Obesity is associated with multiple health conditions, including stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight is important even in the golden years. A lack of mobility, slowing metabolism, and less energy can all combine and cause difficulty for seniors to lose weight. The following are ten useful tips to help seniors lose weight and maintain overall wellbeing. There weight loss tips for the elderly are truly helpful and are sure to keep your body great as you advance in age. Please read on
10 Weight Loss Tips For The Elderly
1. Follow a balanced diet
Seniors should not focus on consuming just one nutrient or a few specifically. For instance, though butter may not be the best choice, eating butter on a piece of bread is better than a plain slice. Basically, butter contains protein; therefore, it slows the rate of the breakdown of bread (carbohydrate) and turns to sugar in your body.
2. Eat Regularly
There is an outspread misconception that seniors should not snack during the day. In fact, eating three meals and snacking regularly can enhance the basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy our body uses at the state of rest. Eating filling, nutrient-rich snack during the day ensures seniors don’t overeat at meals or indulge in unhealthy foods. Family members should make sure healthy snacks are always available in the home for their aging loved ones.
Remember that your BMR decreases as you lose weight; it indicates that you need to consume even less as your weight goes down to continue to drop pounds. Studies depict that the loss of muscle might be partly responsible for some of the decrease in the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). So, if you aim to lose excess flab, then you should have to know about your BMR. Try, the simple bmr calculator to get an idea about the number of calories your body needs to keep functioning well. Calculate your BMR and plan your diet for weight loss according to it.
3. Avoid taking high calorie snacks
Appropriate and balances nutrient consumption is more important than the number of calories consumed. Moreover, eating a 100-calorie portion of junk food will do no benefit to satisfying the body. Most importantly, however, it will just turn into wasted calories, as the body will not have them for use. Replacing snacks loaded with harmful chemicals with healthier snacks, like fruits, nuts, and yogurt, will be a great idea.
4. Perform water aerobics
Water acts as a resistance, which forces the muscles to work more than they could on land. Therefore, engaging in water aerobics is a great way to burn calories, while also toning the muscles and reducing the body fat index.
5. Take a Walk
Walking for at least 30 to 45 minutes daily is a simple, easy, and great way to shed calories and get in shape. It also increases the heart rate that helps in burning more calories and enhancing cardiovascular health.
6. Play Golf
Golf is a common sport mostly enjoyed by seniors, as it requires less movement of the body. However, simply swinging clubs can help in toning the muscles while burning some calories. If you want to engage in golf there are some healthy food for golf players you ought to know.
7. Do strength training
Gaining muscles mass is an important part of boosting metabolism. Putting on a little bit of muscles burns calories, and in fact, will also lower weight. Since toned muscles don’t need as much space on the body as fat does, so increasing muscles mass will result in a fat reduction. Before beginning strength training, consulting a professional in the field is important to make sure it is safe for your aging loved one.
8. Engage in flexibility training
Increasing flexibility will have positive effects on other types of exercise and activities of daily living. For flexibility training for seniors, Pilates and yoga are great options. There are also some great martial arts exercises for seniors.
9. Keep a good posture
Keeping a good posture is important for keeping the body in shape and preventing muscle and bone alignment issues in the long-run. Staying in a good posture can help seniors carry themselves better, relieve tension, and feel better.
10. Rest
After a day of hard work and strenuous workout, taking a break becomes necessary. Simply put, if your aging loved one doesn’t take sufficient rest, his or her future workout sessions would be less effective.
Regardless of how seniors choose to remain active, these simple and ways can help them lose weight effectively and adjust their lifestyle for better overall wellbeing.
Benefits of Losing Weight in the Golden Years
1. Increased mobility
More movement equals less dependence on other, which allows seniors to stay independent and happy.
2. Reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke
Obesity leads to heart and circulation issues, which are the leading causes of death among seniors. Your loved one can lower his or her risk by shedding some pounds.
3. Lower the risk of diabetes
Around 25 percent of aging adults live with diabetes. Regular exercise and following a healthy diet plan for seniors can help seniors lose weight and prevent diabetes.
4. Decrease the risk of inflammation
Obesity can lead to painful skin condition in the long-run, but losing weight and eating healthy foods can reduce its risk.
5. Reduced cost of living
Fewer doctor’s visits and lower medicine expense can be a big change in overall living cost. Senior can use the time saved by not visiting doctors and buying medicines for doing activities they enjoy.
6. Lower Depression
In fact, obesity can lead seniors to isolation and a lowered self-confidence, leading them to raised rates of depression and anxiety. Losing pounds can help your loved one lower depression, boost confidence, manage stress, and stay happy.
Encourage your senior loved one to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and help him, or she know the benefits of losing weight so he or she can be more eager to get in shape.
Author Bio:
Marina Torres has been writing articles since her teenage and is currently enjoying a successful career as a content writer. She loves to write about helping and motivating others to find a way to happiness and working everything out despite the challenges of life. This is the reason she has chosen home care industry and is currently employed with Home Care Assistance of Mississauga.
