But there is one thing that may help tame those fears and give you a better chance at securing the future you want. The best part is you already have it: muscle.
Muscle gets overlooked when it comes to healthy aging. People tend to think about potential issues like osteoporosis, frailty, trouble moving, heart trouble, and more. The list goes on.
But muscle can help with all that. It can help protect your bones and substantially lower the risk for frailty. Muscle helps improve your metabolism to reduce the risk of a host of chronic illnesses. Perhaps most importantly, muscle promotes independence.
You may not associate building muscle or strength with old age. But when you exercise and challenge your muscles regularly, say two or three times per week, you have the potential to improve several components of overall health vastly.
So, what do you need to build muscle? Thankfully, it’s a lot more than barbells and dumbbells. You have plenty of options, include weight-bearing exercises like walking or standing up from a seated position.
Exercise and using the muscles is only one part of the equation, however. It’s also imperative to ensure you’re eating enough protein every day to maintain and build muscle.
A rough estimate of how much you’re eating is roughly 1 – 1.2 g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Animal products like beef, chicken, yogurt, etc. are the most protein-dense foods available.
The final box to check for strong and healthy muscles is good sleep. Sleep allows your muscle to recover and grow so it can come back stronger and better the next day.
Muscle mass and strength offer all kinds of potential for older individuals. Do your best to maintain what you have, and practice these tips to add a little more!