How To Succeed at Weight Loss After Age 50

How to clear it: Muscle mass loss can come from both a lack of strength training and inadequate protein intake. To help remedy the latter issue, Lofton says to seek out high-quality protein sources such as eggs and low-fat meats, as well as possible high-quality nutritional supplements. One study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that eating equal amounts of protein at all three meals boosts muscle strength, and by extension, metabolism, in adults over age 67.

Lofton also suggests keeping up your fluid intake throughout the day. When you drink water, your body goes through a process known as thermogenesis to bring the liquid to body temperature. Since that process requires energy, you essentially burn calories and get a metabolism boost just by drinking H20. Fluid intake is also important to the complex cycle of converting protein and carbohydrates into usable energy, Lofton notes.

And while strength-building activities help preserve muscle that keeps your metabolism revving, cardio exercise is important, too, says Yancy, who suggests a combination of the two. Any cardio — including walking, cycling and jogging — is better than none, but alternating between low-intensity and high-intensity moves has been shown to provide a greater boost to your metabolism than moderate-intensity exercise alone. If you work in high-intensity interval training in the morning, research shows you may get the most effective metabolism boost for the rest of your day.

Hurdle 3: Hormonal changes

Declining levels of estrogen and testosterone set the body up for storing fat in just the spot that makes dropping pounds more challenging. “The decline in estrogen in women can lead to a change of depositing fat around the hips to more around the abdomen. This can lead to insulin resistance, which furthers weight gain and makes weight loss difficult,” Yancy says. For men, he notes, “decreased testosterone leads to loss of muscle, which slows the metabolism."

Meanwhile, the hormones that regulate appetite and satiety — such as ghrelin from the gut and leptin from fat cells — also have their way with us in middle age, making it even more challenging to stay true to a healthy eating plan. “These can fluctuate over time, causing us to feel hungrier and less full when we attempt to lower our calorie intake and exercise more,” Lofton says.

How to clear it: The best ways to combat all of the above? “Reduce your intake of refined sugars and starches, eat more protein and whole foods, and exercise regularly,” Yancy suggests, echoing the results of a number of studies, including one published in 2018 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. To get a clear picture of your habits, keep a seven-day log and note your food intake and activity levels. Aim to eliminate sugary foods and liquid calories, and try to get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.

Hurdle 4: A less-active lifestyle

Whether it's because of stiff joints, low energy or lack of time, research suggests we become less active as we get older. A study published in 2019 in Geriatric Physical Therapy suggests that older adults spend 60 to 80 percent of their waking hours sedentary. No surprise: That impacts weight loss.

How to clear it: It isn't just the major sweat sessions that burn calories. In a new study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers looked at the effect of walking speed on weight loss in previously sedentary postmenopausal women. Their findings suggest that although total body fat is lost at all speeds, the change is initially greater in slow walkers (defined by the researchers as about 3.5 miles per hour) who are overweight. Not sure how physically active you are over the course of the day? To stay on top of calories consumed and calories burned, wear an accelerometer to track your steps and intensity of daily activity, Lofton suggests.

Hurdle 5: Change in sleep habits

Research consistently shows a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. One study in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine found that sleep-deprived participants not only ate more the next day, but they also reached for high-calorie fare. A lack of sleep may affect the body's regulation of the aforementioned hormones ghrelin (boosts appetite) and leptin (inhibits hunger), too.

How to clear it: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day because big swings in your sleep schedule can affect your metabolism. If you struggle to make that happen, creating a bedtime ritual to signal the body and mind to slow down may help. This could include turning off all devices, changing into pajamas and brushing your teeth at least an hour before sleep.

Editor's note: This article, originally published June 15, 2021, has been updated to reflect new information.

Kimberly Goad is a New York-based journalist who has covered health for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Reader’s Digest.