A slew of changes take place in your body as you age. Your memory fails, hearing and vision acuity decrease, your bowels don't move as freely and joints become stiff and fragile. At the same time, it gets a lot harder to lose weight, or even maintain your weight, because your muscle mass dissipates and fat storage increases. Fat burns fewer calories than muscle, lowering your metabolism. On top of all that, you may not feel like exercising as much as you used to. You can take steps, however, to reduce weight gain and keep your figure as you grow older.
Purpose
Weight loss may not add years to your life, but it can improve the quality of the years you have left, according to MedlinePlus. Medical professionals often urge elderly patients to avoid weight loss plans because unintentional weight loss is a common condition in elderly patients, usually caused by poor eating habits and a number of other age-related conditions. However, if you're obese, a healthy weight loss plan can reduce high blood pressure, take pressure off weakened knees and other joints, and relieve symptoms of other diseases such as arthritis and diabetes.
Direction
Talk to your doctor before embarking on any weight loss plan, because for some elderly people, losing weight can cause more problems. According to the National Institute on Aging, in some instances, losing weight can increase your mortality risk. It may be healthier to concentrate on the quality of your food to achieve a healthier body. Diets rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean dairy and meat products reduce the risks of developing age-related diseases such as blocked arteries and Type 2 diabetes. Foods that raise your blood sugar levels, such as sweets and processed food, increase your risks of developing various diseases, as well as adding pounds.
Exercise
Any well-balanced weight loss plan includes exercise. It's exercise that boosts your metabolism, especially key when your body naturally loses muscle as part of growing older. With aging bones and weakened muscles, you also increase your risk of falling, which can be debilitating for seniors. Exercise tones your muscles and increases your flexibility, endurance and balance so you can maintain your workout routines and maintain a healthy weight. Safe exercises for seniors that can help you lose weight include walking, water aerobics, yoga, tai chi and programs geared toward the elderly.
Benefits
Losing even 5 percent or 10 percent of your total weight can provide worthwhile benefits, according to the Weight-Control Information Network. Relying on a nutritious balanced diet and reducing portion size may be sufficient for you to drop those pesky extra pounds. Eat breakfast every day to prevent binging and to boost your metabolism. You can prevent and lose excess water weight by drinking eight 8 oz glasses of water daily. With age, you may not be as thirsty as you were accustomed to, but your body still needs sufficient water to function properly and void excess fluids.
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