As we get older, it can become more difficult for us to lose weight. This is because our metabolism slows down, making it harder for us to burn calories. As we age and put weight on, our body actively tries to maintain this weight. This means your body may be working against you. However, it is possible to lose weight safely in older age. Keep reading to discover our tips for losing weight over 60.
Losing Weight Safely
The process of losing weight when you’re over 60 will be different to how you might have approached it when you were younger. The elderly body functions differently, such as metabolic and hormone changes. If you are planning to undertake any diets or change your exercise regime, you may benefit from consulting your doctor. They may be able to provide advice specific to you.
When losing weight over 60, it is important to know your limits. If you struggle with your mobility, you probably won’t be going on a marathon any time soon. Consider chair exercises or low-impact sports such as swimming or yoga. And don’t be put off if you don’t lose weight immediately. Perseverance is the key to shedding the pounds.
Weight Loss Tips for Over-60s
Sometimes, simple changes are all it takes to help with losing weight over 60. Other times, you may need to adopt more specialised techniques. Here are our tips for losing weight when you’re over 60.
Strength Training
You will find that many places recommend exercising more as a means of losing weight. This is because elderly adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. However, if you are only now beginning your weight loss journey, this may seem daunting. Especially if you are easily fatigued or have existing health conditions.
Strength training allows you to build up to more involved exercise. In later life, many of us will naturally lose muscle mass. Strength training can reverse this, giving you the energy and resistance needed for keeping active.
Gain to Lose
This piece of advice might seem counterintuitive. If you want to lose weight, why would you gain weight first? The fact of the matter is that you are trying to burn away fat, whereas the weight you gain will go into muscle mass. As mentioned above, building your strength can help you to engage in moderate activities.
This will involve a dietary change. You will need to eat foods that are high in protein but low in fat. Some examples include salmon, eggs, and lean beef. If you focus entirely on your weight, you might feel slightly disheartened to see the pounds increase. However, you should pay attention to your fitness. You may realise you are stronger and getting less tired than you were before.
Small Healthy Snacks
Whether you are a snacker already or not, eating little and often throughout the day could help with losing weight over 60. Eating regularly keeps your metabolism active; people who eat less and leave longer periods between meals could, in fact, be starving themselves. This slows your metabolism further.
Of course, the food you eat should be healthy. Choose fruits and vegetables and avoid biscuits, chocolate, and crisps where possible. If you are struggling with your appetite, regular drinks of water can help too. You should be drinking at least 6 cups or glasses of water a day.
Move More
Nowadays, it is too easy to live a sedentary lifestyle. There is so much more to watch on television and appliances do half the household jobs for us. Increasing how much we move around can help promote a healthier lifestyle, which can help with losing weight over 60. Even just getting up to make a cup of tea gets the blood pumping, which can help to improve cardiovascular health.
Try to spend more time walking around the house. Take on a few extra chores if you feel capable. An effective means of moving more is to get outside and do some gardening. This could be an ideal first step towards losing weight over 60.
Eat to a Schedule
One of the best things you can do for your body is to eat to a schedule. Eating your breakfast at a different time every day or skipping your evening meal because you lack appetite will confuse your body and make it harder to lose weight. It may also contribute to a loss of muscle mass, which will make it harder to perform daily tasks.
However, when eating to a schedule you should also ensure you are eating a balanced diet. Whilst there is no guaranteed diet for losing weight over 60, you should be avoiding saturated fats and prioritising greens. Keep sugar intake low and focus on carbohydrates. Your proteins should take up less of your plate than your carbohydrates and vegetables.
Be Mindful of Health Conditions
We recognise that some over-60s looking to lose weight may also be living with health conditions. People with diabetes or cardiovascular conditions may struggle to change their diet or stay active. It is important to recognise that no one weight loss method will work for everyone. Work with your doctor and healthcare team to identify the best solutions for you.
Stay Safe at Home
When trying to lose weight, it is important to stay safe. Sometimes, you may feel too anxious to exercise, worrying that an accident may happen, and you won’t be able to get help. A personal alarm from Careline365 could offer peace of mind in and around the home.
With a Careline365 alarm, help can be arranged at the press of a button. With our fall detector options, an alert can be raised if you are unable to press the button yourself. When the alarm is activated, our 24/7 Care Team are alerted and will arrange help on your behalf by informing your emergency contacts. If necessary, they will also inform the emergency services.
To find out more about the Careline365 alarm service, please read our detailed guide. For any enquiries, please do not hesitate to call on 0800 030 8777 to speak with our friendly team. Finally, you can order your Careline365 alarm online today.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 16th February 2024 to reflect current information.
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