So we are two months into the New Year and how many of us have already made, broken and forgotten about those New Year’s Resolutions? For most Americans breaking resolutions is about as common as making them. It has been reported that the top resolution is spending more time with family and friends but at number two is getting more fit and number 3 is taking on the battle of the bulge.
Go to any fitness club the first two weeks of January and it is standing room only, by March you should have your pick of machines. Look at what people are ordering for lunch at your local restaurant in January and you will find mounds of lettuce and veggie wraps going table to table. By March look out for the half-pound burger with a side of fries. However, just because you fell off the resolution wagon does not mean you are doomed to another year of adding on a few pounds and not getting out and being more active.
In the U.S. over 66% of Americans are overweight. Seniors are not immune to this trend. As we age our metabolism slows down and as people retire and perhaps are dealing with health concerns their activity level decreases. So if you eat the same amount of calories at the age of 70 as you did at 35 the simple fact is you will gain weight. Good nutrition is important especially as we age. The benefits of a healthy diet include: increased mental acuteness, resistance to illness, higher energy levels, better immune system, and better management of chronic health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
Chris Moldovan, RD, CD, and Nutrition Education Specialist for CVAA likes to remind seniors that making small changes in their diet and adding regular physical activity can have a significant impact on their weight. According to Moldovan, “if you begin to cut out extra servings of sweets…and allow yourself one to two treats a weeks you could see a big weight change. That would be cutting out 5 candy bars this week, at 200 calories per bar, that is 1000 calories. If you were maintaining your weight before and if nothing else changes in your eating pattern or lifestyle as far as physical activity, you could lose up to 50 pounds after a year.”
If sweets are not your problem, you might be addicted to pasta and breads and cereals like myself. According to Moldovan if you skipped one extra serving of pasta (one serving is one half cup) or cut back on added fat (45 calories in a teaspoon of butter) every day you would see a weight loss of 2-3 pounds a month.
Some important guidelines for seniors include:
- Reduce sodium (salt) to help prevent water retention and high blood pressure
- Monitor fat intake to maintain healthy cholesterol levels
- Consume more calcium and Vitamin D for bone health
- Eat more fiber-rich foods to prevent constipation
- Cut back on sugar and dry foods
- Make sure you get the recommended amount of important vitamins and minerals
- Increase your water intake
- Participate in regular physical activity
- Avoid highly processed and refined foods that usually contain more calories and fewer nutrients, which is why people are often still hungry after consuming them
While most of us would like to lose a few pounds before we start making next year’s resolutions, Moldovan stresses that “it is important to consume the basics and not cut out too much of the nutrients your body needs, such as protein from meat, chicken, fish or meat alternatives like eggs, nuts and soy products and calcium rich foods like low fat or skim milk and other dairy foods. Adequate protein is important in maintaining your muscle mass and overall strength.”
It is March and it is time to resurrect those New Year’s Resolutions to eat healthier, be more active, and lose a few pounds.
Sarah Lemnah writes on senior issues for the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging. This article originally appeared in the Burlington Free Press.
