Top Tips to Avoid Middle-Life Weight Gain

• Aim for fewer calories. Sounds obvious – and of course it is – but one of the sad realities of ageing is that you actually require fewer calories daily to stay healthy than you do in your 20s and 30s. Daily energy requirements reduce by around 250kcals, which is a large glass of wine or a smallish chocolate bar. By consuming fewer calories and keeping extra weight off you will also experience other benefits such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

• We may move more slowly in general as we age, but keeping active and boosting your daily activity levels is essential to help keep off extra pounds and keep your metabolism from slowing. Research shows that just two hours of moderate exercise a week can make a difference to the waistline in menopausal women. NHS guidelines suggest 150 minutes per week and it needs to be vigorous exercise that leaves you a bit out of breath. Try jogging, walking, tennis, swimming or even dancing. High impact exercise may cause issues for joints so be careful to warm up well and try to avoid hard surfaces when running distances.

• Exercising before breakfast is shown to boost metabolism and help burn fat. A study by scientists at Bath University found that by exercising when insulin levels are lower (ie before you have eaten breakfast) you may use more fat and less carbohydrate as fuel, subsequently burning noticeably more fat and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

• We naturally lose between three and eight percent of our muscle mass every decade after turning 30, and the less muscle you have the fewer calories you burn both at rest and during exercise. Adding some resistance to your routine will help maintain all-important muscle mass and will also improve balance. You don’t need to use weights – simple bodyweight exercises such as squats, dips, lunges and press ups have the same effect. Alternating a mixture of resistance and aerobic exercises at least four times a week will provide the strength benefits you need.

• Muscle needs protein and our ability to convert protein from food decreases with age, so aim for a daily protein intake of at least 1g per kg of body weight to maintain muscle mass. Most women should aim for about 25g of protein at each meal. It will also help you feel fuller for longer. Get your protein fix from a wide variety of foods; free-range poultry, oily fish, yoghurt, eggs and plant-based sources such as tofu and pulses.

• Eating plenty of fibre helps with appetite control. A healthier gut helps digestion and a diverse microbiome (lots of different microbes in your gut) is thought to be helpful for weight loss. Aim for your five-a-day then add in high fibre at every meal; oats, wholemeal bread, lentils, pulses and beans are all a good source of additional fibre. Eating more plant foods can also help. Research has shown that eating 30 or more different types of plant food each week which provide different types of prebiotic fibre and polyphenols means a far more diverse microbiome which can significantly improve menopausal symptoms.

• Limit your alcohol. Unfortunately – wine especially – represents empty calories. Cut the wine, cut the waistline!

• Consider HRT, which not only can help relieve menopausal symptoms but may also have beneficial effects on body fat distribution. It won’t stop you gaining weight if you eat too much but it may reduce the fat stored around the middle. You can’t help how you feel about ageing, but HRT can help with anxiety and stress levels often associated with the menopause, which is also important for weight loss. High stress levels result in raised cortisol levels which are associated with abdominal fat. High cortisol levels also make weight loss much harder.

• Yoga and meditation can help control weight by helping to reduce levels of stress within the body and helping you re-energise. Practising yoga helps maintain flexibility and strengthens joints, vital to keep you moving properly.