Reaching a balanced weight can help you feel your best and continue to do more of the things you enjoy in your 60s, 70s, and beyond. “Managing weight is important not just for preventing chronic diseases but also for maintaining mobility, strength, and independence,” says Shemeica Binns, MD, an assistant professor of clinical family and community medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia.
All that said, working toward a healthier weight requires a little more consideration as you get older. “It’s not simply about making the number on the scale lower,” says Dr. Dupee. “It’s about reducing excess fat while preserving muscle, strength, bone, mobility, and independence.”
That’s where your primary care doctor comes in. They can assess your overall health and functional abilities to help you decide not only whether losing weight is appropriate for you but also how much to lose, if so. Together, you can also talk about ways to lose fat while maintaining as much lean muscle mass as possible.
