Perimenopause is that time prior to menopause when your body starts to experience swings in estrogen levels and other changes. Weight gain can be one of the results of the onset of menopause, especially extra fat deposits around the waist and hips.

Perimenopause weight gain is sometimes referred to as "the middle aged spread". It is something that most women think is an inevitable outcome of this phase of their lives - not so. Estrogen level movements are one of the factors behind your extra fat cell build up. There are various causes for perimenopause weight gain, such as:

Lifestyle Stress

There are many reasons for stress including physical, emotional and psychological causes . Inappropriate dietary habits such as fad eating regimes and over consumption of sugary foods wreaks havoc on your hormone levels. Stress that is experienced for long periods will create inflammation within your organs and tissue leading to retention of fluids.

Your Diet

Combine a high-stress life with a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet and sedentary lifestyle, and you have a recipe for huge hormonal imbalances. Stacking on weight becomes very easy to do when this situation exists. Food cravings can be triggered by hormone level fluctuations because your body can’t regulate your blood sugar levels, you are compelled to have snacks and caffeine to make you feel better.

This cycle becomes a part of your life and without even realizing it your weight creeps up.

Metabolic Pollution

Another factor in perimenopause weight gain is the build up in your system of pollutants and chemicals present in our environment. Pesticides, cosmetic chemicals (western women will on average ingest a pound of lead contained in lipsticks and other cosmetic products!) and food additives all play a part in overwhelming you metabolism .

Part of your focus should be on ensuring you drink plenty of clean water and eat a diet that assists in ridding your body of toxins. Your brain sees stress (toxins in your body) as starvation and thus stores excess fat as a survival response.The brain signals the body to retain fat to protect it through the imagined famine}.

So, take heart. Here are a few effective ways to take back control of your body. Start with reviewing your diet. Around 30-35 percent of your calories should come from lean protein whilst 32 percents comes from carbohydrate and the rest from quality sources of fat (Olive oil and oily fish such as tuna).

How active are you?. Thirty minutes of brisk walking followed by ten minutes of basic calisthenics ( ladies push ups, no-weight squats, lunges and side/front bridges) will deliver great results.

Be gentle on yourself. Yoga, meditation and avoiding stressful situations - as well as learning how to process them differently, will lower your overall stress levels.