, hips and (worst of all) belly very quickly in puberty and had stretch marks to prove it. Early perimenopause I found losing weight more easy than I have ever done in my life and now it’s all back again on my boobs and belly.
tulip 31 May 5:36pm, 31 May 2024 658 posts	0 tulip And just to teach me a lesson, I started a period today... the first since early January 🙁 oh well sigh
DrMags 2 Jun 12:45pm, 2 Jun 2024 267 posts	0 DrMags Genetics influences shape and size to a large degree post menopause just as it does throughout our life, so to a certain extent there is merit in learning to re-love the shape we are predisposed towards. The bummer is that we get dramatic rather than gradual fluctuations in sex hormone levels and that’s what seems to really f’s up our metabolism. Hence why most of us suddenly can’t just keep doing or eating the same with the same results. However, we can also affect our metabolism and thus shape and size with lifestyle choices and hard work, though some of us will see larger benefits for less effort (those “lucky, lucky bastards”!). We’ll all have different responses to different stimuli, but I think it’s fair to say the low hanging fruit for everyone includes: reducing or preferably eliminating alcohol consumption, increasing muscle mass with resistance exercises, eating more protein (which muscles need as well as it tending to satiate more than do carbs so it’s easier to eat less calories), replacing refined carbs with wholefoods especially legumes and veg which increases fibre intake. Oh and supplementing our low hormone levels! And btw, I also sweat like a pig during exercise and have no problems with oestrogen patches staying in place (same for during showering).
LouiseRuns 🌹🇬🇧 🇪🇺 3 Jun 9:58am, 3 Jun 2024 618 posts	0 LouiseRuns 🌹🇬🇧 🇪🇺 I've not actually gone down the HRT route, I'm guessing simply to help with slight weight gain wouldn't be a sufficient reason to start, if everything else seems fine. More protein I can definitely do. And increase the resistance training. We're already doing the whole food thing, partly to combat OH's diabetes.
Little Miss Happy 3 Jun 4:43pm, 3 Jun 2024 7,186 posts	0 Little Miss Happy If a small weight gain is the only symptom you're experiencing Louise you're doing well.
Little Nemo 4 Jun 9:42am, 4 Jun 2024 14,768 posts	0 Little Nemo I don't think that the menopause has caused my weight gain. That's more down to lockdown, wfh, long covid and laziness for me. However I think it has changed where my excess pounds go. Definitely a lot more round my middle instead of hips and thighs. My waist has basically gone I've overhauled my eating habits slightly and gradually increased my activity so I'm now losing weight very slowly. I've sort of accepted my new shape and modified my wardrobe. I'm not squishing myself into fitted clothes any more unless I really have to! I still have some of my slimmer clothes but that's more of a nostalgia thing as I may never be able to get back in them. I still have some bad snacking habits left but so long as my weight is stable or decreasing I'll live with them for now.
Velociraptor 4 Jun 10:21am, 4 Jun 2024 69,250 posts	0 Velociraptor I have 17 years of weight data with notes in my Fetch log. Started CCHRT July 2016 (52, very occasional periods and definite menopausal symptoms), last breakthrough bleed April 2019. Similar pattern before and after menopause. I have no idea what will happen when (if!) I eventually stop HRT.