Calling all 40-ish somethings...help?

[CindyCRNA]

Originally Posted by ItsToni

This is actually my next step Even at 39, I feel like I may be approaching pre-mature menopause...I'm not sure...but along with the weight, it seems other things are happening as well. I'm going to give the low carb one more try, as being a higher weight also causes some of the same symptoms...so, we'll see. I'm very much a naturalist, so seeing a doctor isn't high on my list. Although, if nothing else works, I'll resort to going

Normal menopause is 51 but I was there at 45. And levels start decreasing 10 years before that so it could be likely.

[ItsToni]

Originally Posted by CindyCRNA

Normal menopause is 51 but I was there at 45. And levels start decreasing 10 years before that so it could be likely.

Let's just hope it's all weight related, and that's it. LOL

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by CindyCRNA

I'm going to throw out something a little different. Have you had your hormones tested? I was completely done with menopause at 45. I was exhausted, felt like my face had aged 10 years and body composition was changing. I had my hormones tested and they were rock bottom. I started on BHRT (estrogen/progesterone/testosterone/DHEA) and within 4 days, I thought I was on crack, I felt that good. 3 weeks later, I started slowing down, then had to start on thyroid as hormone replacement can suppress thyroid. Fast forward to today (I am 50) my metabolism is probably better than in my 20's, my muscle mass is better than in my 20's and I feel like I did in my 20's although I can't stay till midnight anymore! For me, hormone replacement was the magic bullet. It made any diet more effective. I wasn't fighting my hormones anymore. May I also second food tracking. I use an online tracker and a food scale and moderate carb. I probably eat 1600-1800 calories a day. I think tracking and weighing is critical as it is easy to overeat on a high fat diet....at least I can!

I have just started my BHRT journey. I had the blood work done and am going for my results in about 10 days or so. I cannot wait to have results like yours Cindy. After feeling worn out, fatigued, frumpy, and like crap for so many years, I feel I deserve to feel fantastic!! I am hopeful this is going to be "it" for me! I know my thyroid is shot (I am on meds for it), I have adrenal fatigue, and my blood sugar is not so good. Now for the other bomb to drop--my hormones. Not great news, but at least knowing what is wrong I can fix it

[CaliOkieGal4now]

Originally Posted by ItsToni

Even though the plan is the same, things definitely do change from age 32 to age 39. I used to get so much energy on Atkins, I could literally feel the fat burning away like a hot flash. My very first time around, I lost 10 lbs the first week of induction and 4 lbs. the second week. This many years later, I'm on day four with no change. LOL It's not surprising. It's just that there are definite changes that happen.

I'm really not in any hurry to lose weight either. It's truly a different mindset now. I mean...yes, I'm in a hurry to get rid of the back pain. I've had pain for years and when I lost that large amount of weight before, it was completely gone. I'm also in a hurry to be comfortable in clothing...I dread getting dressed but it makes me so uncomfortable in my skin...and shopping for clothing is one of my worst nightmares...It typically results in tears, so I don't do it.

I do plan on starting some exercise once the weather breaks. I'd like to lose a few lbs before then to help take the load off of my back. So, hopefully Spring will arrive more sooner than later

You know what , I really understand where you are coming from. I have been doing Atkins since 2002. ( back then I was 30 ) I have always been extremely successsful with low carb, and truly do lOVE this WOE....that been said, I have noticed over the years, as my body ages, that its not QUITE as easy as it once was. I am 41 yrs old now. I have a pretty nice figure for an old gal my age....but its takes SOOOOOOOOO much more work than it did when I was 30..let me tell ya ! lol HOWEVER, its still worth it. I will never go back to eating like the "rest' of the world. .. i plan to be as fit as possible, and live long, and healthy, and make this bod as strong as I can.
After all - we ONLY get ONE body..... just like a COREVTTE or a MERCEDES need TLC good feul, and regular tune-ups..
we ALSO must give it our bods the proper feul if we want to experice life
in a quality way.

There is ONE major thing that I HAVE changes about my low carb WOE, since turning 40, and so far its been one of the BEST things I have ever done:

I am NOW a low-carb Vegetarian.

For reals! Its not really that hard either...... I am finding myself suprised over and over and over again how EASY it is to be a low-carb vegetarian.
Many more options than you might think. REALLY, its true!

I feel SOOOoooooo good,
I am almost never bloated, plenty of fiber, the good kind,
and I am findingthat my skin is more clear now than ever before, (
I can only imagine due to all of the nutrients I'm getting from many variedies of veggies that I eat in abundance, as wellas all of the healthy heart-friendly, skin-enhancing FATS that I eat on a regular basis....plenty of avocados, plenty of coconut butter, almond butter, all kinds of yummy oils)...love to sautee my veggies in macadamia nut btter...feel so decadent when I do that, and my bod LOVES it....

Do not give up on low carb, honey.....40 REALLY IS the 'new' 30, if you know how feed your bod right,
...live your life in a "COREVETTE" body...
life is to short to live life in a Body that acts like a deteriorating PINTO!

lol

[sfmom]

I started on 12/31/11 at the age of 49 - I think it was my 5th try at Atkins but for some reason it clicked this time - I reached my original goal weight of 135 by mid-September and went into maintenance and since being in maintenance and turning 50 in November I have dropped down to 127 lbs without trying. I did not find it hard to lose the 50lbs at my age but I went into it thinking of it as a permanent lifestyle change this time and not a diet. Now I have almost 14 full months in and it is just a regular part of my life.

I know you can do it Toni - just hang in there and it will all fall into place, you will start feeling amazing and the weight will start coming off and you will start feeling better about yourself. You'll be at your goal weight in no time!!

Audrey

[LiterateGriffin]

Originally Posted by CaliOkieGal4now

I am NOW a low-carb Vegetarian.

For reals! Its not really that hard either...... I am finding myself suprised over and over and over again how EASY it is to be a low-carb vegetarian.
Many more options than you might think. REALLY, its true!

Agreed!

Not that I'm vegetarian. BUT. I get awfully close, sometimes, especially when I get on a baking-kick! Particularly when getting lots of good fats (coconut oil, avocado, and my beloved nuts and seeds, for example), it's a lot easier to do without meat.

I'm quirky, though: My body does better if I get some animal-protein at least every couple of days.

But you're right: I've prepared so many meals that either WERE vegan or could be MADE vegan with a couple substitutions... (And I know, you didn't say vegan. But I did.)

[reddarin]

Originally Posted by CaliOkieGal4now

I am NOW a low-carb Vegetarian

Are you familiar with protein combining? Do you do that?

[ItsToni]

Thank you all so much for your stories...I appreciate each and every one! I just finished my first week of induction and it's going well...I've gone from 199.2 to 195.6 this morning. My normal "bounce" range is from 195 to 199...so I'm not going to get TOO excited just yet, but it is enough to keep striving for more.

It's so funny, the differences between then and now. It's like night and day with energy levels and such. I still feel rather sluggish, not the energy levels I used to have with low carb. But, that's expected I suppose

Let's see what another week will bring!