Your 60s are an important decade of your life regarding your overall health and weight. According to AARP, around 41.5% of adults over 60 are considered obese. Losing muscle mass and accumulating more fat can cause weight gain and health problems.
Pursuing weight loss after 60 is important not only to improve your health but also to decrease your risk of encountering major health problems. Finding that sweet spot where you don’t weigh too much or too little is key to aging well. However, losing weight can be more challenging as we age.
This blog will discuss the importance of weight management for seniors. We’ll also talk about some healthy aging tips, including exercise and diet plans you can incorporate into your daily routine.
Understanding Weight Changes in Your 60s
It comes as no surprise that your body in your 60s is different than the one you had in your 30s or 40s. Our bodies go through natural changes that impact our metabolism and muscle synthesis.
Decreased Muscle Mass
Our body’s physiological processes start to slow down once we reach our 30s. This results in gradual loss of muscle mass, around 3-8% each decade. A commonly used term for this phenomenon is sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia becomes more pronounced once we reach our 60s. Unfortunately, this process starts to replace the lost muscle with fat.
Unpredictable Metabolism
Your metabolism will start to become more inconsistent during your 60s. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. It begins to decline once you reach your early to mid-60s.
Your body won’t need as many calories to function. Having less muscle mass will also cause your metabolism to become more sluggish.
Hormonal Imbalances
Hormone imbalances can happen due to a wide range of reasons. Common causes of hormone imbalances include:
- Medical conditions
- Aging
- Lifestyle
- Stress
- Hormone fluctuations
- Environmental factors
One of the side effects of imbalanced hormones is weight gain.
Health Implications of Weight in Seniors
Being obese or overweight can put seniors at risk for many health conditions. These health conditions may include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Joint problems
- Gallbladder disease or gallstones
- Premature death
- Depression or anxiety
- Many types of cancer
The Dangers of Being Underweight for Seniors
Being overweight isn’t the only thing seniors need to worry about – not weighing enough could be hazardous to their health as well. A few problems being underweight can cause include:
- Osteoporosis
- Heart problems
- Infections
- Broken bones
Being proactive and finding ways to live more healthily will help you find the right weight for your body type while helping prevent other issues from arising.
Finding the Right Weight for Seniors
The most important thing to keep in mind when thinking about weight when you’re over 60 is finding the sweet spot for a healthy weight. Keeping your weight in the right range is an essential component of healthy aging.
A healthy weight range for seniors is different than it would be for people in other age groups. The number the scale tells you, or even what you find out from a body mass index (BMI) calculator, only shows you part of your story. For example, seniors with a normal weight might have less muscle or more fat when compared to someone who is slightly overweight.
How to Achieve a Healthy Weight When You’re Over 60
Many factors should be considered when creating senior health strategies for weight loss after 60. You want to improve your overall health, from exercise to diet to lifestyle. All of those things will work together to improve your weight and make sure you’re at a healthy level.
The things you should keep in mind when pursuing weight loss include:
- Burning more calories than you drink or eat
- Limiting empty calories, like foods with little nutritional value
- Eating more veggies, whole grains, fruits, and lean meats
Improved Nutrition
A healthy diet can do more than help you with your weight. It can improve your mental health and decrease the risk of certain health conditions. Some tips to remember when creating diet plans for over 60 include:
- Eat with friends and family
- Maintain the same eating routine
- Increase your fiber intake with raw veggies and fruits
- Reduce your salt consumption
- Eat healthy fats like nuts and avocado
- Stay hydrated
- Maximize your vitamin D intake
- Limit “white” foods, like white potatoes, bread, and rice
Senior living communities hire chefs who take the time to assess their residents’ nutritional requirements. They create tailored meal plans to ensure everyone is getting the right amount of nutrients. They can also adjust for those who may have eating challenges and might require a soft diet.
Exercise Plans
Exercise for older adults can become more challenging due to physical limitations and mobility issues. However, there are numerous exercise programs to choose from that are catered to people of all skill levels. It’s recommended that seniors incorporate around 150 minutes of mild to moderate exercise into their weekly routines.
This can include a wide range of activities, such as:
- Swimming
- Walking
- Yoga
- Cycling
- Pilates
Weight loss isn’t the only goal of exercising for seniors. Other areas that you can improve include:
- Balance
- Strength
- Flexibility
These factors become important as we age. If you fall, you want to either be able to regain your balance or not significantly injure yourself if you do hit the ground. Exercising can help you combat those things.
Many senior living communities have exercise groups and classes in their activity calendars. This makes it easy for residents to find exercise groups that interest them.
Get Help With Weight Loss After 60
Weight loss after 60 is important for a wide range of reasons, including improving health and extending lifespan. Working with a healthcare provider is essential to determining a healthy weight for you. Being overweight or underweight isn’t ideal for seniors, as it can put you more at risk for certain health problems.
The senior living experts at GreenTree at Westwood are here to help improve your diet and wellness. We offer comprehensive dining and exercise programs that are designed with our residents’ health in mind. Contact our office to schedule a consultation.