- 9 Weight Loss Tips for Seniors
-
Comments
-
**COMMENTSTAGLIST**
-
More
-
**OTHERTAGLIST**
Persistent goals and making small adjustments in lifestyle and diet are the best weight loss plans for seniors.
Weight loss in seniors is challenging but not impossible.
As overall metabolism tends to decline during this age, it gets trickier to lose weight. However, with persistent goals and a better lifestyle, losing weight is possible. Making small adjustments in lifestyle and diet is the best weight loss plan for seniors.
Some quick tips for effective weight loss in 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 their fitness goals and comorbid conditions with their doctor before they start any new physical activity.
9 ways to lose weight for seniors
- Eat a high 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, fortified soy products, beans, lentils, and peas into the diet. High protein diets prevent weight gain and abdominal fats.
- Engage in strength training: Strength training improves muscle mass and may involve:
- Avoid consuming sugary foods and beverages: Sugary foods and beverages have high sugar content 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 coffee drinks, and sweet tea, is essential to stay fit.
- Stay hydrated: When people age, their thirst sensation tends to fade. Drinking water can do wonders. Drinking more water often leads to consuming fewer calories without any added sugar. One should aim at least 64 ounces of water a day even if they are not thirsty.
- Eliminating processed food: Processed foods are stripped of nutrition, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Foods, such as white rice, white bread, and food products made of refined flour are easily digestible and lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels after meals.
- Avoiding extreme stress: Stressing out can release the “stress hormone” cortisol, leading to abdominal obesity. Stress leads to declined sleep quality, overeating, and heavy alcohol drinking, which all contribute to weight gain. Meditation and breathing techniques may help relieve stress and make one feel good.
- Alcohol and smoking: Alcohol and smoking can 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.
SLIDESHOW
See SlideshowReferences
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
Top What Is the Best Weight Loss Plan for Seniors Related Articles
amoxicillin
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic that belongs to a class of antibiotics called penicillins. Common infections that amoxicillin is used to treat include middle ear infections, tonsillitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, skin, gonorrhea, and urinary tract infections. Common side effects of amoxicillin include nausea, itching, vomiting, confusion, abdominal pain, and easy bruising. Amoxicillin is generally considered safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding.bupropion/naltrexone
Bupropion/naltrexone is a combination medication used for chronic weight management in overweight and obese adults, in addition to increased physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet. Common side effects of bupropion/naltrexone include nausea, vomiting, constipation, dry mouth, diarrhea, upper abdominal pain, viral gastroenteritis, abdominal pain, taste disorder (dysgeusia), headache, dizziness, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, hot flush, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), and others.Can You Be Too Heavy for Weight-Loss Surgery?
Weight loss surgery is an effective way for people with significant excess weight to improve their health. There is no official upper limit on weight for weight loss surgery candidates.Beat Belly Fat
Could your job be to blame for your belly fat? It might be, if it stresses you out. But there are a number of ways to get rid of it.Ketogenic Diet
These are low-carb diets -- the basic idea is to get most of your calories from protein and fat. There are some benefits, but you should be careful with them, especially if you have certain medical issues.Do People Get Jealous of Your Weight Loss?
You are so thrilled with your weight loss, and you might naturally expect that your friends and family will be equally happy. When you lose weight, you can trigger jealousy in others for a variety of reasons.ephedrine
Oral ephedrine is an over-the-counter oral drug used as a dietary supplement, and treating nasal congestion and bronchospasm due to asthma. On April 14, 2004 the FDA warned that over-the-counter products and supplements containing ephedrine are unsafe and may cause side effects such as headache, dizziness, heart irregularities, seizures, and possibly death. All products containing ephedrine have been removed from the U.S. market.Fasting
Fasting: It's simple and trending, though it's been around for thousands of years. Find out whether it might be a good option for you, and what the risks and benefits are.garcinia
Garcinia is an herbal supplement used for weight loss, to treat joint pain, bloody diarrhea, worm and parasite infections, to increase bowel movements, and to enhance athletic performance. Garcinia may be toxic to the liver; avoid use if you have impaired liver function. Common side effects of garcinia include stomach discomfort, diarrhea, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, headache, liver injury, liver failure, and exacerbation of mania in bipolar disorder. There isn’t enough information on the safety of garcinia use during pregnancy and breastfeeding; avoid use.grapefruit
Grapefruit is the fruit of a species of citrus tree, Citrus paradisi. Grapefruit is used medicinally to prevent plaque formation in the arteries (atherosclerosis), to protect against cancer growth, to promote weight loss, and for various other purposes, although, there is little scientific research to back many of its uses. Common side effects of grapefruit include reduced red blood cell percentage (hematocrit) in the blood and interactions with drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 enzyme. Avoid taking excessive amounts of grapefruit if you are pregnant or if you are a nursing mother.guarana
Guarana seeds, dried and powdered, are used as a dietary supplement for weight loss, to enhance athletic performance, as a stimulant similar to coffee, and for many other purposes. Guarana is available over the counter (OTC) as a powder, tablet, or capsule. Common side effects of guarana include headache, agitation, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, delirium, dizziness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), muscle spasms, convulsions, increased respiration, irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias), rapid heart rate (tachycardia), high blood pressure (hypertension), high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia), and others. Do not take if pregnant or breastfeeding.Is Coconut Milk Good for Weight Loss?
Coconut milk is a milky white fluid that is extracted from the flesh of mature coconuts. It has a slightly sweet and nutty taste that is liked by many. Coconut milk is one of the most preferred non-dairy milk substitutes, such as soy milk and almond milk.Obesity and Overweight
Get the facts on obesity and being overweight, including the health risks, causes, reviews of weight-loss diet plans, BMI chart, symptoms, causes, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, and medications.orlistat (Xenical, Alli)
Orlistat (Xenical, Alli) is a drug available in prescription and over-the-counter that promotes weight loss. Side effects include abdominal pain and discomfort, oily or fatty stools, gas (flatulence), oily spotting on underwear. Drug interactions, dosing, and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety information should be reviewed prior to taking any OTC or prescription medication.semaglutide
Semaglutide is a medication used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and for chronic weight management, along with physical exercise, dietary restrictions, and lifestyle changes. Semaglutide is used to control blood sugar levels when other commonly prescribed medications do not control the sugar levels adequately in type 2 diabetes, but cannot be used to treat type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes. Common side effects of semaglutide include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, indigestion (dyspepsia), abdominal distension, decrease in appetite, belching (eructation), gas (flatulence), gastritis, gastroenteritis, viral gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallstones (cholelithiasis), headache, fatigue, dizziness, low blood glucose level (hypoglycemia), severe hypoglycemia, diabetic retinopathy, and others. Do not take if breastfeeding.senna
Senna is a stimulant laxative medication available over the counter used to treat occasional constipation and bowel movement irregularity in both adults and children. Senna is also used for cleansing the colon before colonoscopy in adults. People also use senna for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hemorrhoids, and weight loss. Common side effects of senna include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps or pain, gas (flatulence), urgent and frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, urine discoloration, kidney inflammation (nephritis), rash, low potassium level (hypokalemia), melanosis coli, finger clubbing (with chronic use), wheezing, and severe allergic (anaphylactoid) reaction. Avoid chronic use of senna; may lead to laxative dependence and electrolyte imbalance. Use senna with caution during pregnancy. Consult your doctor if planning to use senna while breastfeeding.stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana plant. Stevia is used as a zero-calorie alternative to sugar and it is used to reduce blood sugar levels and blood pressure, and aid weight loss, however, there aren’t enough scientific studies to support many of these uses. Common side effects of stevia include nausea, bloating, dizziness, numbness, and allergic reaction. Avoid using stevia if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.Weight Loss Challenges: Why Can't I Lose Weight?
Finding it difficult to lose weight? It’s a hard thing to do, and there are some surprising reasons you may not be losing weight as quickly as you hope. From sleep cycles to calorie counts, health food fakers to prescription drugs, learn many of the stumbling blocks that can prevent you from reaching your health goals.Weight Loss Quiz
Are you trying to lose weight? Take this quiz to see what you can add to routine to get on the right track for results!Weight Loss Surgery Quiz
What happens after weight loss surgery? What should you eat? Take this quiz to learn about bariatric surgery. Are you a candidate?What Is the Best Prescription Weight Loss Pill?
Many weight loss pills are available in the market. The best prescription pill for you depends on your weight loss goals, your tolerability to the pill prescribed and your coexisting health conditions, if any.