Women tend to gain about a pound year during transition to menopause. But trying to lose weight during this time may actually weaken your bones if you don’t do it carefully. This is according to the study which followed 373 menopausal women for five years. Half the women got diet and exercise advises during that period; the other half did not.

After menopause, the major source of estrogens’ in a woman’s body is generated in fat tissue. Hence, loosing fat lowers estrogen levels. The lower estrogen level the more rapid your bone loss.

If you start a diet, take in at least 800 IUs of vitamin D and 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily and do 30 to 60 of weight bearing exercise two or three times a week. Weight lifting may able to counter the effects of weight loss on your bones.