Bottomline of aging: How to maintain healthy weight as you age
As you age, you start to appreciate the smallest things in life, like the blooming flowering plants, the perfect blend of a smoothie in the morning and the happy family photo hanging on the wall.
But with loads of time to spare, you also notice the littlest details. Every time you face the mirror in the morning, you spot another white strand of hair. When you try to climb up the stairs, it feels as if you are heavier than ever. Whenever you zip up, your favorite dress doesn’t compliment your body the way it used to.
Now that you are trying to get the most out of life, shouldn’t you observe these changes on your body and spot its culprits, too?
Why are you gaining weight?
Here comes the hard truth. As you grow older, there are several factors that contribute to weight gain.
Did you stop going out and doing fun activities like going to dance classes or going on jog sessions with your friends? Is it harder to jump, get up, or carry your grandchildren? Are you now having a more sedentary lifestyle?
Decline in muscle mass, which occurs naturally every time you enter another decade of your life, is one of the culprits stopping you from trimming down the unhealthy extra weight. With lesser muscle mass, it becomes harder for your body to burn calories, allowing the voluminous fat to dominate the place of lean muscle tissues.
Why should you care?
Even after 50, there is still so much in store for us. After living five meaningful decades, you are bound to unfold the most exciting years of your life.
With that clearly laid out, maintaining healthy weight can help defeat several health risks—loss of muscles mass, fragile bones, reduced gastrointestinal motility and reduced immunity—which can hold you back from living the life you deserve.
As you begin drafting your new bucket list, start walking up the path of embracing a vibrant lifestyle.
What should you do?
Foodie, nutrition expert and registered dietitian Diana Steele unlocked the key factors for managing weight as you approach the upper level of the age department.
1. Enough of the extras
While acknowledging that it is important to allow indulgences to achieve the weight management goal, the registered dietitian noted how the little “extras” could pile up and do more harm than good.
“That extra glass of wine, square of chocolate, odd serving of fries, or the special coffee with whipped cream can all add up. You don’t need to be perfect, and I certainly don’t expect complete abstinence from your favorite foods, but just be mindful of your portions and don’t do it every day,” she advised.
Succumbing to indulgences can get in the way of weight control, and may do more harm than good. Released
2. Put an eye on energy levels
Like how we put much attention on the little things, we should also start watching our energy levels and the time we take our meals.
Two of the best ways to keep track of your energy level is by eating breakfast within an hour of waking up. Then, schedule your next meal every two to three hours during the day.
“If your energy levels are fluctuating throughout the day due to inconsistent eating times and lack of structure, you need to start here. When you wait too long to eat, your energy level drops, which not only affects your ability to concentrate but also causes your body to use muscle for fuel,” the nutrition expert explained.
3. Start doing fitness activities
Fitness activities will never go out of style, for a reason. Through recommended exercises, the body achieves strengthened immunity, improved digestive health and increased muscle mass, prompting the burning of more calories.
“For weight loss, I recommend four to five cardio workouts (which may be brisk walking for some or spinning for others) and two strength workouts per week. Lifting weights not only helps build muscle, which increases metabolism, but it also helps improve bone health,” the healthy foodie recommended.
4. Treat your tummy right
“When trying to lose weight, my clients often say they are constantly hungry. Although I remind them that feeling a little hungry as you approach your next meal or snack time is a good thing, feeling starved all the time is uncomfortable and unnecessary,” she shared.
Like how we put much attention on the little things, we should also start watching our energy levels and the time we take our meals. Released
She also advised drinking water to help hydrate the body, remove waste, lubricate joints and reduce the amount of food eaten during meals.
Above all, you shouldn’t miss getting enough protein as it promotes strong bone and body mass growth, healthy immune system and digestion as well as stable blood sugar and energy levels.
Aside from fish and eggs, which take time and energy to prepare, taking a convenient and delicious adult nutritional drink specifically designed for older adults is extremely beneficial.
Have you started writing down some items in your bucket list? As you feel motivated to do so, include Nestle’s Boost Optimum in your grocery list. The adult nutritional drink, which contains proprietary-owned Nutri-Ultra, supports muscle strength, immunity and digestive health.
Aside from Nutri-Ultra, Boost Optimum also contains whey, which is easily absorbed and is more accessible and faster to digest. This is balanced by casein, the main protein present in milk, which takes slower to digest and be absorbed and has slower release of amino acid, making you feel full for longer.
To start adding life to years today, visit www.nestlehealthscience.ph/boost/boost-optimum and Nestlé Boost PH on Facebook.
