5 Ways to Stay Strong as You Age (2024)

FAQs

How do you stay strong as you age? ›

Be active most days of the week.

“One cause of frailty is the age-related loss of muscle mass,” Durso explains. Research suggests that activities like walking and easy strength-training moves improve strength and reduce weakness – even in very old, frail adults. Every little bit helps, at any age.

“The squat is the most important exercise for seniors,” says Eric Daw, a personal trainer dedicated to older adults and founder of Omni-Fitt in Toronto, Canada.  “When you have to go to the washroom, that's a squat. When you get in the car, that's a squat. Every time you sit down or stand up, that's a squat.

Keep moving — Engage in regular exercise, including resistance training, to maintain muscle and strength. 2. Remember protein — Eat good sources of protein from lean meats, eggs and beans. Aim for 25-30 grams of protein at every meal.

“Incorporating weight-bearing activities, strength training and/or a resistance training program to improve muscle mass and strength is extremely beneficial,” says Maclin. The best exercises to build muscle include: Bodyweight exercises, like pushups, squats, planks and lunges. Strength training using weight machines.

But you can stop yourself from shrinking too much by regularly exercising -- especially weight-bearing exercises like jogging or running, or other activities that work the legs and the hips. A diet rich in vitamin D and calcium also helps -- try almonds, broccoli or kale, or you can take supplements.

B12 is a vitamin that is necessary for high levels of energy. As you age, your body isn't as able to absorb B12 from foods as well, so it's important that you eat enough foods with this vitamin.

How do you stay fit as you age? ›

Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. If you weren't physically active before, or you haven't been active in a while, start slowly. Even 5 minutes of physical activity has health benefits, and you can build up to more over time!

As we age it's normal to experience some reduction in muscle mass, strength and function, a condition known as sarcopenia. These changes begin as early as your 30s and continue at a rate of 3% to 5% per decade. The good news is that strength training can help you maintain and rebuild muscle at any age.

Typically, muscle mass and strength increase steadily from birth and reach their peak at around 30 to 35 years of age. After that, muscle power and performance decline slowly and linearly at first, and then faster after age 65 for women and 70 for men.

You gradually begin losing muscle mass and strength sometime in your 30s or 40s. This process picks up between the ages of 65 and 80. Rates vary, but you may lose as much as 8% of your muscle mass each decade. Everyone loses muscle mass over time, but people with sarcopenia lose it more quickly.

Any loss of muscle matters because it lessens strength and mobility. Sarcopenia typically happens faster around age 75. But it may also speed up as early as 65 or as late as 80. It's a factor in frailty and the likelihood of falls and fractures in older adults.