During menopause, women’s bodies undergo many changes and hormonal shifts, and with these shifts comes weight gain. But there are ways to go about tackling it.
Second Nature nutritionist, Tamara Willner, revealed women can lose weight by not being too hard on themselves.
She said: “The most important thing to remember is that the body goes through significant changes during menopause, so it’s important to be kind to ourselves and focus on self-care.
“Although weight is one marker of health, our mental wellbeing, fitness, and happiness are equally important.
“Focusing on those factors will make managing any potential weight gain easier and more natural.”
READ MORE: Diet: Expert warns against common mistake
Tamara recommended a tasty yet healthy dessert option to curb those sweet-tooth cravings while still sticking to a low-carb diet.
Pear and chocolate crumble (serves four)
Prep time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients
40g rolled oats or gluten-free oats
80g hazelnuts, finely chopped
One tsp ground cinnamon
Two tbsp coconut oil
Four ripe pears, peeled, cored, halved
Half tsp ground nutmeg
50g 85 percent dark chocolate
100g mascarpone
Half tsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
In a medium bowl, combine the oats, hazelnuts, cinnamon and coconut oil to make the crumble topping.
Place the pears, nutmeg and half a cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat.
Cover the pot with a lid and allow the pears to cook for 10-15 minutes or until you notice them soften.
Transfer the pears to a baking dish, and break up the chocolate block and scatter over the pears. Cover with the crumble topping and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until pears are cooked through and the crumble is golden brown
Meanwhile, lightly beat the mascarpone with the vanilla extract.
Once cooked divide the pear crumble and serve with a dollop of vanilla mascarpone.