Middle age weight gain is a typical part of getting older, but one expert says it can be avoided through small sustainable changes.
Women should not make "drastic changes" to their diets, according to Dr Khandee Ahnaimugan, a weight management specialist for women over 40. The doctor urged slimmers to make small adjustments rather than burn out on crash diets.
The specialist, who runs a weight loss clinic in London's Harley Street, spoke to the Express about how to keep the pounds off for good - and why exercise won't help.
Dr Ahnaimugan, who also goes by Dr K, explained: "This is the secret to lasting weight loss. Firstly, instead of making drastic changes to your eating habits, just make small ones that are easier to stick with.
"Secondly, you need to focus on removing unnecessary eating from your life."
As an example, he urged people not to finish the rest of their food if they feel full after two-thirds of their plate. He said: "Eating the rest is not providing you with any extra enjoyment. It is unnecessary calories."
Dr Ahnaimugan went on to explain cutting out unnecessary eating means people eat less but don't feel deprived of food, which can usually lead to cravings.
"There are literally hundreds of examples of unnecessary eating in most people's lives," he said. "When you eliminate unnecessary eating, you eat less, don't feel deprived and can therefore stick with the weight loss plan long enough to see results and keep the weight off for life.
"The ideal plan is based around eliminating unnecessary eating. It blends into your lifestyle and becomes part of it."
Dr Ahnaimugan warned that this is "key" for women wanting to shed their unwanted weight, as exercise alone won't have the same effect on slimming as people might expect.
"The generic advice for anyone who's gaining weight is to 'go to the gym'," he explained.
"While exercise is highly recommended for your overall physical and mental health, for women going through menopause it has minimal effect on weight loss.
"You went to the gym diligently for a few weeks and were then shocked and dismayed to see that your weight hadn't budged. This is not abnormal. It's actually expected."
He said many of his clients have previously "blamed themselves" for not doing enough exercise, but he assured them this wasn't the case.
"This is not the reason they have not been able to lose weight," he said.
"Again, this doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise, it just means that it's not enough for weight loss."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here .
