It’s a perennial problem for many of us: how to get rid of those pesky pounds we’ve put on in recent years and then how to maintain the weight loss after we’ve successfully lost it. The typical advice of burning more calories through exercise and cutting the number of calories you ingest holds true as we age, but somehow the weight still seems harder to shed. Well, it’s not your imagination: as we age, our metabolism slows, our muscle tissue diminishes and even if we’re not indulging in nightly food no-nos, we really have to eat less (or more wisely) to maintain our usual weight. Sounds daunting? Not if you can stick with the plan- find out about healthy weight loss while aging by reading this Consumer Reports post here.

Want more specific suggestions? Over at The New York Times, writer Jane Brody is selling the gospel of portion control as a way to keep your weight in line. Her suggestions include downsizing your dishes and using salad plates rather than larger plates for dinners, as well as focusing more on limiting quantity rather than cutting out specific foods- that way you’re not resentful or obsessing about foods you miss. Along these lines she also extols the value of a new book just out, Finally Full, Finally Slim: 30 Days to Permanent Weight Loss One Portion at a Time by registered dietician Lisa Young.

What about cutting out fat or carbs to kickstart a weight loss program? What’s most important to monitor and limit are the added sugars and refined grains you eat, rather than specific foods with fat or carbs. And up your vegetable intake. As for protein? Yes, please. New research seems to indicate that higher-protein, lower calorie diets in obese older people can help with safe weight loss and maintenance of muscle mass. Finally, don’t forget the physical activity- you’ve got to burn those calories while monitoring your food intake. For some good advice about walking for weight loss, strap on that Fitbit and start clicking here.