Experts say that once a person reaches the age of 50, it can be harder to lose weight than when they were in their younger years.
Yet, it’s important for people of all ages to reach and maintain a healthy weight. If your aging relative has been advised to lose weight, you may be wondering why they haven’t been successful and what you can do to help.
Reasons It Is Harder to Lose Weight with Age
There may be several reasons your family member is having difficulty dropping those excess pounds. To start with, the aches and pains that sometimes come with old age can make them reluctant to exercise. However, the Arthritis Foundation says that exercise is beneficial for people with all kinds of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, which is the most common type. Exercise can prevent arthritis from getting worse and ease the pain.
Another reason it’s harder to lose weight is that people lose some of their muscle mass as they age. In fact, after the age of 50, people typically lose between 5 and 10 percent of their muscle mass each decade. Having less muscle mass makes the metabolism slow down. As a result, even without eating more, older adults can gain weight.
Tips for Senior Weight Loss
Though it might be harder for older adults to lose weight, it’s far from impossible. There are several things that can make them more successful in their efforts to lose weight, such as:
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- Protein: Protein is necessary for building muscles. Older adults should get around 30 to 40 percent of their daily calories from lean protein sources. Protein intake should also be spread evenly throughout the day. For most people, that means adding a little protein to their breakfast and lunch and eating a little less protein at dinner.
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- Strength Exercises: Studies show that seniors who participate in strength training, such as lifting weights or using resistance bands, lose more fat and less muscle than those who engage in other forms of exercise.
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- Water: Sometimes being thirsty can present itself as feeling hungry. In addition, older adults don’t feel thirst as acutely as younger adults. Therefore, when your aging relative is thirsty, they may reach for a snack instead of a glass of water and wind up dehydrated.
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- Eat More Frequently: This may seem counterintuitive but eating several small meals or snacks throughout the day can promote weight loss by keeping the metabolism running. WebMD recommends eating at least every three hours.
Senior care can support your aging relative’s weight loss efforts. A senior care provider can make meals and snacks using healthy ingredients and ensuring they eat enough protein. A senior care provider can also supervise the older adult while they do strength training exercises to make sure they stay safe. To make sure they drink enough water, a senior care provider can keep a filled water bottle near the older adult and refill it as necessary.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Walnut Creek, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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