Keep your muscles strong as you age

You do not need big muscles. You need useful muscles. These are the ones that help you stand up from a chair, carry a bag of groceries and catch yourself if you trip. Here is how to keep them.

Why it matters

Harvard Health says muscle loss starts around age 35 and can speed up after age 60. Adults who do not do regular strength training can lose 4 to 6 pounds of muscle each decade. The loss has a name: sarcopenia. It affects nearly half of adults over 80.

The good news is that strength training can help. Harvard says people with stronger muscles are less likely to fall. It also says strength training can help manage, and sometimes even prevent, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis. It supports a healthy weight and everyday function, too.

How much do you need?

The CDC says adults 65 and older should do muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week. The activities should work all your major muscle groups: legs, hips, back, belly, chest, shoulders and arms. The CDC also says to get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. That is 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. It also recommends balance activities, like walking heel to toe and standing up from a chair.

The CDC adds that you should be as active as your abilities and health allow. Some activity is always better than none.

Easy ways to start

• Legs: stand up from a chair and sit back down slowly. Repeat 8 to 10 times.
• Arms and chest: push-ups against the kitchen counter.
• Back and shoulders: pull a resistance band toward you while seated.
• Everyday weights: lift two soup cans or small water bottles overhead.
• Balance: walk heel to toe along a hallway with a wall nearby.

Rest a day between strength days. If you feel sharp pain, stop.

It is never too late

Many people think strength work is only for the young. It is not. Start with your own body weight and a sturdy chair. Add a little more each week, at a pace that feels good.

Feed your muscles

Harvard says the standard protein amount is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight each day. That is about 60 grams for a 165-pound person. In a study of nearly 12,000 people aged 51 and older, about 46 percent did not get enough. Experts say to spread protein out through the day, with a good source at each meal.

Good sources are beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish, dairy and soy foods. Whole foods are best. If you cannot get enough from food, ask your doctor about supplements first. Harvard says protein plus heavy resistance exercise gives the biggest gains in muscle and strength for healthy older adults.

One small thing to try

This week, do chair stands during the commercial breaks of one TV show. Add one protein to breakfast. Next week, add a second strength day.

Check with your doctor before you begin if you have heart trouble, joint pain, dizziness or a recent injury. Harvard also notes that people with kidney conditions face extra risk from very high protein, so ask about the right amount for you.