2 years post hysterectomy unable to lose weight

Hello!
I am 2yrs post surgery (yesterday) and I cannot for the life of me lose any weight. I keep gaining and no matter what I do, nothing works. Everything is gone except my cervix and I am not on HRT. I have talked to my doctors and get nowhere.
Does anyone have any ideas or resources that worked for you?

The right balance of hormones might help, if you havent had that checked already. My mom did the keto diet and lost a lot if weight. It works if you stick with it, a lifestyle change not just a temporary diet. I cant do that, im not good at restricting myself with diets so I have not tried the keto lifestyle.

Personally, I would not recommend Keto, or any other low-carb diet for that matter, but instead, I suggest that you be selective about the types of carbs you're consuming. High-glycemic carbs from white potatoes, candies, sugary drinks, sugary spreads like jam or honey, syrups, refined grain products, and most packaged breakfast, snack or dessert foods flood your bloodstream with a sudden rush of sugar, to which your pancreas responds by pumping out insulin, causing all those calories to be stored as fat; low-glycemic carbs from most fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains come packaged with fiber and other nutrients, which help to keep your blood sugar levels and your appetite on a more even keel. Cooking and cooking high-carb foods creates resistant starch, which is more likely to be eliminated in your poop than stored as fat; adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a high-carb meal can also help to lower the glycemic load. Another top strategy for successful weight management is to keep a food diary, and be sure to include all those BLTs - bites, licks, and tastes. Portion control can also help, which means that you fill at least half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, the remainder with a serving of carbs about the size of your cupped hand, and a palm-sized serving of protein. Regular moderate servings of MUFAs - monounsaturated fatty acids from avocados, nuts and seeds, and unrefined olive oil - can help by assuring your body that it's okay to let go of its fat stores. And last but not least, increasing your muscle mass through a well-designed strength training program can help to offset the metabolic drop that comes with surgical menopause; during the current situation, you can search YouTube or other online platforms for at-home routines that utilize your own weight or ordinary household objects. Wishing you all the best for a healthy and successful weight loss!

First of all, what have you tried? You've said nothing works no matter what you do, but you've not told us what has failed. What's been your eating plan? What's your fitness like? How long do you stick with a program?

It is indeed possible to lose weight in menopause without restrictive diets or the trending food plan like paleo or keto or Atkins or plug in whatever diet you've heard of. Last fall at age 57 I entered a 90-day challenge at my gym. Goals were a combo of weight loss and building muscle. I lost some weight, but more important I ditched body fat and gained muscle and ended up on the Top 15 list for muscle building. What was great about the challenge is that I didn't step on the scales except every two weeks for weigh ins... and I didn't count calories once I got the hang of the nutrition aspect. One thing to keep in mind about most trending eating plans is that they have rules for elimination of food items which may (and do in some cases) have known health benefits, and they are not meant to be a continuous way of life. Some have built in breaks for that purpose, and once off those plans, there's a tendency to plateau or the weight comes back on. The upshot is that they're updated versions of the yo-yo diet which don't teach you how to eat properly for healthy living.

There is some evidence that the low estrogen levels we have in menopause reduces metabolism and causes the body to use starches and blood sugar less effectively (from WebMD). If you're a candidate for HRT, consider it for overall health reasons (see Menopause Risks Head to Toe), but be mindful that HRT alone won't increase your metabolism because it is a matter of getting the right balance of the right foods combined with the right fitness.

The basics of weight loss don't change: you need to burn more calories than you take in over a period of time. What happens is that we lose muscle mass, our metabolism decreases as a result, and we don't burn as much. We don't get the right amounts of the basic foods, and our body doesn't use what it gets properly. We don't get the variety in exercise we need to strengthen the muscles for calorie burning. And we don't stick with it. For whatever reason, we want to see stellar results in a month or less rather than learn how to eat and live healthy for life. Weight Loss After Hysterectomy

Lean proteins, the right carbs from fruits and veggies and whole grains, healthy fats - and in the right ratios and meal portions - work. When I was on the challenge, I got more protein by weight or portion than carbs, I chose fresh and whole grains over convenience, and I ate 5 smaller meals and snacks throughout the day to keep the blood sugar levels balanced. Protein can include lean meats, fish, eggs, soy foods; fish like salmon also provides healthy fats. One of my favorite mid-morning snacks is cottage cheese with fresh blueberries and cinnamon. During the challenge, I'd crumble up some firm tofu in it for more protein.

Carbs are not "bad" - we need them for energy, they are what fuel the body, and after a tough workout, the right portions portions of carbs and protein keep muscle soreness and bay and REfuel us. But highly processed carbs like what's found in boxed mixes, take out, and those made with refined or enriched grains are more difficult for the body to break down and use. Plus when we serve up spaghetti, we tend to eat more carbs than reasonable - more than a serving of enriched flour noodles, a few slices of foccacia, and we're eating double or more portions of carbs than we need. Better choices are sweet potatoes and baked potatoes (much maligned in trendy plans), squash, beans, corn, wild and brown rice, whole grain pasta, high fiber cereal, whole grain tortillas and bread. Veggies and fruit are good to have throughout the day - emphasize the veggies since they have more nutrients.

Fat is another thing - we don't necessarily need a "low fat" diet, something I had to unlearn. Large amounts of saturated fats are harder to break down, so we need the right kinds of fats in the right amounts for cell health, which in turn, helps with stamina and how our bodies use nutrition. Avocado, seeds, natural nut butters, veggie oils, certain cheeses, and of course fish which also provides protein.

Any weight loss plan should include fitness, not just cardio but also weight bearing exercise or strength training. Weight bearing exercise is what tones and strengthens your muscles which in turn needs more energy throughout the day - more calories used. Cardio is great for heart health, but if that's all you do, you aren't adding anything to build that muscle mass. I enjoy free weights and pump classes which use a bar, and also weight machines. Pilates uses your own body weight for weight training to strengthen. Building muscle has added benefits for menopausal women in that it supports our bones and joints, something we need to be mindful of. I try to work out 5 days a week with 3 days of strength training and 2 days of cardio; in weeks where I can only squeeze in 4 days, it's half and half.

Learning to Eat Well After Hysterectomy has practical tips which can be implemented at any time. Trouble Losing Weight During Menopause? Here's Why! has questions to answer honestly. Often we underestimate our choices and overestimate our efforts!

I agree with cussette, what have you tried and how long were you on those “tries” for?

Sometimes it could take months before seeing results

Hi
It's been about 3.5 years going on 4 in 2020 and I had a lot to lose to begin with and the hysterectomy didn't help. I kept my ovaries, not hrt.
I have managed to lose about 50lbs this year using intermittent fasting (with approval from my dr first). I eat within a 6-9 hour window each day, exercise while fasting, watch my sugar and carbs. Great book on.this is Life in the Fasting Lane by Dr Jason Fung.
Talk to your Dr first!