seniors losing too much weight?

[cto]

Hello!
I hope I am posting in the correct place, I am new here. I am posting because I am concerned about my parents who are both in their 80s. We all started this diet about a year and a half ago, and are all very happy on it, except my parents keep losing weight. They have been on an intermittent fasting diet for about 20 years, so they eat all their meals in about 5 hours, and have maintained steadily their normal young-adult weights. But since cutting dairy and meat (they ate very little meat anyway) they have been steadily losing and now weigh less than they ever have before. They eat loads: breads and nut butters, oatmeal, fruit, they seem to be doing everything right. In some ways it seems good, because they have both lost stomach fat, and I understand that what they need to do is maintain and build muscle, but it's difficult at 80. They are active and seem healthy, though not as strong as they used to be. They refuse to go to see a doctor.

They don't want to stop intermittent fasting as they love it, they don't want to go back to eating dairy and meat, and they don't want to exercise with weights because they say they don't have time. But they are worried about the weight loss. What can I suggest to help them stop losing weight? And even more importantly, is it safe for people in their 80s to be on this diet if they are so thin? (We all really want to believe that it is because we like eating this way.)

I saw a table somewhere on this forum that suggested correct weights vs height, and they are at or slightly below those weights. (I will have to ask them again to be exact, because they haven't told me their weights for a while and I'm not sure I remember correctly)

Thank you for any insights!

[jamietwo]

Its commendable that you're concerned about your parents. With all due respect, it doesn't sound like they are on the McDougall diet. If they were, I'd say don't worry about the weight loss - they'll find their normal weight when they get there. If you're concerned, you might want to enter their information into a bmi calculator. Good luck!

[cto]

Out of curiosity, in what way do you think they aren't on the McDougall diet? They are eating a whole food, plant based diet. They have been for 20 years, but with dairy and once or twice a week fish, now they have stopped the dairy and fish. I thought this is the diet we are talking about? The change was inspired by the Forks over Knives concept, and all the intelligent people involved in that, including McDougall.

Is it wrong that I posted here? I was directed to this forum from the Forks over Knives website, while seeking information.

ETA: They have combined that with intermittent fasting and I am particularly interested in insight about the combination of the two diets, especially for seniors who are not overweight. I have advised them to increase the hours they eat, to maybe 6 or 8, but they don't want to.

I guess really their recent weight loss has resulted mainly from stopping dairy and has mostly involved a loss of stomach fat, which I think is probably fine. It is probably natural that someone with low body fat would weight less at 80 than at 25, so by maintaining the same weight over the years they have lost muscle and replaced it with fat, and now they are losing that fat. My logic tells me it is probably OK but I am posting because I would like insight from others who might know more. I am asking with their permission, of course, they don't use computers much

[PJK]

Would be helpful to know your parents' precise heights, body type (thin, medium, heavy), and current weight. Also, what were their max. weights *before* they changed their diets?

It could be as simple as then checking their height and weights on a BMI chart. I understand BMI isn't everything, but it can be a helpful guide.

Another possibility: Because many of us are now so used to seeing people who are overweight, we think normal weight looks too thin.

[cto]

Ok, I will post their weights and heights when I speak to them a bit later today. I have never thought highly of BMI. We did check hip to waist ratios and they were better after the weight loss.

[cto]

I just spoke to my parents.

Mom is 5 feet 5 inches, and weighs 110 pounds (young adult weight was 110-115, before recent diet change she was 120).
Dad is 5 feet 10 inches and weighs 137 pounds (young adult weight was 140-150, before recent diet change he was around 145).

So, worked out their BMIs and Mom is 18.3 and Dad is 19.7. I guess there is nothing wrong with their weights? Both want to gain weight though, and are worried.

[VeggieSue]

Mom is 5 feet 5 inches, and weighs 110 pounds (young adult weight was 110-115, before recent diet change she was 120).
Dad is 5 feet 10 inches and weighs 137 pounds (young adult weight was 140-150, before recent diet change he was around 145).

They sound fine to me, especially with their BMI's in the normal range. Consider this - Dr. McDougall is 6'2" (It's over 6' - I may have the inches wrong) and is happy to be 150 and has been lower.

Both want to gain weight though, and are worried.

Are they active? Can they start a workout regimen with weights? Many of these doctors say to lose weight in the kitchen but gain weight in the gym. Gaining muscle would probably be better for them now than filling up on more of the higher fat foods.

BTW, I see nothing wrong with their diets as you wrote it out. For people who are healthy and at healthy weights they *are* allowed to eat the nut butters, avocados, etc., just be sure to stay away from the oils and other isolated fats. People on these forums are so used to wanting to lose weight and following the MWLP guidelines they forget that the program as originally written wasn't geared towards weight loss, just health.

You may want to put your original post on Jeff Novick's forum, too. He's the dietitian for the McDougall Program and has 5 degrees, one of them in Exercise Physiology, so his advice would hold much more weight (pardon the pun) than anything I would tell you about nutrition and exercise for your parents.

[jamietwo]

Out of curiosity, in what way do you think they aren't on the McDougall diet?

Sorry, I may have misunderstood you. I thought you were saying they ONLY ate bread, nut butter, oatmeal and fruit, which technically is part of this way of eating, but we typically throw some vegetables in the mix too. My bigger concern was the IF which is not part of the diet, but to each his own.

I'm glad to hear they're within the healthy BMI range, feel good, and are so busy!