Weight loss for seniors is a popular topic, and for good reason – losing weight is difficult at any age, but it’s not impossible.
The formula for healthy weight becomes more complex as we get older, thanks to changes in our metabolism, nutritional needs and overall physical state. However, with the right approach to eating and exercise, you can reach your weight loss or weight maintenance goals without sacrificing your health.
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When a panel of health and nutrition experts rank U.S. News Best Diets, they consider a variety of factors including – but not limited to – weight loss. Here, six experts, including four panel members, unpack everything you need to know about losing weight after 60 while staying healthy for the long term.
Weight Loss Goals After 60
It’s an unfortunate fact of life: We can’t push pause on our life clocks. But we can help slow down the process of aging by taking a closer look at what we put in our bodies. As with most important things in life, balance is key, so don’t skip meals and don’t avoid entire food groups.
Registered dietitian and nutritionist Maye Musk can stand as an example for what this strategy looks like. At 75 years old, Musk is a supermodel in high demand on runways and magazine covers. She attributes her youthful-looking skin and high energy to what’s often hailed as the best diet for seniors: a sensible plant-based eating plan similar to the Mediterranean diet.
“My healthy diet has served me well over the years,” she says.
The Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on fresh produce, healthy proteins, whole grains and other nutrient-dense foods, is a good option, confirms Siera Holley, an outpatient dietitian at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. The Mediterranean diet has also ranked first on the U.S. New & World Report list of Best Diets for the past seven years.
A generally healthy diet for seniors is also “well-balanced while being mindful of individual considerations, such as medical history, taste and texture preferences, any chewing or swallowing concerns, mobility and living environment,” she adds.
If you’re exploring new eating plans or looking for the best way to lose weight after 60, consider these strategies:
- Figure out your nutrition needs.
- Limit processed foods and added sugars.
- Eat plant-based meals.
- Understand how many calories older adults need.
- Set realistic weight goals.
- Don’t skip the protein.
- Prioritize key nutrients you need for weight loss and overall health.
- Keep your diet simple.
- Consider the MIND diet.
- Emphasize heart health, and avoid the keto diet.
- Manage diabetes.
- Keep hydrated.
- Listen to your body.
- Stay motivated.