Welcome to our Doctor’s Q&A corner!

Today Dr Virdi answers questions on fitness for older adults in their 60s, 70s and above, specifically on Weight and Fitness Goals. Don’t forget to send in any questions you might have for Dr Virdi. All personal details remain confidential. We will only publish your question.

Question/s:

“Can i lose weight at my age? Is it harder to lose weight after 65? Will exercise help me stay independent? Can exercise improve my energy levels?”

Answers:

Can I lose weight at my age?

Absolutely. It is possible to lose weight at any age, but as we get older, it can become a little more challenging to maintain muscle mass and body composition. From our mid-30s onwards, we gradually start to lose muscle mass if we are not actively maintaining it, and our energy requirements can also decrease as we age.

This means that diet and exercise become increasingly important. Rather than thinking purely about losing weight, I would encourage people to think about maintaining a healthy body composition — reducing excess body fat while preserving or building muscle. You can't literally convert fat into muscle, as they are different tissues, but through a combination of appropriate nutrition and resistance exercise, you can lose fat while building or maintaining muscle.

Is it harder to lose weight after 65?

It can be more challenging to lose excess body fat as we get older, particularly because we naturally lose muscle mass and become less physically active. However, weight loss in older age isn't necessarily a sign of good health. As we age, maintaining muscle and bone is extremely important, because excessive loss of muscle can affect strength, balance and independence.

This is why resistance training is so important. Ideally, we should start thinking about maintaining muscle from our 30s and 40s and continue doing some form of strength training throughout our lives.

Will exercise help me stay independent?

Absolutely. One of the most important benefits of exercise as we age is helping us maintain our independence.

Strength training helps maintain muscle strength, while weight-bearing exercise can support bone health. Exercise also improves balance, coordination, cardiovascular fitness and mobility. All of these things can make everyday activities — such as climbing stairs, getting out of a chair or carrying shopping — easier and can help us remain independent for longer.

Can exercise improve my energy levels?

Yes. It might sound counterintuitive, because exercise obviously uses energy, but regular physical activity can actually improve how energetic you feel.

The hardest part is often getting started! Once exercise becomes part of your routine, it can improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, sleep and overall wellbeing, which can leave you feeling more energetic during the day.

You don't necessarily need to do intense exercise every day. A combination of regular cardiovascular activity, strength training and simply staying active throughout the day can be very beneficial. The key is finding a level and routine that you can maintain consistently