Healthy Weight Loss Strategies for Seniors

Keeping a healthy weight is vital to our wellbeing. Excess pounds can lead to an increased risk for serious health conditions and diseases, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke and more. If you’re starting to consider a weight loss journey to achieve a healthy body, you’re not alone. Here are some tips we at The Oaks at Denville have found to healthfully lose weight.

Tips on How to Lose Weight the Healthy Way

1. Develop an Exercise Routine: Creating a physical fitness routine that works within your schedule will help develop healthy habits. Try different variations of physical activity to ensure your full body receives a workout. Low-impact cardio exercises like swimming and brisk walking make the most impact when consistently added to your routine at least three or four times a week. Also, be sure to incorporate strength training into your plans – since muscle is metabolically active, the more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism is.
2. Craft an Eating Plan: Find a balanced meal plan that works for you, focusing on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Although it’s not necessary to give up indulgent foods completely, enjoy carb-and sugar-heavy foods within sensible limits to avoid high blood sugar, which makes it difficult to shed extra pounds. To get started, check out MyPlate for Older Adults, developed by Tufts University and AARP. This healthy eating guideline corresponds with the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
3. Stay Hydrated: Drinking water is important for your body, especially when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. Not only does drinking a glass of water before meals fill you up and result in fewer calories eaten, but, when it comes to active weight loss, it’s been found that drinking water can boost your metabolism by 24–30% within an hour to hour and a half period, helping you burn off even more calories.
4. Take It Easy: No one is able to lose weight overnight. This will be a process, but one you shouldn’t let consume your life. While important to stay on track with your weight loss plans, you have to give yourself some room to breathe. So enjoy a slice of cake at your granddaughter’s birthday, and skip a day at the gym if your body needs rest. The goal is to achieve a healthy body – not to make yourself miserable.

As always, consult with your doctor before making lifestyle changes. They may help pick a meal plan for you that aligns with your current medications, or they may be able to connect you to a trainer that specializes in weight loss for older adults. It’s helpful to receive trusted advice from a healthcare professional.

Learn How to Live a Healthy Lifestyle at The Oaks at Denville

Wellness is engrained in everything we do at The Oaks at Denville. Our holistic wellness program, LivWell, touches on all seven dimensions of wellness, including physical and emotional wellness. LivWell is unique due to its personalized approach. You’re invited to take a questionnaire when moving in to the community that helps you recognize your most important goals. If one of those goals is to lose weight, our staff can share information on LivWell activities and programs that can help you achieve that objective using resources right within the community.

Contact us today to learn more about LivWell or schedule your personal tour.