How To Lose Weight After Menopause
Kathleen came to me with a goal to lose 44 lbs. At age 61, she realized that she had slowly gained weight during the past 15 years. Becoming more sedentary along with the hormonal changes of menopause had caught up with her and made her very uncomfortable with her appearance.
Kathleen had a pretty good idea of how to eat healthy and loved a lot of healthy foods however she was not cooking many meals at home. She would stop on the way home from work for a “healthy” salad from a restaurant and couldn’t really see why the excess weight was piling on. She loved her nightly glass of wine but that would also lead to her grabbing some sweets.
Exercise was no stranger to Kathleen although she admitted to being sporadic and not really consistent with her routines. She used to be a runner but had hurt her knee and was unable to keep running as she got older. Weight training was not in her current routine as she focused on cardio when she did get to the gym.
One thing that sticks out with Kathleen is that from day one she said, “tell me what to do and I’ll do it but I want to keep my wine”. She was thrilled when I told her wine would be in her plan and that was not a problem. She was willing to begin cooking at home and trying some recipes despite this being a feat that she had little confidence in completing.
Kathleen began with me at 163 and 32.1% body fat. She signed up for my Lifestyles Weight Management System which included both exercise and a personal Lifestyle Diet Plan. She continued to enjoy her nightly wine and she tried easy recipes each week and stuck with the ones she was most comfortable preparing. She told me she never felt deprived and enjoyed the way she was eating.
After 3 months she has lost 25 lbs., over 7% body fat bringing her down to a healthy 25% and a total of 10 inches from her waist, hips and thighs. Wow! Those are some unbelievable results especially since she had 3 week long trips during this time period.
When I asked her what helped her to be successful she told me this
1. You let me keep my wine. Every other diet I every tried always made me give up stuff I loved. This time it was a lifestyle change not a diet and I never felt deprived.
2. Being accountable to my Lose It diet log helped me to realize where my excess calories had been coming from in my diet and helped me stay within my goal to see a continuous weight loss each week.
3. Trying easy recipes that Mary provided helped give me confidence in the kitchen. I wasn’t really much of a cook but her recipes are so easy that I have now several favorites that I use and I’m not afraid to try new ones.
4. Putting exercise on my calendar, not just my sessions with Mary but my classes and other activities have made me more active than ever.
5. Planning and having a goal gives me motivation to stick with something.
Congratulations Kathleen! I am so proud of you! I know you want to lose a few more pounds to meet your final goal and I’m sure you will as this is your new lifestyle!
Are you looking to transform your health? Mary works with clients all over the country developing personalized nutrition and exercise plans for weight loss and health. If you’re ready to get started on your journey to health and wellness contact her today!
Visit BodyDesigns Two Week Detox Plan or BodyDesignsbyMary for more information.
