SHE'S known for her stunning figure that she frequently shows off in bikinis on her social media pages.

But behind the Instagram curtain, Lisa Snowdon has revealed she was left feeling like a "rugby union player" after gaining three stone while going through the perimenopause.

Lisa, 51, opens up about her experiences with the perimenopause, as well as lots of other topics, in her new book Just Getting Started: Lessons In Life, Love and Menopause.

In the book, she admits that the weight gain that comes with the process isn't "easy on the ego".

"For me, the weight gain felt like it came out of nowhere," she writes.

"In my head, I didn’t think I had changed what I was eating (that’s perhaps the first little white lie I have told you, because maybe, looking back, I was drinking and eating more than I had previously).

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"Feeling bigger affected my confidence massively and made me feel out of sorts and disconnected from myself.

"In all honesty, I felt a little disappointed with myself, too."

It was during a trip to Japan with partner George Smart in April 2017 that Lisa truly realised how much weight she'd gained, and how it had changed her appearance.

"We were in this stunning open-air onsen (a Japanese hot spring), which was the perfect place for a picture that I could post on my Instagram grid," she says.

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"I was going to look like a water nymph at ease, bathing in the surrounding misty natural springs…

"George obliged, I sucked my belly in, arched my back and threw my arms in the air, convinced we were making art.

"But then, when I looked through the photos he had taken, I did not recognise the person I saw there.

"I honestly looked like someone completely different – less water nymph, more England Rugby Union player."

And while she was eating and drinking similarly to before, it was the perimenopause that meant her body was no longer able to accept "whatever I threw at it" – particularly the occasional overindulgence.

She did her best to put the weight gain out of her mind, until things "all came to a head" in the summer of 2017, when she was with her best friend – a "gorgeous, blonde, six-foot supermodel".

"I got the biggest wake-up call," Lisa recalls.

"I don’t own scales and never have… I have always gone according to how my clothes feel.

"And that particular day I noticed that none of my clothes would fit.

"They were no longer just a bit snug – I couldn’t get them over my hips.

"I was devastated and knew that I’d have to work even harder if I was to remain a stable, healthy weight."

In total, Lisa – who was a supporter of Fabulous' Menopause Matters campaign – gained three stone during the perimenopause.

And while she "sweated and cried" trying to get it off, she's still a "size or two bigger" than she'd like,

"I still haven’t lost all that weight, and I don’t think I ever will." she said.

"I lost two of the three stones, and I am coming to terms with the fact that it is what it is and now I can only try to tone everything up."

Now, Lisa tries to stick to six rules in her life.

When it comes to exercise, she tries to vary things as much as possible, trying out all sorts of different workout regimes such as lifting weights, running and a LOT of walking.

On the food side of things, she's done her best not to make food the enemy, and says she finds intermittent fasting "helpful".

"One thing I do a few times a week to give my system a break is to have dinner early, around 6pm," she writes.

"I eat something light and nutritious, not too many processed carbohydrates, just lean protein and vegetables, pulses, or lentils – then I head off to bed without any alcohol and fast for around 12 to 15 hours."

What is the perimenopause?

Perimenopause, which usually begins between the ages of 45 and 55, is when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped.

It's when the levels of estrogen – a key female hormone – in your body start to decrease.

You may experience symptoms can include anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes, irregular periods and weight gain – as Lisa says.

The perimenopause can have a big impact on your life, your relationships and your work.

However, there are medicines you can look into taking to help with the symptoms – which work to replace the hormones your body is missing.

Perimenopause changes to menopause when you haven't had a period for 12 months.

If you think you might be going through the perimenopause and want to consider treatment, talk to your GP or gynaecologist to see what's right for you.

For more information, visit NHS' page on the menopause, which also focuses on the perimenopause too.

However, Lisa is well aware that this approach might not suit everyone, and says it's important to "work out what works for you".

It's also a good idea to keep a food diary, as seeing everything written down makes you more conscious about what you've eaten that day.

And Lisa's last tip is to "listen to your body".

" If you know that eating bread bloats you or doesn’t sit well with your body, limit it," she says.

"If you know sugary cocktails make you retain water and leave your skin dull and in breakouts, listen to your body – it is your greatest teacher and is capable of sending you the biggest signs.

"There will be foods that no longer agree with you, and drinks that aggravate your system.

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"The key thing to remember is that as we age, we just can’t continue to bombard our systems and overload them in the same way, especially as we enter perimenopause."

Lisa's book, Just Getting Started: Lessons In Life, Love and Menopause, is out now.

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