Women in their 40s and 50s can lose weight 'without cutting calories' by incorporating food group into 'every single meal and snack'

This comes as an expert spoke exclusively to GB News about the weight loss habit that really "makes a difference" during menopause.

Menopause coach Stephanie Crassweller told TikTok five tips to "kickstart fat loss" during perimenopause and menopause "without cutting their calories".

She explained that in this stage of life, blood sugar "starts to become an issue" as oestrogen drops. In turn, cortisol levels are also on the rise.

Stephanie said: "Oestrogen is this hormonal buffer that really helps to mitigate that stress response to bring stress down."

She revealed that with the drop in oestrogen levels, women in perimenopause and menopause "can't tolerate as much stress as we used to before".

Consequently, "cutting calories, cutting carbs, doing crazy intensity exercise, being go-go-go all the time and not getting enough sleep and recovery" can result in weight gain or no changes to the weight.

To effectively lose weight at this time, women were told to follow five rules. Firstly, the expert advised women to "have protein at every single meal", encouraging women to aim for 20 to 30 grams of protein for each one.

Rather than cutting out snacking, Stephanie also advised that slimmers also enjoy a source of protein with every snack.

She explained that this diligent consumption of protein will "stabilise your blood sugars, promote muscle growth and keep you full throughout the day".

Being full throughout the day means it's less likely you'll be reaching for sugary snacks for energy.

According to experts at Harvard Medical School, the best protein sources to include in a healthy diet are beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean meats, fish, dairy products and soy products.

In addition to protein, another expert said that people can slim down by eating one type of carbohydrate that "plays a huge role in weight management".

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The menopause expert advised consuming 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. At the top of the range, women might want to go for a maximum of 140 grams. She claimed that going above this could be a struggle.

Women should also drink enough water, maintain a high step count - focussing on a reduction in stress levels rather than exercise - prioritise getting enough sleep and resistance train to improve body composition.

And it's not just women who find it difficult to shed fat later on in life. A poor diet, too much alcohol, a lack of exercise and a change in hormones can cause men to develop a middle-age spread.

Men over 60 have been told "the best way to achieve weight loss".