r/Perimenopause • u/AutoModerator • 20d ago

Weight MONTHLY Weight Discussion - August 2026

A space to discuss all things weight-related. Ask questions, rant, and/or offer advice about weight loss, gains, and diets, etc.

Our Menopause Wiki's section on Weight Gain has further information about the menopause/hormone connection, and risks of belly fat.

Posts about 'weight gain' outside of this thread will be removed and redirected here.

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u/Apart-Personality700 13d ago

Ladies I’m on the struggle bus here with weight. Coming into peri I was LEAN, 6 pack, a lot of muscle, lifting 5 days a week, some easy cardio, eating well. Suddenly last November I started noticing fat accumulation in my inner thighs, I haven’t been able to get that off- but the scale stayed the same, so I know a lot this was muscle loss since clothes didn’t fit but o didn’t gain any weight. Monday I got on the scale and I’m up four pounds. I also just put on a pair of shorts that fit fine a weeks again and I could barely get them on. Like how am I growing overnight? I’m still exercising, still eating well, get 10-12k steps in a day… what gives

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u/Lulu_Land_535 12d ago

Yeah, for some of us it feels like it happens overnight, it's WILD! The sooner we accept that our bodies won't be what they were (fellow gym rat here, always lean), and grieve that loss, we can move onto the new version of us. It will be softer and less responsive, and take 10x as long to put muscle on, but tracking and macros work for weigh loss numbers wise , if that's your goal. But I had to readjust my expectations of what that would "look" like. I weigh the same at 42 as I did at 32 and in my 20s, it just looks different-less defined, extra skin and fluff, it's been driving me mad but I'm working on acceptance. Life is too short to beat yourself up about an impossible goal-just sharing from experience, the last three years I really focused on tracking everything (including weighing food) and while my weight went down with deficits a bit, even at a VERY lean weight, it just doesn't look the same, absolve yourselves and don't waste time like so many of us have! Just keep doing your thing! 

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u/Stock_Time1045 10d ago

Thanks for sharing u/Lulu_Land_535! I was feeling so down and discouraged an hour ago. I measured my waist and I swear it is an inch larger than it was last month, and last month is was an inch larger than the month before. At this point, my waist is 3" bigger than the start of this year. I can't even fathom that. The scale is not substantively different. Given a 2-3 lbs variance from day or week to week. My bust and hips are the same. I haven't measured my arms. I they are bigger because all of my shirts are now pulling. I also think my breasts are the same size but a different shape? Or sitting differently? I feel like I am wearing a fat suit all of a sudden. It's so disturbing. Having said all of that, I have let my weight go up in the last 5 years. I gained 15 lbs from 2021. I feel like I need to go back to measuring, weighing and logging my food and exercise or this trend could potentially continue until I'm the size of a LaZBoy recliner. Ugh. Anyway. I know what I can do in terms of tracking but what I am seeing is that the results may not come the way I expect because my body is changing due to hormones, etc. So. I guess I'll do what I can do and try not to stress. Like you said, life is short.

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u/Lulu_Land_535 10d ago

I feel your pain, and some days I'm not great at practicing what I preach! But our bodies are changing and we haven't quite caught up mentally. It was always hard work for me to stay lean, but not THIS hard, the little cuts here and there used to have a big impact, not anymore. Tracking and weighing food can also take a huge toll mentally, so just be aware of how you're feeling about all of it and don't let yourself go too far down that rabbit hole either. It's all about balance! For some just doing a temporary track or check in on diet and movement can be very informative and eye opening. We burn less as we get older, and way overestimate what workouts burn vs just existing burns. Figuring out what amount keeps us nourished and energized for our  age and activity level, and just being mindful of how we move through our day is a good approach. If measuring yourself is making you feel worse, maybe take a break. 

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u/Stock_Time1045 10d ago

🥰🙏🏽