By Judy Davie
If you are carrying a few extra kilos now you are in your sixties don't despair. It's easy to lose them and stay healthy if you select from our over sixties weight loss meal ideas.
At this stage in life, it's important to modify your eating habits and consider bone health. With increased weight bearing exercise and an increased amount of calcium from foods such as low-fat dairy, tofu, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, you can reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. And the good news is that studies have shown that weight loss is easier to achieve when calcium-rich foods are included in the diet.
The recommended daily intake of calcium for strong healthy bones is 1300mg a day. Each of our selected meals are designed to be high in calcium, rich in a broad range of other nutrients and considerate of calories.
Each meal lists the calcium content so make sure when you are selecting you achieve the daily intake of 1300mg.
Five healthy breakfast ideas
Porridge — 400mg
Add ½ cup rolled oats to approx 2/3 cup boiling water, reduce to a low heat and add ½ cup skim milk. When water and milk are almost absorbed, add a sprinkle of cinnamon, a few raisins and some chopped walnuts. Add an extra ½ cup skimmed milk if needed, turn off heat, cover and let stand for five minutes. Serve with sliced banana and berries.
Scrambled eggs and toast — 170mg
2 slices toasted wholegrain bread with 1 egg, scrambled with a 3 tbsp of skim milk. Spread toast with 1 tsp of tahini and serve with sliced avocado and fresh tomato.
Muesli and fruit — 325mg
Combine ½ cup natural untoasted muesli with 3 tbsp low fat plain yoghurt and chopped fruit in season such as strawberries, apple, pear, kiwi or banana. Add skim milk to moisten if necessary and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Fruit salad, yoghurt and nuts — 300mg
Mix chopped fresh fruit with ½ cup low fat plain yoghurt and 4 chopped prunes. Add 8 almonds, 2 tsp sesame seeds and 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds and sprinkle with cinnamon.
English muffin — 360mg
Toast 1 wholegrain English muffin and spread with 1.5 tbsp low fat cream cheese. Top with a small can red salmon, drained, sliced avocado and wilted baby spinach.
Five healthy snack ideas
1 large green apple or pear...
With 30g low fat cheddar cheese and 10 almonds
— 355mg
3 wholegrain crispbread...
Topped with 30g low fat cheddar cheese, sliced tomato, 1 tsp sesame seeds and cracked black pepper
— 340mg
200g tub low-fat plain yoghurt...
With 1 small piece fruit or 8-10 almonds
— 440mg
1 low-fat latte...
Plus 2 sesame snaps
— 440mg
Low fat smoothie — 470mg
Combine 1 cup skim milk, ½ banana, chopped berries (frozen are fine when not in season), 2 tbsp low fat yoghurt and 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds and whiz in a blender. Add cinnamon to taste. This is also a delicious breakfast idea, perhaps increasing the ingredients slightly for added sustenance.
Five healthy lunch ideas
Salmon and bean salad — 355mg
Combine 1-2 cups leafy salad greens, 1 small can red salmon (drained, but keep the bones for their calcium content), sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced carrot and celery and add ½ cup cannellini beans (canned and drained). Add a few capers and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and dress with 1 tbsp olive oil and white wine vinegar.
Tempeh and rocket salad — 630mg
Combine 1-2 cups fresh rocket with 100 grams sliced tempeh, sliced tomato, chopped mushrooms and sprinkle with 1 tbsp crumbled walnuts. Top with 1 tbsp olive oil and vinegar dressing.
Chicken, cheese and avocado sandwich — 395mg
Using 2 slices wholegrain bread, spread with avocado and fill with baby spinach, sliced cooked chicken breast (free range if possible), grated carrot/beetroot, sprouts and 1 slice low fat cheese.
Scrambled eggs/omelette — 595mg
Using two eggs and around ½ cup low fat milk, either scramble eggs, with a little shredded spinach and diced onion, or pour over pan to make an omelette, sprinkling with fresh herbs and grated low fat cheese. Serve with a side green salad and 2 slices dense, wholegrain bread spread with tahini.
Salmon salad sandwich — 280mg
Spread 2 slices wholegrain bread with tahini. Fill with rocket leaves, 1 can drained red salmon (keeping the bones), low fat cottage cheese, sliced tomato and cucumber.
Five healthy dinner ideas
Recipe: Sesame crusted salmon with Asian coleslaw
Easy chicken stir fry — 125mg
Heat olive oil in a wok, and stir fry chopped onion and garlic. Add chopped chicken breast (depending on how many you have to serve, allowing approx 150g chicken per person) and stir fry till browned. Remove from pan; add chopped vegies (carrot, capsicum, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, bok choy etc) and stir fry till almost cooked. Put chicken back in the wok, adding sauces of choice (soy, tamari, mirin, sweet chilli etc), and stir fry till the chicken is fully cooked. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds and serve over brown rice (allowing yourself approx ½-1 cup).
Recipe: Sesame tofu on Asian greens
— 580mg
Grilled fillet steak and salad — 100mg
Brush a small fillet steak with olive oil and press with sesame seeds, grill to your liking. Serve with a green salad and vegetables, such as steamed sweetcorn, asparagus and broccoli.
Recipe: Tofu with mushrooms and choy sum
Serve over cooked quinoa grain
— 535mg
