Hmmm..... Thinking out loud here....

[Mary Ann]

I've been kind of wondering about something concerning those of us going through the change.

We know that bodyfat stores estrogen. When we lose weight, where does that estrogen we've stored up go? Do we metabolize it? Does it put us in a bad spot hormonally because we haven't enough progesterone (unopposed estrogen)? Does it goof with what's left of our cycle? Does it cause plateaus because we then retain fluids when it's released from our fat?

Weird....

[LoriB]

Don't know, but we don't lose *all* of our fat, so I am sure the body compensates.

[Marci]

Well hopefully ours bodies comensate. I know that the dieting has actually made my hot flashes sooo much better. For the first time in years I can be cold again. Course then it might not have much to do with the dieting...its been 8 years after all. It was bound to go away sooner or later. I stopped with the black cohosh a couple days ago with no change.
Maybe the estrogen just moves to the fat we do have, or maybe when there is less of us we don't need as much of it?
OK I'm getting sleepy again, back to bed its too early here to be up yet.

[LoriB]

I am sure it is similar to all the extra miles of veins we have that run through the extra fat we carry. The body produces them as needed, and they shrink as they aren't needed.

Bodies do what they need to do to survive.

[Mary Ann]

But it seems that, as the fat that holds it is metabolized, then so would the estrogen. And suddenly you'd have a bit more than normal. I wonder if that accounts for the stories of the difficulty in losing weight during the change.

It still seems like eventually that too would be metabolized and you'd shift back to normal.

And Marci, I'm enjoying a real feeling of well being too since I got in my groove! Between having FitDay to track my calories and nutrition, and this group here, I feel pretty danged good. You guys rock, you know that? You really make this easier and more fun.



*Oh geez, did I just say that dieting is FUN?!?!* ;D