Let me start by saying, I’m usually not one to air my laundry for all to see.
Especially about my transition to menopause and how it made me gain over 50 lbs…
But here we are.
If my story can help even one woman out there… It’s worth it to me.
Like many of you, menopause hit me harder than I ever expected.
I used to joke about wanting my periods to end…
When I turned 48, my ‘wish’ was granted.
And I realized…
That I wasn’t at all prepared for the migraines, the brain fog, the insomnia, the mood swings… and the weight gain.
Despite eating less and maintaining my exercise routine, I inexplicably gained 57 pounds over two years.
At first it was gradual…
But then I put on most of the weight practically overnight.
All that weight went to my hips, thighs, and belly.
My friends were experiencing similar symptoms – yet none of them had it as extreme as me…
But what freaked me out the most…
Was that I couldn’t lose any of the weight I gained.
Of course, I know that the metabolism winds down as we age.
But the speed and tenacity of the weight baffled me.
Concerned, I consulted with my physician.
She ran a series of tests to rule out any underlying medical issues…
Thankfully, everything came back normal.
After reassuring me that this phase was a natural part of aging…
She suggested Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) + a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Since I was already on my feet most of the day and eating like a rabbit…
I hoped that HRT would be the missing piece.
And at first, it felt like I was onto something.
My sleep got better, and those annoying hot flashes cooled down a bit.
But, the weight hardly budged.
Sure, I felt a bit more like myself, but the scales didn’t move much.
It was clear HRT wasn’t the whole answer.
Still thinking that the weight gain was somehow my fault, I started experimenting.
I tried different diets – from low-fat to intermittent fasting – and tried to fit in more exercise into my routine (specifically pilates and biking to work).
But the scale barely moved.
I swear, 20 years ago, I would have lost all that weight and then some with the effort I was putting in!
But I didn’t stop there… I also looked into holistic remedies.
I tried everything from herbal supplements to acupuncture, hoping to find a natural solution to balance my hormones and stabilize my metabolism.
Some days, I felt more energetic, but my main goal was still out of reach…
The emotional toll this expierience took on me is inexplicable.
The desperation hit hard when I had to buy bigger clothes to hide my body…
I felt embarrassed and lost.
It didn’t help that my friends often said things like “Wait, it’ll get worse.”
That’s when I realized, this shouldn’t be the norm.
I don’t want to find out what “worse” means.
I shouldn’t have to accept feeling awful and continuously gaining weight as part of aging.
I booked an appointment with my physician again.
I remember walking into her office and collapsing into the chair…
“I am absolutely exhausted,” I huffed. “There’s got to be something I can do.”
Then she shared something that caught me off guard…
As it turns out, a lot of her patients in menopause were finding success with personalized keto plans.
According to her, this was a sensible approach tailored to each woman during menopause.
Apparently, in the storm of hormones, us women lose some control over our metabolisms and insulin responses…
Leading to insulin resistance that may prevent us from losing the weight.
Turns out that’s what was happening to me as well.
I restricted myself so much and at times ate so little that I nearly ran myself into the ground…
So I definitely needed help finding balance.
My physician was 100% sure it would work for me and any other women already in menopause (or just approaching it).
So then I started the personalized keto diet plan she recommended…
Once I started this diet, things began to shift.
But at first, I was a little bit concerned.
The food looked tasty in the pictures, yet I was worried about the portions.
Initially, eating 3 times a day and having 2 snacks in between seemed very strange.
Don’t I need to eat LESS to lose weight?
And how am I allowed to enjoy cheese?! I thought it was off-limits for weight loss!
But not even half a year in, I can confidently say that it works.
That’s because I am eating foods that actually work for my body, not against it…
✅ I started losing weight. Finally.
Currently, I’m over 40 lbs down.
I can’t explain how great that feels.
My clothes fit me again…
And while I still have a few more pounds to lose, I’m looking a lot more toned.
That’s because I incorporated the light, at-home movements from the program into my routine (which is a nice bonus, but not necessary to achieve results).
✅ My energy levels went up.
I am not dragging myself through the day anymore.
It helps that I’m not carrying the weight of a toddler on my shoulders at all times…
But I believe that proper nutrition is key to feeling energetic and vibrant.
✅ Even my mood and menopause symptoms improved.
I feel more like myself.
My confidence is way up. I suppose that’s got to do with the weight loss too.
But not just that… I’m sleeping better, my hot flashes have subsided, the migraines are now few and far in between too.
But there’s a crucial aspect to my weight loss that I haven’t told you about.
According to my physician, many people read a few articles, note a few tasty-looking keto recipes, then try to get started on their own.
But this is a dangerous mistake.
Just knowing you need to “less carbs” is not enough.
Often, the meals you find online are good by themselves yet may cause nutritional imbalances when combined.
That happened to me too – I wasted over a year on ineffective diets.
I wish I had that time back.
So my advice is: don’t start the keto diet without help, especially if you don’t know the answers to questions like:
Initially, my doctor recommended filling out a quick, free nutrition assessment.
This was to remove the guesswork from the equation and tailor a plan that suits me best.
After that, I got access to my personalized keto diet plan, carefully crafted by nutrition experts.
But here’s the thing: my menopause journey might be different from yours.
We all have unique bodies, lifestyles, and challenges.
That’s why a personalized approach is so crucial.
I just hope that you allow yourself this chance… You deserve the transformation that comes with this plan.
It’s risk-free. I’m telling all my friends about it… Give it a try!
Thank you for your comment
interesting read, i am just approaching menopause (i can tell because my periods are way more irregular than ever), and i’ve been wondering if the weight gain is related to this. will try the plan and see if it helps
HMMM. 57 pounds in 2 years? that’s crazy. I have to check out that personal diet. Is that like a personal trainer?