According to Mayo Clinic Proceedings, women gain around 1.5 pounds a year while going through menopause. That may not sound like a lot, but if your hormone shift takes 10 years, that's 15 pounds. So it adds up — and 75% of women ages 60 and older are overweight, increasing their risk for lower quality of life, more chronic disease, dementia, hip fractures, and premature death.

Now a study in JAMA Network Open shows that postmenopausal women who lose (and keep off) 5% of their body weight and achieve a smaller waist circumference can reduce their risk of death over the next two decades from all causes, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

How can you accomplish this life-enhancing change?

By combining a plant-based diet free of overly processed foods, red and processed meats, and added sugars with aerobic and strength-building exercise. This combination will shed pounds and reduce your waist size.

If you lose weight but don't reduce your waist size (and belly fat), you only slash your risk of premature death from heart disease — all other causes are still significantly increased.

What are your best options?

Start a walking program, aiming for 10,000 steps a day following an intermittent routine of fast walking (whatever you can do), and then 3-5 minutes at a slower pace. Build speed and endurance over time.

You can also use stretchy bands, weights, or the machines at the gym to do two to three 25-minute strength-building workouts weekly.