Losing Weight After 60 Is Hard – Here Are 9 Ways to Drop the Pounds

Carol says that many older adults around age 60 don’t know where to begin. Should you go to the gym and use the machines? Should you buy some free weights?

Is It Normal to Lose Weight as You Age?

Weight loss is something many adults strive for. Most of us have looked in the mirror at some point and figured we could stand to lose a few pounds. Your doctor may have instructed you to lose weight for your health. But as we age, some of us might find that we’re losing weight without meaning to.

Unintentional weight loss is a common issue in older adults. While there can be medical factors involved, there’s often no explanation for the pounds that simply slip away. About 25% of patients who are older adults experience unexplained weight loss of some kind.

Weight Loss as You Age: What’s Normal and What’s Not?

Normal weight loss. As you get older, you start to lose lean body mass like muscle and bone density. As early as age 30, our lean body mass starts to drop by a little over half a pound each year. You might not notice a change when you step on the scale, because the lean weight you lost is often replaced by fat.

Men vs. women. Weight loss can be different for men and women. Men tend to gain weight until age 55, and then slowly start to lose it in the years that follow. This could be because men produce less testosterone after this age. Women, on the other hand, usually stop gaining weight once they hit age 65.

Abnormal Weight Loss. After the age of 65, it’s typically normal to lose 0.2 to 0.4 pounds of body weight every year. Unintentional weight loss can be dangerous if you lose 5% or more of your body weight every 6-12 months.

The per capita price of healthcare per year is higher in the United States than in any other nation in the world, according to National Public Radio (NPR). America spends nearly 2.5 times as much per person as the United Kingdom does, despite having comparable wealth and a lower life expectancy.

What Causes Weight Loss as You Age?

Reasons for weight loss. Many factors can contribute to your clothes fitting a little looser as you get older. Most of these are social, psychological, and medical reasons, including:

• Cancer
• ‌Stomach or intestinal disease
• ‌Depression
• ‌Dementia
• ‌Diabetes or other endocrine disorders
• ‌Heart problems
• ‌Alcoholism
• ‌Kidney disease
• Side effects of medication (can include loss of appetite)
• ‌Financial issues
• ‌Problems with finding nutritious food or feeding oneself
• ‌Not getting enough food (malnutrition)
• ‌Late-life paranoia
• ‌Dental issues

If none of these apply to you, you aren’t alone. The cause of unintentional weight loss is still unknown for up to 28% of patients.

Health Concerns About Weight Loss

Problems and concerns. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for good health and independence as you age. Unintentional weight loss is a big risk factor in older adults for multiple reasons.

Unintentionally losing too much weight as you get older can cause:

• Decreased quality of life
• ‌Increased risk of death (mortality) and disease (morbidity)
• ‌A decline in physical activities that promote health
• ‌Increased risk of health-related accidents like bone fractures
• ‌Greater risk for admission to a hospital or other institution

How to Maintain a Healthy Weight as You Age

Diet. It’s so important to eat a nutritious diet as you get older. A healthy diet can prevent a host of health problems. A proper nutrient intake can even keep you looking younger as the years pass.

Some people find that their appetite decreases a lot as they age. It could be that you’re on a low-sodium diet and that just doesn’t appeal to you. Maybe you simply don’t want to eat three large meals per day.

Eating tips. Try the following tips to increase your caloric intake every day and make your mealtimes more enjoyable:

• Eat smaller meals and more snacks during the day, instead of large meals.
• ‌Keep high-calorie, ready-to-eat snacks in the kitchen like nuts, cheese, and fruit cups.
• ‌Eat full-fat dairy instead of non-fat when you have the option.
• ‌Include high-fat foods like avocado and peanut butter in your diet.
• ‌Top savory dishes with cheese.
• ‌Eat socially when possible. This can make for a more enjoyable experience that you look forward to.
• ‌If you smoke, avoid doing so before mealtimes as it can decrease your appetite.
• ‌Consider ordering from a meal delivery service. You can often customize meals to your dietary needs, and there’s little to no cooking involved.
• ‌Keep frozen and canned fruits and veggies available. They’re easy to prepare and pack a punch nutritionally.
• ‌Stay active as much as possible. This can increase your appetite.

Prevention is key as you get older, and maintaining a healthy diet can help you avoid lots of health problems.

Getting Help for Weight Loss

Go to the doctor. If you notice that you’re rapidly losing weight, the best thing to do is to find out if there’s an underlying cause. That means going to the doctor and getting an exam.

Your doctor will perform a complete examination, and will probably do some screening tests. They’ll take blood and urine samples and analyze them to figure out if there’s a medical reason you’re losing weight. Your doctor may also perform an assessment to rule out psychological conditions like dementia and depression, which can affect your food intake.

They’ll also ask you questions about your nutrition. Usually, this involves you or a caretaker filling out a questionnaire about what you eat daily. It’s important to be honest when answering these questions. Even if you’re eating enough calories every day, they might be able to identify other areas in your diet that need improvement.

Show Sources

‌American Family Physician: “Unintentional Weight Loss in Older Adults.”

‌CMAJ: “An approach to the management of unintentional weight loss in elderly people.”

‌Geriatrics & Aging: “An Approach to the Nonpharmacologic and Pharmacologic Management of Unintentional Weight Loss Among Older Adults.”

Mayo Clinic: “Healthy aging: Beyond 50.”

NHS: “Keeping your weight up in later life.”

Losing Weight After 60 Is Hard – Here Are 9 Ways to Drop the Pounds

Let’s face it – trying to lose weight after your 60 years old is really hard. Back in the day, you could eat whatever you wanted (for the most part). Now, you eat a Hershey’s Kiss, and you gain 2 pounds overnight.

As our bodies age, we lose our ability to eat whatever we want. Suddenly, we have to track calories and steps to stay ahead of the scale.

Before we get into 9 ways you can realistically lose weight, stay in shape, and feel like you’re 25 again, it’s important to understand why keeping the weight off has suddenly become so difficult.

→ If you’re 65+ and are enrolled in Medicare, there are plans that offer free gym memberships as a part of your health insurance. It’s never been easier to get motivated and stay in shape! Learn more

Why Is It So Hard to Lose Weight After 60?

Losing and maintaining your weight can start to become an issue as early as age 50, though many experience this annoyance around age 60.

What is going on?

Hormones Are Slowing Down, And So Is Your Metabolism

For starters, your metabolism slows down as you age.

Robert Herbst, a personal trainer and 19-time World Champion in powerlifting explains, “I’m 60, so I know what it means to be 60. The slowing of the metabolism is a function of decreased production of testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH), which causes a loss of muscle mass.”

Don’t worry – that loss of muscle mass can be reversed, and we’ll get to that in the next section.

Carolyn Dean, MD and author of 30 books, including The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women’s Health also explains, “The loss of nutrients such as magnesium has decreased the production of metabolism-boosting hormones, so your weight loss efforts are handicapped.”

In essence, this isn’t your fault. With age, your body becomes less efficient with producing the key hormones it needs, which makes losing weight… well, really hard.

Perimenopause and Menopause

For women, perimenopause and menopause are a reality of your 50s and 60s. Because of this shift, you actually burn fewer calories than you used to.

Jill McKay, Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, explains, “With menstruation, our body temperature would fluctuate, so we would get a bonus calorie burn of about 300 calories per month. It’s not much, but it adds up over time.”

Another issue that comes with both perimenopause and menopause is insulin-resistance, which makes losing weight even more difficult.

This means that the things you used to eat, you can’t eat anymore! That also goes for portions – you might not be able to eat as much as you could before without gaining weight.

You Have More Free Time to Socialize – And Eat!

When you’re nearing retirement, there’s more time. More time to exercise, of course, but is that really how we like to spend our free time?

Jill notes that, generally speaking, older adults often have more opportunities for socializing (and better finances to go to nice dinners).

In fact, we’re more likely to eat more if we’re around other people who are eating. All that socializing is making it harder to stay in shape.

Potential Health Conditions to Be Aware Of

For most people, losing weight after 60 is hard, but that’s normal. However, if losing weight is exceptionally hard, you may want to check with your doctor that you don’t have any health conditions.

The two most common health conditions that can cause weight gain are 1) the thyroid losing function, and 2) insulin becoming less functional.

The common test called hemoglobin A1c can tell you if you’re able to metabolize your sugars well. If not, you could be at risk for diabetes.

For women, these conditions are most common around menopause.

9 Realistic Ways to Lose the Weight After 60

So, losing weight after 60 is a real problem that many men and women face. However, there are some tricks to nudging that weight off so that you can tip the scale in your favor.

1. Strength Training

Strength training, also called resistance training, isn’t usually the first thing older adults think of when they think of exercise. Typically, cardio exercises, like walking on a treadmill or hopping on an elliptical are the most common.

However, Idea Fitness Trainer of the Year, Carol Michaels, worries that many seniors are forgetting about strength training.

“The missing exercise component to help those over 60 lose weight is oftentimes strength training. This is an exercise using weights (or your own body weight) to strengthen and build muscle. It increases the size and strength of the muscle fibers and strengthens the tendons, ligaments, and bones.”

As we age, we lose muscle mass – mainly because of the slowing metabolism, which then contributes to an even slower metabolism, and suddenly, you’re in a vicious cycle.

However, you can stop that cycle of muscle loss by strength training – in fact, you can reverse the muscle loss at any age.

Carol continues, “Since muscle is metabolically active, the more muscle mass that you have, the faster your metabolism. Therefore, strength training can help with weight loss.”

But the benefits of strength training don’t stop at weight loss. Other benefits of strength training include:

1. Less risk of injury
2. Improved athletic performance
3. Better balance
4. Better agility
5. Better coordination
6. Higher energy levels

Who thought exercise could actually energize you?

Robert Herbst offers another way to think about strength training, “The body will build additional muscle which is metabolically active and burns calories, even when at rest. Having this new muscle also raises the metabolism, just like a six cylinder car burns more gas than a four cylinder one, even when idling at a red light.

In essence, your new muscle will help you burn more fat, and you’ve suddenly stopped the vicious cycle of aging, and instead started a cycle of weight loss and weight management.

Should I use machines or free weights?

Now that we’re on the same page – strength training is awesome! – you might be wondering how exactly to go about this.

Carol says that many older adults around age 60 don’t know where to begin. Should you go to the gym and use the machines? Should you buy some free weights?

She explains, “Although machines can be helpful for those with balance issues, exercise with free weights has several benefits.

1. Free weights allow you to strength train at home, and you can improve by one pound increments.
2. Free weights help you learn how to use your body in a way that you would during your day-to-day activities.
3. Using free weights allows you to strengthen more major muscle groups without depending on the machine for support.
4. Weight machines only work the large muscle groups. They can miss the small, but important stabilizer muscles, which help with balance, coordination, and injury prevention.”

Gyms also have free weights, so if you’d rather pay for a gym membership than buy your own free weights, you have the choice.

How often do you need to strength train?

Sure, strength training sounds nice, but if you think I’m going to do it every single day for 2 hours a day…

Don’t worry. You don’t have to do strength training like a madman to get the benefits.

Carol suggests that you should aim for 2 times per week.

“Strengthen each muscle group, alternating from upper to lower body. Make sure to work the front, back, and side of the body so that you do not create imbalances. If you are new to exercise and over 60, you might start with a very light weight.”

Once you have your exercises planned, Carol suggests doing 5-10 repetitions of that exercise. By the 5-8th repetition, you should start to feel the muscle really working. By the final repetition, you should feel that you’ve worked the muscle, but you’re not exhausted. If you’re exhausted, you’re doing too much weight.

You can call your local gym in order to have a personal trainer show you what exercises to do, but there are a lot of experts online who have strength training programs with pictures and tutorials.

Bodybuilding.com – don’t be scared off by the name – has a huge amount of pre-planning workout regimens. You can sort them by level – beginner, intermediate, and advanced – as well as length, 4, 6, 8, 12 weeks, etc.

2. Keep Carbs and Sugars Low

Dieting after 60 is confusing – even if carb-heavy meals and delicious desserts have never been an issue for you, you might start to notice your body changing. That daily dessert might cause you gain weight, even if you’ve stayed the same weight for years.

But the bigger problem is that older adults over age 60 tend to have higher blood sugar due to insulin resistance.

Denny Hemingson, a 61-year-old Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner explains, “Insulin signals the liver, muscle, and fat cells to take up glucose out of the blood stream. When those cells become resistant to insulin, glucose doesn’t get used and ends up staying in the blood creating high blood sugar. Eventually, this leads to pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes. In this state, it’s much harder for the body to release extra pounds.”

The solution? Reducing carbohydrates. Denny goes on to say that focusing on blood sugar retention over 60 is an important reality, and by reducing carbs, you’re reducing your blood sugar, which will make it easier to maintain your weight.

Carolyn Dean is an advocate for the Keto diet, which is a high fat, moderate protein, and low carb diet. “This allows the body to use up carbohydrate stores of sugar called glycogen, and then turn on fat burning to burn excess fat cells as energy.”

The Keto diet is slowly gaining more recognition in the fitness and medical community as a way to burn fat faster than ever before, but it’s still recommended that you talk with your doctor before trying it.

Carolyn says that with the Keto diet, your goal is restrict carbs to 20-50 grams per day.

3. Drink Half Your Body Weight In Ounces of Water

Drinking water doesn’t in itself help you lose weight, but the reality is that many people think they’re hungry when they’re really just thirsty.

The cure? Drink a ton of water.

Carolyn and Denny both advise that you drink half your body weight (in lbs) in ounces of water. Carolyn explains, “Often, people think they are hungry but they are really thirsty.”

So, for example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink 100 ounces of water. That’s about 5-6 bottles of water per day.

4. Consider Adding Magnesium to Your Diet

Something you may have never thought of is adding magnesium to your diet.

Magnesium is an energy mineral and weight loss/metabolism-boosting mineral that helps synthesize proteins, carbs, and fats.

Carolyn explains that of the 700-800 magnesium-dependent enzymes, the most important enzyme reaction that magnesium contributes to involves the creation of energy. Magnesium activates adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the fundamental energy storage molecule of the body.

Getting magnesium into your diet is as simple as adding to your water. Carolyn says, “Add sea salt and an absorbable form of magnesium, such as magnesium citrate powder, to your water. This will definitely make following low-carb diet easier, and it will help you avoid the loss of energy, sluggishness, and headachy feeling associated with electrolyte depletion.”

Another thing to note is that sugar stresses the body and depletes magnesium, so staying away from sugar can help neutralize the effects of stress. Who knew?

5. Get Some Sun

OK, don’t get sunburnt or anything, but make sure to get some Vitamin D!

Without Vitamin D, you might find yourself running to the cupboard for more snacks than you need.

Denny explains, “Vitamin D works alongside the hormone leptin to regulate hunger signals. When Vitamin D is deficient, this process malfunctions causing people to overeat.”

Get outside, take in some sunshine, and bask in the fact that you’re controlling your appetite!

6. Manage Stress With Yoga

It’s no secret that stress can cause us to overeat.

When you’re stressed, do you go to the freezer for some chocolate ice cream? You’re not alone.

A great way to manage stress is to relax. And sometimes, you need some prompting.

Denny suggests yoga, which does more than just ease stress. You’ll improve your balance, your core strength, and your mindfulness.

Other ways to manage stress are to consider meditation, prayer, and nature walks.

The app called Simple Habit has free, quick meditations that you can try if you’re interested in giving meditation a shot.

7. Get Quality Sleep

Sleep has incredible effects on your overall health.

Not only will you have more energy for that strength training workout, but when you sleep, your body actually produces the human growth hormone (HGH).

Denny advises that you get 7-8 hours of quality sleep. The best way to make sure your sleep is of quality is to:

1. Create a regular bedtime routine by going to sleep at the same time each day.
2. Avoid anything with a screen before bedtime (smartphones, computers, TVs).

Sleep brings youthfulness, so don’t skimp on it!

8. Consider Meal Prepping

Meal prepping can force you to eat healthier foods throughout the week, even when you don’t have time to cook. (Or you just don’t feel like it.)

Jill advises, “Stop eating manufactured food. Yes, this is challenging if you live alone. Look into meal prep for the week – that way, you cook larger portions and break them down to smaller meals during the week.”

If you’ve never tried meal prepping before, Thirty Handmade Days has an excellent blog post called Meal Prep Ideas – Why, What, and How.

There, you’ll learn how to do it, and there are even recipes to get you inspired.

9. Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard

Finally, don’t be so hard on yourself!

If you go an entire week without losing an ounce, don’t worry! That can be extremely normal.

All of our experts advise that you don’t cut your calorie intake by too much. Jill explains, “Adequate calories are important – don’t cut calories too drastically! Fast weight loss leads to muscle loss, and that changes body composition (and can slow the metabolism.”

In other words, all your strength training progress can be lost if you aren’t eating enough.

Finally, don’t push yourself too hard in the gym, either. Jill explains her own pet peeve: “One of my biggest pet peeves is when an inexperienced personal trainer tries to make a Baby Boomer complete a workout that is so challenging that they are so sore the next day that they can barely brush their teeth or get up off the toilet. That is NOT necessary!”

If you need a break, take one! If you feel the weight is too heavy, lighten up! The goal is to keep yourself healthy – not to make yourself miserable.

And there you have it! We hope these tips make your weight loss and weight management journey easier, and a special thanks to all our experts who helped with the article.

Did you know you can get access to free gym memberships once you turn 65? Keep your health in tip-top shape with the help of your Medicare Advantage plan. Find out which plans in your zip code come with free gym membership privileges.

7 Best Ways to Lose Weight When You’re Over 60

For many of us, life gets better—easier, even—as we get older. We get more comfortable and confident in our own skin. But unfortunately, some things, like losing weight, don’t get easier with age. In reality, dropping unwanted pounds can feel harder than ever.

Whether it’s a busy schedule or stiff joints that’s holding you back, you might be less inspired to go to the gym. Those 10 pounds you gained in your 40s can become an extra 20 pounds in your 50s and 60s. But experts agree that it’s important to focus on achieving your healthy weight at any age.

Weight Loss Advice After 60

“Excess fat is something we shouldn’t ignore no matter how old we are,” says Robert Huizenga, MD, an internist and associate professor of clinical medicine at UCLA. The good news is that while losing weight in your 60s is much harder, women actually won’t find it more difficult to lose weight than men. Dr. Huizenga says, “There has actually been no difference in the amount or rate of weight loss in individuals of either sex who are over 60 years old versus those who are younger.”

Michael Spitzer, a personal trainer and author of Fitness at 40, 50, 60 and Beyond, agrees, adding that “the true path to weight control and fitness after age 60 isn’t that much different than it is at any other stage of life.” However, there are certain factors that need special consideration.

What to consider before you start your weight loss journey

For starters, it’s important more than ever to actually talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen. “Medical problems, such as heart disease and metabolic disease, become more common after age 60, so it’s much more important to have a medical checkup before attempting a fat loss plan,” says Dr. Huizenga. Then there’s the fact that over the age of 60, your oxygen intake may be reduced by as much as one-third of what it was when you were 25. This might make it a tougher time to take deep breaths while you’re exercising. That’s why it’s crucial to ease into a new exercise routine.

This is also the decade when your hips, knees, and other key joints are more likely to develop arthritis, which means that your go-to running or aerobic workouts may need to be swapped for swimming and/or gentle walking plans.

With that said, there are steps you can take to make your weight loss journey more manageable. Here are expert-approved tips that’ll help you clean up your diet, lose excess weight, and set you up for better health in your 60s, 70s, and beyond.

1. Focus on fat loss, not weight loss.

During this decade, you want to focus on building more muscle instead of decreasing the number on the scale. “At advanced ages, you cannot afford to lose muscle, organ tissue, or bone mass,” says Dr. Huizenga. Lifting weights is important as you get older because you lose a percentage of muscle every year. This affects your metabolism and ability to get rid of body fat. With age, your bones also become weaker, especially if you’re post-menopausal, which is due to lower estrogen levels—the hormones responsible for maintaining bone mass. But by creating pressure on your joints through weight-bearing exercises, you can actually help build stronger, healthier bones. So instead of focusing on what the scale says, turn your energy and attention into adopting a new strength training routine, which brings us to our next point.

2. Add strength training to your workout routine.

Inti St Clair // Getty Images

Muscle loss equals a slower metabolism, which explains why you’re more likely to put on—and hold on to—those extra pounds. But lifting weights can help rev up your metabolism by building muscle mass.

If you don’t have a consistent weight training regimen, you’ll want to start slowly. It’s also worth working with a personal trainer who provide a personalized strength training plan. By easing into a new plan, it will give your body time to adapt without placing too much strain on your muscles or joints and help you avoid injury, says Dr. Huizenga.

But don’t get too comfortable with an easy resistance-training program. It’s important to gradually increase the amount of weight you lift. “It’s critical that significant resistance exercise be incorporated into any fat loss plan over age 60,” he adds. Once you can do 10 to 12 reps with a five-pound dumbbell and feel like you could keep going, it’s time to upgrade to an eight-pound weight, and so forth. “You know you’re lifting the right amount of weight if you can just barely make it to the end of your repetitions before needing to rest,” he says.

3. Stay hydrated.

Of course, this is a tip for anyone trying to lose weight and boost her overall health, but it’s especially important as we get older. That’s because as we age, the hypothalamus, which controls our hunger and thirst, becomes desensitized, dulling our thirst signals, says Matt Essex, founder of ActiveRx Aging Centers in Arizona. “Plus, many older people avoid drinking water so they can avoid running to the bathroom constantly,” adds Christen Cooper, RD, a dietitian in Pleasantville, NY. “This is especially true for men with prostate issues and women with bladder limitations.”

Since water is key for digestion and metabolism, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough. Our bodies can easily mistake thirst for hunger, which causes us to eat more than we actually need. Consider purchasing a water bottle with a timeline tracker to remind you when you need to take swigs throughout the day.

4. Load up on protein.

NoirChocolate // Getty Images

If ever there was a time to focus on getting enough lean protein, it’s now. “There is some evidence that older adults need more protein,” says Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, senior director of worldwide nutrition education and training at Herbalife. Aim to get roughly 30 grams of protein at each meal, and more if you tend to crave carb-rich foods.

“In my practice, I notice that dietary patterns tend to shift somewhat with age, and as people get older, the calories that were once spent on lean protein might now be spent on carbohydrates or fats,” says Bowerman. Not only does adequate protein help support muscle growth and repair, but it’s also more satiating than carbs and fats, meaning you’ll be less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks, Bowerman says.

5. Be patient.

While it’s just as possible to reach your healthy weight in your 60s as it is when you were in your 20s, it might take a little longer. You might not be able to push yourself as hard as you’d like to during your workouts, leading to a lower-calorie burn. Or, you may not be as strong as you once were, prompting you to lift lighter weights (also lowering that calorie-burn number you see on your fitness tracker). “Keep your focus on the healthy behaviors you’re adopting in order to achieve your goal, rather than your frustration if it’s not happening right away,” says Bowerman. If you stick to a healthy diet and exercise plan, your weight will take care of itself over time.

6. Stretch often.

The more flexible you are, the more you will enjoy any physical activity you do and the less chance you’ll have of injury, says Rami Aboumahadi, a certified personal trainer based in Florida. And at 60 years old, a less active lifestyle and an increase in aches and pains can make your flexibility plummet. Consider taking a yoga class or simply adding a few stretches to your day, particularly after you’ve taken a walk or warmed up your muscles in some other way.

7. Think positive.

If you’re constantly thinking, “gaining weight is part of the aging process” or “everybody my age is overweight” on repeat, it’s time for new weight-loss mantras, says Cooper. “It’s important to avoid slipping into a mindset that will prevent you from losing weight,” he says. Find a community of people who want to get fit and stay that way so that you surround yourself with as much support as possible. Perhaps you can find a walking group, take a group fitness class, or talk a few friends into joining you for water aerobics at the local pool. “Too often, what limits us from achieving our weight-loss goals is all psychological,” says Cooper.

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