aging

Focus on Strength Training as You Age

Photo from Harvard Health

Aging is inevitable; losing your strength and ability to perform daily activities doesn’t have to be. Sarcopenia is a term used to describe the age-related progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. The process begins in your 40s and ramps-up between the ages of 65 and 80. While age-related strength loss is normal, sarcopenia speeds up the loss of muscle mass and can reduce your muscle mass by 8% each decade. Factors such as insulin resistance, obesity, loss of mobility, and inactivity contribute to the progressive loss of muscle mass in older adults and as a result increase the risk for falls and make daily activities difficult to perform. 

Sarcopenia is often diagnosed with the following mnemonic:

S – strength (loss of strength)

A – assistive device (use of a device for walking)

R – rising from a chair (difficulty standing from a chair without use of hands)

C – climbing stairs (difficulty with stair climbing)

F – falls (presence of falls in the last year)

Aging might suddenly sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be as long as you stay moving! Improving your strength and staying active reduces your risk at developing sarcopenia and also improves your quality of life. Strength training alone can improve your ability to complete daily activities, protect your joints from injuries, improve your balance, and reduce your risk for falls. It can also enhance your thinking skills, improve bone density (to reduce risk for osteoporosis), and help manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and depression. 

Strength training as you age doesn’t have to be difficult. Research shows that exercising even just 2-3x per week can enhance muscle mass and strength. Ideally, 2-3 sets of 1-2 exercises for each major muscle group should be performed. If the “ideal” situation doesn’t exactly match your lifestyle, try starting small and just get moving! Any physical activity is better than no physical activity, because even small steps lead to big changes. Try walking more often, getting up out of your chair repetitively to build leg strength, lifting small weights, or joining a fitness class at your local facility; make the change to live a longer healthier life! 


Eat Well, Feel Well

As we age proper nutrition becomes essential, however, getting older also can come with barriers to healthy eating habits. These barriers can include lack of appetite, decreased thirst and decreased sense of smell and taste. These barriers can be caused by a wide variety of factors, including medications and a sense of social isolation. Overcoming these barriers can be difficult, but with an open mind, positive attitude, and possibly a little bit of help, healthy eating habits can be achieved. Below you will find some tips on how to make some healthy changes to your diet. Please be sure to contact a health care provider before making any serious changes to your diet

  • Choose nutrients over calories- While those chips and candy bars may seem more appealing, they have what are considered “empty calories”, meaning they contain calories but very little nutritional value and will only sustain your hunger for a small period of time. If you’re craving something salty, try grabbing a handful of nuts or seeds instead of the bag of chips. If you have a sweet tooth, instead of going for the candy bar, try going for a piece of fresh fruit or a handful of dried fruit. These alternatives will still satisfy your cravings, while also fueling your body
  • Go for the H20- Remembering to drink water can be hard, especially if you have a decreased sense of thirst. A good way to help increase your water intake is to get a water bottle or a tumbler and always have it near you; that way you don’t have to get up and go to the kitchen, you can just reach over and take a swig or two. Another trick is to make it like a game- keep a tally in a notebook or on a whiteboard for how many cups/bottles of water you drink a day. Having that visual can help not only remember to drink water, but actually make it more enjoyable.
  • Stimulate the senses- If you have a lack of appetite due to decreased sense of smell or taste, this tip is the one for you. One way to boost your appetite is to have your food appeal to your other senses, like sight. Studies show that using bright colored vegetables and fruits in your meals can help increase your appetite and subsequently also make your meal healthier. You can also spice things up with different flavors and seasonings to enhance your taste buds. This does include salt-while salt may make your food taste better, too much of can cause/worsen certain heart issues. Instead, try grabbing spices like cinnamon, paprika, and curry, or herbs like cilantro, oregano and basil. 
  • Small and steady- You may not have the appetite for three large meals a day, and that is okay! Smaller and more frequent meals and snacks can still provide you with a sufficient amount of nutrients. When doing this, you want to be sure you are getting enough calories to meet your body’s needs, but also meeting your nutritional needs. Some examples are having a small breakfast of yogurt or oatmeal with some fruit, nuts or granola on top, or a lunch of a salad with dark leafy greens, veggies and seeds. 
  • Get moving – If you find yourself not having much of an appetite, get up and get moving! Along with its many other benefits, physical activity can help increase your metabolism and make you hungrier. Regular physical activity is also beneficial helping with proper food digestion and preventing constipation.

Written by: Dr. Taylor Ryan