People in their 60s have already achieved so much in life. They’re more confident, more at peace with themselves, and more successful. However, there’s also a good chance people in at this age need to lose weight. Poor diet, not going to the gym and a sedentary lifestyle, combined with aging-related issues often lead to weight changes when we get older.
Even though you cannot stop the aging process, you can slow down changes that impact your body, particularly your weight. And taking steps to address these changes can significantly improve your quality of life.
What you should understand is that weight management in your 60s isn’t that much different than how you were able to do it many years ago. It’s really about lifestyle choices – eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, manage stress, and get enough sleep.
1. Choose Nutrient Dense Foods
People in their 50s and 60s have less calorie needs than people in their 30s and 40s however they may have increased nutrient needs. This may be attributed to age-related muscle and bone loss, metabolism changes and less physical activity. Choose foods that are packed with nutrients without having a lot of calories. Focus on making sustainable diet changes to manage weight without sacrificing any nutrient requirements.
2. Consume More Protein
Muscle loss happens when you get older and to counter this, you need to increase your daily protein intake . Aim for 1.4g of protein per kilo gram of body weight a day.
3. Get Moving
Exercise is a must for a healthy and sustainable weight management. It doesn’t matter if you’ve not exercised for a long time, it’s never too late to start. You can begin with walking 15 minutes a day and then gradually increase the duration and intensity as you develop fitness. The CDC recommends 5 days of 30-minute moderate intensity exercise and 2 days of strength training for older adults.
You can try the following:
- Aerobic exercise: exercises like walking, swimming, biking, or dancing keep the heart rate up and improve blood circulation
- Stretching: these exercises improve flexibility and lengthen the muscles
- Strength training: these exercises strengthens the muscle and bones
- Balancing exercises: these improve stability and keep the body strong
4. Make Lifestyle Changes
Lack of sleep, stress and poor eating habits can make it difficult for you to manage your weight. If you want to shed excess weight or maintain a healthy weight, remember these:
- When you sleep less, you will end up eating more during the day as the body will produce more ghrelin, the hunger hormone. Aim to sleep for at least 7 hours each night.
- Chronic stress can make it difficult to lose weight. Find healthy ways to manage your weight such as by exercising, meditating, etc.
Finally, practice mindful eating. Eat slowly and pay attention to how much you’re eating. Listen to the cues your body is giving you.
When you reach your 60s, you can expect many changes in your body, including your weight. It can be frustrating sometimes when you realize you’re no longer able to lose 5 pounds as easy as you did in your 20s. But by taking a proactive approach to your health, by exercising regularly and getting a membership in gyms like Fitness First and eating healthy, you can reach your goal weight and stay there.
Here are some mindful eating tips: