Many factors can influence your weight, including age, gender, and lifestyle habits. You may find that as you age, you unintentionally start to lose or gain weight at a concerning rate, despite not doing anything differently. It’s important to maintain a healthy weight when it comes to boosting overall health as well as bringing down your risk of developing certain conditions. In this article, we share with you some weight management tips to follow.
Why Does Weight Change with Age?
There are a number of reasons your weight can change with age, including:
- A slow down in metabolism rates, which means you either have to increase your activity levels or cut down on your calorie consumption
- Changes in appetite leading to weight loss
- Difficulty leaving the house to buy food, such as a mobility limitation that makes going out challenging
- Less energy to tend to meal preparation, resulting in increased consumption of microwave dinners and/or processed food
- Pain when chewing and/or swallowing
- … and more!
Regardless of the challenges you face with weight, keep in mind that having an elevated BMI can put you at increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and more. On the other hand, being underweight can cause medical problems such as anemia and osteoporosis.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Below are some top tips to follow when maintaining a healthy weight:
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Keeping Active
You should aim for at least 150 minutes of physical exercise every week. This doesn’t have to be anything too strenuous – the type of activity you choose can be adapted to your ability and fitness level. For instance, you can try out water aerobics or chair exercises.
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Eating Right
You may not necessarily need to cut down on how much you are eating, but think about what it is you are eating at each meal. By reducing your consumption of red meat and swapping out unhealthy foods for alternatives, you can better manage your weight. Older adults who are trying to gain weight can do so by adding healthy fats into their diets, such as peanut butter and avocadoes.
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Keep a Food Diary
Of course, there’s no reason that you have to cut out your favorite foods altogether, but moderation is key. To keep track of what you are eating, starting a food diary can help. That way, you can easily check if you are due a treat or if you have been treating yourself one too many times in the past week or month.
Our Residents Benefit from Three Nutritionally Balanced Meals Daily
Need to gain or lose weight, but find meal planning and preparation a challenge? When you make the move to our retirement community, you can benefit from three nutritionally balanced meals a day without putting in any of the effort. In addition, assisted living and memory care residents who require dining assistance can receive the help they need as well!
