Question about Whole 30 and Peri-menopause

[Steen Machine]

Hi, I am a menopausal 50 y/o woman.  My hot flashes and hormonal insomnia are really bad.  Plus I need to lose 15 lbs - I'm 5' 2" and 138 lbs.

 

Here's my issue and I hope someone can help with this.  I attempted a whole 30 in June and made it 12 days before off-roading.  Then I attempted one in August and made it 17 days.  The reason I stopped the August one was because I was gaining both weight and body fat and I freaked out.  I don't know what I am doing wrong.  I thought I was following the plan correctly.  I was seeing some positive changes in that the hot flashes were much reduced and I was sleeping better than I have in many years.  Plus I wasn't so food obsessed and not doing any binge eating.  I felt great.  The only problem is I was getting bigger and bigger.  My body fat number was going up - from 30% to 31.5% in just 17 days.  What's up with that?  Before this I had been eating 5 smaller meals a day and I was ALWAYS hungry and was immediatly looking forward to the next meal as soon as I finished the current one.  I felt totally food obsessed and it lead to binge eating and then feeling terrible both mentally and physically.

 

And just so you know, I am a workout queen.  I run 3-4 times per week, lift weights 2 times per week, and cross train with 3 different exercise classes per week.  Of course with all the exercise comes lots of aches and pains.  Thats another reason I want this plan to work is for the systemic inflamation relief.  I have constant low back pain and a tricky hip and ankle.

 

Maybe I was eating too much healthy fat.  Is 2 whole eggs and 1/2 an avacado at breakfast plus some fruit or veggies too much fat and calories?  Is a chicken thigh baisted with coconut oil, plus a hardboild egg, plus a green salad with oilve oil dressing on it and a little avacado mixed in too much fat and calories?  It sure tasted good and kept me full!

 

Because I am in the middle of menopause do I need to eat less healthy fat?  What am I doing wrong?  I really want to make this work.

 

[Roz Griffiths]

Two things spring out: firstly, how were you measuring your body fat? If it was on one of those scales, trust me, I've got one of those & I've had greater variations in my body fat in one afternoon! Seriously. Also i wonder if you're perhaps exercising too much? More isn't necessarily better

[Bet]

I'm going to tell you something you  may not like. It it is going to be difficult to lose weight and/or body fat while your body is in hormonal upheaval. And it isn't going to happen in 2 weeks. I went through hell during peri-menopuase and gained 20+ without changing my diet or exercise routine. I did get treated for hypo thyroidism, but that didn't change much. You have to give it more time. We are all resetting our hormones like insulin, leptin, cortisol and those of us who are peri or full menopause have to also worry about estrogen and progesterone. Have you thought about hormone replacement? There are a lot of good things being done with biodentical hormone replacements that aren't as harsh as the synthetic ones.

 

I did get a lot of joint pain relief eliminating eggs, just a thought. When I did my first W30, I was able to lose 9 lbs, but most of that came in the last two weeks. Like you I was a small 5 meal a day eater. I feel much better on this plan now.

[Steen Machine]

Roz, I was body fat tested by my trainer.  She used one of the hand held devices that you put all your stats in and then hold it up higher than your heart.  I really love all the exercise and have been doing it for many years.  It hasn't ever been a problem except now that my weight and body fat are higher than they've been in a long time I do have more aches and pains.  My weight and body fat have been creeping up over the last 3 years.  I was at 26% body fat just 3 years ago and my diet and exercise hasn't changed.

 

Bet, I am going to try again on Monday and do a whole 30 in October.  I'll be more patient - its just hard when you see the needle going the wrong way.  I know I'm not supposed to check but when your clothes are getting tighter and tighter its hard to ignore.  And I have my annual check up with my GYN in October, so I am definately going to ask about the hormone replacements.  Also, I've had my thyroid check several times over the years and it is totally normal.  Another question: if you don't eat eggs for breakfast, what do you eat?  And I'm hoping someone can answer the question about too much fat and calories in my meals.

[Roz Griffiths]

I rarely eat eggs for breakfast either This morning i had some homemade breakfast sausage, spring greens & roasted beets. Yesterday i think it was leftover meatloaf & kale. Eggs schmeggs

[Elizabeth!]

I don't know anything about the peri menopausal issue, but from your description it may have been too much fat.  Take the time to play with the amount of fat in your meals this time.  Your goal should be just enough fat to keep you full until the next meal.    Use the 30 days to figure out what is right for you, give it 30 days before you panic.  You may have been about to turn the corner, but you quit to soon.

 

On the issue of what should I eat for breakfast.  Anything really.  Treat it just like lunch or dinner. 

 

I have eggs for breakfast a lot because they are quick to make, but I also have sweet potato savory meat loaf or ground meat with sauteed onions and squash.  Sometimes I make a paleo porridge with coconut milk, bananas(or plantains), almond flour and spices (Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves) It is a little on the sweet side so I only have it once every two weeks or so.  (My kids and husband love it)

[Bet]

I make ground pork ad sweet potato fritters. I make them on Sunday and freeze and reheat them in the morning. I add a side veggie, either spinach or beets, or whatever I have frozen or in the fridge. I do add olive or coconut oil. Sometimes I have compliant bacon or left over steak warmed up.

 

About fat, you can try cutting back a bit (1/4 avocado instead of 1/2). I tried doing that and just wound up getting hungrier between meals. So try tweaking your meals so that you are satisfied, don't get hungry, but maybe can accelerate some weight loss. I was eating lunches that were way too much and were actually making me too full, so I cut back. Also, make sure you are getting enough starchy carbs and are doing pre and post WO meals since you workout a lot.

[Steen Machine]

Thanks for everyone's help!  I'm ready to try again starting on Monday, and will work this weekend to get all my food prepped and ready.

[Robin Strathdee]

Hi all!  I'm not menopausal, but I wanted to chime in with some things:

 

1. I have one of those hand held devices, and have seen that much fluctuation between readings within a 5 minute span. Honest to God. We ask that you put those measurements away for the duration of the program.

 

2. Many people's bodies go through  significant adjustment period that includes bloating, water retention, digestive and bathroom issues. That could easily account for the weight gain and change in "body fat %" on the meter (as it measures electrical conductivity and such).

 

I would stick to the meal planning template like driftwood in the open ocean. Don't try to analyze your fats beyond 1-2 servings per meal. Seriously. Melissa and Dallas analyzed this to death (and had others run the macro numbers) so that you don't have to think beyond that template.

[Steen Machine]

Thank you!  I'll get out my ISWF and freshen up on the meal planning template this weekend.

[Barb E]

We have the opportunity to do the "Bod Pod" through my CrossFit Box shortly after I finish my Whole60.

I have decided not to do it.

 

It's another number that if I'm eating "Whole" and doing the things my body needs as far as exercise, stress and sleep who cares what that number says?

 

Now - you have no idea how hard that is for me to type but type it I did and it's now entrenched in my brain as well!! 

 

Oh and I'm 53 hormones running amok from Rheumatoid Arthritis medications as well. 

 

Throw away your measurement devices and just jump in

 

Oh wait, I'm not 53 yet I have another couple weeks at 52 WoooHoooo