Hello Everybody,
A silver slimming program for older people can do a lot of good. Obesity at any age is a health risk and as you get older it can make life more and more difficult. And not only difficult. Overweight Senior women appear to be at more risk of Alzheimer’s disease than slimmer women. There seems to be a correlation between increased risk of dementia and the heavier they get. The reason is obscure, but may be related to the increased levels of blood sugar found in obese people affecting the brain.
Increased fat is deposited around the lungs as well as the abdomen, this can cause the breathlessness and fatigue we often see in older people. The jolly Pickwickian figure of legend may not be as jolly as he seems.
One thing to remember, if you are wanting to slim, is that old people can begin to lose weight naturally due to muscle wasting. So silver slimming must be carefully controlled to avoid too much weight loss taking place. Being aware of this and with their doctor’s blessing there is no reason why Seniors can not become fit and healthy along with younger people.
Having looked at the problem what is the solution? Walking exercise can slow muscle wasting and a healthy diet can bring your weight down to a level you feel comfortable with. So it is well worth doing.
A useful list of suggestions appears on
‘Lifestyle Tips For Successful Weight Management
1. Always plan before you shop and keep a list of foods on your palm pilot or refrigerator.
2. Skip high calorie beverages such as sodas, juices, smoothies and blended coffee drinks. There are approximately nine packages of sugar and close to 150 calories in one 12-oz can of soda or juice. Smoothies and coffee drinks are often 250 -500 calories, excluding the whipped cream.
3. Fill up on fibre such as fruits and vegetables.
4. When using salad dressing, dilute with plain vinegar or lemon juice and always order dressing on the side.
5. Avoid alcohol. One glass of wine is about 100 calories. In addition, wine can lower your blood sugar and make you hungry.
6. Fill half your plate with steamed or raw vegetables and the other half with equal parts of protein and starch that is not loaded with fat. Remember to have fruit for dessert.
7. When you’re eating at a buffet, you don’t have to eat everything, there will always be another buffet. Line your plate with lettuce or spinach without dressing. In terms of salad dressing, again dilute dressing with vinegar or lemon juice.
8. Walk one mile; it will burn 100 calories.
9. Take advantage of the long summer days by walking, running, cycling, swimming and other outdoor activities.
10. Do some gardening; it’s a great form of exercise and it allows you to grow fresh vegetables.
11. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
12. Play actively with your grandchildren or pets.
13. Establish flexible, short-term, attainable goals.’
This is all good stuff which I support wholeheartedly. One of the best points is to set attainable goals. Start exercising gently. It is all very well to aim to walk a mile a day, but if you have difficulty walking 100 yards to the Post Office you should not expect to a achieve a mile overnight. Just go a little further each day and maybe you will get there. If you do not think it possible then reduce your goal to one that is more realistic.
Avoid alcohol by all means. But why give it up if you enjoy it? A glass every so often will do no harm and is something to look forward to. So be flexible, do what you can and you will be well on your way to proving that walking exercise and a healthy diet aids slimming for everybody.
See you soon,
Peter Stockwell
13 November 2010
Photo. Cepolina (Flickr)
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