7 Reasons Diets Won’t Help You Lose Weight… Especially After 60! (Take it from Me!)

Today, I want to talk about dieting and whether it is really a good way to lose weight after 60 (or at any age, for that matter!)

Everyone has heard the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" And this is definitely true when it comes to diets.

Since one of our goals, as we reach our 60s, is to get as healthy as possible, I wanted to take a few minutes today to talk about why diets almost always fail… and what we can do instead to find the health and vitality that we deserve.

Have you ever been successful on a diet? What do you think of dieting, in general? Let's have a conversation: https://sixtyandme.com/8-common-weight-loss-mistakes-women-over-60-make/

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30 comments

  • Linda Bell

    Hello lovely ladies, great topic!! We have seen many fad diets come and go. I’ve tried a low carb diet several times in my life, and just didn’t feel like myself or feel well. Although I believe sugar is not good in excess, I really enjoy a teaspoon in my morning coffee with a little cream. Other than that, I don’t have too many sweets. Just be careful not to be too restrictive. Walking outside in a beautiful park is a pleasant way to keep moving.

  • Kim Church

    I have done every diet out there and have been successful. However it is very isolating. As soon as I got social again, going out to lunch..dinner with friends, the weight came back on. Even when I choose healthy meals on the menu. The restaurants don’t measure that tiny tsp of butter or that 1/4 tsp of salt. Since my husband passed away I find meeting up with friends is very important. One thing in the world of “diets” that I can offer…that works for me as far as feeling good is try to keep your body’s ph levels good. Your Alkaline/Acid balance. So important for the immune system and general well being.
    I love this site. Thank you Margaret. You have helped so many.

  • Alma Kaster

    My made problem is snacking. Love to snack. I do want those DVD,s. Love your videos

  • Sarah Dowson

    I am 65 was overweight and tried every diet under the sun. Six months ago I started a low carb ( not no carb, no counting carbs, just eating healthy carbs and high healhy fat. No low fat refined foods), combined with intermittent fasting. I have lost 21/5 (around 30lb) my belly fat has disappeared and it was so easy. I have more energy than ever and I feel fantastic. It is not a diet, it is a way of life and it’s FREE!

  • Patricia Egan

    Diets really do offer a poor return for the efforts involved.

  • Linda Vestal

    So true!

  • 6699Jackie

    I managed to lose 15 1bs a few years back on a low carbs diet, i am now 62 i kept most off but needed to lose about 7 1bs so joined slimming world and am finding its great ive lost about 6 1bs i recommend it to anyone

  • Louise McElhill

    I’ve lost 8 lbs in two months and am really happy with the results of my diet. I have stopped drinking alcohol and eating bread. These two steps have made a big difference. Lunch is a latte plus or minus a small banana. Dinner is pretty much whatever I want. No snacking. If I’m bored in the late evening and want to consume something, I’ll have a herbal or fruit tea. If I’m absolutely desperate I’ll eat a couple of crackers. I walk lots but don’t go to the gym. That’s it. Even though I am not intentionally fasting, I have realized that I am in fact doing an 8:16 fast. Anyway, whatever I’m doing is working for me so I’m happy. I weigh myself once a month and have never expected to lose more than about 3 lbs per month. One big thing that I have noticed is that since I stopped drinking wine, I sleep muuuuuch better!

    • Rosey C.

      Louise McElhill Yes, giving up wine helps, but is hard to do. A woman needs a LITTLE pleasure in life. I’m trying for one glass on weekend only.

    • Louise McElhill

      @Rosey C. I’m not planning on making it permanent! Lol. But what is weird is that now I’ve reached the three month mark, I don’t miss it that much! I am very much looking forward to a large glass of chilled Pinot Grigio at Christmas though! 🥂🍸🍷🍹

  • Shoogle8

    What do you think about spinning classes? I’ve been doing it a couple of times a week for about two years. It hasn’t helped with weight loss but helps with my hip stability.

    • Laura Walker

      I ride my bike a few miles every day outside and it feels very good for my hips and legs and circulation

  • Rosey C.

    Total deprivation or banning entire food groups doesn’t work for me. Then, I just binge eat. Only trying now to reduce refined sugars, eat “good” carbs, drink water and get enough sleep..more fruits and veggies. It’s SO hard after menopause, but, I’m not going to stress over it anymore. Including daily exercise or yoga, and trying to eat healthy is all. Thanks much, Margaret! Rosemarie 🙂

  • Rosey C.

    Yes, Margaret…emotional eating is a BIG problem for me. It doesn’t actually fill whatever the “void” is in our lives, though. I’ve tried low-carb, calorie counting, and more; however, if feeling stressed or lonely/depressed, I’d head straight for the sweets. Rosemarie

  • sunbox

    I’m 38 y.o. but love to watch your videos and don’t know why. I guess because it’s about health and wellness you often talk about.

  • Marci JLo Vallun

    Margaret this is my favorite subject as I have battled so with emotional binging! At this mature age I found that understanding the science of what sugar and carbs does to my body has helped me get onto the straight and narrow with intermittent fasting AND healthy good food! I am not sure if it is the age factor or what but at 64 I am thinner, healthier and more in control and aware of what I eat! Fasting does it for me and a bit of following Keto! Thank you for your videos and wonderful content…..from South Africa!

  • Kelly B.

    Definitely an emotional eater. Lately due to health reasons I started a diet low in carbohydrates and sugar. It is the right thing to do. My mind is on pasta and millesfeuilles all the time though.

    • Square Peg

      Kelly B. There’s a low carb pasta and rice thing at Holland & Barrett it’s called Slim Pasta by a company called Eat Water. It’s made from konjac fibre, tastes a bit jelly rubbery like on its own, but you won’t be eating it on its own! My pasta loving friend says she barely notices the difference once her low carb sauce is on it

    • Kelly B.

      Square Peg I’ll try it thank you. But I don’t even like the without gluten ones!

    • Square Peg

      Kelly B. Oops! Well, if you google ‘keto pasta recipes’ and ‘low carb pasta’ and such terms, lots of alternatives pop up. There are tons of keto and low carb recipe sites as well as keto channels on here, I have made some delicious things like keto cheesecake with crushed konjac fibre bran crackers and quark cream cheese and I make a lot of things with ‘fat head dough’ check that out for pastry replacements, it’s so nice, my friend makes her own keto pizza with that, and it’s great 🥳

    • Kelly B.

      Square Peg wow you know so many things about that! I read today that if one eats one cup pasta with two cups vegetables for sauce it should be ok? I will look it up for this konjac thing. Thank you! PS. It is called Glucomannan and it is very useful for weight loss! I will learn more on that.

  • mi fa so la

    I just count my calories to 1200 to 1500 per day. Exercise at least 5 to 6 days a week. 1 to 2 hours per day.

  • 101 Life

    Well..when I decided to change my way of eating by cutting out sugar, refined carb; using healthy oils and half hour walk in the morning, I lost 3 lb /month. My A1C, blood pressure reading came back to normal. Every diet is a diet, either they make you helthy or unhealthy. Just my opinion 😃

  • Square Peg

    @Tribbles Well done!

  • Laura Walker

    I am very restricted and trying terribly to conquer post-infectious ibs-d. But not being allowed to eat a lot of foods, healthy or unhealthy, I don’t enjoy eating as much as I once did. And I don’t want to get involved with more medication… have eaten unnecessarily out of boredom and worry. I take a probiotic and a multivitamin most everyday…

  • Pam Caruso

    I weigh 143.4. I did weigh 183. Just eat better and exercise with Denise Austin and Margaret Richards. The pain of diabetes got my attention!! My feet could make anyone diet. I also workout with a couple other people. You have to change it up. Eat well 80 percent of the time and have your snacks 20 percent of the time. I fall off the wagon, but you get back on the wagon. Sugar is sooo bad for you it is insane!! I really try to stay away from it as much as I can. I know that when my daughter cured her diseases with eating healthy and juicing that was an eye opener.