Perimenopause hit me with 10 extra pounds

Ok, ok, ok. I think I finally figured out why I've gained over 10 pounds in the last couple of years. (After having maintained about the same weight for the previous decade.) Its caused by that no good
PERIMENOPAUSE!!!! Arrrggggg!!!!!

I've been doing some reading up on my new "friend". And it seems that perimenopause AND menopause have been known to cause weight gain in many, many women.

Now I do have to admit that weight gain isn't all that bad sometimes. For instance, I used to be a steady weight of around 137 lbs. (I'm 5' 8" in height), now I'm about 147. So my pants don't fit me anymore, and my shirts are too tight around the waist to button. BUT on the upside I am no longer cold all the time. And that's a BIG plus, cuz I've spent my whole life always being cold. and it hasn't been fun. Aside from that, that's about the only plus I an think of with having gained weight.

On doing an investigation of my new friend, I've found out some interesting things. It is believed that hormone levels associated with menopause cause weight gain. Great! Thanks!

But, according to my sources, that's not the only cause of weight gain. Aging and lifestyle also play a part in how our body changes as we age. Lifestyle part: I am most guilty of. I blog, read, watch tv. Bike riding and walking? Don't do much of that anymore.

Menopausal women tend to exercise less, eat more, and burn fewer calories. Yup, sounds like me. The result is a shift in our body from less muscle to more fat, and that causes a slow down in our metabolism, which then causes more weight gain and less muscles tissue, which then causes lower metabolism, which then..... ahhhh, its a catch 22.

Weight gain can cause health problems, but excessive weight gain during menopause can also increase our chances of developing serious conditions. Studies have shown that women who gain over 20 pounds after menopause increase their risk of getting breast cancer by about 20 percent. Women who lose 20 pounds after menopause (are there really women out there who have done that?) reduce their breast cancer risk by about 23 percent. (Oh, I sound so Phd.-ish.)

Of course, it is within our power to keep this from happening. Exercise, good diet, strength training, blah, blah, blah will keep us from gaining tons of weight and developing health problems. I really wish blogging was on that list.

My investigations have also relieved that women who are in menopause require less than 200 calories a day to maintain their weight. 200 calories!!!!! Oh my god!! Can anyone stay alive on 200 calories?!!!

So what I've found out is if I eat a healthy diet and exercise while still in perimenopause, I'm less likey to gain even more weight when menopause sets in. (In otherwords, perimenopause is just the beginning of the weight battle!) Time to stick my head in the sand and pretend I never heard of any of this. Its going to be a very tough battle me thinks.

Menopause: What's A Girl To Do?

I've been dealing with premenopause for the last year. I've had two visits from "my best friend" in that time. And so I was very happy, thinking that it was all over now, and I wouldn't have to deal with all that womanly crap anymore. (i've never liked having my period. some women talk like its some wonderful experience, but not me.)

As a younger woman I never thought about menopause, let alone premenopause. I didn't even know premenopause existed until a couple years ago. I thought I'd just come upon menopause one day, and it'd all be over – no more periods, no more tampoons, cramps, bloating, ect. ect.

BUT NO!!!! I am now told that premenopause lasts for years. and then you go into menopause, which has its own downsides. I swear to god, it really sucks being the mother of mankind. Men don't know how lucky they have it.

So i've been dealing with hot flashes, and they are slow roasting me from the inside out. I now must dress in multiple layers because I can go from cold to roasting in a matter of minutes. It usually starts with my face, I'll feel it start to get hot and flush. and then it spreads to my chest and torso.

And when I'm not dealing with hot flashes, I'm dealing with what I call phantom periods. I have all the signs of a period: bloating, cramps, tiredness, crabbiness. Just no blood.

I've been told premenopause can last for years. I have an older friend who's in her early 60's who says her premenopause lasted for 10 years!!!! I have hit premenopause at a pretty early age (46). Most women don't hit it until in their mid-50's. so i guess that's a positive for me.

Anyway, enough with the complaining. I'm still looking for ways to deal with the hot flashes, although I have been using soy products that seem to help decrease how often they happen. I'd love to hear what other women are using to cope with premenopause.