5 major weight loss traps for seniors: Don’t lose weight and get fatter

I eat very little, so why am I getting fatter and fatter? In order to avoid obesity in middle-aged and elderly people who increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, many quasi-silver people aged 50 to 64 adhere to the principles of healthy eating, reduce their food intake and consume nuts. However, their weight remains high and some even get fatter. What went wrong? Experts remind you to be careful of these 5 life-threatening weight gain traps!

It is common in clinical practice that the elderly who are about to get older fall into the trap of weight loss when managing their health, which results in them getting fatter and fatter.

People with metabolic syndrome have a 2 to 6 times higher risk of developing the three high diseases, heart disease and stroke in the future than the average person, which makes many quasi-elderly people very particular about their weight and abdominal size. However, the Weight Management Center of Taipei Medical University, which has obtained the SNQ national quality mark certification, has found that it is common in clinical practice for quasi-elderly people to fall into the trap of weight loss when managing their health, which results in getting fatter and fatter.

Trap 1: You won’t gain weight by eating some snacks?

Zheng Yiqi, a nutritionist at the Peking University Health Science Center's Weight Management Center, said that generally speaking, after menopause, men need about 1,600 to 1,800 calories per day, and women need about 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day to maintain basic metabolic needs. However, our friends who are about to retire have more time to enjoy delicious food and desserts. Even six slices of soda crackers have 200 calories, which is about 3/4 bowl of rice. When the total calories consumed per day exceed the requirement, weight will be gained invisibly. It is necessary to reduce the intake or increase the amount of exercise to help lose weight.

Trap 2/Chronic disease medications can also make you fat!

Insulin, which lowers blood sugar, will improve cells' ability to absorb glucose and accelerate fat proliferation; beta-blockers, which lower blood pressure, will reduce metabolism and make you fat; drugs such as steroids, antihistamines, and lithium salts may increase appetite; sleeping pills may also increase appetite. Nutritionist Zheng Yiqi recommends that patients who gain weight due to taking chronic disease medications should first control their weight through diet and then consult with their outpatient physician to avoid stopping the medication on their own.

Nuts are rich in good fats and fiber, which help prevent cardiovascular disease, but eating too many can lead to excessive calorie intake and the risk of gaining weight.

Trap 3/How healthy is it to eat more walnuts?

Nuts and seeds are rich in good oils, vitamin E and fiber, and have the advantage of preventing cardiovascular disease. However, they are actually not low in calories. Two pieces of walnuts have 45 calories, so they should not be consumed in excess. In addition, nutritionist Zheng Yiqi reminds that ground nut drinks are even more of a calorie trap. For example, sesame powder or flaxseed powder, about 2 spoons (one serving) a day is enough, but many people will add 4 to 5 spoons more for taste and aroma. If you eat too much, the calories will naturally increase.

Trap 4/ Will you definitely lose weight by eating vegetarian food?

Many processed vegetarian products, such as vegetarian ham and vegetarian meat, are actually quite high in calories, so vegetarians need to pay attention to their fat intake. In terms of nutrition, if vegans use beans as a source of protein, they must remember to pair them with whole grains to supplement the deficient amino acids.

Trap 5/Will you get fat if you sleep too much?

Liu Cairui, a neurologist at Peking University Health Science Center who specializes in sleep medicine, reminds us that men and women are more prone to apnea, snoring, sleep disorders and other problems after menopause. There was a patient in the outpatient clinic who sleepwalked at night and opened the refrigerator to find food, and only ate starchy foods, causing his body to grow fatter like a balloon. In the end, he solved the sleep disorder and restored his normal weight.

It is best to sleep 7 hours a day. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can reduce the body’s sensitivity to leptin, making it easier to feel hungry and want to eat, or the body may be full but the brain cannot issue the command “stop eating”, causing you to eat too much without realizing it, leading to failure in weight loss.