can someone shed light?

[Linda111561]

OK I am writing today out of complete frustration. I have been pretty good, not weighing myself every day (like I used to), as I am approaching 50 and going thru perimenopause. But I need some advice or something here.

I have been able to keep my weight around 108 for the last year or so . ( I am 5 feet 1 inch tall ).  I started noticing around  a month or two ago that my weight would start jumping around; lately it's just been holding an increase of about 2 lbs and I dont know where it came from, or how to lose it. I dont eat alot of carbs, I cut back even MORE on drinking wine, and still cannot lose it, I am so frustrated.

I eat 3 meals a day, this is a typical day:
breakfast: bowl of kashi w/fruit OR hot multigrain cereal

lunch: yogurt w/fruit and almonds mixed in, special K crackers, OR protein w/veggies; later in the day a piece of fruit  .

dinner: protein (usually chicken or fish) and a couple of veggies, or a half baked potato and a veg.
I know it doesnt sound like alot, but I have read in more than once that perimenopausal women need to cut calories to fight off the inevitable weight gain.  I do work out every day; here's a typical

Sunday: 1 hr spin, 1 hr yoga

Monday: 1 hr weights, 30 min walk after work

Tuesday:  1 hr cardio

Wed:  1 hr weights, 30 min walk after work

Thus : 1 hr group exercise class at gym (I teach it)

Friday:  1 hr weights , sometimes a walk

Sat: 1 hr spin, 1 hr bodysculpt at gym, I usually walk later in the day.

Am i not eating enough calories, even tho I am perimenopausal??  I am afraid that if I do start intaking more calories, I WILL gain!! Can anyone shed light on this????????

ps I have had my thryoid tested and it seems to be ok. We are watching my free t3 and free t4 but my tsh is ok.

[Linda111561]

Yes- I remember you saying that about F3/F4- my doc did acknowledge that as well; she wants me back for re testing in a month or so...

[Barb135]

The range for TSH was changed about 8 or 9 yrs ago, by AACE, but most labs and doctors don't go by it.  The "new range" is 0.3-3.0, so if your TSH is over 3.0, you have issues, but you also must know your Free T3 and Free T4 levels, and whether or not you have antibodies that may be slowly destroying your thyroid; that's what happens to a lot of us.

[Linda111561]

o- I should also add, I average 9-10 glasses of water a day!!

[Linda111561]

To Brice- yes I will acknowledge about the carbs, however I dont eat baked potatoes very much. Maybe once a week. And only have wine on the weekends. And a glass or 2 at that.  Kashi go lean which is what I eat, seems to be the lowest GI cereal I can find, and it's higher in protein than most others, plus it's got alot of fiber, that's why I eat it.   I mean,I know I must have some carbs, given what I do on a daily basis.  Need clarification- you shoot for 20 or less grams of carbs at each meal?

I am going to mix up my workout a bit, add more cardio type circuit training into my strength training days to see if that helps.

to Barb-you have been a great help to me w/the thyroid stuff. I am going again in a couple of months to have the t3/4 levels tested again. My doctor sugg I do that as well. BTW what is the "new range?"

[brice1967]

Your diet seems to be really healthy, but you mentioned that you don't eat a lot of carbs.  To me, your diet seems to have plenty of carbs.  Kashi or cereal, some vegetables, most fruits are all pretty carbohydrate laden, but a half of a baked potato is anywhere from 20-40 grams of carbohydrates!  Of course wine has some carbs too.

I am on a low carb diet and 20 grams of carbohydrates or less is my meal time goals.

I'd suggest trimming back on the carbs just a little, increase your water intake, and mix up your routine in the gym.  I just completely overhauled my workouts and am seeing positives immediately.

[Barb135]

"I have had my thryoid tested and it seems to be ok. We are watching my free t3 and free t4 but my tsh is ok."

TSH is a pituitary hormone and should not be used to diagnose thyroid issues.  If you are "watching" FT3 and FT4, there must be a reason.  Many people have thyroid issues, even while levels fall in the "normal range".  If you FT3 and FT4 (particularly FT3) are too low for you, it will affect your metabolism.  In addition, many labs are still using old reference ranges for TSH, so even if you fall into the lab's range, you might still be out of the new range.

While being perimenopausal can contribute to weight gain, it's not inevitable. I, personally, started perimenopause at about 42 yrs old, had a complete hysterectomy at 46, and still did not gain any weight, except those times, that I now know I was going hypo, but never checked. When my thyroid stopped working completely, I gained approximately 30 pounds in less than 3 months.