Mom Reached Her Goal Weight – How Can She Stay There?

There are many conditions for which a doctor might suggest an older adult lose weight. Excess weight puts people at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. So, perhaps your senior parent worked really hard to meet their weight loss goal. Getting there probably took some hard work.

Elder Care in Aurora: Senior Weight Management

But, how can they keep from gaining the weight back? According to WebMD, only about a third of people who are successful in achieving their goals are able to keep the weight off. So, what can you do to help your parent stay at a healthy weight? Here are some tips…

Stick to a Healthy Diet

To lose weight, your parent probably altered the way they ate to consume fewer calories. Now that the weight is gone, it’s important to continue eating the same number of calories per day. Allowing the calorie count to creep up will lead to sliding back into old habits and overeating, which means their weight will creep up, too. An elder care provider can help your parent to continue following a healthy diet by assisting them with meal planning, grocery shopping, and meal preparation.

Allow One “Cheat Day”

Pick one day of the week when your parent can indulge in a high-calorie favorite food. It’s important that the day stay the same each week. If they don’t stick to that day, they may soon find that they indulge on more than one day per week and soon they’re back to their old ways. Also, keep indulgences on a cheat day to a moderate level rather than eating unhealthy foods all day long.

Have Breakfast

Experts say that starting the day with breakfast is one of the best ways to maintain weight loss. Eating breakfast will help your parent avoid reaching for unhealthy snack foods during the day. Elder care can help your parent to start their day with a good breakfast. An elder care provider can visit your parent’s home in the morning to help them start the day. Some of the things an elder care provider can do are to help your parent get safely out of bed, bathe or shower, and dress. They can also make breakfast for your parent and keep them company while they eat.

Keep Moving

Exercise is another key to staying at a healthy weight. A daily walk can be a great way to keep the unwanted weight from returning. An elder care provider can stop by your parent’s house each day to go for a walk with them. Having an elder care provider along for their walk may make your parent feel safer since they’ll have a steadying arm to lean on if needed. Plus, they’ll have someone to chat with while they walk, which will make it more enjoyable.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elder Care in Aurora, contact the caring professionals at Staff Relief Health Care 24/7 at (905)-709-1767.

Sources

https://healthyforgood.heart.org/be-well/articles/keeping-a-healthy-body-weight

https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/how-to-keep-weight-off-forever

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/keep-weight-off.aspx