Building Physical Strength After 50: My Top Five Tips
If you’ve hit 50, you know that your body is struggling a bit more than it did when you were younger. You might have more aches and pains, feel more tired and probably don’t feel as strong as you used to. Did you know this is all normal because we aren’t producing hormones like we used to. But it doesn’t mean we stop working to build strength.
Building physical strength is harder, but it is MORE IMPORTANT than ever after you hit 50.
Top Five Tips to Build Physical Strength
- Don’t get injured.
- Do resistance training
- Move every day
- Consume protein
- Get some sleep
Let’s jump into why you need each of these to build more strength after 50.
1. Don’t get injured
This is a priority! Injuries happen a lot easier as we get older. Also, have you noticed you don’t heal as quickly if you do get injured once you are in your 40’s and 50’s? Warming up is much more important as you get older. Fifteen or twenty minutes is a great goal. Do lots of stretching.
Warm Up Tips
Here are a few warm up tips from my husband, Chris, who is a former pro natural bodybuilder and rarely misses a workout.
- Take a very light dumbell and just do a few rotations to make sure everything feels okay, especially if you have a stiff joint.
- Next, practice the movements you will be doing without the weights. Do a few reps and make sure everything feels good. This gets your body ready for the movement.
- Then try half the weight and do a few reps to keep warming up.
- Slowing increase the weight, but drop the reps.
- Stop the movement at any point in the process if you are still feeling discomfort. Do another exercise instead.
2. Resistance Training
Everyone should be doing resistance training, but it becomes even more important if you are over 50. Resistance strength training should be a lifetime routine. And it is never too late to start!
Resistance training is a form of exercise intended to increase muscular strength and endurance. It involves exercising muscles using some form of resistance. This resistance could be weights, bands, or even your own body weight working against gravity. -Nicole M. LaMarco, Very Well Fit
Building Physical Strength
You can build an equal amount of muscle with lighter weights for more repetitions and heavier weights for fewer repetitions. I’ve read a lot of research, and some trainers will lean more toward heavier weights over more reps. But in the end, your body will be stronger regardless of the approach you use. The key is to fatigue the muscle, because it will then break down and rebuild itself stronger. You should do a workout two or three times a week.
3. Get Your Protein
Consuming protein is vital to gain muscle and keep it. So, it’s important to know what protein does and why you need it. Protein is made up of amino acids. Your body breaks down your amino acids and that’s what builds new muscle tissue. Think of them as legos stacking up, making you stronger!
There is so much information on protein and how much women should consume. Based on everything I have researched, here’s where I’ve landed: You should have 1-2 grams of protein for every kilogram of weight. For us non-metric girls, that’s about 1-2 grams of protein for every 2 pounds of weight. So if you weigh 150lbs, you need between 75 to 150 grams of protein a day. At this weight, shoot for 100g of protein/day and that is a great goal!
Reaching the lower end of this protein goal is totally achievable. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Start small by just adding one extra protein a day, like a protein shake. You know I love Arbonne’s protein shakes and that would be my recommendation. It’s a super clean vegan protein blend that tastes great! I typically drink a Meal Replacement shake to get 24g of protein. Super simple meal you can take on the go. Another easy way to consume protein is egg whites. Did you know these are the highest form of protein and are the very best for you? Try a veggie egg white scramble in the morning.
As I continue to work on fitting more protein into my schedule, I will write a post soon with some tips and a working model of how you might achieve this. My lifetime weight-lifting husband has always told me I need more protein!
4. Move Every Day
So if you do resistance training 3 days a week, that gives your body time to recover, but it doesn’t mean you don’t do anything. The one thing I do pretty much every day is stretch and walk. Walking is a great way to get moving and also to get some fresh air and lift your mood. Don’t let a cold day stop you.
Movement keeps you burning fat and allows the the protein you are consuming to keep building muscle and strength. Find things you enjoy and do a variety of things that use different muscles. Biking, swimming, hiking, gardening, golf, pickleball, bowling, and heavy cleaning can all count as physical activity. A day of yard work can definitely give you some sore muscles, and that’s a good thing!
5. Sleep and Recovery
Sleep is one of the best ways you can build physical strength in your 50’s. This might surprise you but think about how you feel when you don’t get enough sleep. Your whole body feels it. You’re exhausted and less likely to do a workout if you haven’t had some good sleep.
Sleep Facts
There was a recent study done on people trying to lose weight. Two groups of individuals in the study both consumed the same amount of calories. One group slept 8-9 hours a night, while the other group only slept 4-5 hours a night. Guess what they found? Both groups lost a similar amount of weight but the group that got more sleep lost 80% fat and a little muscle. However, the group with little sleep lost almost the opposite of that. They lost a bunch of muscle and just a little fat.
If you are struggling to get a good night’s sleep, take some steps to help yourself. Get off screens at least an hour before bedtime. We all need a break from the blue light from our phones to wind our bodies down. Our minds need rest too. Check out my Screen Sabbatical post for more on this.
Another way to help you sleep better is to avoid eating late in the evening. Give your digestive system a chance to settle down. This will also help you keep off more weight. Instead, try a warm drink. My two favorite things to drink in the evening are Dream Tea and Inner Calm. The Inner Calm powder is a de-stressing blend with Ashwagandha that will help you wind down. I add it to the Dream Tea and it makes a great nightcap!
Why Do You Want Muscle After 50?
Well, my number one reason is to be able to enjoy life as long as I can. The quality of life we enjoy can play a huge role in what we are able to do and the time we can spend with others. IF you do have a surgery, like hip replacement, you will recover faster and will have better outcomes from the surgery.
I recently heard this funny, but pointed quote.
Would you rather be the oldest at the gym
-unknown
or the youngest in assisted living.
Studies are also showing that individuals who engage in some form of strength training are less likely to experience memory issues, specifically Alzheimer’s disease. Another compelling reason to start a lifelong routine of building strength after 50.
Here are a few of my favorites to help you grow strong.
FOR STRETCHING TO PREVENT INJURY
RESISTANCE TRAINING
PROTEIN PRODUCTS AND INFORMATION
- The Protein Snack Queen High-Protein Cookbook: 100 Quick, Shortcut, High-Protein, Lower-Calorie Meals and Snacks (i LOVE THIS COOKBOOK!!)
- FAVORITE CLEAN VEGAN PROTEIN POWDER (CHOCOLATE)
- CHRIS’S FAVORITE CLEAN WHEY PROTEIN POWDER (CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUP)
HELP WITH SLEEP
- SLEEP MASK -a game-changer if light is filtering through your curtains or blinds at night
- SLEEP WELL VEGAN MELATONIN SPRAY
- DREAM TEA
- SLEEP SOUND MACHINE
If you’ve been putting off getting into some better habits, then we are in the same boat. Time to lock arms and get started!
You are precious in His sight,
