Tips For Dieting After Fifty

Current life expectancy in the United States is just over 75 years for men and 80 years for women, according to 2011 estimates in the World Factbook. No matter how much older than 50 you are, your age does not preclude you from losing weight. Before dieting, learn some tips and techniques that can help you lose weight after 50.

Mid-Life Weight Gain

Women who pass 50 have often completed menopause, while a man older than 50 might be fighting an increasingly large waistline. Age, hormones, lack of physical activity, frequent restaurant meals and consuming too many calories can contribute to mid-life weight gain. As you age, you might be taking prescription medications, some of which can contribute to weight gain. Losing weight as you age can help you reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

Eat Fewer Calories

Although every person who diets needs to reduce calories, dieting after 50 means you need to reduce calories more than a 20-year-old person would due to slower metabolism rates and less lean muscle. A sedentary, moderately active or very active man 51 or older needs between 2,000 to 2,800 calories to maintain his weight. A woman who is 51 or older with the same activity levels needs between 1,600 to 2,200 calories to maintain hers. Reducing your daily calories by 500 from your weight maintenance level can help you lose about 1 lb. per week.

Analyze Your Diet

Foods high in saturated fats, sodium and sugar can contribute to mid-life weight gain. Fatty beef, desserts and high-sodium restaurant meals are high in calories and difficult to resist, explains author David Kessler. Avoid these foods and choose lower-calorie grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and foods with monounsaturated fats or omega-3 fatty acids such as nuts, avocados, olive oil and fatty fish to help with belly fat and stay full. An easy way to lose weight as a person over 50 is to drink slightly more than 2 cups of water before each of your three main meals. A study published in the February 2011 issue of the journal "Obesity" found that drinking water helps middle-age and older people lose more weight than people the same age who did not drink water before meals.

Build Muscle

Cardiovascular exercise is an important tool to include in your weight loss efforts regardless of age. Additionally, you should perform strength-training routines at least three times a day, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that older men and women can increase weight loss success with strength training because the training builds muscle, which helps your metabolism work faster. Eat adequate amounts of protein to support your muscle development. A man or woman over 50 needs 56 and 46 g of daily protein, respectively. Chicken without skin, egg whites, fat-free yogurt or cottage cheese, skim milk, nuts, soybeans and lean beef are sources of healthy, low-calorie protein.