Tips On How To Lose Weight In Old Age

At the end of working life, 74.2 percent of men and 56.3 percent of women are overweight. This means that obesity has become a normal condition in old age and normal weight or ideal weight has become an exception. Also worrying is the growing proportion of obesity (obesity or extreme overweight) among seniors, which has increased by 300 percent in men and 175 percent in women in recent decades. If one thing that gets harder to lose in old age, it is the weight. Learn why losing weight is so difficult in old age and tips on how to lose weight in old age

Why is losing weight so difficult in old age?

The body also changes with age. Hormonal changes and the steady loss of cell functionality slow down the metabolism. The consequences are a breakdown of muscle tissue starting from the age of 30 and a falling basic metabolism (lower energy consumption). In order to lose weight, the body has to use more energy than it consumes. The older you get, the fewer calories your body needs. Not only does this make losing weight more difficult, but it also places special demands on losing weight projects in old age in relation to health.

Can you still lose weight in old age?

Clearly, yes! Losing weight is becoming more difficult, but with a few changes in your habits, you can lose weight healthily and without giving up. Especially with overweight, a healthy weight loss can even alleviate many other complaints and, above all, prevent other age-related diseases. In most cases, a healthy weight improves metabolism and cardiovascular system and relieves discomfort on the holding apparatus and the joints. With increasing age, however, the risks of incorrect weight loss also increase. Malnutrition and muscle wasting can make you frailer, especially in old age.

The top 10 tips – lose weight healthily and effectively in old age

Those who pay attention to a few things when losing weight not only gain in vitality and quality of life but can also alleviate other complaints and prevent diseases in old age. We have put together the most important and effective tips to lose weight in old age for you:

1) Discuss losing weight with the doctor

First of all, you should discuss the weight loss project with your doctor. Previous illnesses such as diabetes, arthrosis, or diseases of the cardiovascular system have to be considered individually and the weight loss project adjusted accordingly. While some ailments can be alleviated by weight loss, a wrong approach can worsen other ailments. Even if you have no complaints, you should use your weight loss plan in old age for a possibly overdue control appointment with the doctor.

2) Balanced diet

Losing weight primarily starts with nutrition. In order to prevent the risk of deficiency symptoms when losing weight in old age, you should eat a balanced diet. So, enjoy the variety.

3) A lot of fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables should make up the bulk of your food. Studies show that fruits and vegetables promote health and prevent numerous diseases of civilization. In addition, vegetables in particular have a high nutrient and low-calorie density. In other words, you can eat more of it and less of it ends up on your hips.

4) Not too big a calorie deficit

Especially in old age, you shouldn’t go on radical diets. The main reason for the low-calorie requirement and the difficult weight loss in old age is the slow metabolism. A radical calorie deficit has the consequence that the organism slows down the metabolism even more and reduces the calorie requirement even further after a few weeks. Losing weight will become even more difficult in the long term and the yo-yo effect more likely.

5) Boost your metabolism

Boosting metabolism, which slows down in old age, has several advantages when it comes to losing weight. The body not only increases its basic metabolism through an efficient metabolism but also the change from the burning of glycogen (sugar burning) to fat metabolism is improved. The following things stimulate the metabolism and can train it in the long term:

Drink a lot

You should drink at least 1.5 liters of water a day. In addition to the general metabolism, liquid also supports digestion.

Exercise

Physical activity really gets your metabolism going. Exercise daily and if possible, exercise. Cycling, walking or swimming are particularly easy on the joints.

Restful sleep

Sleep well and restful. This will get your metabolism going and hunger and satiety can be better regulated. Read here: 29 tips for restful sleep

Saunas and Alternating Baths

Temperature changes activate the vegetative nervous system and thus train the metabolism. Weekly, light saunas and alternating baths support your weight loss project.

6) Weight training becomes more important with age

A low musculature also reduces basal metabolism. In addition, an excessive calorie deficit when losing weight in old age can lead to the body wanting to further reduce the muscles. This makes sport and exercise all the more important. Discuss with your doctor your options for exercising and especially training your muscles. If you have joint problems, you can also discuss exercises and training plans for the gym or at home with your physiotherapist. Lightweight training in old age not only makes it easier to lose weight but it also demonstrably reduces the likelihood of falling and mobility restrictions. For older people or people with complaints, training plans for strength training should always be put together individually by a trainer.

7) Check eating habits

Nobody is perfect and so everyone has one or two unhealthy eating habits that stand in the way of losing weight. Watch your eating habits. How big are your servings? How is your snacking behavior? Is the food very greasy? Are the foods balanced? Mindfulness for your own food helps to recognize weight-loss traps and to adapt your behavior more easily. Losing weight in old age is not about giving up. On the contrary! Enjoy the variety and eat a balanced diet. Maybe one or the other beer or juice can be replaced by water or tea?

8) Motivate yourself

Losing weight in old age as a result of a healthy diet and a vital everyday life can improve many ailments, lead to more energy and balance and prevent illnesses. Concentrate on the newly gained quality of life and reward yourself with a wellness day or a small gift even for small successes. Whatever is good for you, you deserve it.

9) Don’t eat snacks

Eating regularly is important so that your metabolism works optimally and there are no food cravings. However, if there is not enough time between meals, your metabolism cannot work effectively. There should be at least four to five hours between meals so that your metabolism can burn the most.

10) Lose weight with intermittent fasting

If you do not have any metabolic disorders (e.g. thyroid disorders or diabetes), after consulting your doctor, interval fasting can be a very effective way to lose weight in old age. Interval fasting does not look at the calories, but at the clock, as meal times play a decisive role.

This is how interval fasting works – from around 14 to 16 hours without eating, the metabolism slowly changes to the fat metabolism for energy. The easiest way to achieve such a time window is without food overnight. To do this, you simply have to eat dinner earlier or breakfast later. It is important for the success of interval fasting that nothing is eaten during the meal breaks and that a lot is drunk in general. Smallest amounts of food (or sugar in the drinks) can already prevent the switch to fat metabolism. After the meal break, you can eat normally again. Intermittent fasting has not only a positive effect on weight loss but also on general health.

Over time, 5 forms of interval fasting have become established:

The 16 to 8 method, the 5 to 2 method, the 6 to 1 method, alternating fasting and dinner canceling. The 16 to 8 method and dinner canceling are particularly suitable for losing weight in old age, as they are particularly gentle on the metabolism. In the 16 to 8 method, 16 hours are fasted and 8 hours eaten every day. With dinner canceling, dinner is skipped completely two to three times a week. Read this full article on Weight Loss Through Intermittent Fasting.

Follow these tips on how to lose weight in old age and you might look younger and feel younger than ever!