A Diet and Exercise Plan for a 60-Year-Old Woman
Weight ManagementWeight Loss

Staying Fit at 60: Diet and Exercise Tips for Women

Staying Fit at 60: Diet and Exercise Tips for Women
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Updated on December 17, 2025
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Some say 60 is the new 40. And one way to look and feel younger is by staying active and eating a healthy diet.

By age 60, women experience a decline in estrogen, a hormone that also plays a role in how body fat is distributed.

 As a result, you may notice that your body feels and looks different.
But research shows that lifestyle changes after menopause can make a real difference in improving fitness and weight loss efforts. An older meta-analysis looked at 11 previous research studies on postmenopausal women who had obesity. It found that women who combined diet with exercise lost an additional 1.2 pounds (lb) compared to those who only made dietary changes.

Women who focused only on diet or exercise — but not both — also lost weight, but not as much. One study found that those who changed their diet lost 3.49 more pounds, on average, than those who did not.

Weight Gain With Age

The likelihood of gaining weight increases as women age.

Many women gain an average of 5 lb after menopause. This may be because of lower estrogen levels and a slower metabolism. Losing muscle mass, which can happen with age, will cause your metabolism to slow down.

 If you include resistance training in your exercise regimen, it is possible to gain muscle after 50.

Other reasons may be genetics. If your parents carry weight around the midsection, you’re also more likely to gain fat around your belly.

 In addition, your body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) — the rate at which you burn calories — starts to decline around age 47 (an average for both men and women combined). Total energy expenditure (TEE) also starts to decline around age 63.

How Many Calories Do I Need?

The guidelines for your calorie intake change as you get older. The average number of calories you need depends on your activity level. If you’re inactive, 1,600 calories a day is a good number to aim for, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These guidelines are based on a 5-foot-4 woman who weighs 126 lb.

If you’re moderately active, the guidelines suggest consuming 1,800 calories a day. The USDA defines a moderately active woman as one who walks 1.5 to 3 miles a day at a rate of 3 to 4 miles per hour in addition to activities of daily living.

If you’re active, the guidelines suggest taking in about 2,200 calories per day.

 An active woman is defined as one who walks more than 3 miles a day at a rate of 3 to 4 miles per hour.

Nutrition and Diet Tips for Healthy Aging

As you age, focus on eating nutritious foods, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products. The Mediterranean diet can be a good choice for many.

The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, which is approximately 60 grams (g) for a 165-lb woman.

Some studies show that adults who do resistance training twice a week may benefit from slightly higher protein portions, approximately 75 to 98 g for the same 165-lb adult.

Focus on high-quality proteins, such as a 3.5-ounce (oz) serving of chicken, which provides 32 g of protein, or 8 oz of nonfat or low-fat milk, which provides 8 g of protein.

One cup of cooked lentils includes 18 g of protein.

 Other good protein choices are legumes, eggs, fish, and lean meat.
Mayo Clinic suggests keeping waist measurements below 35 inches for women 60 and older, as higher measurements mean more belly fat, which can lead to health problems. Eating a plant-based diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains along with lean protein and low-fat dairy foods can help you do this. Get your fat from fish, nuts, and olive oil. And replace sugary beverages with water.

If you’re trying to lose weight, do not attempt to lose a lot of it at once. Rapid weight loss typically consists of water and muscle, not fat. Try for 1 to 2 lb a week, and check with your doctor before starting a new diet or exercise program.

Exercise Tips for Women Over 60

In your 60s is a good time to do resistance training, which helps counteract muscle loss. You can do resistance training with both free weights and weight machines for greater muscle engagement. Aim to challenge your major muscle groups: your chest, back, arms, and legs.

Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week to avoid accumulating belly fat as you grow older. That’s 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If you exercise at a higher intensity, try to get 75 minutes of exercise a week, or 15 minutes per day, five days a week.

If you’re looking to ease into exercise, consider interval training. Instead of a steady run or bike ride, alternate one to two minutes of intense activity that causes you to breathe hard with one to two minutes of an easier activity. Do this one to two times a week along with your weight training.

Researchers found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can reverse age-related decline in muscle cells. HIIT appeared to improve the muscle’s ability to produce energy and triggered the growth of new muscle. Changes were most dramatic in people over 65.

Exercise classes allow you to combine socializing with physical activity. Water aerobics is easier on the joints and is a low-impact workout.

 Try different cardio, weights, interval training, yoga, gardening, and anything else that keeps you moving within your limits.

 Whatever you do, keep adding challenge and variety to your workouts.

Just be sure to consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program to make sure that it’s a good fit for you.

The Takeaway

  • Losing muscle mass and gaining weight can become more common in your 60s. But adopting a balanced diet and regular exercise routine can help mitigate these changes.
  • Weight training can aid in retaining muscle mass and alleviating joint stress, which is particularly beneficial if you have arthritis.
  • High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective workout that not only challenges muscle endurance, but it can also help reverse some age-related muscle declines.
  • Regular physical activity of at least 150 minutes per week, combined with a nutrient-rich diet, offers numerous benefits, though you should consult a healthcare professional before beginning new exercise regimens or diets.
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Kara-Andrew-bio

Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN, is the director of health promotion for Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois. She is also licensed as an exercise physiologist and certified in lifestyle medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her experience includes corporate wellness, teaching for the American College of Sports Medicine, sports nutrition, weight management, integrative medicine, oncology support, and dialysis.

She earned her master's in exercise and nutrition science at Lipscomb University.

Andrew has served as a president and board member of the Nashville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was recently elected a co-chair of the fitness and medicine group in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

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Karen Gardner

Author

Karen Gardner is a professional writer and editor based in Maryland. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and has a passion for endurance sports, particularly marathon running and long-distance cycling.

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Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
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