How elderly people can lose weight healthily

　　for elderly To lose weight, it is recommended to have cardiovascular disease disease , type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obese elderly people with BMI > 30 kg/m^2 should lose weight in a targeted manner.

　　Research on this population has found that the benefits of losing weight significantly outweigh the disadvantages.

　　Weight loss goals: increase muscle content, increase basal metabolic rate, reduce body fat rate, and improve overall mobility and quality of life.

　　For the elderly to lose weight, an individualized plan should be formulated based on the elderly's specific medical history and medication information, starting from three aspects: exercise, diet, and medication.

　　regular exercise

　　1. Weight-bearing strength exercises

　　A combination of weight-bearing strength training exercises is recommended for older adults.

　　Weight-bearing strength training is the best way to avoid muscle loss and maintain bone density. Therefore, it is the preferred method of exercise for obese elderly people who want to lose excess visceral fat and maintain muscle mass.

　　Weight-bearing exercises are made to enlarge the muscles and are trained by lifting heavy objects repeatedly and quickly; muscle strength exercises are made to make the muscles stronger and are trained by lifting heavy objects repeatedly, slowly and in a controlled manner.

　　Both of these exercises can increase muscle strength and need to be practiced together.

　　It was initially recommended to go Hospital After receiving a systematic assessment, proceed under the guidance of a doctor or therapist to avoid sports injuries.

　　For the heavy objects here, you can use some sports equipment, or use sandbags, dumbbells, elastic bands, etc. at home. Start with a load of about 1 to 2 pounds, and gradually increase the load according to the body's response. Practice the upper and lower limbs and key core muscles respectively, 8 to 10 groups a day, repeat each group 10 to 15 times, 20 minutes each time, 2 hours a week.

　　2. Other sports

　　Other exercise options are available: medium-low intensity aerobic training, flexibility training, balance training, combined with weight-bearing strength training, which can enhance the weight loss effect.

　　(1) Moderate to low intensity aerobic training:

　　Walking is an aerobic exercise suitable for the elderly. It is helpful to keep the heart, lungs and blood vessels in good condition, and enhance bone density and lower limb muscle strength.

　　Walk for 30 minutes to 1 hour every day. The best speed is to take a deep breath and sweat lightly. You can also use a pedometer to record the number of steps every day when performing daily activities. The total number of steps should reach 10,000 steps every day.

　　Elderly people with arthritis can choose exercises that do not put pressure on the hip and knee joints, such as swimming or walking in a swimming pool for 30 minutes a day, which is also a good aerobic training method.

　　(2) Flexibility training:

　　It can improve the range of motion, flexibility and accuracy of the elderly's joints and ligaments, and improve the compression and torsion resistance of bones. It is especially suitable for elderly people who are at risk of falling.

　　You can judge the flexibility of the body through a simple method: stand up straight, put your legs together, lean down, touch the ground with your palms, and be careful not to bend your knees:

　　If the entire palm can completely touch the ground, it means the flexibility is excellent; if the fingers can touch the ground, the flexibility is very good; if the fingers can touch the instep of one's feet, the flexibility is good. Otherwise, the flexibility is poor and requires exercise。

　　A variety of aerobics and Tai Chi including stretching, bending, and rotation exercises can be performed.

　　It should be noted that exercise should be done slowly and step by step. It is enough for the stretched muscles and ligaments to feel slight discomfort. Do not rush for quick results and cause pain to prevent straining the muscles and ligaments and damaging the joints. It is recommended to do flexibility exercises for 15 minutes every day.

　　(3) Balance training:

　　It can enhance the elderly's ability to control the body and reduce the occurrence of falls, hip, wrist and waist injuries.

　　For example, leg raising exercises, one-leg standing exercises, four-point support exercises on hands and knees, standing exercises with eyes closed, etc. Notice:

　　Practice should be from easy to difficult; first practice with eyes open, and gradually transition to practice with eyes closed; gradually increase the transfer and swing of the center of gravity, from small to large, and the speed should not be too fast; when exercising at home, there should be someone next to you to protect you; stay away from hard objects such as furniture to prevent loss of balance and injury.

　　Elderly people who have balance disorders due to injuries should exercise under the guidance of professionals. It is recommended to do balance exercises for 15 minutes every day.

　　high protein diet

　　Studies have found that for elderly people with sarcopenia and obesity, a high-protein diet is more suitable for this group of people than a normal protein diet.

　　A high-protein diet can produce greater fat consumption, especially visceral fat, optimize muscle protein synthesis, prevent muscle weakness and falls, increase satiety, achieve the goals of appetite control, weight loss, and reduce the harm of chronic metabolic diseases, and can provide a large number of necessary nutrients.

　　It is recommended that 1.2 to 1.6 g protein/kg/day, that is, an elderly person weighing 60 kg should consume 72 to 96 g of protein every day, and protein consumption should account for 25 to 30% of the total daily diet.

　　Lean poultry, fish, and 300 ml of low-fat milk per day are all good choices. For the elderly who have difficulty chewing, you can choose beans and egg Replace lean meat.

　　In the distribution method of three meals, attention should be paid to:

　　You should consume enough protein (not less than 35 g) for breakfast, which can increase the feeling of fullness throughout the day; eating breakfast can reduce the feeling of uneasiness in the evening. healthy The need for snacks; skipping breakfast will significantly increase weight, so the elderly must pay attention to eating breakfast; if enough protein (>48 g) can be supplemented at lunch, it can produce a stronger muscle synthesis effect.

　　In addition, for menopause For women and the elderly, daily 1000 mg calcium (including dietary calcium) and vitamin D 400 ~ 800 IU are basic supplements for maintaining bone health.

　　Obesity in the elderly is on the rise. Due to the special body fat distribution characteristics of the elderly - sarcopenic obesity, the weight loss methods of young and middle-aged people are not suitable for the elderly.

　　Although there is still a lack of clear definition and treatment guidelines for obesity in the elderly, promoting a healthy lifestyle and exercising safely within one's ability are unquestionable for improving the overall mobility and quality of life of the elderly.