I was recently asked this question by a female customer:

- Since I've been going through menopause, I can't seem to lose one pound. Do you have any special advice for me? It's very hard to just keep dieting and dieting and see no results.

My answer:

Seeing results in your weight loss program is the best motivator there is. As we age, it gets harder to build muscle and lose fat. We will all go through this phase. Now, should we surrender? Of course not. A woman in her 50+ can still totally transform her body...

First of all, make sure you follow the fundamentals:

- Drink a lot of water

- Eat six smaller meals a day instead of three big ones

- Exercise

Weight training in particular becomes EVEN MORE important as we age. This will allow us to age with grace and not be "crippled".

Women especially tend to suffer from osteoporosis after menopause. Weight lifting helps keep your bones stronger and "denser". By following the proper steps, you can lose fat - no doubt about it. However, the older we get, the less forgiving our body becomes so we don't have that wide of a margin for errors or for "messing around".

If you follow a proper fat loss plan, you will lose fat and increase muscle - it's just that this will happen at a slower pace than if you were in your early 20's or 30's.

I'm not a doctor and I try to avoid answering "medical" questions - but I'll give you a hint: Talk to your doctor about hormone-replacement therapy. There may be a way for you to "turn back the clock" so to speak. Don't talk to just any doctor who is clueless. Find a smart endocrinologist who is "human" and understands what you are trying to do (lose fat and build muscle so you are stronger and look sexier) and see if he can recommend something that will help you. Ask questions and see if he has experience with this type of treatment. You don't want to be nobody's guinea pig...

Something else that is important is your mental perspective. Did you know that many people die a few years after they retire from their job? This can happen in their 70s or even their 60s or 50s. Age isn't really important. What's interesting is that these people say: "Ok, since I'm retired, that's it, I'm finished." Then, they get depressed and give up on life completely.

Going through menopause can have a similar effect on a woman's body. The trick is to know how to fight back. In any case, DON'T QUIT. Some people live up to 120. Being 52 years young is far to early to say that you are "finished". See? It's all a matter of perspective...