I eat healthy and plant based, so why can't I lose weight after 50?
This is the most common question Mavy Wellness hears. Whole food plant based eating is great for your health, but it isn't designed for body composition. After 50, the usual reasons for being stuck are too little protein, no progressive strength training, portions of calorie dense plant foods adding up, and years of on and off dieting.
The most common reasons, and what helps:
Low protein. Many plant based eaters get about 40 grams a day. Raising it protects muscle and keeps hunger down.
No strength plan. Walking and classes are great, but without strength training that gets gradually harder, muscle slowly fades, and so does your metabolism.
Calorie dense foods. Nuts, nut butters, oils, dried fruit, breads and plant based treats are easy to overeat. There are lots of ways to be an unhealthy vegan.
Under eating. Some people eat too little for years, and the body adapts. Sometimes the fix is eating more, then losing slowly.
Assuming you're doing everything right. Tracking for a couple of weeks usually shows what's really going on.
Gary, a Mavy client, had eaten whole food plant based since 2011 and plateaued for years. His wife, a retired nurse, knew healthy eating well and was frustrated she couldn't lose. With protein targets, a strength plan and coaching, he lost 14 pounds and she lost 17 pounds. In her words, it was frustratingly slow at times: a lifestyle, not a quick fix.
What the research says. A 2018 review of 49 studies in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that protein helps resistance training build muscle, with the benefit leveling off around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. [1] In a 2017 New England Journal of Medicine trial of 160 adults over 65 who were losing weight, those who did resistance training kept more of their lean muscle than those who only did aerobic exercise. [2]
Watch on the Forever Fit Podcast: Stuck in a Fat Loss Plateau After 50? 5 Fixes That Actually Work (Ep. 460)
"What's best about Maxime's approach is that he emphasizes the fundamentals first. This book lays a solid foundation, guiding readers through core principles of sustainable weight loss on a plant-based diet."
Dr. Matthew Nagra, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, on Forever Fit
To find out what's keeping you stuck, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
Morton RW et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine 52(6):376-384. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/
Villareal DT et al. (2017). Aerobic or resistance exercise, or both, in dieting obese older adults. New England Journal of Medicine 376:1943-1955. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28514618/
About the author. Maxime Sigouin is the founder of Mavy Wellness (formerly FitVegan Coaching) and the author of Forever Fit, a book endorsed by physicians including Neal D. Barnard, MD, Laurie Marbas, MD, and James F. Loomis, MD. He has coached for more than six and a half years and, with his team, has coached nearly 1,300 adults over 50 on a whole food plant based diet. He hosts the Forever Fit Podcast, with more than 450 episodes.
Last updated: October 19, 2026. This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise or nutrition program.
