“Going through the change” and being a “woman of a certain age” – however we refer to the menopause, this period of transition is a fact of life for all women. Some women seemingly breeze through it, but for most of us, the menopause brings with it harsh symptoms that are difficult to manage, including hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings.

The menopause begins gradually, during a time called the perimenopause, which normally begins when a woman is in her 40s. During this time, levels of the hormone oestrogen begin to drop, causing the symptoms of the perimenopause including irregular periods and sore breasts.

The perimenopause transitions into the menopause and a woman is said have entered her menopause when she hasn’t had a period for 12 consecutive months. Along with all the other symptoms of the menopause, the so called ‘menopause midriff’ is another common side effect of entering this period of life.

Like all other menopause symptoms, menopausal weight gain around the middle is caused by a drop in oestrogen. It encourages the body to store more fat around the middle, even if a woman hasn’t changed her eating or exercise habits. But just because this is a natural part of being female, it doesn’t mean it has to stay this way if we don’t want it to! Here’s how to beat the menopause midriff…

• Make the most of shorter, more intense workouts, that burn more fat in a shorter time than lower intensity workouts. High Intensity Interval training, or HIIT, workouts such as this Toned in 10 HIIT with Davina are designed to be completed at as high an intensity as possible. Even in as little as ten minutes, done regularly (three or more times a week) it effectively burns fat and will help to slim your waist.
• Stand, don’t sit! Sitting down for hours on end at our desks or our sofas isn’t just bad in terms of being sedentary. It’s connected to a higher chance of having excess abdominal fat which most of us don’t want at best. But this increase in fat around our essential organs can also lead to an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Standing and walking for a few minutes every hour will help to increase calorie burn and decrease these risks.
• The menopause also often causes metabolism to slow down, meaning that burning calories and fat becomes more difficult. This means that portion control becomes more important so that you avoid eating too many excess calories. Eating mindfully will help you to manage how much you’re eating and when.
• Mix up your exercise to include a good blend of HIIT, muscle strengthening exercise such as yoga and aerobic exercise such as our Power Box and Tone. This will help you stay motivated without becoming bored of the same exercise and also helps to strengthen the bones. Another consequence of the drop in oestrogen during the menopause is weakened bones which can lead to instability, poor posture and a greater risk of falls. The fitter you are, the more you’ll be able to exercise and the more fat you’ll burn. And that’s a virtuous cycle if ever there was one!