The World Health Organization says more than one billion adults around the world are overweight, with seniors facing the greatest risk of health complications from excess weight. However, adopting a tailored program that balances diet and exercise can help you lose weight, gain strength and endurance, and improve the quality of your life, according to the National Institute on Aging. Check with your doctor before beginning any weight loss program.
Diet
Nutritional needs change as you age, according to the Colorado State University Extension. For example, calcium becomes more important in your diet to help prevent osteoporosis. You may need to reduce the amount of animal protein you consume if your kidney function is declining. For seniors, dieting is a balance between nutritional needs and caloric intake.
Effective weight loss balances the calories you consume with the calories you burn through exercise. Your recommended daily caloric intake will vary depending upon your age, gender, height, weight and current level of activity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides a tool to help you determine how many calories you should consume each day to lose weight.
Once you know how many calories you should eat to lose weight, the Colorado State University Extension recommends reducing the amount of fat you consume and getting about 60 percent of your calories from complex carbohydrates, such as colorful fruits and vegetables, grain products, beans and nuts. These foods are considered "nutrition dense," which means they provide a powerful nutritional boost for the calories consumed.
Aerobic Exercise
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends you perform moderate aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times each week to aid weight loss. However, it also notes that brief episodes of aerobic activity are also beneficial, and recommends that if you're sedentary you start with sessions of approximately 10 minutes. As your exercise routine progresses and you gain endurance, increase the pace of your weight loss by increasing the duration of your workout.
Aerobic exercises for seniors include brisk walking, bicycling outdoors or on a stationary bicycle, rowing or even gardening activities like raking leaves or digging. Exercises that have a low impact on the joints include swimming and water aerobic programs.
Strength Training
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you engage in strength training exercises two to three times each week. In addition to helping you lose weight, strength training improves bone density, helps improve your balance, strengthens your heart and can reduce the pain of arthritis.
Although strength training exercises are often associated with weight lifting, seniors can perform exercises with no weights, such as squats to strengthen your legs and wall pushups to strengthen your upper body. Weight lifting exercises should begin with few repetitions and low weights and progress as your strength increases. Exercises with weights include bicep curls, knee extensions and curls using ankle weights.
References
- World Health Organization: Obesity and Overweight
- National Institute on Aging: Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide
- Colorado State University Extension: Nutrition and Aging
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Physical Activity and Older Americans
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Growing Stronger--Strength Training for Older Adults
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