Losing Belly Fat After 65: Here’s Why There’s No Such Thing As Too Late!

Do you need help with losing belly fat after 65? If so, you’re in the right place. Belly fat is nothing to joke about. Too much of it is associated with many health risks, which is probably why almost everyone is looking for a way of getting rid of it. Losing belly fat is a daunting experience, but it’s perhaps even more challenging for seniors above 65. 

At this age, you’re not as strong, active, or capable as you were in your twenties. This makes it even more challenging to lose belly fat. That being said, we’re not implying that losing belly fat is easier for youngsters. It can be a challenge no matter your age. Despite all this, some tricks and tips can make losing belly fat after 65 much more straightforward.

In this article, we’ll be looking at the dangers belly fat poses for seniors. To help reduce this risk, we’ll also discuss the best-suited tips to make it easier to lose weight after 65. Keep reading for this and more insight into frequently asked questions about losing belly fat for seniors.

Causes of Belly Fat in Men and Women Above 65

Most people connect an expanding waistline to aging. However, as you may have noticed, people in their twenties and teenage years can also put on belly fat. This means that belly fat can be caused by other factors and is not always due to natural aging.

According to Medical News Today, belly fat in any age group can be caused by several factors, including: 

• A poor diet
• Alcohol consumption
• High-stress levels
• Genetics
• Poor sleeping patterns
• Lack of exercise (17)

Understanding these causes is pivotal as this paves the way for the best practices to help you lose unwanted fat. However, as much as we’re focusing on losing belly fat, it’s worth noting that we need some belly fat.

A little belly or visceral fat helps provide cushioning around your organs (24). The problem comes when you have too much of it. The best way of determining if you have excessive belly fat is by taking your waist circumference measurement. 

The recommended maximum waist circumference for a non-pregnant woman in any age group is 35 inches, while for a man in any group, it’s 40 inches (4). Anything above these measurements is considered to portray excess belly fat.

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Dangers of Belly Fat Above 65

Why worry about your waistline? This is one of the frequently asked questions about a big waistline among men and women above 65. We understand that many young and older people are worried about an expanding waistline for fear of losing their physique. 

This makes sense and it may explain why most of them are so determined to lose visceral fat. As mentioned earlier, excess visceral fat is also linked to multiple health issues. Seniors should be worried about having an expanded waistline for this reason, as these health issues become more common as we get older.

According to one study, it is more dangerous for women(and men over 65 (between 65 and 74) to have excess belly fat than to be overweight. This is because an increased waist circumference is linked to increased mortality risk in this age group.

A meta-analysis that included over 58,000 people between 65 and 74 years of age found that a large waist circumference (over 102 cm or 40 inches for men and 88 cm or 35 inches for women) was associated with increased all-cause mortality even for those who were classified as having a “healthy” weight. (9).

The extra pounds around the waistlines of both men and women over 65 may increase their risk of conditions such as (7):

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Sleep apnea
• Certain cancers
• Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
• High blood pressure
• Premature death as a result of any cause
• Stroke
• Fatty liver

               How can a 65-year-old lose belly fat?

Many people have tried losing their bellies after the age of 65 and failed. If you’re among these people, it is worth noting that you’re not alone. Many seniors find it incredibly challenging to lose visceral fat due to one or a combination of the following factors:

Menopausal Changes

For women, reaching and surpassing the menopause stage can increase body fat and more of it will settle in your abdomen (8). It is more challenging to lose the extra weight and belly fat that is acquired from going through menopause.

Muscle Loss

Aging is associated with sarcopenia. The term refers to the loss of skeletal muscle mass (25). Muscle mass also plays a role in fat loss. It partly determines the rate at which your body burns calories. If you have more muscle mass, you tend to burn more calories. 

However, if you have less muscle mass, you will burn fewer calories.

As you lose muscle as you age, your body reduces the number of calories it burns. As a result, it takes longer to see changes around your waistline, despite consistent efforts to fight visceral fat (11). 

Reduced Metabolism

Metabolism is essential for belly fat loss as it affects the rate at which your body burns calories while at rest and during activity. As you age, your metabolism tends to slow down. We also tend to be less active and burn fewer calories. With the loss of muscle mass and reduced metabolism, getting rid of belly fat after age 65 becomes much harder. 

Reduced Appetite Control

As you age, you tend to have trouble regulating your meals. Youngsters will typically eat less after a big meal, which enables their bodies to use up the calories (12). Natural appetite control appears to fade as individuals age. As aging progresses, we tend to consume more calories than the daily requirement, which also decreases, further leading to a calorie surplus and, ultimately, weight gain.

Despite all these challenges, seniors can lose belly fat. But before we let you in on these practices, we must advise you first to consult your healthcare provider. Here’s a look at some practices for how to lose belly fat fast after 65: 

Weight Training

Weight or resistance training is a great way to help lose belly fat after 65. As mentioned earlier, burning belly fat can be challenging in this age group due to muscle loss. By doing resistance training exercises, you develop or retain more muscle mass that helps your body burn more calories even at rest (3).

There are several types of resistance training programs, including exercising using bodyweight and weightlifting. Sit down with your fitness coach to determine the best exercises for someone of your fitness level.

Can You Combine Weight Training with Exercises?

Yes! However, this is only after you get the go-ahead from your doctor and trainer. Some seniors can still do resistance training programs in conjunction with aerobic exercises. According to Medical News Today, combining aerobic exercise and weightlifting can maximize results.

This site summarizes a study investigating the impact of weightlifting and aerobic exercise on belly fat in men above 40. The study discovered that men who did both exercises for losing belly fat saw the best results (16).

Read more: Losing Belly Fat After 65: Here’s Why There’s No Such Thing As Too Late!

5 Exercises for Seniors to Lose Belly Fat

Losing belly fat after 65 for women and men may be an uphill battle, but it’s not impossible to achieve results, particularly with the help of calculated, structured workouts. Light exercises such as wall Pilates and bodyweight training can be utilized, but the strenuousness of the routine should be double-checked by your health professional. 

Some recommended exercises for seniors above the age of 65 include: 

1. Walking: Engaging in brisk walking is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise suitable for seniors. It helps burn calories while also reducing overall body fat, including around the abdomen. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, per week for seniors. (5)
2. Chair and Wall Exercises: Seated exercises or those that use a wall for support are gentle on the joints and effective for seniors. Leg lifts, toe touches, wall-assisted planks, seated marches, and seated twists engage the core muscles, which contributes to the reduction of belly fat. These exercises improve stability, don’t require any equipment, and are accessible to individuals of various fitness levels.
3. Water Aerobics: Water aerobics is a joint-friendly exercise that provides resistance and promotes muscle strength and endurance. A study in the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education highlighted the effectiveness of water-based exercises in improving body composition, including fat reduction. (10)
4. Yoga: Another excellent workout routine is yoga. Gentle yoga poses, such as cat-cow stretches, seated twists, and the bridge pose, can enhance flexibility, balance, and core strength. Research has suggested that regular yoga practice may contribute to abdominal fat loss and overall well-being in adults. (22)
5. Resistance Training with Bands: Incorporating resistance bands into strength training routines helps build muscle mass and boost metabolism.

These exercises, which are tailored to seniors’ needs, focus on overall health and well-being while specifically addressing belly fat through a combination of cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility activities.

Healthy Eating

You may have seen a lot of curated diets being praised or advertised online. All of them seem to promise the same thing, weight loss or losing belly fat quickly. The problem is, most of these are fad diets that bring nothing but disappointment.

Regardless of the praise you hear for these diets, it’s important to remember that you need to speak to your healthcare provider before you consider them. However, this doesn’t mean that there are no healthy eating plans that can help you burn stomach fat or lose weight. 

Some diet plans such as the Mediterranean diet and vegan/vegetarian diets have been found to be effective in burning stomach fat and weight loss when done in a healthy and balanced way. Please note, it can be limiting or frustrating for seniors to follow restrictive diet plans. 

The different recipes, rules, restrictions, and cooking timelines may demotivate them or even make them quit days or months after starting one of these meal plans. 

Which Is the Best Healthy Eating Diet Plan to Burn Stomach Fat?

The best diet plan to help seniors lose belly fat is that which recommends the consumption of a healthy diet. Medical News Today defines a healthy diet as one that includes meals that contain nutrient-dense foods and in the right amounts (13).

People often think that healthy eating is only focused on eating the right foods, but it also extends to the ratios and servings. Remember that you can’t lose weight in just one area of your body, but when you start dieting, you’ll shed fat evenly (19).

It means consuming fewer calories than your body burns to promote weight loss (14). In this healthy diet plan, you also need to include foods from all the primary food groups. These include (18):

• Whole grains. Some good examples of whole grains include oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta.
• Whole fruits such as apples, berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), melons, oranges, and grapes.
• Vegetables. Consider adding vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, kale, spinach, cauliflower, cucumber, and zucchini to your diet.
• Lean proteins. You can acquire lean proteins from lean meats such as lean lamb, lean beef, and skinless chicken. Other significant sources of lean proteins are seafood, eggs, lentils, and beans.
• Healthy fats. Healthy fats that are included in a healthy diet include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. You can acquire these fats from sources like nuts, fish, avocados, seeds, and olive oil.
• Low-fat dairy. Low-fat or fat-free dairy product options provide protein and calcium without a lot of saturated fat.

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What are the 5 foods that burn belly fat?

While we’ve mentioned the different aspects of how to lose belly fat after 65 – one of which is healthy eating – we must also look at the top foods that promote this fat-burning more efficiently.

The following 5 foods are excellent additions to your diet for burning belly fat and arriving at a healthier frame. 

1. Avocado: Rich in monounsaturated fats, avocados can be included in a weight loss diet. These healthy fats help control appetite and may enhance metabolism, potentially contributing to fat loss. (6
2. Fatty Fish (e.g. Salmon): Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish may help reduce visceral fat. Research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information suggests that omega-3s may influence the expression of genes related to fat storage and metabolism. (23)
3. Berries (e.g. Blueberries): High in fiber and antioxidants, berries can contribute to weight management. A study in the National Library of Medicine linked anthocyanins in berries with improved weight management. (20)
4. Green Tea: Catechins in green tea may enhance metabolism and promote fat burning. Regular consumption may help in losing abdominal fat. (15)
5. Whole Grains (e.g. Quinoa): Healthline cites studies that indicate that whole grains can help reduce belly fat. The fiber content aids digestion and creates a feeling of fullness, potentially preventing overeating. (1) 

Incorporating these foods into a balanced diet, together with regular exercise in the form of indoor exercises or wall Pilates for seniors can contribute to a healthier body composition and target belly fat.

Getting Enough Rest

Another science-backed practice to help seniors lose belly fat and weight overall is getting enough sleep. Sleeping for fewer than five hours may be associated with significant weight gain (2). 

Sleep loss appears to cause weight gain and fat deposit around the waistline in various ways, including making you feel hungry despite being full. Not getting enough sleep triggers your body to release a hormone called cortisol. This can affect your appetite. Decreased sleep makes you hungry, which causes you to consume extra calories resulting in weight gain.

Seniors may tend to get less sleep if they have common sleeping problems. These problems occur when:

• You have sleep apnea and keep waking up throughout the night.
• You have low back pain that makes it difficult for you to lie comfortably in your bed. As a result, you keep tossing and turning, which prevents you from getting a good night’s rest.
• You have insomnia or depression, which keeps you up at night and results in the inability to get enough sleep.

You can improve your sleeping patterns and make sure you get enough rest by doing the following (27):

• Try guided meditation to help you fall asleep
• Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to help establish a routine
• Keep your bedroom calm, dark, and quiet to help you fall asleep faster
• Keep away from electronic devices for a couple of hours before you go to bed

Read more: What Is The Ideal Weight For A 65 year Old Man? BMI Ranges For Older Men

FAQs

• Can a 65-year-old woman get a flat stomach?

In simple terms, yes, a 65-year-old woman can get a flat stomach if they wish to do so. However, some targeted strategies need to be followed, including: 

• Exercise: Engaging in a mix of cardiovascular activities, such as brisk walking or swimming and strength training boosts metabolism and builds muscle. A 65-year-old can partake in a variety of low- to moderate-intensity workouts that help burn belly fat more efficiently. 
• Healthy Diet: Adopting a balanced diet with lean proteins, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables is another important method to promote weight loss. Staying away from added sugars, alcoholic beverages, and ultra-processed foods is also equally helpful in the quest for a flat stomach. 
• Consistency: Regular exercise and mindful eating are essential for long-term success. It is imperative to build a habit, rather than go for quick fixes. 

Consultation: Before you embark on a quest to get a flat is particularly important when starting a new fitness or diet plan to ensure it aligns with your individual health needs.

• What burns the most belly fat?

Burning belly fat occurs as a result of many processes that occur simultaneously. This includes factors such as healthy eating, combining it with exercise, and getting enough sleep. A detailed list includes: 

• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Short bursts of more intense exercise followed by rest periods boost calorie burn and fat loss.
• Strength Training: This process builds muscle, which increases metabolism and contributes to overall fat reduction, including in the abdominal area.
• Balanced Diet: It is important to focus on nutritious foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats to create a calorie deficit. Once it is created and combined with activity, it is beneficial for fat loss. 
• Aerobic Exercise: Activities such as walking, cycling, or swimming also enhance cardiovascular health and burn calories.

Adequate Sleep: Poor sleep can hinder fat loss, so you should prioritize quality sleep for effective belly fat reduction.

• Does walking burn belly fat?

Yes, walking definitely helps burn belly fat. Brisk walking in particular contributes to overall fat loss, including abdominal fat. Maintaining a brisk pace elevates your heart rate and increases calorie burn, but you should walk at whatever pace is safe and comfortable for you. Consistency is another aspect as regular, sustained walking over time helps create a calorie deficit, which helps with fat loss. This has even better results when paired with a balanced diet. While results may take time, walking is a sustainable and joint-friendly exercise for overall health and weight management of those over the age of 65. 

The Bottom Line

Losing belly fat after 65 is no easy task. It may take longer than expected, despite putting in the necessary work. This happens because seniors have reduced metabolism, declining muscle mass, reduced appetite control, and hormonal changes.

Even still, some practices can be implemented to help men and women over 65 burn stomach fat faster. These include starting weight training programs, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough rest. Remember to talk to your healthcare provider before you make any dietary or lifestyle changes to prompt belly fat loss.