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Weight lossin seniors is challenging but not impossible.
As overall metabolism tends to decline during this age, it gets trickier tolose weight.However, withpersistent goals and a better lifestyle, losing weight is possible. Makingsmall adjustments in lifestyle anddietis the bestweight lossplan for seniors.
Some quick tips for effectiveweight lossin seniors include:
- Burning more calories than what they eat or drink
- Restricting empty calories, such as sugars and foods, with little to zero nutritional value
- Avoiding fad diets that provide temporary results
- Including a wide variety of foods, such as vegetables, whole grains, fish, beans, or low-fat or fat-free dairy
A person should discuss theirfitnessgoals and comorbid conditions with their doctor before they start any new physical activity.
9 ways to lose weight for seniors
- Eat ahigh protein diet:Protein helps build muscle mass, which helps in increased metabolic rate and decreased calorie intake. As older people are more prone to muscle loss, it is important to incorporate high-protein diets, such as seafood, dairy, fortifiedsoyproducts, beans, lentils, and peas into thediet.High protein diets preventweight gainand abdominalfats.
- Engage instrength training:Strength training improves muscle mass and may involve:
- Avoid consuming sugary foods andbeverages:Sugary foods and beverages have highsugarcontent and little nutritional content. Added sugars contain high fructose, which may decrease fat burning. Hence, avoiding sugary foods and beverages, such as candies, cakes, frozen yogurt, soda, flavored coffeedrinks, and sweet tea, is essential to stay fit.
- Stay hydrated:When people age, theirthirstsensation tends to fade. Drinking water can do wonders. Drinking more water often leads to consuming fewer calories without any addedsugar.One should aim at least 64 ounces of water a day even if they are not thirsty.
- Eliminating processed food:Processed foods are stripped ofnutrition,vitamins,矿物质, andfiber.食物,如米饭、白面包和食物products made of refined flour are easily digestible and lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar andinsulinlevels after meals.
- Avoiding extremestress:Stressing out can release the “stresshormone” cortisol, leading to abdominalobesity.Stress leads to declinedsleepquality, overeating, and heavyalcoholdrinking, which all contribute to weight gain. Meditation andbreathingtechniques may help relieve stress and make one feel good.
- Alcohol andsmoking:Alcohol andsmokingcan lead to fat accumulation near the abdomen and lead to weight gain.
- Adding more vegetables and fruits to the diet: Experts recommend two to three cups of vegetables for senior women and two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half cups of vegetables for senior men for consumption each day. Similarly, including fruits can prevent the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as:
- Never starve:Starving can further slow the metabolism. Rather than avoiding meals, limit your daily calorie consumption.
![](https://images.medicinenet.com//images/slideshow/diet_tips_10_best_diet_tips_s1.jpg)
SLIDESHOW
The Best Diet Tips: How to Lose Weight the Healthy WaySee Slideshow
Medically Reviewed on2/2/2022
References
Image Source: iStock Images
Tweed K. Dieting After 60: 4 Things You Need to Know. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/dieting-tips-older-adults
National Institutes of Health. Healthy Meal Planning: Tips for Older Adults. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-meal-planning-tips-older-adults
Tweed K. Dieting After 60: 4 Things You Need to Know. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/dieting-tips-older-adults
National Institutes of Health. Healthy Meal Planning: Tips for Older Adults. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-meal-planning-tips-older-adults
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