Getting older doesn’t just mean nasty gray hairs and snarky wrinkles shocking you when you look in the mirror. There are many changes your body endures beneath the surface. is a loss of lean muscle mass, also known as sarcopenia. Staying on top of your muscle mass is the name of the game as you age. It depends! That’s why we’re here to share exactly how you can restore muscle mass after 60 with tips from our experts.
according to Harvard Health Publishing, you can lose 3% to 5% of your muscle mass every decade after your 30th birthday. If you do nothing to build and maintain lean muscle mass, sarcopenia can lead to decreased mobility. Needless to say, there’s never been a better time to take action and make big changes to your daily routine.
We spoke with Maggie Priore, Fyt’s Personal Trainer. Fyt, the nation’s largest personal training service offering in-person or virtual expert training, teaches you the top daily habits to restore muscle mass after age 60. It’s time to listen. And take notes!
Let’s do it: Strength training is king. Especially when it comes to building and maintaining muscle mass. Priore calls it “the most important habit you can develop to build muscle mass at any age.”
Performing exercises with “progressive overload,” which means slowly increasing the time, number of reps, or weight to increase the intensity of the movement, helps restore muscle mass, according to Priore. , “Other benefits include having more energy throughout the day, added protection against arthritis (and other ailments that increase risk as we age), improved posture, and It includes increased flexibility.”
If you’re new to strength training, incorporate it into your fitness routine for 30-45 minutes 2-3 times a week.
Now that you know the need for strength training, let’s talk about goal setting. Setting small goals is essential when starting any health and fitness regimen. Do you have another important tip? It’s all a process, so be patient!
According to Priore, “Setting goals that are too lofty or expecting significant muscle gains in just a few weeks can be discouraging. Gaining muscle takes time.” I suggest writing down goals you want to achieve in months, three months, six months. At the end of each period, she writes down what she did well and what she can work on. Tweak your goals as needed each time you reassess your progress.
Stretching helps prevent muscle soreness and injury. Following a solid warm-up and cool-down routine after each workout is not a question, it’s a requirement. Plus, “Spending some time stretching on non-strength days can improve posture, eliminate back pain, and increase flexibility,” explains Priore.
Well, I can’t say enough good things about strength training, but don’t forget to show some love for low-impact cardio too. Making time for low-impact aerobic exercise can be very beneficial. Why? Priore says this form of exercise can help you lose fat and tone your whole body. Low-impact cardio is a great option to incorporate into your regular fitness rotation. Let’s get started right away.
Increasing the amount of protein you consume has many health benefits. [will it] Helps restore muscle mass, [it will] It also helps promote weight loss. People trying to build muscle mass should consume 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. ”
In case you didn’t know, getting enough good sleep is just as important as maintaining a healthy eating and training routine. “An active adult should get at least seven hours of sleep per night,” explains Prior, adding: Better energy for your next workout. ”
Alexa Meraldo
Alexa is Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That! and oversees the M+B channel, providing readers with compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics.Read more about Alexa
