What 5 habits make losing weight in middle age more difficult?

If you are over 50, losing weight will become more and more difficult. Part of the reason comes from what living habits?

At age 50 and older, losing weight becomes challenging - Photo: FREEPIK

According to Eating Well , as we age, our muscle mass naturally decreases, leading to a decrease in our resting metabolic rate, meaning our body burns fewer calories even at rest. Hormonal changes, sleep problems, and medication use can also make weight loss challenging.

In addition to the changes that come with aging, some seemingly harmless everyday habits are secretly hindering your weight loss efforts. Many of these behaviors are so routine that you don't even realize they're a problem.

No strength training

If you only do cardio and rarely lift weights, you’re missing out on a crucial element of weight loss, especially as you get older. Prioritizing strength training can help maintain muscle, boost your metabolism, and support sustainable weight management after age 50.

Muscles are efficient calorie-burning machines. However, over time, muscle mass will decrease if you don't actively work to maintain or rebuild it, causing your metabolism to slow down. Strength training helps counteract this by building muscle, which helps you burn more calories even when you're not exercising.

Unfortunately, many of us shy away from strength training, whether because of fear of injury or simply because we don’t realize how important it is. Simple exercises like push-ups, planks, and squats can be easily done at home without equipment, and help strengthen large muscle groups and improve core strength.

Applying trendy weight loss diets

Fad diets often promise quick results, but rarely deliver lasting results. Following a fad diet can be problematic at any age, but it can be especially problematic after age 50 for a number of reasons.

Many calorie-restricted diets are also lacking in protein. Eating too few calories and too little protein can backfire, causing loss of muscle mass and slowing metabolism, making it harder to maintain weight in the long term.

Neglecting sleep

In fact, poor sleep can secretly sabotage your weight loss efforts. After age 50, sleep patterns become more erratic due to lifestyle changes, stress, or hormonal fluctuations. Lack of sleep also disrupts hunger-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin. This imbalance leads to increased cravings, especially for high-calorie foods.

Research also shows that people who don't get enough sleep tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables, while consuming more fast food, fat and sugar, which increases the risk of weight gain.

Some age-related changes in sleep patterns are normal, such as going to bed earlier at night and waking up earlier in the morning. However, if you can't consistently get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night, this can be a problem.

Maintain old eating habits

As you get older, your body's energy needs naturally decrease. So if you keep eating the same way you did before, you may start to gain weight, even if you eat healthy foods.

Mindless snacking, especially at night, can sabotage weight loss efforts. Many people eat out of boredom or out of habit while watching TV. They often choose high-calorie foods without realizing how much they are eating. These extra calories can add up quickly and hinder weight loss efforts.

Forget to drink enough water

Drinking enough water plays an important role in digestion, metabolism and satiety. However, as you age, your sense of thirst decreases. As a result, many older adults do not drink enough water, sometimes leading to dehydration or dehydration.

This can cause you to confuse thirst with hunger, leading you to overeat at meals or snack more frequently. Dehydration can also slow down your metabolism, making it less efficient at burning calories.

Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. To boost your weight loss, try drinking a large glass of water before each meal. This simple but effective strategy can help you feel full sooner and avoid overeating.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/5-thoi-quen-nao-khien-giam-can-o-tuoi-trung-nien-kho-khan-hon-20250805211311345.htm