Are you 70 or older and trying to find a way to maintain or lose weight? Basically, any slight changes that you make will enhance the weight loss process. Changing your diet, exercising, or just being more active throughout the course of the day will help.
First, let’s discuss the diet. Try to avoid fast food as often as you can and check food labels as well. I recommend keeping a food log, this holds you accountable and helps you keep track of the amount of calories you intake. Try to focus on foods that are high in protein and low in sodium, fat, saturated fat, and carbohydrates. Make sure to watch your portion sizes, too.
Staying active throughout the day is a must as well. This helps keep the heart rate up and metabolism a little higher than normal. Try going for a walk in the morning, afternoon, and evening, or after each meal that you eat. Accompany these little extra bouts of physical activity along with your everyday workout routine. Try to exercise three to five days a week at 45 to 60 minutes a pop. Use both weight training and cardiovascular training to increase your muscular strength and endurance, stamina, and overall fitness level. Lifting weights will strengthen your bones, improve balance and coordination, and prevent or reduce injury, or any such chronic illness.
Top 10 Reasons To Workout if You are 70 or Older
- Increase energy levels
- Improve sleep
- Improve balance and stability
- Strengthen bones
- Improve overall health
- Increase life-span
- Decrease or reduce risk of illness or disorder
- Improve muscular strength and endurance
- Reduce body fat
See the rest of Matt’s How to Lose Weight at Any Age series:
Lose Weight at 20, Lose Weight at 30, Lose Weight at 40, Lose Weight at 50, Lose Weight at 60
I have been doing exactly what you suggest since I was in my 50s and still do. I am an extremely youthful lookong woman in her 70s. Recently under severe personal stress I have gained weight and cannot lose it. I do not carry weight well and because of gout (not because of diet) walking can cause a problem. I need advice badly. Tried thyroid med, had vertigo and gained some of the weight mentioned.
Get all dairy and meat, eggs and processed foods out of your diet and go vegan. Your health problems stem from eating the standard American diet designed to kill you before age 70. so far you are lucky. when your health improves, your need for meds will be curtailed too!
Food related illnesses: Heart, Stroke, cardiovascular (clogged artieries) diabetes, rumotoid arthritus, colon cancer, muskular degeneration (MS, LueGarick, etc) are just some of the 20 or so killer diseases caused by a poor diet.
Well, I can offer a few suggestions. First, keep a food diary since my feeling is what you put in your mouth relates more to weight loss than exercise, although both help. Even if you cannot walk very far because of limitation, walk as far as you can when you can. Do you own a pet — a dog or cat. Petting your dog or cat reduces stress. If you can, sign up for a medication class. It will help with stress. Yoga is good too, but may be difficult if you have mobility issues. Meditation may be better. Drink lots of water. Put lemon in it if you wish. Water makes you feel full. Eat no processed foods — only eat from the fruit and vegetable aisle — the meat and dairy cases. Avoid anything else. Go outside and commune with nature. Take a book and read a chapter outside. Do anything to get you out of the house and communing with people. Meet new people. Find a new hobby. Get interested in someone and or something beyond yourself. I am approaching 70 and live on a small farm. I still work — teach every day. I am not perfect, but I walk everyday, keep a flock of chickens and play or run with my dog everyday. I have several organic vegetable gardens and except in the dead of winter, I work them. If you like plants and do not have much room — plant in containers. Plants make you feel good, give you energy and are pretty. Grow a tomato plant in a pot. Gives great fruit in the summer. Tomatoes are low in calories.