6 Effective Strategies for Weight Loss Over 60

• Losing weight can be a challenge for many, but adults over 60 may experience specific challenges.
• Factors such as slower metabolism, decreased muscle mass, and reduced physical activity can lead to increased weight gain.
• Some strategies can help, such as eating a whole foods-based diet, staying physically active, and seeking professional assistance.
• For weight loss for females over 60, it is important to consider age-related changes such as menopause, muscle loss, nutrition needs, and existing health conditions.

As you age, maintaining a healthy weight becomes essential to your overall well-being. However, it can also be more difficult to do so, given changes to our bodies, environments, and lifestyles. Losing weight may require different approaches than when you were younger, and it’s important to take these changes into account.

In this article, we cover strategies to help with weight loss for those over 60.

It’s important to note that your body weight isn’t everything: fixating on a specific number or stressing about not being a certain size isn’t beneficial to your health. There isn’t one ​“perfect goal weight” to achieve a happy and healthy life.

However, this doesn’t negate the beneficial effects of maintaining a healthy weight. Approximately 41.5% of adults over the age of 60 in the United States are considered obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excess weight causes fat to accumulate around vital organs, making it harder for the body to fight disease. Obesity can pose multiple health risks, including a higher likelihood of cardiovascular risk factors, particularly for older adults, such as:

• Higher risk of causing certain diseases, conditions, or medical emergencies, such as:
  • Cancer (obesity is linked to at least 13 types of cancer)
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Sleep apnea
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • High cholesterol
  • Insulin resistance
  • Immune system issues and inflammation
  • Autoimmune diseases
• Increased pressure on the joints, which poses risks to bone health
• Increased likelihood of developing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, etc.

What About BMI (Body Mass Index)?

One tool that healthcare providers may use to determine body fat is the BMI scale. This scale can help determine whether a person is underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese; however, it’s currently being phased out of medicine due to its lack of accuracy.

On average, the following BMI numbers are used as guidelines:

• Less than 18.5: Underweight
• 18.5 to 24.9: Healthy weight
• 25 to 29.9: Overweight;
• 30 and over: Obese
• 40 or higher: Severe obesity

BMI has often been used conventionally because people are used to the concept. However, the BMI scale isn’t easily applicable to those over 60, as these numbers may not accurately reflect health outcomes. For example, a 2022 study determined that the ideal BMI for those over 60 is 27–28 for men and 31–32 for women, indicating that overweight or even obese individuals were less likely to die when experiencing issues like stroke or certain types of heart failure: this phenomenon is referred to as the ​“obesity paradox” and still isn’t fully understood.

Additionally, BMI has been criticized for not painting an entirely accurate portrait of a person’s health, as it can overlook factors such as muscle mass, age, gender, ethnicity, and body fat distribution. Instead, providers are more likely to use digital body fat indexes and waist circumference measurements to help gain a more accurate reading to help determine the best course of treatment. Relying on BMI alone isn’t a good indicator of health, though it can help identify potential health risks and, when used in conjunction with other health indicators, can be beneficial.

When it comes to weight loss, certain aspects are true at any age. To lose weight, it’s crucial to burn more calories than what you eat, creating a caloric deficit. The most common ways to do this involve two main components: diet and exercise.

Eating a Well-Rounded Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet is essential for your health, and also plays a significant role in gaining and losing weight. Strive for a whole food-based, well-rounded diet that includes:

• Whole grains
• Vegetables, especially green or colorful fruits like celery, kale, carrots, and peppers
• Fruits, such as berries and citrus-based fruits
• Lean proteins, such as poultry, fish, lentils, and beans
• Low-fat or fat-free dairy

It’s also important to limit your intake of:

• Processed and/​or fast foods
• Fried foods
• Foods and drinks with added sugars, such as sugary drinks and candy
• Foods high in saturated fats

Engaging in Physical Activity

Staying physically active is just as important as healthy eating. The combination of the two is powerful, with physical activity enhancing the diet’s benefits by improving metabolism, controlling appetite, improving mood, and contributing to calorie burn and weight loss. 

The CDC recommends aiming for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, though specific times and types of activity may vary by person. Some ways to stay physically active include:

• Forming a consistent exercise plan.
• Including movement in your daily routine, such as walking, cleaning your house, gardening, or taking the stairs.
• Finding physical hobbies, such as sports, cycling, or yoga.

Physical activity also offers many health benefits beyond weight loss, such as better sleep, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and stronger bones and muscles.

While eating a healthy diet and exercising seem easy enough, a host of other factors can make losing weight difficult for those over 60. Your body changes as you age, which can affect your weight and your ability to gain or lose weight. Some bodily changes that occur after you turn 60 include:

#1: Your Metabolism Slows Down

As you age, your metabolism slows down. While this can start as early as your 30s, the drop-off in your 60s becomes more noticeable. Seniors may require fewer calories due to this shift, but still need the appropriate amount of nutrients to keep their bodies healthy.

#2: You Lose Muscle Mass

Aging can cause you to lose muscle mass, which is known as sarcopenia, mostly due to changes in hormones and a decline in muscle function, as well as a reduction in the amount of muscle proteins your body produces. This can result in an increased proportion of fat mass relative to muscle mass, further slowing metabolism. Seniors may lose up to 3 percent of their overall muscle strength each year in their 60s.

#3: Decrease in Physical Activity

Whether due to physical limitations, declining health, or psychosocial issues, it’s common for physical activity to decrease in older adults.

#4: Menopause

Menopause can cause older women to gain more weight. This is most notably due to hormonal changes, including decreased estrogen, which can slow metabolism and increase visceral fat storage in the abdomen.

This is one reason weight loss for females over 60 may require a more personalized approach than general weight-loss advice.

#5: Medications

Seniors who take medications for high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, allergies, mental health conditions, etc., may experience a side effect of weight gain.

#6: Lifestyle Challenges for Seniors

Additionally, seniors face lifestyle changes that can potentially impact their weight, including:

• Lack of transportation: Older adults who are unable to drive or lack transportation can find it more difficult to reach the grocery store, making healthy food choices harder to access.
• Neurological challenges: Neurological conditions such as dementia, especially if undiagnosed, can cause skills like cooking to erode over time, and make consistent workouts and other activities harder to plan.
• Fixed income: Seniors on a fixed income may struggle to afford healthier food options and face a higher risk of being unable to afford healthcare.
• Isolation: It’s not uncommon for seniors to feel isolated, which can reduce motivation to exercise and eat well.

A few effective weight loss strategies for seniors include:

#1: Eat a Well-Rounded Diet Focused on Whole Foods

Aim to include a variety of whole, unprocessed foods in your diet, such as more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins/​meats. Also, limit your intake of sugary drinks, snacks, and alcohol. Additionally, focusing on eating extra protein (especially in the morning) can help maintain muscle mass.

For women over 60 trying to lose weight, nutrient-dense meals with enough protein can help support muscle while reducing excess calories.

#2: Stay Hydrated

Hydration is important at any age, but especially for seniors. Older adults may have a decreased sense of thirst, but the body still requires plenty of water to thrive. Staying hydrated helps curb hunger and flush toxins from the body, which can support organ function and increase metabolism.

#3: Stay Physically Active

While it may feel more difficult to be physically active as you age, it’s still important to include movement in your daily routine. Exercising can prevent decline in physical functioning, preserve bone mass, increase energy, and offset muscle mass loss.

It’s encouraged to get at least 150 minutes of movement per week, which you can achieve through activities such as brisk walking, gardening, biking, swimming, yoga, or moderate exercise routines. Additionally, resistance training for at least two days a week can be great for muscular strength and support, which you can achieve through bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, free weights, Pilates, tai chi, and more.

A balanced plan for weight loss for women over 60 should include both cardio and strength-based movement to help support metabolism, mobility, and muscle mass.

#4: Get Plenty of Rest

Sleep plays a huge role in weight loss. Sleep is essential to hormone regulation, which can affect your hunger and appetite. Poor sleep can also slow down your metabolism. Getting around 7–8 hours of sleep every night can make a big difference in weight loss and your overall health.

For tips on improving sleep, visit this resource.

#5: Seek Professional Assistance

Embarking on your weight-loss journey can be daunting, especially if you’re doing it alone. Consider seeking support from a doctor, registered dietitian, or healthcare professional for dietary advice and to develop a personalized meal plan while helping set realistic, appropriate weight-loss goals tailored to your specific needs. This can also be beneficial if you have a history of eating disorders or difficulty getting all of the appropriate nutrients when you’re dieting, to ensure you’re able to lose weight healthily. Additionally, if more drastic measures are needed, such as weight-loss surgery, a healthcare provider can help you navigate the process.

#6: Monitor Your Body’s Changes and Needs

Remember that dietary needs may change with age, and it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional to determine the best weight-loss program or goals for your individual needs. You will also want to monitor ongoing changes in your health, such as blood sugar, blood pressure, heart health, and cholesterol levels, to determine which approaches to take in the future to help keep your weight in a healthy range.

#7: Seek Out Support

Weight loss isn’t easy for everyone, but it can be easier to adhere to your goals if you have support to turn to. Some ways you can stay accountable include making your friends and family aware of your weight-loss goals, having loved ones join you on your diet and physical activity journey, seeking out weight-loss support groups online, and using apps that help you track calories or exercise to motivate you.