Just when you thought your body had taken enough of a beating from the menopause, what with the hot flushes and the mood swings, Mother Nature then goes and adds a weight gain on top of it all!

The reason behind weight gain during the menopause is thought to be to do with the levels of the hormone oestrogen.

In animal studies, oestrogen appears to help regulate body weight. With lower oestrogen levels, lab animals tend to eat more and be less physically active.

It's possible the same thing happens with women when oestrogen levels decrease after menopause.

The changes women go through during the menopause can be difficult to deal with, so it's a good idea to combat the weight gain.

Every woman deserves great mental and physical well being!

Plenty of water

Lots of water helps the body to remove those unwanted toxins which can slow the burning of fat down.

It allows the body to use up fats and carbohydrates quicker, as well as working as an appetite suppressor.

According to Danny Saunders, head of fitness & personal training at the Laboratory Spa & Health Club, the kind of water you have matters too.

"Drink quality water. Swap tap water for bottled or filtered water as this will not only improve your bowel habits and general health, but it will also help to reduce your body fat too," he said.

Weigh yourself daily

As menopause weight can come on slowly, it's a good idea to weigh yourself every day so that you can do something about it as soon as it begins to creep on.

It will also give you little daily triumphs when you begin to lose weight!

Diet and exercise with a friend

If you've got a friend who's going through the same thing, doing it together will make it a lot easier, and a lot more enjoyable.

Yoga classes are a great start to exercising, as it's gentle, can be done at home and is lots of fun.

Posted by Matilda Jones