Aging Functional Strength Healthy Living
July 11th, 2022
Sarcopenia: How to Reverse Age-Related Muscle Loss
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After age 30, you can expect to lose up to 5% of your muscle mass every decade—unless you work to maintain or improve it. This loss of muscle mass is known as sarcopenia, which is (unfortunately) a natural part of aging.
The good news is that it’s possible to reverse it and gain muscle mass after 30 and beyond. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to minimize age-related muscle loss, increase muscle mass, and continue participating in the activities you love— at any age!
What Causes Sarcopenia?
Sarcopenia primarily occurs due to inactivity and an aging body. Staying active is anti-aging and prevents the main causes of morbidity and mortality. But it’s important to include resistance training in your regular regime to ensure you maintain your muscle mass.
How To Train For Your Age
Strengthening exercises using dumbbells, resistance bands, or bodyweight will increase your muscle tissue and build strength. It can also prevent age-related injuries, such as back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, and more.
A customized exercise plan based on your unique needs, injury history and available equipment is an excellent investment – especially as you age. The right plan doesn’t have to be complicated – or involve a ton of equipment – it just has to be right for you.
Whether you choose to get professional help or incorporate weight training on your own, here are a few tips for success:
Stay Consistent
When it comes to muscle, our bodies subscribe to the ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’ rule of thumb. This means performing strengthening workouts regularly and making progress as time goes on (such as moving onto a harder variation of an exercise or adding more weight, or performing more reps.)
Watch Your Diet
Building muscle mass isn’t just about what you do in the gym – diet matters too. Many people don’t consume enough protein – it’s a great idea to get some dietary advice from a professional to ensure your diet supports your goals and contributes to your success.
Be Patient
Growing muscle takes time! Plus, learning proper techniques can be a learning curve for many individuals. So we recommend a ‘slow and steady’ approach, focused on safety and form above all else.
Walk Daily
On top of resistance training, daily walks can help increase your muscle mass, endurance, flexibility, and mobility. Research even shows that walking regularly may slow biological aging.
It’s Never Too Late!
At Nielsen Fitness, we’d love to help you get started with a muscle-building and longevity plan. Our team is proud to offer virtual personal training or provide a personal trainer within the comfort of your own home. Get in touch with us today!
