5 Most Effective Weight Loss Strategies For Older Adults

Weight loss isn’t easy, especially as you get older. After the age of 50, unhealthy habits such as a sedentary lifestyle, poor diets, and metabolic changes contribute a great deal to weight gain. However, you can achieve weight loss irrespective of your age if you follow these few simple adjustments.

1. Keep Moving

Sit for a lesser duration throughout the day and instead be more active if you’re trying to achieve weight loss. Simply walk around now and then, and take a five-minute walk every hour. You can also use a fitness tracking app or a wearable device that can track your progress. It can boost weight loss by increasing your activity levels and calorie expenditures. Begin with a realistic goal and gradually increase it up to 7000-10,000 steps per day considering your overall health.

2. Up Your Protein Intake

A high-quality protein diet is vital for weight loss as well as for preventing or reversing age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). The number of calories you burn at rest decreases by one to two percent every decade once you turn 20 years old. Several studies have shown that increasing your dietary protein can aid weight loss and also prevent weight regain. Also, since older adults have higher protein requirements, it is recommended that they consume protein-rich meals and snacks.

3. Enjoy Strength Training

When it comes to weight loss, cardio gets all the attention. But strength training is equally important, particularly for older adults. After the age of 50, there is a possibility of sarcopenia and your muscle masses get lowered by one to two percent every year. Strength training can not only help you lose weight by reducing body fat but also boosts your metabolism to increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day.

4. Form A Team

Following a healthy diet or exercise regimen can be quite challenging when you’re doing it alone. You can try pairing up with a friend, family member or colleague to up your chances of sticking to your weight loss goals. Research has also proved that individuals who attended weight loss programs with partners were more likely to maintain their weight loss goals in a long duration. Also, when you work out with your friends, it can strengthen your commitment as well as make workouts more enjoyable.

5. Consider Taking The Right Supplements

Sometimes, as you get older, you might be prone to certain deficiencies since your ability to absorb particular nutrients tends to decline. Research has proven that older adults, especially those over 50 have folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies commonly. They are both required by your body to produce energy. Deficiencies of B vitamins can negatively impact your mood, make you fatigued and more importantly, hinder weight loss. Therefore, it is recommended that you take a B-complex vitamin supplement to reduce the risk of such deficiencies and achieve weight loss.