If you’ve noticed your body changing after turning fifty, know that you’re in good company! Of all the questions our Coaches receive through the AF App, this is one of the hottest topics — so welcome! We’re glad you’re here and that you’re prioritizing your health. While there’s no right age to focus on weight loss, age does contribute to the kinds of roadblocks you can expect to see along the way. So let’s talk about it!
Why is losing weight in your 50s so hard?
Around the time you turn 50, your body starts behaving differently. Your memory gets a little fuzzier, your hearing a little worse; hairs start popping up or disappearing, and you may have noticed an uptick in your body fat composition. Difficulty losing weight after 50 is especially common among women, who on top of all of these changes also have to deal with menopause. This hormonal change comes with its own set of hurdles, which we’ll discuss a little later on.
Losing weight after 50 is tricky because of a few factors. For starters, we tend to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle the older we get, and that leads to a decrease in muscle mass. Losing muscle means burning fewer calories thanks to a slower metabolism, which in turn means weight gain. Also, your body requires fewer calories than it did when you were younger, and not adjusting your diet to account for this change could be part of the puzzle. If your sleep schedule is off, this could also be responsible for extra eating you may be doing — or on the flip side, that lost sleep is making you too tired to exercise. You might have also been put on medications with side effects of weight gain.
Why is my stomach getting bigger after 50?
You may have noticed that you’re gaining weight more in some places than others — specifically, in your midsection. This weight gain has less to do with blowing out 50 candles on your birthday cake and more to do with habits and lifestyle. Here are some common factors that might be the culprit:
- You’re consuming more sugary beverages and foods
- You’re consuming foods high in trans fat
- You regularly consume alcohol
- You’re moving your body less
- You have an imbalance of gut bacteria
- Your diet is low in fiber
- You’re not getting enough sleep
- Your stress levels are consistently high
And… menopause.
Menopause and weight gain
Hormonal changes during menopause can wreak all kinds of havoc on your body, with one of the big ones being weight gain in the abdomen area. The dip in estrogen production leads to your body storing fat in new ways. The good news is that you can minimize the effects of these hormone shifts by staying active.
How to lose weight after 50
Human bodies can’t shapeshift in a few days or weeks, no matter what your age is. To effectively lose weight after 50 or at any juncture in life, we recommend prioritizing activity and practicing good eating habits. Let’s talk about nutrition first.
What you eat has a huge impact on your weight, not only because a nutritionally imbalanced diet leads to weight gain, but also because it decreases your energy levels, which makes staying active more difficult. No thanks, fatigue, we’ll take a pass!
How to boost your metabolism after 50
As mentioned before, there are a lot of reasons your metabolism could be slowing down at this stage in life. Here are three ways you can boost your metabolism to burn more calories throughout the day:
- Prioritize strength training. Increasing your muscle mass helps you burn more calories at rest, and therefore, increases your metabolism.
- Eat breakfast. Be good to your body by fueling it every morning. This avoids you getting hungrier later and overcompensating by eating more. Aim to eat a hearty breakfast, a moderate lunch, and a light dinner.
- Eat lean proteins. Protein helps you build muscle mass. Those muscles burn more calories, even at rest. Add more fish, chicken, eggs, low-fat cheeses (such as cottage cheese), and even tofu to your diet to boost your metabolism.
How many calories should a 50-year-old eat to lose weight?
Not all calories are created equal, and because of this, cutting calories isn’t always the healthiest way to lose weight after 50. Calorie intake varies from person to person, based on factors like genetics, activity level, and height. Here’s what the 2020-2025 version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests:
- For males ages 31-59, a calorie intake of 2,200-3,000 calories is recommended
- For females ages 31-59, a calorie intake of 1,600-2,200 calories is recommended
For weight loss, you need to burn more calories than you consume. You can learn more about that in our How to Lose Weight article.
Focusing on the scale during a weight loss journey can be frustrating, so make it easy on yourself and instead do a monthly body scan at your AF. You’ll be able to see how much fat you’re losing, any muscle you’re gaining, as well as other health details that the scale can’t tell you.
The best exercises to lose weight after 50
To boost your weight-loss journey, we recommend you aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week. Any activity that involves movement, such as walking, will bring you closer to reaching your weight-loss goals. Throw in two days of strength training to maintain muscle mass and strong bones, and make those workouts non-negotiables in your schedule
If your joints aren’t what they used to be, seek out low-impact strength-training exercises; that means avoiding jumping, running, or putting extra stress on your joints. Coach Mike from AF Woodbury, MN, shares what he recommends for older adults, based on Dr. John Rusin’s 6 Foundational Movement Patterns.
“When putting together a workout, I really like focusing on the six different foundational movement patterns. These patterns are especially great for improving mobility and will improve your movement quality both inside the gym and out.”
In this routine, you’ll choose one exercise for each of the six movement patterns. Perform 6–12 repetitions of each move, then repeat for 2–4 sets. Listen to your body as you move and take breaks when needed. You got this!
Movement #1: Push
Start your workout with 2-4 sets of pushing movements, meaning overhead or horizontal pressing moves. Overhead pressing can be done by pushing a dumbbell, kettlebell, or medicine ball over your head. Horizontal pressure can be done by doing an incline push-up, or by using the chest press machine.
Movement #2: Pull
Just like pushing, you can do either a vertical or horizontal pull. A good horizontal option is the seated row machine, and the lat pulldown machine is great for vertical pulling.
Movement #3: Hinge
The hinge move follows the same form used when doing a deadlift (be safe and read our tips on deadlift form). If you don’t have any deadlift experience, we recommend starting with a Bodyweight Good Morning move, where you stand hip-width apart, bend forward at the waist until your body is at a 90º angle, then raise back up to standing. Once you’ve perfected this, you can start using an empty barbell and work your way up to adding weight.
Movement #4: Squat
Squats come in all forms, so we recommend heading over to this article on improving your squat form and starting with the first variation. As you get stronger, slowly advance through the moves. To boost your squat strength, use the leg press and the leg curl machine.
Movement #5: Lunge
Let’s focus on those knees with some lunges! Reverse lunges, forward lunges, step-ups, or even the leg extension are all great for strengthening these important joints, especially after 50.
Movement #6: Carry
Training for this last movement pattern is easy — just pick up two heavy dumbbells or kettlebells, and walk around with one in each hand. Simple! This will work your grip strength, your core, and tons of other muscles as well.
Looking for more low-impact exercises? This full-body resistance band workout is perfect for those working to lose weight in their 50s, plus you can do it at the gym or from your living room.
