How to Fight Age‐Related Weight Gain

Many people put on pounds as they get older. For one, you may tend to move a bit less, so you're not burning as many calories. Plus, you lose muscle mass as you get older, meaning you don't burn as many calories in a day.[1] However, weight gain doesn't have to be inevitable. You can fight back against it by modifying your diet, maintaining exercise, and making healthier choices.

Method 1 - Modifying Your Diet

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→ Take in fewer calories. As you age, you can't eat the same amount you used to when you were younger. You'll need to cut back a little just to maintain your weight. That means eating a little bit less than you did before at each meal. Even a few bites here and there can help.

→ To understand how many calories you need to maintain your weight, try using an online calorie calculator. These calculators, which can be found by a quick Google search, use factors like your age, weight, and gender to predict how many calories you need per day. For instance, a 50-year-old woman who is 5' 8" and 150 pounds and who's somewhat active needs 1,850 calories to maintain her weight, while a man of the same height, weight, age, and activity level needs 2,000 calories.

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→ Control hunger with protein. While you don't want to eat excessive amounts of protein, adding protein to snacks and meals can help you feel fuller for longer. On the other hand, many carbohydrates will leave you feeling hungry more quickly.

→ For instance, try a boiled egg with whole grain toast and tomato slices at breakfast or a snack of hummus and sliced veggies.

→ Try to focus on lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, and beans.

→ Aim for about 0.8 to 1.5 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. Therefore, if you weigh 80 kilograms (180 lb), then you would need to get between 64 and 120 grams of protein per day.

→ A serving of protein is about the size of a deck of cards sized portion of meat. You can also weigh out the portion into a 3-4 ounce serving. A serving of beans/lentils/pulses is one cup.

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→ Limit fats. You do need some fats in your diet, but you should try to limit them, as they are high in calories. Healthy fats and oils include foods like avocado, vegetable oils, and nut oils.

→ In the past, people have been advised to steer clear of saturated fats, such as in coconut oil, butter, and chicken skin. However, new studies have shown that saturated fats are mostly harmless, so they are fine to consume in moderation.

→ The daily allowance for women over 31 is 5 teaspoons, while it's 6 teaspoons for men. Eating an ounce of nuts also counts as 3 teaspoons of oil, as does half an avocado.

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→ Focus on whole grains and complex carbohydrates. When eating carbohydrates, try to eat more whole grains, such as oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, and quinoa. Whole wheat pasta and bread are also good options. Other complex carbohydrates include fruits and vegetables.

→ As you focus on whole grains, try to eliminate or reduce sugars and simple carbohydrates such as pasta, white bread, baked goods, and sweetened beverages (including alcohol).

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→ Eat nutrient-dense foods to feel fuller. If you have trouble sticking to a healthy diet because you always feel hungry, try filling up on foods like fruits and vegetables. Vegetables, in particular, are low in calories but high in fiber, meaning you can fill up without eating too many calories.

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→ Try to avoid processed foods. While you can sneak a few processed foods like chips and frozen dinners every now and then, avoid them as much as you can. These foods are often high in salt and fat, plus many foods, like chips, encourage you to keep eating. Stick to healthy, whole foods that you cook yourself.

Method 2 - Switching Up Your Exercise Routine

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→ Continue doing cardiovascular exercise on most days. Don't slow down on exercise as you age. You should be exercising about 150 minutes a week or 30 minutes most days. Try to do something that gets your heart pumping, as that will help you burn off calories and help keep your heart healthier.

→ For example, you might try taking a dance aerobics class, going for a jog, or swimming some laps at a local pool. Even a fast-paced walk can get your heart pumping faster. You don't have to run a marathon.

→ Try to find something that you enjoy doing to increase the chances that you will stick with it.

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→ Include strength training in your exercise routine. Strength training can increase your resting metabolic rate, which tends to decrease as you age. Along with your 150 minutes per week of cardio, the CDC recommends getting at least two strength training sessions every week that work all of your major muscle groups, including your legs, abdomen, back, hips, arms, shoulders, and chest.

→ If you have never done strength training, then you might want to try working with a personal trainer. A personal trainer can develop a strength training program for you that will help you reach your goals.

→ You can include other types of exercise as well to build strength, balance, and flexibility, such as yoga.

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→ Start slower if you need to. If you haven't been exercising, you may not want to jump into a 30-minute routine 5 to 6 days a week. Don't fear! Even exercising 10 minutes a day can have benefits. Start where you are and work up to more.

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→ Find something you enjoy. Exercise doesn't have to be something you dread. With all the different types of exercises out there, you may just need to search around a bit to find what you enjoy. Once you hit on something you like, you'll be more willing to spend time doing it.

→ For example, maybe you'd enjoy taking up ballroom dancing with your partner. Swimming is also a great option because it keeps you cool and doesn't put as much stress on your joints. It's also a good full-body workout.

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→ Add "secret" exercise into your life. You don't just get exercise when you hit the gym. You can also increase the amount of physical activity you get in a day just by making different choices. For instance, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator.

→ You can also park your car farther out in the parking lot when you go to the store.

→ Try taking your dog for short walks instead of letting it go out in the backyard.

→ Gardening can also be good exercise.

Method 3 - Making Healthier Choices

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→ Get enough sleep. You may think skimping on your sleep is okay once or twice a week, as long as you catch up on the weekends. However, when you don't get enough sleep, you're more likely to reach for unhealthy foods, plus you're likely to snack more overall. The extra calories can affect your weight. Generally, you should be getting somewhere from 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.

→ Try to set a routine for sleeping. Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every day. That trains your body to be sleepy when you go to bed.

→ Start getting ready an hour before bed. Turn off your electronics, as they can disrupt your sleep, and do your nighttime routine.

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→ Change your attitude. You may have heard gaining weight over time is something you can't do anything about. However, if you take a defeatist attitude, you're more likely to gain weight over time. Tell yourself you can keep it off, and you'll have a better chance of maintaining your weight.

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→ Skip the cigarettes. Smoking can make it more difficult to get the exercise you need because it can make it harder to breathe. Plus, it's just better for your health overall to quit smoking, as smoking is associated with a wide variety of health risks.

→ Smoking can also make you look older more quickly, as it contributes to wrinkles.

→ Skip illegal drugs for the same reason.

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→ Slow down on alcohol. Alcohol can also make you age more quickly. Plus, it adds calories to your diet. You don't necessarily need to quit altogether, but you don't want to drink more than a drink or so a day. Less is better.