How To Lose Weight After Age 55

Fighting the battle of the bulge does not stop after you turn 55. Losing weight at this stage of your life requires a specialized plan of attack. You may be tempted to try trendy diets and weight loss pills to shed pounds, but these methods can place your health at risk. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis. Making healthy lifestyle changes will help you lose weight and improve the way you look and feel.

Step 1

Eat healthy foods which keep you feeling full while eating less. Consume foods like whole grain breads and pastas, lean steak, fish, lobster, shrimp, turkey, skinless chicken, vegetables, low-fat dairy, fruits, polyunsaturated fats like nuts and seeds, and monounsaturated fats like olive oil. Steer clear of processed foods like frozen dinners, pre-seasoned meals and snacks that contain harmful chemicals that are difficult to digest as your body ages.

Step 2

Increase your daily water intake. Trade sugary drinks for water to stay hydrated and eliminate empty calories from your diet. One can of a sugary beverage contains about 230 calories, according to "USA Today." Having a couple of these per day can add up to a 1-lb. weight gain per week.

Step 3

Get plenty of rest. Sleep at least six to eight hour per night to allow your body to recover and repair itself. Sleeping triggers the body's major restorative functions like muscle growth, tissue repair and the release of growth hormones, according to Harvard Medical School.

Step 4

Engage in total body strength training workouts three days per week to build muscle, which increases bone density. Perform exercises like squats, tricep dips, chest press, crunches, overhead shoulder press and bicep curls for three sets of 15 repetitions. Developing lean muscle helps reduce the symptoms and signs of many chronic conditions as your body ages, like depression, arthritis, back pain, obesity and diabetes, states MayoClinic.com.

Step 5

Perform aerobic exercise four to five days per week to strengthen your heart, improve circulation and lower blood pressure. Take a brisk walk, ride a stationary bike or glide on an elliptical machine. Stick to low impact forms of cardiovascular activity, which are easier on your joints.